Joy

I think this is supposed to be an uplifting story, and I guess if you only look at pieces here and there, it works on that level. Eventually, it gets to where you think it’s going. But there’s so much in the way of downers along the way that, ultimately, the total effect is something less than it should be. You get the usual good work from the David O. Russell Players--at this point, I’m not sure if either Jennifer Lawrence or Bradley Cooper is capable of a bad performance--but this one turns out to be a little less than the sum of its parts. Not bad, to be sure--just not what it could have been.

Silver Linings Playbook

You’re not likely to like this one right away. The dysfunction is very up front and in your face, right from the start, and it’s tough to find much that’s likeable in the main characters. But, much as with the lead characters themselves, the audience will find a slow thaw creeping over them, until the climax comes and you find yourself rooting for these misfit toys much more than you thought you would. And, if you’re from Philadelphia, you’ll know that they got a lot of that Eagles fan stuff spot on. It worked for me, at least.

The Fighter

A revelation, gleaned from this movie: it actually helps not to be a fan of the real-life sport being depicted in a movie; that way, you don't already know the outcomes, thus heightening the drama. That's how this film played for me; I never knew if Micky Ward was going to win his big bout or not. Credit too must go to director David O. Russell for his canny decision to make the filmed fights look visually like the original HBO broadcasts, heightening still further the verisimilitude of the proceedings. Those facts, combined with terrific performances by Wahlberg, Bale and the rest of the cast, make for a deeply satisfying, deeply engaging film.

Three Kings

Morbidly funny, except when it's gut-wrenchingly intense, and it doesn't shy away from asking the tough questions about one of the defining events of our times (the 1991 Gulf War). Special props must go to George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube and Spike Jonze for their remarkable performances as American soldiers caught between their own avarice and the palpable need to use their positions and power to do what's right. Very highly recommended. (Note: this would be a "Best Of All" inductee, except the standard criterion for BOA--a movie you want to watch again and again--can't apply here; Three Kings is great, but just too intense to want to watch again and again. Otherwise, it's in.)