THE REVIEW CORNER

Starring:  Jessica Chastain, Joel Edgerton, and Chris Pratt Directed by: Kathryn Bigelow Screenplay by: Mark Boal     Some people might call it the greatest manhunt in history.  I just think it's the United States stopping at no end to keep it's people safe from Osama bin Laden.  Ok...Maybe it is the greatest manhunt in history, but it sure makes for an interesting film.     This is the story of a CIA agent named Maya (Jessica Chastain) and her decade long hunt for Osama bin Laden.  The story takes us through almost the entire decade between September 11, 2001, when the World Trade Center was attacked, and May 2011, when SEAL Team Six took out Osama bin Laden in Abottabad, Pakistan.     First off, I'd like to discuss the disturbing images in this film.  There are quite a few of them throughout the film as different suspected terrorists are tortured by various ways of "enhanced interrogation".  There are scenes where one of the prisoners is waterboarded, whic

Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellan, and Richard Armitage Directed by: Peter Jackson Screenplay by: Fran Walsh and Philipa Boyens Based on the novel The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien      Peter Jackson is back, directing another trilogy.  This time, instead of three three-hour films based on three different books, it will be three three-hour films based on one single book.  Talk about a detailed plot line.      Instead of our main character being Frodo Baggins (a very short appearance towards the beginning of the film), this film stars Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) when he was much younger.  Now for the story:      A dragon has conquered the great Dwarf kingdom of Erebor, in the Lonely Mountain of Middle Earth.  A number of years later, a small group of Dwarves from this kingdom set out to reclaim their old homeland.  With the help of the great wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellan), the group finds Bilbo Baggins.  And so, he goes on this unexpected journey with them as they face terrible

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Starring: Keira Knightley, Jude Law, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson Directed by: Joe Wright Screenplay by: Tom Stoppard Based on the novel by Leo Tolstoy      I've not heard the most wonderful things about the book Anna Karenina .  I've heard it's quite long and can be a bit boring.  Apparently, these themes were translated quite well into the film version of the story.      It's 19th century Russia, and the main characters all come from a high class in society.  So, when the aristocrat, Anna Karenina (Keira Knightley) falls into an affair with Count Vronsky (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), things get ugly for both of them and everyone in their lives.  Much respect and love for both of them is lost, and it is truly an affair that shocks the nation.      I find the most interesting thing about this film to be the way in which all of the actors speak.  The film takes place in Russia, so theoretically, the actors should be speaking with Russian accents if the film is to be done in

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and Robert DeNiro Directed by: David O. Russell Screenplay by: David O. Russell Based on the novel by Matthew Quick     You know this is going to be an interesting film when the stars play crazy people.     Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) has just been released from a mental hospital and moves back in with his parents so that he can get his life back in order.  He wants to try to get back together with his ex-wife even though she has put a restraining order on him.  The problem with Pat is that he's bi-polar.  And his parents aren't much help, especially his father (Robert DeNiro) who's completely consumed by the Philadelphia Eagles.  But then, he meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a young sex-addict whose husband has recently passed away, and she changes everything for Pat.     The story for this film plays out in a rather interesting way.  Both of the main characters, Pat and Tiffany, are extremely well developed and in so

Starring:  Suraj Sharma ,  Irrfan Khan  and  Adil Hussain Directed by: Ang Lee Screenplay by: David Magee Based on the novel by Yann Martel      I'm starting to think that the end of 2012 is bringing some quite good films.  Here's another.      Pi Patel is a young boy from India who is forced to move away from India along with his family.  His family runs a zoo and they are taking the animals on a ship with them.  Along the way, the ship encounters a massive storm and sinks, leaving Pi and a ferocious Bengal tiger as the only survivors.  This is the amazing story of how the two will survive the high seas together, and how they will bond.      This is truly an incredible story, one that will have you on the edge of your seat for much of the duration of the film.  Pi is a character who we can become very attached to, and while it seems like we would be very afraid of the tiger, we also become very attached to him.  This is one of those films in which there are two main cha

