Silver Linings Playbook: worth it

I feel like this film was this year's "Little Miss Sunshine."  Not to "overhype" it (like with "Little Miss Sunshine"), it was surprisingly quite funny: original and quirky with a great cast.  Though it focuses on Bradley Cooper's recuperation from a mental breakdown, it is full of crazy people.  Pretty much everyone.  As everyone finds a way to "cope" with their idiosyncrasies, or in some cases completely ignore, you truly feel for these characters.  The way in which you become invested and root for wins on the little things, like get through the day, is worth noting.  Many a times I watch films like this completely disinterested and when I get into one, especially when the main character also hates Ernest Hemingway as must as I do, it is time to celebrate.
Verdict: must see (buzzworthy)

Oscars 2013

So, this year, I had yet to see 3 of 9 of the Best Picture nominations.  Which is a terrible year for me. Though I am in the process of updating the reviews for those that I have seen and have yet to review, I figure most of these are obscure enough where you haven't seen them anyways. However, in spite of my lack of any foundation whatsoever to base my predictions on, I am going to give it a shot:

Academy Award Category	My Vote	My Prediction
Best Picture	Argo	Argo
Best Actor	Daniel Day-Lewis	Daniel Day-Lewis
Best Actress	Jessica Chastain	Jennifer Lawrence
Best Supporting Actor	Tommy Lee Jones	Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Best Supporting Actress	Sally Field	Ann Hathaway
Best Director	Ang Lee	Ang Lee
Cinematography	Life Of Pi	Life of Pi
Adapted Screenplay	Silver Linings Playbook	Lincoln
Original Screenplay	Moonrise Kingdom	Django Unchained

Jack Reacher: empty fun

So, regardless of my personal feelings for Tom Cruise, it is undeniable that he is a pretty good actor. He makes decent movie decisions but always delivers an outstanding performance; it was nice to be reminded of that. Jack Reacher is a well-done film about a bad-ass cop solving a really hard case.  It's like Die Hard, but less improbable/ extravagent.  It is unfortunate that it comes at a bad time, on the heels of the Newtown incident, as it's about solving a senseless and random shooting.  Though you really don't get why this nomadic hermit is as good as he is or as involved as he is, you learn to appreciate his presence and style in the investigation.  Though violent, it's not excessively graphic so that you can still enjoy the victory in getting the bad guy.
Verdict: Catch the matinee (discount) 

A brief note on long movies

There are far too many movies out this season that are over 2 1/2 hours long.  Between travel time, previews, and the actual movie, I lose close to 4 hours of my day.  While I love movies, that seems a bit excessive.  And what's worst, is that they feel that long.  As a general rule of thumb, I think the ideal running time should be between 90 and 120 min.  Anything shorter doesn't allow for any type of character development and only enough time for the conflict and resolution; even "Clueless" was 97 minutes long.   Case and point: "Friday after Next"

Anything longer and I feel like there is always 20 minutes of filler that I want back in my life.  In fact, I know the exact 20 minute segment I want to nix from the 165-minute "Dark Knight Rises."  I'm not even remotely interested in seeing the director's cuts on those bad boys.  So, please, stop making them sooo long now-- either turn them into 2 movies or cut some stuff out.
Thanks, the audience

Life of Pi: beautifully inspiring

Put a tiger and a bio-luminescent whale in a trailer, and I'm sold.  Add some beautiful sunsets and sunrises and the most stunning ship sinking since the "Titanic," and I'm content.  And add a whopping dollop of religious discovery and I'm intrigued.  For a boy who was named after a pool instead of a mathematical constant, he sure can tell a good story.  So, after having the senses dazzled in 3D and watching a fascinating display of animal instinct for survival, I was very pleased with Ang Lee's work.  My intrigue had little to do with the actual story and all to do with the aesthetics   It was an enchanted journey that was a bit too long (I can only look at a placid ocean, a tiger, and an emaciated boy for so long), but was an intriguing story of faith and perseverance.

Verdict: if it fits your fancy (buzzworthy)

Flight: light & dark

The opening scene of the film said it all: the type of person we would watch struggle for clarity of mind and conscience.  The problem was that he is not really pitiable.  In fact, he is downright unlikable.  This is a confounding story of an incredible act of heroism made by a nonredeemable man.  Rarely do I enjoy addiction stories but this one was better than average.  While that doesn't make this one of my favorite movies of 2012, it was an enjoyable experience.  It helped that the acting was incredible; nearly every role was superbly executed.  The characters are somewhat understandable, the story is decent, but the people (even John Goodman) make that world go round.
Verdict: only if you really like Denzel, go now (rent it)

Wreck-it Ralph: pretty good

When Alan Horn came to visit one of my classes this year, one of the movies he gave a resounding endorsement was Wreck-It Ralph.  While not my favorite animated film of recent years, it was pretty clever.  While we get to appreciate the fish-out-of-water feeling that Ralph tries to combat (and the lengths he goes through to fit in), it takes some fairly dark turns for a movie mostly set in an arcade version of "Candyland."  And it is because of these deviations from a traditional bubble-gum kids movie that it is a good movie for a grown-up who just wants to see a wholesome yet interesting story.  Additionally, Pixar/Disney (but mainly, Pixar) does a fantastic job of not only personifying mundane objects but also romanticizing the forgotten.  From Toy Story to Wall-E, there is the overt reminder that "old" does not mean irrelevant and should not be discarded as such.  Wreck-It Ralph is no exception.
Verdict: Good choice (worth it)