Following the laughter of Talledega Nights, it was time to get serious with Oliver Stones World Trade Center. I rarely do this, but I declare this an unofficial review. While it is easy to nitpick most films to the furthest extent, 9/11 is one of those topics that is still hard to touch with a 10 foot pole. Would I be considered un-American if I offered a criticism? I’d rather not find out. Lord knows I received enough hate mail when I said that The Alamo was mediocre. I will say this, World Trade Center certainly does not live up to the potential of United 93, which was released earlier this year. I respect the role that every courageous American played on 9/11, and I want to keep the filmic world separated from the real world. Therefore, I leave this grade blank.

Moving on, I did finally see Richard Linklater’s highly anticipated flick A Scanner Darkly. This was probably one of the more highly anticipated films of 2006 for me. Unfortunately, my opinion joins the concensus of others: it is only an ok movie. Keanu Reeves plays an undercover cop seven years into the future, who is trying to put an end to a mind-altering drug that has a hold on junkies. Being that this is based on a Philip K. Dick story, trippy wackiness ensues.

Richard Linklater has a knack for capturing the mundane converstaion so well, and he does so here once again. Unfortauntely, this sci-fi hybrid does not quite live up to his previous favs such as Before Sunset, Dazed and Confused, or Tape. The integration of the science fiction story into the converstaion pieces makes for mass confusion. This premise could have more potential, but there comes a point in the middle of this film where it doesn’t know what to focus on more: the science fiction premise or intriguing conversation pieces. However, a twist in the end really scores some points. Might I add an actual decent performance from Keanu Reeves and the always reliable Robert Downey Jr.?

Grade: B