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Josh Peck, Josh Hutcherson, and Isabel Lucas Directed by: Dan Bradley Screenplay by: Carl Ellsworth and Jeremy Passmore       I know what you're thinking:  Josh Peck is in this film?  I remember him from the TV show on Nickelodeon Drake and Josh too.  You would probably only know this show if you are my age and watched that show as a kid.  Those were the days.       Moving on...  The North Koreans have invaded parts of the United States, causing panic and terror among residents in the occupied zones.  So now it's up to a Marine (Chris Hemsworth) and a bunch of the town's young adults to stop the invasion in their town and rise up against their oppressors, the North Koreans.  Will this newly formed team of "terrorists" (as they are referred to in the film) successfully fend off the invasion?       I will be blunt.  This is one not one of the better concepts for a film I've seen this year.  At least the North Koreans, fellow huma

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, James Spader, and Tommy Lee Jones Directed by: Steven Spielberg Screenplay by: Tony Kushner Based in part on the book Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin      If you want to see a prime example of gridlock in Washington, this is the film for you.      The film takes place during the month of January 1865.  The Civil War has raged on for four years and has taken hundreds of thousands of lives on both the side of the United States and the Confederacy.  This is not a film based on the life of Abraham Lincoln, but instead the passage of the 13th amendment to the Constitution, the amendment that ended slavery in the United States, and the end of the Civil War.  If you know your history, you should already know how the film ends.       Let me begin by talking about the acting.  Daniel Day-Lewis never delivers a bad performance.  In every film I have seen him in, he delivers a performance that is nothin

Starring: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, and Judi Dench Directed by: Sam Mendes Screenplay by: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and John Logan       007 is back!  What more can I say?       James Bond has a thing about resurrection.  He is very good at it.  After faking his own death again, he's back at MI6, the British intelligence agency, looking for M to give him another assignment.  This assignment involves M's past coming back and haunting her, and will test Bond's loyalty to her.  Can he still take out the threat?       It's always debated who plays a better James Bond.  It's a debate I cannot participate in very much because I have not seen all of the 007 movies, and there are a lot of them, so I guess I have some catching up to do.  But I can say, that Daniel Craig plays Bond exceptionally well.       But I don't think Craig delivers the strongest performance in this film.  That prize goes to Javier Bardem.  His role as Silva, t

Starring: Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, John Goodman, and Bruce Greenwood Directed by: Robert Zemeckis Screenplay by: John Gatins       For those of you who have any fear of flying, even the tiniest fear, you will never want to fly on an airplane again after seeing this film.       Captain Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) saves a commercial airplane from a truly horrific crash, in which only a few people are killed.  Almost everyone survives, including himself.  The stunt he pulls to save the plane is nothing short of a miracle, but an investigation into the crash reveals something that could send Whitaker to prison.  Not only is he going to be responsible for the people who were killed in the crash (which will send him to prison on manslaughter charges), but he was also found to be drinking the night before and the morning of the flight.       The actual plane crash takes place only twenty minutes or so into the film, and that sequence is absolutely one of the most intense se

Starring: RZA, Russell Crowe, Cung Le, and Lucy Liu Directed by: RZA Screenplay by: Eli Roth and RZA      If you're familiar with the rap group known as the Wu-Tang Clan, you probably know of RZA.  This is his first feature film and I'm not terribly impressed.      There's treasure in Jungle Village.  Warriors, bandits, and even a British soldier (Russell Crowe) are trying to get their hands on it.  Meanwhile, the clans who live in Jungle Village are warring amongst themselves over the death of one of the clan leaders.  So now with all of this chaos going on, it's up to the Blacksmith (RZA) to ensure everyone's safety, and the safety of Jungle Village.      While the concept of this film isn't all that original, it's a concept that is often depicted quite well and serves as the base for a good storyline, even in this film.  My problems with this film do not lie in the story, but in the way the story is brought to the silver screen.       One problem;

Starring: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, James D'Arcy, Hugh Grant, and Susan Sarandon Directed by: Tom Tykwer, Lana and Andy Wachowski Screenplay by: Tom Tykwer, Lana and Andy Wachowski Based on the novel by David Mitchell       When I first saw the trailer for this film, I was blown away by many things and started to have high expectations for this film.  Were they met?       The story of Cloud Atlas takes us through the lives of two souls who are reincarnated again and again throughout the ages as different people.  These people seem to meet each other and share a very special bond in all of these time periods.  And they will take audiences on a wild ride in each of these different time periods.       This is a film that must be seen more than once in order to fully understand the story.  Each subplot  is vastly different from the others and each is told in a different way as well.  Sadly, the book does not help much to clear

