What Maisie Knew (*****)

From the remarkable eyes of a child comes the best drama of the season, a movie filled with never ending beauty, sadness, and ultimate hope. Have you heard of it? Probably not, but this small independent film should make its way through the country in the coming weeks, and regardless of travel time, here is a film I would highly recommend you take the time to experience.

The story is entirely through the eyes of Maisie, the bright, beautiful, and charming star (in a breakout role by Onata Aprile, perhaps the most remarkable child performance I can think of in quite some time). Her parents bitterly fight over custody, and what ensues is a 'Kramer vs. Kramer' type legal battle.

But no, that's not the story at all. You see, each parent remarries, and although things seem good at first,  these marriages also succumb to the failure of Maisie's parents. And all through the eyes of a child, a girl who is content pressing flowers she received from her mother, or drawing castles and watching boats on the lake. She warms up to her parents' new spouses, Lincoln and Margo, and her parents become more and more engulfed in their work. What defines a family? Is there such thing as a 'good' or  'bad' parent? Perhaps the movie seeks answers, or perhaps we are meant to watch and observe.

Through heartbreaking scenes, the movie flows its way through plot points like a needle and thread. This is masterful filmmaking, and with such a particular attention paid to Maisie's childhood in particular. Her parents, played by Julianne Moore and Steve Coogan, strike the perfect tone as adults consumed with bitterness and money. Maisie comes second to their own success. And Maisie's step-parents, played by Alexander Skarsgard and Joanna Vanderham. What striking characterizations, people we warm up to in real time with Maisie. By the film's end I was absolutely filled with joy and hope, or is it too much to hope as an adult, these days?

In the midst of action movies and major blockbusters, here is a quiet movie that moves mountains. Based on a book written in the late 1800's, it's impossible to imagine a story more relevant to today's culture and perception of 'the family.' By far the best movie of 2013 so far.

(Awards potential: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Aprile), Best Supporting Actress (Moore, Vanderham), Best Supporting Actor (Skarsgard), Best Adapted Screenplay)

The Great Gatsby (**)

It seems that movies can have children, afterall. The proof is here: Baz Luhrmann's 1920's redo of his very own 'Moulin Rouge!' Oh wait, it's actually based on the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, right? Regardless, here is the summer movie everyone was waiting for during the 2012 holiday seaon. Why the release was bumped to early May is slightly confusing, but at last we can see what all the hype was about... Or what it was supposed to be about.

We meet the hero, now driven into a depression after the bout of parties and sex he experienced. Told through narration, we see flashes of the colorful life he shared in the peculiarly wealthy homes of New York City. Drinking, sex, color, modern music, it's a wonder Leonardo DiCaprio didn't break out singing 'Lady Marmalade.'

We all know the story (or I think we should, based on most high school's English reading syllabus), we all know Baz Luhrmann's directorial style. Perhaps it was a good idea on paper, but the end result is a kinetic mess of a movie, a story overdrawn and too heavy for its own good. What can one say walking out of this movie except 'wow, that was a chore.'

The problems lie in several areas. First the cast. Our star, Tobey Maguire, continues to get work even though his acting skills are on par with, well, Lassie. He manages to completely miss the weight his character but bring to the story, and alongside DiCaprio and Mulligan, he fails to complete the trio. That's not to heap praise on Leonardo, either. He seems to have fallen into an acting rutt, and it seems virtually all his performances carry the same mannerisms, ticks, accents, and gestures. Is he one of the world's greatest actors, or is he revealing himself to be a flash in the pan?

And the story itself. Well, I don't think I will be the first in declaring 'The Great Gatsby' an unfit story for the 3D process. There are moments of depth and clarity that it perhaps lends itself to, but the majority of the film clunks along in a never ending barrage of poorly-written dialogue scenes. 3D or not, seeing a teary-eyes Carey Mulligan popping out of the screen towards me in no way enhances the viewing experience.

There are parts of the movie that succeeded, in some regards. Going into a Luhrmann film, one expects obscene party scenes, and he does not disappoint. There is a refreshing take on the roaring 20's that he somehow manages to capture through the Beyonce/Jay-Z soundtrack. In trying to dig for more pro's to add to my list, however, I come up short.

Perhaps I am not a fan of this style of filmmaking. Perhaps I was having a bad day when I saw the movie. Perhaps my opinion is invalid. Or perhaps this is simply a mediocre movie.

(Awards potential: No awards potential)