Margot at the Wedding

This is another good piece of filmmaking by Noah Baumbach. He is extremely good at telling "family" stories, in the most simple and pure of ways. He gets good work again from the young actors and he gets good work out of the adult actors as well. The story is of a woman(played by Nicole Kidman) who has trouble communicating with her son, sister, husband and everyone else. She is a multilayered character and Kidman does a good job with it. I love how all of Baumbach's character's are flawed and need improvement, and i love that the actors take the risk of doing this type of film. Kidman was great, as was Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jack Black and the rest of the cast. More films should take this humanist and realist manner of filmmaking. The film really puts into question the honest nature of relationships and the common misfortunes, insecurity, jealousy and denial that makes our little lives. True work here by Baumbach and the crew. He is a revelation as a contemporary film purist.

Grade: A-/B+

Gone Baby Gone

It was a bit forced and it had too much going on. I found that it was a good piece of filmmaking by Ben Affleck but they tried too much with the script. I found that it took some wrong decisions at times and it went too far at times. However, i did feel that the effort deserves a good grade, and it was definately a difficult movie to make. It's difficult enough to make a simple story work well and it is rare for that to happen, but a difficult movie like this deserves credit for the risk. I found that the acting was pretty good. Casey Affleck was real solid and the supporting cast was very good as well, but i don't see any major praise for anyone in this film. It is, however, a solid work by 1st time director, Ben Affleck. Overall, i see this as a story that should've been told in a series, and not a film.

Grade: C+

The Nines

This is a surprisngly good movie here. It puts under question "creation", "reality", "media" and "god" in three stories that intertwine. Actors Ryan Reynolds, Melissa McCarthy and Hope Davis are in this film as reality actors, entertainment actors and real life actors. This was a difficult movie to make and i feel that writer-director John August does a very good job here.

Grade: B-

Charlie Wilson's War

This is a sharp, witty and intellectual look inside politics. It is very well made and efficiently. I didnt love it but it was well-shaped and shouldn't get a bad grade. The acting was good, especially Philip Seymour Hoffman, who never fails. It was a fresh look at a political story not often told. Good work, Mike Nichols.

Grade: C+

The Jane Austen Book Club

This is a pretty decent film here. Some good acting work here(especially Maria Bello). This is a better-than-average "chick flick". It was not awkward or pretentious. I kind of liked it.

Grade: C

Across The Universe

This is a wonderful film and gives great hommage to the Beatles and the 60's revolution era. Director Julie Taymor does a great job incorporating Beatles' mania and a great cinematographical essence with these few group of people. This was an enjoyable film, and a very solid contemporary musical.

Grade: B

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

This is the best film that i've seen so far this year. Andrew Dominik does a masterful job of balancing plot intensity, acting and cinematography with ease. The performance of Brad Pitt was very underrated this year and i want to give it some power. CASEY AFFLECK HAS A PERFORMANCE OF A LIFETIME. He is truly mesmerizing as the young coward Robert Ford. He plays the role with a great sensibility, which resonates on the screen. Affleck is one of the future hits as an actor. The supporting cast do a very good job as well, including the underrated Sam Rockwell.

The film really identifies what courage and cowardness is all about. The ethical question of Ford killing James is the biggest theme in the film. It puts under question justice, morality and "power" in the late 19th century in the most refined manner. The cinematography of the film is truly exhilirating and the voiceover is very important. The audience was able to see the story of a time and its subsequent "in"justice and Dominik makes it work astoundingly.

I really feel that this film was overlooked this year and it is another great film in a somewhat-powerful year. Great job to everyone.

Grade: A