Starring: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller Directed by: Stephen Chbosky Screenplay by: Stephen Chbosky Based on the novel by Stephen Chbosky       This movie simply has to stick as close to the book as humanly possible.  I mean, the same person wrote the book and made the movie.       Charlie (Logan Lerman) is about to become a high school freshman.  He's had a tough time in middle school making friends and being a normal kid.  He meets a group of people who, while they've had their fair share of tough times as well, seem to be good friends to Charlie.  We will see how Charlie deals with all of the issues of being a high school freshman while having a group of seniors as his close friends.       Everyone has had a tough time in high school.  None of us would be normal if high school was a breeze.  This is clearly expressed in the chemistry among the characters in the film.  There is not a character in the film that most people would want to aspire to be.  They

Starring: Colin Farrell, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, and Christopher Walken Directed by: Martin McDonagh Screenplay by: Martin McDonagh      I think the title of the movie explains itself.  You know you're going to be seeing something weird.      Marty (Colin Farrell) is a Hollywood screenwriter struggling to write a good film called Seven Psychopaths .  But, he can't seem to come up with seven characters all to be psychopaths.  His friend Billy (Sam Rockwell) decides to help him come up with these seven crazy characters.  But Billy and Hans (Christopher Walken) kidnap missing dogs and return them to their owners.       Then Billy kidnaps a Shih Tzu belonging to a gangster (Woody Harrelson) and he doesn't want to give the dog back.  So we have this crazy gangster who's willing to do anything to get his dog back, a screenwriter just trying to write a good story, and a few psychotic guys in general.  This is going to play out very strangely.       The story is n

Starring: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, and Alan Arkin Directed by: Ben Affleck Screenplay by: Chris Terrio and Joshuah Bearman Based on a true declassified story      This is the second movie about someone attempting to rescue people that I've seen in a week.  Only this one is much better than Taken 2.        It's 1980 and the Iranian revolution is in full swing.  The U.S. Embassy has just been taken over by Iranian revolutionaries and the Americans working in the embassy have been taken hostage.  But six of the Americans escaped through a back door and are being sheltered at the Canadian Ambassador's home until they can find a safe way out.       Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) is a CIA exfiltration specialist.  Basically, it's his job to rescue people from hostage situations.  So this time, he's in charge of making sure these six Americans get home safely.  At first, the CIA considers sending in bicycles and having the Americans ride all the way to

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, and Emily Blunt Directed by: Rian Johnson Screenplay by: Rian Johnson      The year is 2074 and time travel has finally been invented.  But it's only used for one thing.  When the mob wants to get rid of somebody in the future, they simply blast them back in time 30 years to be shot by a looper.       Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is one of these loopers.  His job is to shoot everyone who is sent to him without hesitation.  But when he has to close his loop (by killing his future self (Bruce Willis)) like all loopers eventually have to do, will he be able to do it?  What happens if he doesn't?       Time travel is a concept that fascinates me like no other.  And since it doesn't yet exist in our world, it's only up to people's interpretation of how it will work and who will use it.  As a fan of Sci-Fi, this concept of time travel always catches my attention when I see a movie trailer for a film involving this abstract

Starring: Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen, and Maggie Grace Directed by: Olivier Megaton Screenplay by: Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen     A few days ago, Liam Neeson was a guest on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.  Stewart told Neeson that he thought his character in Taken 2 was being a bit reckless with his family because they are targeted again for kidnapping by the same people as in Taken (2008).     In the first film, Bryan Mills's (Liam Neeson) daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace), is kidnapped while on a trip in Paris.  This time, the family is in Istanbul and the people who kidnapped Kim are out to kidnap Bryan.  But Bryan and Lenore (Bryan's ex-wife (Famke Janssen)) are the ones who are kidnapped and now it is up to Kim to rescue them both.      In a way, this film is a little different from the first film.  But I would think that after the first film, taking a family vacation in Europe wouldn't be a necessarily smart thing to do for this family.  In that case, I have t

