Stray-glioma roundup

Michelle and I went to the movies last night -- Wes Anderson's new "The Darjeeling Limited" -- and I realized I've let several recent things slip by without an M&M review. So, in an arts-section version of the morning news meeting, here's a catch-up edition.

The Darjeeling Limited. Wes Anderson is a quirky, stylish filmmaker, and I've liked most of his previous movies, especially "Rushmore" and "The Royal Tenenbaums." This one brings together three brothers, played by Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody and Jason Scwhartzman, for a trip through India, including on the train that gives the flick its title. Like all Anderson's work it's beautiful to look at, and the performances -- including a smaller role by Angelica Houston and a cameo by Bill Murray -- are excellent. But it felt weirdly claustrophobic to me, even with the huge Indian vistas. The themes and plot lines and even the props are engaging but so precisely and (it seemed to me) self-consciously worked out that I kept thinking I was there for Anderson's amusement instead of the other way around. Designer emotional baggage, I thought during the predictable final scene. Enjoyable, but not a classic. 3 gliomas.

Michael Clayton. The new George Clooney vehicle is a throwback legal thriller that made me think of classic '70s movies like "The Parallax View" or "Three Days of the Condor," even though there's very little action-movie action in this one. The big chase scenes are all internal. Clooney plays the title character, a fixer in a big, powerful law firm who has to clean up the mess of his friend and the firm's star litigator, and confronts a bunch of stuff about himself in the process. It's a great role, and Clooney at his natural, likable best knocks it out of the park. Tom Wilkinson also is excellent as the lawyer friend who loses it, and Tilda Swinton is creepy good as the nemesis. This is the first film directed by Tony Gilroy, a longtime screenwriter who wrote the Bourne movies among others. For an excellent interview with Gilroy, check out this episode of Elvis Mitchell's "The Treatment" podcast. 4 gliomas.

Magic, Bruce Springsteen. In M&M's what-are-you-listening-to weekend challenge this emerged as a popular choice, and McDermott mentioned during our recent lunch that he's really enjoying the new Springsteen release too. I've been listening off and on for a couple of weeks now, trying to whip up some enthusiasm, but it's not sticking with me. I like the single, "Radio Nowhere," and a couple of others, and it is cool in a nostalgic way to hear the old, full E Street Band sound again. The magic, I keep thinking, is that they found the lost "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" tapes. Not that that's bad; that early music was great. But I've liked watching Bruce evolve over the years. I really liked "Ghost of Tom Joad," "Devils & Dust" and the recent Seeger Sessions stuff. Michelle and I saw his first show with that new band, doing the "We Shall Overcome" music at the first New Orleans Jazz Festival after Katrina, and it was overwhelmingly powerful. Definitely one of my pantheon concerts. This new record I like, but it won't be in my heavy rotation. As Greta would say, I'm whelmed. 3 gliomas.

Graduation, Kanye West. After the big throwdown a few weeks back over whether Kanye West's or 50 Cent's new release would sell the most copies, Kanye's better selling album is a big disappointment. I think he can be a very engaging rapper and he's a smart, terrific producer, but nothing on this record matches the fun and catchiness of his previous releases, "Late Registration" and "The College Dropout." 2 gliomas.

Others around the table, your thoughts? I know Michelle had different takes on both movies. Have you seen or heard these releases?