Elizabeth

Don't be fooled by the unexpected Best Picture nomination--there's little that distinguishes this pedestrian portrait of the not-so-virginal-after-all Queen from what you'd find on Masterpiece Theatre or the History Channel. Sure, it's nice to see a historical costume drama exhibit some energy for a change, but no amount of lurching and whirling and cutcutcutting is gonna fill the emotional vacuum at the film's core; there's intrigue a-plenty, but no sense that the lives of the folks in the tunics and corsets have any shape beyond the requirements of the script. A fine cast, including Geoffrey Rush, Christopher Eccleston, and Joseph Fiennes, is upstaged by the sumptuous art direction and vertiginous camera movements; Cate Blanchett, however, who actually deserved her Oscar nomination, is almost skilled enough to fool you into believing there's actually a character underneath all of that pancake. Optional. (M. D'Angelo)