Starring: Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, and Edward Norton Directed by: Tony Gilroy Screenplay by: Tony Gilroy and Dan Gilroy Based on the novel by Robert Ludlum     At the end of The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), Treadstone, a secret government agency has been exposed by Jason Bourne (Matt Damon in the series), making him one of the government's most wanted.     Now, a similar problem faces another agency called Outcome.  Eric Byer (Edward Norton), the head of the program decides it's time for Outcome to be shut down.  That involves killing all the agents involved in the program along with the doctors monitoring them.     But one agent, Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) refuses to go as quietly as the government wants.  He's placed himself in a similar situation that Jason Bourne put himself in after exposing Treadstone, and that's going to cause people like Byer a bit of a problem.     It feels like we've seen this before, almost exactly.  Remember The Bourne Identity

Starring: Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, and Jessica Biel Directed by: Len Wiseman Screenplay by: Kurt Wimmer and Mark Bomback Based on the short story "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" by Philip K. Dick      You may or may not remember that this is a remake of Total Recall (1990).      Rekall, a company that provides visitors with any memory they desire to have.  Want to experience something you'd never do in real life?  Go to Rekall and they'll remember it for you.      After visiting Rekall, factory worker Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell), starts thinking he's a spy.  But he knows that he's just a factory worker.  Or does he?  He is now forced to wonder whether the life he lives is real or not.      The story involves a fascinating concept.  I'm a huge fan of films that keep you thinking throughout the whole story.  I like that there isn't any real distinguishing factor between what is real and what is not.  All we know is that Quaid'

Starring: Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, and Jason Sudeikis Directed by: Jay Roach Screenplay by: Chris Henchy and Shawn Harwell      And I thought the actual 2012 presidential election was entertaining.      Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) is North Carolina's 14th district's Congressional representative.  He's been there for a few terms and all he's had to do to win his seat each election is simply sign the form to put him on the ballot.  But now Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis) is running against Brady.  So Brady actually has to campaign against Huggins.  Backed with millions of dollars from the Motch brothers (John Lithgow and Dan Aykroyd), can Huggins beat Brady?      You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that this film clearly has parallells to other campaigns both past and present.  They make it so incredibly obvious that it looks like you're watching a fantasy version of what's really happening between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, which i

Starring: Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy, Joseph gordon-Levitt, Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard, Michael Caine, and Morgan Freeman Directed by: Christopher Nolan Screenplay by: Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan      Let me begin by saying simply that this is absolutely one of the best endings to a trilogy ever!      It's been eight years since the death of Gotham City District Attorney Harvey Dent.  But it's also been eight years since anyone's seen Batman or Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale).  Gotham City has essentially been rid of organized crime and has returned to a more peaceful place.  Until now.      There's a new player this time.  Bane (Tom Hardy) is the most powerful and most feared villain that the city has seen since the Joker.  Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) isn't sure that Gotham will survive much longer without the return of Batman.  Slowly, the city is falling apart and lawlessness is taking over everywhere.  The police won't be e

Starring: Taylor Kitsch, Aaron Johnson, Blake Lively, Benicio Del Toro, Salma Hayek, and John Travolta Directed by: Oliver Stone Screenplay by: Shane Salerno, and Don Winslow      Two friends, Ben (Aaron Johnson) and Chon (Taylor Kitsch), are running a low-profile but very profitable marijuana operation in Laguna Beach, CA.  At the same time, they're both in love with the same girl, Ophelia (Blake Lively).  Just as the three of them have learned to live together peacefully and operate their business, a Mexican drug cartel that's moving north into California wants to buy into Ben and Chon's operation.  When they refuse to give up the business, it's war between them and the cartel.  And somebody's going to get hurt.      This is an interesting movie on many levels.  The story isn't all that predictable, even though you can probably guess what happens at the end of the movie after about half an hour.  But you have to watch all the way to the end because the fi

