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)