Zero Dark Thirty (2:37) 2012

Jessica Chastain won a well earned Golden Globe last night for her portrayal of Maya, a hot shot CIA operative who works for seven years to track down the mastermind of 911, Osama Bin Laden. This is a high quality film with an excellent cast. There are some tough scenes,  the bombing of the Mariott in Islamabad, the London bus bombing and the scenes of interrogation and torture. Although the audience knows the outcome of Maya's seven year journey, the ending is taut and has viewers on the edge of their seats. Zero Dark Thirty is highly recommended.

Silver Linings Playbook (2:00) 2012

Pat Jr (Bradley Cooper) is released from a psychiatric hospital and returns home to his parents in Philadelphia. Pat is in therapy with Dr. Clifford but refusing to take his medications. His dad (Robert DeNiro) has lost job and is bookmaking to earn enough money to open a restaurant. Pat Jr meets Tiffany, a woman who lost her policeman husband in a car accident. Tiffany has her own emotional problems and is attracted to Pat. Tiffany is a dancer and wants Pat to be in partner in a dance competition. Pat Sr wants to be closer to Pat and hopes to spend more time together. As Pat Jr is balancing the demands on his time, his hope is to win back his estranged wife. Silver Linings Playbook is a touching, humorous and sad look at a family dealing with a family member with serious mental health issues. Bradley Cooper is marvelous as the bipolar son with mood swings. Robert DeNiro is excellent as the dad who wants to be closer to his son.  Full of witty dialogue and funny one liners, the film is balanced with scenes of disagreement and fighting, sometimes physical. Silver Linings Playbook has received both Golden Globe and Oscar nominations, nominations richly deserved.

Lincoln (2:29) 2012

When Daniel Day-Lewis stars in a movie, the overwhelming odds are that it is a film of the highest quality. When Day-Lewis is starring in a Steven Spielberg movie, it is a guaranteed multi-Oscar nominated hit. Day-Lewis portrays our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln in the last four months of his life. The Civil War is coming to close as Lincoln is gathering the votes to end slavery. The behind the scenes of garnering support for the Amendment is very much like watching cable television of ending the fiscal cliff jump of today. Day-Lewis is Lincoln as he struggles to do what is right knowing that a faction is trying to end his life. We see his being at odds with his son Robert, his doting on Tad, and the grief of losing his young son, Will. Sally Fields well deserves a nomination for her portrayal of  his wife, Mary. Mary, having lost a son, is fearful that she will lose another to the war. She also lives with the fear that her husband will have her committed for depression and other mental health issues. Lincoln is a long movie but keeps moving. The supporting cast, costumes, and attention to detail make this film a sure fire hit. This is a must see. I predict that Lincoln will win Best Picture and Day-Lewis for Best Actor at tonight's Golden Globes.

Les Miserables (2:38) 2012

Les Mis is a mixed bag. It is very well done movie - costumes, scenery, sound and most of all acting. Based on Victor Hugo's book of the same name, the story is well known. Jean Valjean, Hugh Jackman, is imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread for 19 years. Valjean breaks parole after release and eventually becomes a successful businessman. Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe) is driven to bring Valjean to justice for breaking parole. Valjean's life changes when he takes an orphan girl, Cosette, to live with him. Cosette grows up and falls in love with a young revolutionist. The reason that I am saying that Les Mis is a mixed bag is that as a musical, the songs are not my favorite. The actors were all great but it was a long movie about abject poverty. I'm not a fan of Hugo or Dickens as they describe life in the mid 1800s and absolutely detest sewer scenes. My favorite part of the movie was towards the end with the scenes of young revolutionaries barricading the streets in protest. I predict Les Miserables will take home many Oscars but predict that Les Mis will be passed over for Best Picture.

EFFY 2013

Just announced: The 5th annual Environmental Film Festival at Yale 2013 will be held from April 8-14. Check out their website for further details. http://www.environment.yale.edu/film/.

The Guilt Trip (1:36) 2012

Whether you have an adult son or a doting mother, The Guilt Trip is a fun ride. Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen team up for a cross country road trip. Andy is an organic chemist who has invented an  environment friendly household cleaner. He has appointments with companies across the country as he tries to sell ten thousand bottles. He asks his mother Joyce to accompany him for the week. Joyce, a long time widow, is thrilled. Off they go as they meet bad weather, people and potential clients. I have to admit that I thought The Guilt Trip might be a silly and somewhat crude movie. It was a delightful surprise that it was a movie with real mother son dialogue. Streisand was so effortless and delightful. There is one scene where Andy and Joyce clear the air and Streisand nails it. Andy's reaction to his mother, in many cases, was so true to life. My son Patrick was home for the holidays and wanted to see it with me. I was sidelined with a bad cold and cough and did nothing for a solid week. He had to go back to work so I went with a friend on New Year's Day. My recurring thought was that I wished I was seeing it with Patrick. We did speak about the movie later that day, I suggested that he go see it because it was a fun movie. Before I hung up, I asked him where we were going on a road trip this summer. I'll wait for his answer until he's seen the movie!