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and Rhys Ifans Directed by: Marc Webb Screenplay by: James Vanderbilt and Alvin Sargent     If you're wondering why a remake of Spider-Man (2002) had to be done only ten years after the original came out, you're not alone.     Similarly to the 2002 film, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) is trying to find out why his parents disappeared when he was young.  A clue his father left behind leads him to his father's genetic research partner, Dr. Curt  Connors (Rhys Ifans).  And then, Parker gets bitten by a spider Dr. Connors is researching, giving Parker all these new abilities and thus becoming known as Spider-man.  Will Parker use his powers for good or for evil?     While the storyline is much of the same in terms of its major plot points, many of the smaller details have changed.  Remember Mary Jane Watson?  She is non-existant in the new film.  Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) is Parker's new girlfriend.     Another major difference is

Starring: Steve Carell and Keira Knightley Directed by and Screenplay by: Lorene Scafaria      It's a countdown to the end of days.  Haven't we seen this before?      An asteroid is hurtling toward Earth, giving everyone on Earth three weeks to live before the strike ends civilization.  Dodge Peterson (Steve Carell) is a man whose wife has just left him with the news of the incoming doom and now must spend the rest of his three weeks alone, unless he can find someone to spend time with before the end of the world.       So say hello to Penny (Keira Knightley), a young woman who is in a similar situation.  She's dealing with a break-up when she meets Dodge.  Will this friendship remain simply a friendship until everyone's untimely conclusion, or will there be something more to this relationship until then?       Firstly, if you thought this film was going to be a comedy and nobody has told you otherwise, then let me be the first by informing you that it's a muc

Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Logan Marshall-Green, and Guy Pearce Directed by: Ridley Scott Screenplay by: Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof     The prequel to the Alien movies has arrived.     After discovering an ancient marking in a cave, a team of scientists and explorers set out to an unknown planet to attempt to uncover the origins of the human race.  This crew of the ship Prometheus could potentially make the greatest discovery of all time, or they could initiate the doom of the human race.     Firstly, I have a lot of problems with this storyline.  It's predictable as hell; so much so that the trailer for the movie practically spoils the story for you.  It's obvious what happens in the end.  I also don't like how the entire team seems just thrown together with whoever they can find for the mission.  These characters don't seem to get along with each other very well, and not much is known about them.  Sometimes, even

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, and Samuel L. Jackson Directed and Screenplay by: Joss Whedon      I have waited for two years for this movie and it's finally here.  It's the biggest action movie of the year so far, and certainly the most anticipated.  It's THE AVENGERS !!!!!!!      The Tesseract, a newly discovered power source, has been stolen from S.H.I.E.L.D., led by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson).  The perpetrator is none other than Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Thor's (Chris Hemsworth) brother.  So now it's up to Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor, the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), and a few others to retrieve the Tesseract before anybody gets hurt.  Some assembly may be required to build this team known only as the Avengers.      As the release of the movie came closer, my expectations for the film went down.  Fortunately, I was wrong.  Let me begin

Starring: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, and Rosamund Pike   Directed by: Jonathan Liebesman Screenplay by: Dan Mazeau, and David Johnson      Greek mythology has come back to the big screen in this sequel to the epic Clash of the Titans (2010).      Perseus (Sam Worthington), the half-man, half-god, son of Zeus (Liam Neeson) is back and the world is in peril once again.  The walls of the underworld prison of Tartarus are falling apart, and there is fear that the powerful titan Cronus will break out, destroying the world.  Hades and Ares have captured Zeus and are draining his power so Cronus can break out.  Since the humans are no longer praying to the gods that once protected them, the gods are losing their power.  So now, it is up to Perseus to rescue Zeus and save the world from the wrath of Cronus.  This is no ordinary family dispute.      For the most part, the special effects and the fire effects are pretty good.  They aren't always realistic, but not cheesy either.  Th

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth Directed by: Gary Ross Screenplay by: Gary Ross and Suzanne Collins Based on the novel by Suzanne Collins      If reality television hasn't gone too far yet, then this show should definitely make it go too far.      In a futuristic nation called Panem, one boy and one girl are selected from each of the nation's twelve districts to represent them in an annual television event called the Hunger Games.  Of the 24 contestants, only one will survive in this televised fight to the death.      I like the concept of the story.  While this futuristic society seems somewhat simple, it does not seem all that well developed.  It is unknown how this society came into being, even though it is known how the Hunger Games began.      If this film were released last year, I would have hoped it would be nominated for best make-up.  Many of the characters look absolutely ridiculous and are way too flashy, but the make-up is v

