It’s holiday season. Many things to do, people to see, hands to shake, family to hug.  I haven’t had the time to write full reviews but wanted to give my quick take on a few I’ve seen over the past few weeks.

1. Avatar – Not sure if you’ve heard about this little James Cameron film. But it’s a definite MUST SEE. In 3-D. On IMAX. James Cameron actually delivers on his full year of “game changing” boasts. Yes, the storyline has its slight problems, but the film is the real deal. The performance capture created by Cameron’s team truly is a game changer.  In 3-D, you feel as if you are on the planet Pandora. Don’t wait to watch it at home. This film reassures all that is great about actually going to the movies.

2. Up in the Air – George Clooney will get nominated for Best Actor, and possibly win. Jason Reitman will get nominated for Best Director and Screenplay. One of the two actress (Vera Farmiga & Anna Kendrick) will get nominated for Best Actress (but not win).  These are not bold statements. I speak the truth. It will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside, and make you wonder what the hell is going on with America’s job market.  Very relevant film. Very funny, too. Go see it before your Aunt Hilda who knows NOTHING sees it and tells you that it’s the greatest movie and blah blah blah. The buzz and hype will reach a fever pitch as award season starts kicking in, so see it SOON.

3. Fantastic Mr. Fox – I was really reluctant to see this at first. I love Wes Anderson films and all (except The Life Aquatic, that one really went off the rails), but wasn’t really feeling the stop motion animation.  After seeing it, I will admit that I’m a fool.  Based on a kids book, I’m not even sure how much of a kid’s film it is. Most of the jokes would seem to go over the kids heads. I laughed out loud many times throughout.  There is a reason this film has 100% positive reviews amongst top critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Fantastic Mr. Fox is FANTASTIC.

4. Brothers – In general, Tobey Maguire creeps me out. I just don’t really like him. That being said, he may very well get nominated (not win) for an Academy Award in his role in this film. His bugged eyed, sunken in, creepshow performance actually works in this tense film.  I recommend this movie with caution, the performances are fantastic and the script really develops the characters well. It’s just trying to do a few too many things at one time, while downplaying some of the obvious elements it needed to explore.

5. The Road – I really enjoyed this book. And the film does a fantastic job of adapting it. It’s just a tough one to recommend. The narrative, story arc, and overall struggle seem to be best fit for a novel. The slow crawl to the end of the world is shot beautifully. Viggo Mortensen is amazing as usual (Yes, he gets naked for about the 80th film in a row. Luckily no naked karate kicks like in Eastern Promises).  Here it is in a nutshell. I absolutely loved this movie. But wouldn’t recommend it to everyone. It’s a downer. But a magnificent downer.

To avoid: Did You Hear About the Morgans?, Armored, Old Dogs

Enjoy the holiday break!

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