Rescue Dawn

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: July 4, 2007

DVD Release Date: November 20, 2007

Plot 411: A U.S. pilot is shot down while on a combat mission and is taken prisoner.

Review: In 1966, Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale) is out on his first top secret mission when his plane is shot down. Barely surviving the crash, he wanders the jungles of Laos and is captured by the local army. He soon meets a group of POWs who have been captured for years. The group consists of fellow armed forces members as well as the flight crew of a commercial airline. Dengler immediately begins to plot their escape to the disbelief of everyone else. They have been physically and psychologically tortured to the point that they have become complacent and do not believe they can survive outside the torture camp. This is an intense portrayal of the human spirit and one's will to survive. The events are almost too horrible to be true and yet they are based on real events (though there is some contention to the accuracy of the movie). As the movie unfolds you witness how easy it is for your spirit to be broken. Simple things that are taken for granted in every day life are treasured and longed for in extreme situations. People's true natures are revealed under such stressful situations. The actors did a tremendous job dropping their weight to portray the starving POWs. Physically being able to embody the extremes really enhanced the visual effects. This, in addition to the set dressing and surrounding landscape, really helped center the movie and bring the audience back in time. This really is an excellent film. Also in this film are Steve Zahn and Jeremy Davies.

Watch It: For a really intense and harrowing depiction of life as a POW.

Skip It: And brush up on your history before watching the film. This may really help to enhance your understanding of the film and make the experience better.

3:10 To Yuma

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: September 6, 2007 (Russia) / September 7, 2007 (USA)

DVD Release Date: January 8, 2008

Plot 411: A former soldier joins a band of lawmen to escort an outlaw to the train that'll transport him to jail.

Review: Even if you're not particularly a fan of Westerns, you might like this one. It stars Russell Crowe as Ben Wade, the leader of a gang who steals from stagecoaches. Wade and his gang cross paths with soldier-turned-farmer Dan Evans (Christian Bale) when he steals Evans' horse in order to escape the law. Evans is desperate to save his home but is behind on payments. When he is offered money to help transport Evans to jail, he agrees. Along the way the two banter back and forth and you soon realize that the men are actually quite similar. Despite their divergent lives, the two live by a code of honor. While the set up to the movie is a bit slow, it soon picks up and becomes action packed. Gun fights and chases help liven up the movie and are interspersed with quiet moments between the two main characters. Both men try to outsmart and out think each other, and in another life may have been great friends. Also in this film are Luke Wilson, Ben Foster and Alan Tudyk.

Watch It: For a gun-toting good time.

Skip It: Perhaps in favor of the original?

The Machinist

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: January 18, 2004

DVD Release Date: June 7, 2005

Plot 411: Insomniac Trevor Reznik begins to see a guy that doesn't exist.

Review: Wow, this movie was a complete mindf*ck. I mean, first of all, Christian Bale's physical presence (or lack thereof) is completely appalling and I couldn't stop looking at him for the first 30 minutes! Seriously, this guy is Batman? WTF? He is barely even skin and bones in this movie, and you're able to see all his ribs and his spine. He's that skinny! Holy cow! I don't know how he managed to drop weight so drastically. Bale plays Trevor, a guy who works in a factory. He hasn't slept in a year and is barely 120 pounds. He's a loner whose only substantial relationships are with a hooker (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and a waitress (Aitana Sanchez-Gijon). When he meets Ivan (John Sharian) things start getting a little hairy, including accidents at work. When he is told that Ivan doesn't exist, Trevor becomes determined to get to the bottom of things. Is Ivan a hallucination? Are people out to get him? Bale is superb in this movie. I really don't know what else to say about it. As the movie progresses, you feel like you're losing your mind right along with Trevor. Because he's an unreliable narrator, you're kept guessing as to what's really going on. It's a very effective technique that adds to the suspense and mystery. Another effective technique is the lighting and cinematography, which creates a feeling of isolation and sterility. Everything is stark and lit in cool blue tones. Trevor's environment is completely colorless and gray. This has got to be one of Bale's best performances ever.

Watch It: And simply be astounded by Bale's skeletal transformation.

Skip It: If you aren't in tune with more cerebral-type movies.

Terminator Salvation

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: May 21, 2009

DVD Release Date: September 9, 2009

Plot 411: John Connor msut find his teenaged father in order to fulfill the prophecy that he will be the world's savior.

Review: Christian Bale stars as 30-something John Connor, a soldier in the Resistance fighting against the machines of Skynet. According to his mother's tape-recorded messages, he must make sure his father Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin) is safe and can carry out his destiny. At this point in time, Reese is a mere teenager and John is older than he is. However, he is to grow up and travel to the past where he will meet John's mother, Sarah Conner. Yes, it's kind of confusing. You just might want to watch the original Terminator films to get a grasp on things. I didn't bother doing that so I can't really expound on the whole time travel plotline. However, in this film we're introduced to Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a prisoner on death row who donated his body to science. He reawakens many years later during John Connors era only to discover that things are suspiciously wrong. For some reason, he didn't look like the same Sam Worthington from Avatar. Physically, he seemed bigger than he was in Avatar. Also, his face looked different to me. Maybe I wasn't really paying attention to him during Avatar? I also noticed that he'd slip in and out of an accent, which was a bit annoying (He's originally from the UK and schooled in Oz, so I guess it might be hard to shake an accent.). There's a storyline with him and Moon Bloodgood that could've been scrapped entirely. While the effects were pretty great during the set pieces and battles, the plot kind of dragged for me. I found myself wondering when this thing was really going to begin. Helena Bonham Carter and Common are also featured in this film.

Watch It: For a CGI-packed action flick and a cameo of young Arnold.

Skip It: If Bale's guttural Batman voice annoys the hell out of you. He too slips in and out of this throughout the film.

Public Enemies

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: July 1, 2009

DVD Release Date: TBD

Plot 411: The story of John Dillinger and how he motivates J. Edgar Hoover to create the F.B.I.

Review: Johnny Depp plays John Dillinger, a notorious bank robber during the 1930s who was seen as a threat by law enforcement officials and a celebrity by the public. Dillinger and his friends planned and executed bank heists across the nation while the F.B.I.'s Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) tracked him down by the orders of J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup). This film seemed to delve deeper into Dillinger's character to uncover the real man. I don't know if any of it is true, of course, but it really felt more like an introspective documentary than a shoot 'em up gangster film. Because of this, the beginning was pretty slow going as if trying to build sympathy for the character. Despite being a killer and bank robber, Dillinger is also portrayed as a protective and respected friend; a showman and master publicist; and a loyal and trustworthy lover. His love interest Billie is played by Marion Cotillard. She does a good job of conveying the inner turmoil of a woman who is tempted to give in to her desires for excitement and love and embrace all the consequences that go along with that choice. Also making an appearance in this film are Stephen Dorff, Channing Tatum and Giovanni Ribisi.

Watch It: For a refreshing new look at Depp.

Skip It: If you're looking for a really good gangster flick with tons of machine gun action.