Silver Linings Playbook (Jo****1/2)

What a remarkable filmgoing experience this was. A film that has received generally positive buzz so far this awards season is undoubtedly one of the most poignant and effective films of the year, a feel-good movie with brains as well as heart. 'Silver Linings Playbook,' a warped romantic comedy of sorts, may not seem like much in summary, but here is a film that stands alongside the best of Billy Wilder or Woody Allen or Cameron Crowe.

The film follows a bipolar man named Pat (played by an effective Bradley Cooper), who is recently released from a rehabilitation clinic by his mother in hopes of aiding his recovery. Pat, who is on a restraining order from his wife, caught her cheating in their home, an action which revealed the darker side of his mental instabilities. Still tormented by the idea of winning her back, Pat works to settle back into his childhood home.

He meets a quirky heroine, as is the case for most romances, in this case an equally disfunctional character named Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence). Pat is helpless to the idea of meeting someone new, and in truly cinematic quality, they share perhaps the most uncomfortable introduction ever filmed. We see their friendship build, all while Pat's parents (Robert De Niro & Jacki Weaver) watch in concern, fearful of another relapse.

The film's success is entirely in the script, written by director David O. Russell, who you might remember hearing about for his Oscar-nominated work in 'The Fighter.' Here is a true triumph. The film contains dialogue so fresh and witty that each moment and new character interaction never feels written at all. Russell has a clear understanding of tone and how to maneuver his actors through the script, and his eye for a director is crystal clear.

And his actors, how they have delivered. Bradley Cooper is truly stepping into his own as a respected actor, and his work is occasionally brilliant. Robert De Niro, also, delivers some of his best work in years, and at least two of his scenes are truly eye-watering work.

Jennifer Lawrence, though, can absolutely take a bow for her truly immaculate performance. The balance between comedy and drama is a tricky maneuver, and Lawrence doesn't just balance on the edge, she dances across it. Already nominated for an Oscar for 'Winter's Bone' few years back, Jennifer Lawrence is proving to be a force to be reckoned with. I suspect a Best Actress nomination to come her way, and truly this could be a winning performance. She takes control of every scene with absolute fearlessness, even stepping up to the famous De Niro in one of the film's most hilarious scenes.

This is a truly visceral film, guided by a great director and an even stronger script. Any flaws to be found with this film can be brushed off, for truly this is one of the year's best films, and one audiences will absolutely fall in love with.

(Awards potential: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Cooper (long shot)), Best Actress (Lawrence), Best Supporting Actor (De Niro), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing)

Life of Pi (Jo*****)

Life of Pi is quite possibly the best achievement on film this year. The story, based on the allegedly 'unfilmable' book, takes risks throughout its 2 hour running time, but the level of sophistication in the filmmaking by Ang Lee and his remarkable cast it truly astounding. Entering the film with no back story other than what I saw in the trailer, I was taken on a cinematic journey that truly rivals some of the best movies I have ever seen.

Following the recollections of a man who claims to have a story proving God exists, we learn of Pi, a young boy raised on a zoo in India. Once grown, we learn his father has decided to sell the zoo and move his family to Canada via cargo ship. The ship enters a severe storm and sinks, leaving only Pi and a handful of animals drifting in a small life boat. While the other animals fail to make the journey, the one that does is Richard Parker, a fully grown bengal tiger. And the story is set.

I won't go into details on how such a plot is able to fill a full-length movie, or what possible beauty could be found watching a starved boy floating at sea, but this is truly a film filled with the most awe-inspiring cinematography and visual effects. There is beauty to be found in the most plain settings, and Ang Lee truly understands the visual aspects of filmmaking. As does his effective use of visual effects. Of course several shots (if not all, I couldn't tell) of the tiger were digitally created, but the seams were truly invisible by the end. I wasn't watching a large cat created in a computer, rather one with weight, desires, instincts, and a soul.

This is a film I cannot wait to see again, and again. 3D, which has failed in the past, is in top form here, rivaling the stunning depth created in 'Avatar.' There aren't so many things coming out of the frame towards the audience as they are going away. The depth of the ocean and the sight of fish swimming just below the surface is so effectively rendered, and it adds just another level of realism to which such an absurd story is being told.

I doubt I will see another film that will have such an impact on me, definitely not this year. Here is a film for the ages. Forger 'Brokeback Mountain,' this is a film that Ang Lee will be remembered for.

(Awards potential: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Irrfan Khan), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Original Score, Best Editing, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing)

Hitchcock (Jo**1/2)

Alfred Hitchcock is undoubtably one of cinema's most iconic characters. We knew so much about his films, his style, his creative processes, but the man himself was little more than a silhouette. What Hitchcock then sets out to do is admirable, but ultimately lost in its own sensationalism. Here is a film that had potential for greatness but failed to see where.