Starring: Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, and Willem Dafoe Directed by: Andrew Stanton Screenplay by: Andrew Stanton and Mark Andrews       Just think, if this movie were a true story, there would actually be life on Mars.  But unfortunately, it's not a true story.       Civil War soldier, John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), is mysteriously transported to Mars where he is taken prisoner by the local inhabitants.  After they can see what John Carter is capable of (jumping extraordinarily high because he is not used to the different gravitational force on Mars), he gains extreme respect from the locals.  He later escapes and finds himself caught in the middle of a war between two major cities on the planet.  Will John Carter try to find his way back to Earth or stay on Mars and fight for one of the sides in this war?       I like the basic premis of the story.  I like seeing the fantasy of a whole new world and the developments of such a world.  However, it goes a little too much into fa

Starring: Thomas Mann, Oliver Cooper, and Jonathan Daniel Brown Directed by: Nima Nourizadeh Screenplay by: Matt Drake, and Michael Bacall      Think this is the craziest, coolest party in the whole world?  Well, you might be right.      When three friends are trying to plan a simple birthday party for their friend, not everything goes exactly according to plan.  First, a few more people show up than were called for.  The security team sucks, and a dude with a flame thrower burns down the neighborhood.  It's not a party; it's a complete riot.      This film has absolutely no story at all.  All we see are the planning stages and execution of an insane party.  There's not much to it.      The ridiculousness of the party only increases, and so does the intensity of it.  As more people show up, so does more alcohol and drugs.  This leads to more rowdy kids making more noise.  So now, the neighbors are getting annoyed and call the police.  And at first they do nothing to

Starring:  Alex Veadov ,  Roselyn Sanchez,   Nestor Serrano, and SEAL team 7 Directed by: Mike McCoy ,   Scott Waugh Screenplay by: Kurt Johnstad     We all wonder what really goes on with the most elite forces in the US military, the Navy SEALS.  Now, we see just what one of their operations is like.     A CIA operative has been captured in Costa Rica, and it's up to this team of elite soldiers to rescue her. At first, it's just a simple rescue operation, but soon they find that it's just one part of a bigger, scarier, and far more important operation.       The film gives a great deal of insight into what these covert operations are like.  It shows the intricacy and delicacy of both planning and executing a mission better than just about any other movie with a similar subject.  Sometimes it is possible to become lost and not know what they are talking about, especially in the execution phase of the mission because they communicate using military terms, and some

     Ah yes, it's that time of year again where we (to quote host Billy Crystal) "watch millionaires give other millionaires shiny golden statues".  It's the Oscars, and this year had something unique to offer, an appreciation for early cinema.  My two favorite movies of the year (that happen to be about early cinema), The Artist, and Hugo, had the most nominations going into the night with Hugo's 11 nominations, and The Artist's 10 nominations.      So, I guess we could say that old stuff is once again modern. The Positives      Firstly, this is the second year in a row where not only have I correctly predicted the winner of Best Director and Best Picture, but it's the second year in a row that the winner of those two awards were the director I thought made the best movie, and the Best Picture winner was my favorite movie of the year.  Last year, my favorite movie was The King's Speech and this year, it's The Artist.        Michel Hazanaviciu

Starring: Tom Hardy, Chris Pine, and Reese Witherspoon Directed by: McG Screenplay by: Timothy Dowling and Simon Kinberg     It's another one of those love triangle movies.  Except this time, it's not just man vs. man, it's spy vs. spy.     Two CIA agents are looking for love.  So when they both fall upon the same girl, what are they going to do?  They both want her, and they're both friends, but only one of them can have her.  Who's it going to be?     They're both spying on each other once they find out they have the same girlfriend.  Could this potentially destroy their friendship?     Something tells me that this storyline just isn't that original.  Yes, it's a romance mashed together with a spy movie, and for the most part both genres do each other justice in this film.  However, there's a whole lot of the two agents spying on each other, and not a whole lot of romance.  There's also a second operation the spies are involved in.  My p