Fanboys have waited almost 10 years for the ultimate superhero mashup, The Avengers. And rightfully so. In much
the same way as a comic book crossover, the film combines storylines from 6 different superheroes, many of whom
have had their own films, and puts them all together in a glorious action adventure. When Loki attempts to enslave
mankind, Nick Fury, the director of the international peace keeping agency S.H.I.E.L.D. assembles a team of the
mightiest superheroes in defense. A team that includes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America,
Hawkeye, and Black Widow. The Avengers was assembled and directed by noted comic book writer, Joss Whedon,
creator of shows like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Firefly." Here, Whedon perfectly balances family
dysfunction and humor with terrific action payoffs. The set up is brilliant. The execution is over-the-top. And
for summer sizzle, it just doesn't get any better than this. The Avengers is simply marvelous!
Beasts of the Southern Wild is the reason we go to movies. A fantastical tale that depicts the life of a six
year old girl named Hushpuppy, growing up with her father in a region of the bayou known as the bathtub, just
on the other side of the levees. It's a desolate, post-apocalyptic place with rising waters, widespread poverty,
and dilapidated housing. But from a child's point of view, it is the prettiest place on Earth. Unfortunately,
that all comes crashing down when a heavy storm floods the region and along with her father's fading health,
forces Hushpuppy to become mature and resourceful in order to survive. Beasts of the Southern Wild is an amazing
accomplishment. Directed by Behn Zeitlin on a low budget with lofty ambitions, it perfectly balances real world
hardships with child-like imagination. Featuring a tour de force performance from Quvenzhane Wallis, Beasts of
the Southern Wild is pure movie magic. For once there was a Hushpuppy, and she lived with her daddy in The Bathtub.
This week, it's all about Bond. James Bond, who turns 50 this year and celebrates with a loud bang. The
release of Skyfall represents the third outing for Daniel Craig, who completely inhabits the role with
confidence, down to earth realism, and surprising vulnerability. For this installment, after a mission
goes south, Bond is shot and presumed dead. Meanwhile, MI6 comes under attack as a new villain emerges
with a diabolical plan and 007 must operate off the grid to help save the agency and restore M's
reputation. While the plot mechanics may sound familiar, the execution is refreshingly new. Directed
by Sam Mendes, a British filmmaker who won an Academy Award for American Beauty, Skyfall embraces the
old while flourishing with the new. The action, the design, and the psychological drama are all top
notch, sophisticated within a real world context. One of the most engaging and complete Bond movies in
the series, Skyfall is as satisfying as a great martini. Shaken, not stirred.
Michael Haneke is well known for violent, confrontational, and utterly disturbing movies like Funny
Games, Time of the Wolf, and The Piano Teacher. But his latest film, Amour, is something different, tenderly
and painfully depicting the final test of true love. Well into their eighties, Georges and Anne are retired
music teachers, enjoying the fruits of their labors until one day over breakfast, Anne suffers a mild
stroke. Over time, her condition deteriorates as her husband does everything to keep her alive, knowing
full well the end is near. Unlike so many films that sensationalize love as a young person's game, Amour
is tough love. The kind that comes unexpectedly, while watching a loved one confront the realities of old
age. French stars, Emmanuelle Riva and Jean-Louis Trintignant, turn away from the glamour to show something
more honest and revealing. And Haneke's direction is spot on, demonstrating how a blank stare conveys more
truth than words. Amour is as heartbreaking and real as it gets.
Director David O. Russell always seems to find absurd humor in serious places. In Three Kings, it
was a group of American soldiers searching for treasure in Iraq. In I Heart Huckabees, it was a pair
of existentialist detectives investigating the meaning of life. And in his latest film, Silver Linings
Playbook, Russell finds humor with mental illness, relationship woes, and professional football. The
film stars Bradley Cooper as a former substitute teacher who attempts to reunite with his wife after
spending eight months in a psychiatric facility for beating up his wife's lover. Upon his release, he
receives support from his football obsessed parents (Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver) and a mysterious
girl (played by Jennifer Lawrence) with many of her own flaws. Both Cooper and Lawrence exhibit great
chemistry together and the onslaught of zingers is one of the many silver linings in the film. Hysterically
awkward, Silver Linings Playbook is a razor sharp, unfiltered exploration of recovery and reconciliation.