The film, of course, is a chronicle of the making of Hitchcock's most famous film, 'Psycho,' based on a Wisconsin serial killer named Ed Gein. Finding his next project after the enormous success of 'North By Northwest,' Hitchcock ultimately stumbles upon the novel, and without further debate, settles on the film as his next project. Much of the film's humor comes from the macabre topics the story is ultimately based on, as Hitchcock casually shows backers photographs of severed heads when trying to raise money for the project.

The film, which could have elaborated the struggles to make the film and the creative processes behind it, instead veers towards Hitchcock's marital problems. There is no doubt that Alma Hitchcock, his wife, was an integral part of his life, but when you are making a film about the behind the scenes aspect of a famous film, we as an audience do not necessarily want to spend an hour watching suspicions of an affair. In fact, little of the film even focuses on 'Psycho,' itself. And there's the problem. The film fails to recognize its target audience: film buffs. How much of Alma's story portrayed in the film is speculative? The same goes for Alfred. It is very easy to find a film about a troubled marriage, but how many films deal with the creative processes of Alfred Hitchcock, himself?

The acting, however, is exemplary. Anthony Hopkins all but disappears in the role (and makeup) to create a convincing Hitchcock, though at times it does feel a bit more caricature. Helen Mirren, likewise, is once again stunning in her co-leading role. Her character undoubtedly deals with much of the film's conflict, and in many ways she could be the film's actual protagonist.

Though there are a few nominations that could be had with Hitchcock, I would not be surprised to see it passed by entirely. The film had potential, but it truly failed to deliver what could have easily been one of the best films of the year.

(Awards potential: Best Actor (Hopkins), Best Actress (Mirren), Best Makeup)

Flight (Jo*****)

'Flight' is one of those rare movies where I entered with somewhat neutral expectations and left in awe of the power of cinema. The trailer promised nothing more than a plane crash and some pretty realistic special effects. That and Robert Zemekis' triumphant return to live-action cinema (God help us if he makes another animated Holiday movie). Yes, the film is dark, and at times difficult to watch, but Zemekis and Washington take the reins entirely and succeed in creating one of the best movies of the year.

Denzel Washington stars as Whip Whitaker, a man who's morning routine involves lines of coke like it's coffee. His life is unstable, he is divorced, and his well-being seems to come second to the pleasure he finds with his flight crew. On board a morning flight at the film's start we learn so much about his character, simply by his actions in flying a plane. Whip is in no way a character we are meant to warm up to, though he is definitely a man who's confidence could perhaps become inspiring.

Of course, the plane takes an unexpected turn as it descends into a nose-dive. The sequence, no more than 5 or 10 minutes, is perhaps one of the most intense crash scenes I can recall in a movie. The complete absurdity of the situation couples with the sharp detail Zemekis smartly finds in the chaos - creating a tense and gripping sequence.

Crashing the plane just beyond a small church's baptismal pool, Whip survives - saving all but 6 lives on board. His heroic actions, though, are quickly dampened when it is discovered he had been flying with a blood alcohol content above 0.2, and life in prison is suddenly an option.

The film develops into a strong character study, and Washington simply hits it out of the park in his best performance to date. There is never a time he is not fully in control of any scene, and even the most subtle actions or stutters in speech are simply masterful. Any other year an Oscar win would be guaranteed, depending on how winter films fare, this could be an extremely tight race to watch.

John Goodman, likewise, rises to the occasion as Whip's quirky drug dealer. His screen time is limited to no more than 2 or 3 scenes, but here is a character actor in top form. Yes, it's a comedic performance, but Goodman has been around the block several times, and an Oscar nomination would not be out of line. The same goes for relatively unknown Kelly Reilly, who plays a fellow addict Whip befriends. Her story is just as heartbreaking, but her performance rises to the occasion and is equal to her costars.

In terms of comparing 'Flight' to 'Forrest Gump' or 'Cast Away,' Robert Zemekis clearly has a rich cinematic language and is a master of his craft. 'Flight' may not be the most pleasant movie-going experience, but this is a film I cannot wait to see again.

(Awards potential: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Washington), Best Supporting Actor (Goodman), Best Supporting Actress (Reilly), Best Original Sceenplay, Best Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, Best Visual Effects, Best Original Score)

Argo (Jo*****)

Ben Affleck has almost positively settled into his niche - an accomplished director who is fully capable of great acting and creating solid movies. From 'The Town' to 'Gone Baby Gone' and now 'Argo,' Affleck is a man to watch out for, and certainly comparisons to Robert Redford are no longer blasphemic.

Argo is set in a not too unfamiliar time when Iran was in conflict with America, a time when clashing political beliefs and anger set the world into the seemingly never-ending spiral downward. The film opens on the storming of an American Embassy in Iran by protestors from the street. Seeing this as the opening of the film was simply astounding, and I shivered from the level of sophistication with which the sequence is assembled. From those held hostage, 6 Americans manage to escape and flee to the Canadian Embassy, where they hide for months with no hope of escape. Though they shredded nearly all American paperwork and documents, we see Iranian children busy sifting through the shreds to reassemble the photographs and papers - papers that show they have 6 hostages missing…

And here the film truly shines. Back in the United States, the CIA is busy to think of any way to smuggle these 6 out of the country, but to no avail. Riding bikes several hundred miles to the border is sheer absurdity, and everyone knows it. Ben Affleck stars as Tony Mendez, the agent responsible for getting these people out, using an idea concocted while watching a movie with his son. Under the disguise of a film crew, they will pretend to be location scouts for the science fiction film 'Argo,' and using Canadian passports, will fly out of Tehran in plain sight.

