Don't Miss 'Thank You for Smoking'

March 24, 2006 — -- In the fiercely funny satire "Thank You for Smoking," Rob Lowe is the biggest agent in Hollywood. And if that isn't enough of a villain for you, Aaron Eckhart, whose star is rising fast, is the spokesman for the tobacco lobby. He makes the grim reaper look like Johnny Appleseed.

Eventually done in by a reporter well portrayed by Katie Holmes, Eckhart meets every week with the MOD Squad, which stands for Merchants of Death, Tobacco, Firearms and Alcohol.

The book was brilliant. The movie's funnier. The message: If you smoke, it's your fault. Don't miss the movie. Grade: A-

Denzel Washington is an NYPD hostage negotiator, and inside one of Wall Street's biggest banks is Clive Owen with an AK-47. With three henchmen. And 50 hostages. He's the "Inside Man."

Christopher Plummer owns the bank. Jodi Foster is his negotiator. And the Statue of Liberty in the background is a hint, a clue, a Spike Lee ironic touch. This is Spike Lee's most mainstream movie, and it's a nail-biter filled with surprises.

Denzel and Jodi Foster are so cool you can't believe this is the first time they've made a movie together. And what I liked best was Spike Lee's sly digs at and sometimes praise for our shared home, the most diverse city in the world. Grade: B+