Movie Reviews in 50 Words: (G)

The Game (1999)
Before Fight Club, Fincher spun this yarn about a rich fellow who receives a gift that may just take more than it gives. While the film doesn’t really lend itself to a second viewing, the first trip is a white-knuckled exploration of where choice and the illusion of choice intersect.

Borrow it

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Gladiator (2000)
See Russell Crowe channel real-life rage into compelling epic about Roman general who seeks redemption and revenge in the Colosseum. High production values power meaty, gory fight sequences along an undercurrent of easy-to-follow political machinations. Brisk pacing, memorable set pieces, and digestible dialogue endow otherwise standard narrative with high replayability.

Buy it

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Gosford Park (2001)
Robert Altman. In a darkened theater. With interminable pacing. A trudging survey of British class relations turns sinister when somebody dies in the manor full of aristocrats. Not sure who, because I walked out. I knew when to stop, which is far more than I can say for this movie.

Bury it