The tension of the film is coupled by truly hilarious moments, mostly from the Hollywood side of the story. John Goodman plays John Chambers, an Oscar-winning makeup artist, who forms a fake production company with director Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin). Under an increasing time constraint, it is amazing how much Affleck fits into the film without ever overwhelming the audience with too much information.

Yes, the film follows a fairly predictable pattern and the ending is all but assured, but here is a film that audiences truly appreciate. A film that understands the language of movies, and drama, and writing, and with great ease succeeds in being one of the most surprising and entertaining movies of the year.

(Awards potential: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Arkin), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score)

The Sessions (Jo***)

'The Sessions' has been a small film making big impressions on film festivals this year, so it was no surprise that I eagerly sought it out. The film, about a bed-ridden man suffering from polio, follows his journey to lose his virginity through the use of a sex surrogate. Consulting all the while with his priest (of the Catholic Church, no less), the film makes light of a potentially grim subject matter, and succeeds in being a potential heart-warmer, though it mostly just skims the surface of truly fascinating subject matter.

Mark O'Brien (played by a truly dedicated John Hawkes), is an accomplished poet with a college degree and high levels of respect. Though he is a charming and sociable man, we learn of his desires to more fully explore female relationships, as the only women he has known pity him or his condition. O'Brien is a very religious man, and therefore consults with his priest (William H. Macy) for his truthful response to his wish. Macy laughably gives him the 'A.O.K.' and thinks God will give him a free pass. I don't know what Catholic Church O'Brien attends, but this is definitely a church many should consider attending.

Mark then meets Cheryl (Helen Hunt), a character we would immediately assume to be a prostitute, if not for her complete professionalism and suave. Here is a movie where eroticism could have completely taken over, but the act of sex is reduced down to a mere science experiment. Cheryl learns about Mark and his wishes and desires, and in turn Mark discovers that simple kindness and accepting could be all he really needs to be happy.

The film, based on a true story, glamorizes the story into a feel-good romp about a man essentially losing his virginity. The ending is fairly predictable and the short run time lends very little insight into the characters we are seeing. That is not to say the acting is nothing short of superb. John Hawkes is truly dedicated to the performance, and you can see glimmers of Sean Penn or Daniel Day-Lewis in his role. Hawkes recently became a more widely-known actor with his Oscar-nominated appearance in 'Winter's Bone,' but he is truly an accomplished actor regardless. The same should be said for Helen Hunt, who's film appearances following her Oscar win are few and far between. Here she truly shines, and don't be surprised to see both receive Oscar nominations (if nothing else, for the extended nudity throughout the film. Oscar voters love that, you know).

The film is simple, straight-forward, and predictable, but is does succeed on acting merits alone. If nothing else, see it for Hawkes and Hunt. If not, you are at no great loss.

(Awards Potential: Best Actor (Hawkes), Best Supporting Actress (Hunt), Best Adapted Screenplay))

Cloud Atlas (Jo****)

Just when you thought you understood what a movie could be, along comes 'Cloud Atlas,' a dense and precarious film that has so many ideas and images and characters and stories, I don't know if repeated viewings can even decipher the truth behind it all. With no less than 3 directors and actors playing 6 or 7 separate characters, this is a movie unlike any other, endlessly ambitious, and certainly a movie people will remember for some time.

The setting ranges from Colonial America to the far distant future, past the rise of civilization to a point where man has reverted to nature. Discussing plot is simply impossible, as each story is connected with mere thoughts, or actors, or ideas. To think about the meaning behind several characters sharing a shooting star-shaped birthmark is puzzling enough, but to then contemplate how each character's action could potentially effect their counter-character in the future or past is simply unnerving.

Babbling on about this film in cryptic riddles and my own puzzled ideas will be no good for a review, so let me just heap praises on the technical aspects. Titled as one of the most expensive independent movies ever made, 'Cloud Atlas' soars with its sheer beauty in setting and photography. The same goes for the visual effects and makeup - top notch work in the way they work to seamlessly incorporate one actor in to many settings.

Is this a film for everyone? Of course not. People today like their films straight forward and linear in their story. No one wants to be scratching their heads hours after seeing a film, but that is truly the success here. 'Cloud Atlas' creates a dizzying story, but one that sticks with you long after you have finished. Reading the novel upon which it is based may or may not shed some light, I'm not sure. All I can really tell you about this film is that it is one I need to see again, soon. If that isn't some sort of compliment, then perhaps I should just go ahead and recommend it.

(Awards Potential: Best Picture, Best Actor (Hanks), Best Actor (Broadbent), Best Actress (Berry), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Original Score, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, Best Makeup)