At the heart of this stark tale lies the axiom "live by the sword, die by the sword."

Beautifully shot by Anton Corbijn, The American so definitively places you in Italy you'll feel you need a passport to see it.

The film has a slow pacing; no quick cuts or cinematic gimmicks. Instead what you get are precise and beautifully framed panoramas and tight shots of Clooney et al.

One scene that stands out in particular is when George Clooney takes Thekla Reuten's character to his secret hiding place to test a custom-made rifle he's built for her. A fellow assassin, Reuten just feels untrustworthy and dangerous. Maybe it's her piercing blue eyes, strong nose and flared nostrils. Whatever the case, that scene is a testament to Corbjin's virtuosity and ability to set up a tense scene without overly relying on a heavy score.

This is not a feel good movie by any stretch, but in this age of "look ma, I shot this on a camcorder," The American stands apart as a true-to-form cinematic experience. This film was crafted by industry professionals and there's no faking that.

Tags: George Clooney, The American

I saw this movie this week. As with most Wes Anderson films, and most notably Rushmore, this film does not disappoint. It has a very warm color palette and the settings are pastoral and visually appealing and engender a sense of coziness. A sense of being ensconced in the (largely) underground and make believe world of Mr. Fox and his unusual collection of pals. But I had the same feeling of wanting to rewind and more closely review many scenes for details that I did with Coraline, although that film ultimately has more heart and was more polished and technically amazing than Fox. Coraline was a classic; Fox is just a really good stop motion animation movie.

Rat is played by Willem Dafoe and that is probably the funniest role in the movie. Just listen to that slow, southern drawl when he tells Mr. Fox "It's my jaw-ob (job)"

The part of the movie I wasn't so crazy about was the second half, when the farmers really become focused on trying to capture and kill Mr. Fox. While never overtly violent, the tension and sense of imminent danger is in stark contrast to the cozy, relaxed feeling in the beginning of the film.

All in all, a very enjoyable movie going experience, like most Wes Anderson movies.

Tags: George Clooney, Wes Anderson