First love is a magical thing, especially when envisioned by Wes Anderson, known for such works as Rushmore and
Fantastic Mr. Fox. In his latest, Moonrise Kingdom, two twelve year olds, Sam and Suzy, fall in love and decide
to escape their dysfunctions at home to spend a week alone in the wilderness. Of course, their disappearance creates
quite a stir and turns their island community on its head as a search party consisting of social services, a scout
troop, the local police, and their parents attempt to find them before a hurricane hits. Fans of Anderson will no
doubt be pleased to see him back in his wheelhouse with Moonrise Kingdom - fixed camera angles, quirky characters,
and meticulous production design. Even though complexity of character and plot are overshadowed by Anderson's artistic
flair, Moonrise Kingdom is enchanting nonetheless. A whimsical tale about a different kind of storm - adolescence before adulthood.
In 2009, Quentin Tarantino delivered his finest effort with Inglourious Basterds, a genre
blending, fictionalized tale of Jewish Allied soldiers out to assassinate Nazi leaders. Now,
3 years later, he sets his aim on slave owners in Django Unchained, a spaghetti western set in
America's Deep South. Starring Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, Christoph Waltz,
and Kerry Washington, the film depicts the story of a freed slave (Foxx) who travels across America
with a German dentist turned bounty hunter (Waltz) to rescue his wife (Washington) from a sadistic
plantation owner (DiCaprio). With influences ranging from grindhouse to kung fu, Django has tremendous
style and stellar performances along with a pulp pounding soundtrack. All are hallmarks of
Tarantino, whose bold ideas, cheeky humor, and graphic violence make Django Unchained a guilty
pleasure. Wildly provocative, Django is a revenge film best served cold.
Very few filmmakers have the grace, vision, and personal touch of Ang Lee. His latest film, Life Of Pi, is
a perfect example of that extraordinary talent, making the unbelievable, believable. The magical tale
centers on a young boy named Pi, who loses his family at sea and winds up alone on a lifeboat with a Bengal
tiger named Richard Parker. Together, the two form a unique bond, spending 227 days lost at sea, fighting
for survival. Adapted from the award winning novel by Yann Martel, Life Of Pi is an allegory - part
philosophical, part spiritual, and part practical. With an agile script from David Magee and meticulous
attention to detail, depth, and color, from a lifelike tiger to the grandeur of the ocean and a frightening
thunderstorm, Ang Lee has crafted one of the finest, most mesmerizing films of the year. An absolute wonder
to behold, Life Of Pi is an intimate story about the power of storytelling and the essence of life.
So, how do you follow an Oscar winning Best Picture, like The Hurt Locker? If you're director
Kathryn Bigelow, you amp it up to eleven with Zero Dark Thirty, one of the year's most powerful
films about the hunt for Bin Laden. The film depicts the 10 year journey following the events of
9/11 all the way up to the raid on Bin Laden's compound. At the center of the story is a CIA agent
named Maya whose unwavering determination and resourcefulness not only leads to retribution, but
proves that women can get the job done in a male dominated environment. This is personal for
Bigelow, the first woman to ever to receive an Oscar for Best Directing. It's not political. There
aren't a lot of unnecessary back stories. It's just great storytelling. With an intricate script
by Mark Boal and a gutsy performance by Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty is every bit as efficient
and focused as Maya's investigation. Even though we know the final outcome, we are still locked in
to the final frame. Powerfully provocative, Zero Dark Thirty is Kathryn Bigelow's finest hour.
As a director, Ben Affleck continues to get better and better. In 2007, his debut, Gone Baby Gone, was a powerful drama about two detectives
searching for a missing girl. Then came The Town, a successful crime thriller about a bank robber who befriends a former hostage. But his best
work to date is Argo - a film that blends both powerful dramatics with the trappings of a political thriller. In the film, a group of militants
have stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran during the Iranian Revolution and taken hostages. Unbeknownst to them, six Americans were able to escape
to the nearby Canadian embassy. And it's up to the CIA and specialist Tony Mendez to extricate them, hatching an outrageous plan that involves
a Canadian film crew, shooting the next Star Wars. With gritty period details, wardrobe, and camera work, Argo is a Hollywood crowd pleaser, a
suspenseful throwback with well balanced humor. But more importantly, it's a testament to Affleck's uncanny storytelling ability, making mission
impossible possible.
