Review: Burn After Reading

It’s always hard to follow up on an Oscar-winning movie. The pressure to write the perfect script and direct the picture with such precision must be unbelievable.

So how did Joel and Ethan Coen follow up their Academy Award winning movie “No Country for Old Men?” Why, by making a spy farce with an all star cast, of course. “Burn After Reading” may not be their best work, but it certainly will make you laugh.

“Burn After Reading” is a series of interweaving storylines, the most pertinent of which follows Linda Litzke (Frances McDormand) and Chad Feldheimer (Brad Pitt) as they try to get a reward from Osborne Cox (John Malkovich) for returning a CD full of his “CIA intelligence.” Rounding out the cast and filling in the gaps are J.K. Simmons of “Juno,” George Clooney and Oscar winner Tilda Swinton.

The movie immediately starts off on a high note and continues to hit them throughout the entire film. The humor is very similar to that of the Coen’s cult classic “The Big Lebowski,” and each moment is delivered perfectly thanks to the excellent cast. Unfortunately, there are also stretches of the movie that feel as if they drag on, making the viewer wait for the next great moment to come up.

Review: Traitor

It’s hard to believe that in one week the country will be commemorating the seventh anniversary of September 11. The faint taste of the attacks is still in the country’s mouth and rears its head every now and then. Even Hollywood is still trying to better understand the attacks, and, in some instances, educate people about how terrorists misuse Islam. “Traitor” is the latest of these movies hoping to entertain and educate, merging a slick thriller with the world of international terrorism.

“Traitor” follows Samir Horn (Don Cheadle of “Crash” and “Talk to Me”) in his globe-trotting trip to plan a large scale attack on the United States. Unbeknownst to his fellow terrorists and nearly all U.S. authorities, he is actually working to stop the attacks. Heading up the chase for the government is FBI agent Roy Clayton (Guy Pearce of “Memento”).

Things start off with a bang, literally, and don’t let up for the length of the film. It’s not action packed, nor is it full of rhetoric on Islam. Instead, it strikes a light balance in both categories. The insight into the religion is relatively minimal but manages to accurately portray the Islamic faith on some level.

Cheadle turns in another great performance as the conflicted undercover agent, adding to his résumé as one of most underappreciated actors in Hollywood. There are plenty of opportunities for a burst of emotion, but Cheadle opts to go for the subtler approach every time, and the rest of the cast follows suit.