neumu [ cinematronic ]




	Minority Report
	Steven Spielberg Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Max Von Sydow, Samantha Morton, Lois Smith, Peter Stormare, Tim Blake Nelson 2002		The first project Steven Spielberg chose to direct after the ambitious but flawed sci-fi odyssey "A.I." turns out to be a showcase for his movie-making finesse, and blessedly free of his usual sentimental excess. "Minority Report," based on a short story by celebrated sci-fi author Philip K. Dick, is a futuristic crime thriller with icy edge, grit and visual innovation, and none of the saccharine that we've come to expect from Spielberg. It may be the director's best film since the unimpeachable "Raiders of the Lost Ark," and that's saying a lot. Plus, top-billed Tom Cruise does his best acting since "Magnolia." Cruise plays John Anderton, chief of an elite police force that uses psychics to predict murders and then arrests the potential killers before they can take a life. It's all good until John is accused of a homicide-to-be and must prove his innocence. With standout performances by Samantha Morton as a tragic pre-cognitive, Max Von Sydow as John's boss and Colin Farrell as an FBI investigator.