Iron Man 3 (2013)

Director: Shane Black

Rated: PG-13

Length:130 min.

This high intensity action hero juggernaut surprised me by providing an ample amount of witty charm brought forth by the always entertaining Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) while changing the game with its consistent hilarity that breaks away from the stereotypical hero film. I have always said never make a triology because you're just going to end up reusing old plot ideas and tying to blow your already successful first film outta the water; but in this case, I make an exception. Iron Man 3 blew the sequel away primarily because of the unexpected humor provided throughout. This film should have been the sequel to the first Iron Man, and they could have stopped there, feeling a rightful sense of accomplishment. Unfortunately, they will continue to milk the money maker with The Avengers 2, and Downey Jr. will hopefully make that film bearable. Overall, this film is exactly what I expected, non-stop action followed by extremely outlandish plot sequences; however, in this case, the two compliment each other well. This is a film that the whole family can enjoy and I say take 'em!

The Master (2012)

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Rated: R

Length: 144 min.

Either this was a bad year for movies, or the critics are just going easier on films these days. This film was filled with complete and utter nonsense, much like PT Anderson's last film, There Will Be Blood; so I guess we shouldn't be surprised. The narrative follows a World War II vet named Freddy Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) as he struggles to cope with reality after the war and turns to alcoholism to cope with his past. Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman) sees Freddy as a poor lost soul and takes him into his care in hopes that he can save him from his path of impurity. Stellar performances put forth by Hoffman and Phoenix; as well as stunning cinematography and soundtrack, could not save this lackluster narrative that just followed Lancaster on his tireless escapades, which quickly wore thin. I lost any and all interest about halfway through the film, as Anderson drug out the plot well beyond the necessary closing point. This film is a supposed portrayal of L. Ron Hubbard and the foundation of Scientology, but instead conveyed the gibberish one man made up and the people he got to believe in it. The only thing Anderson's the master of is putting people to sleep. Keep this garbage out of your your living room. The Master.

Rust and Bone (2012)

Director: Jacques Audiard

Rated: R

Length: 120 min.

This inspirational French film takes you down a path of depression, recovery and the bond of love. The ever-so-lovely Marion Cotillard (Stephanie) shines through as a recovering amputee who discovers a reason to live after losing both of her legs. Matthais Scohenaerts (Alain van Versch) plays the role of the "macho" single father who's involved with multiple women and an illegal fighting ring. Initially Alain just sees Stephanie as a helpless sex object with whom he shows little emotions towards, but as their relationship develops he realizes what she truly means to him and finally tells her what he's been suppressing for so long. This is a fantastically moving film, and although the sexuality is a little explicit at times, it is a beautiful portrayal about how love can triumph over any feat. Must see. Rust and Bone.

Hitchcock (2012)

Director: Sacha Gervasi

Rated: PG-13

Length: 98 min.

This biographical tale of infamous director Alfred Hitchcock and the making of his most infamous film, Psycho, is an exemplary depiction of the master of suspense. With a star studded cast that includes the likes of the great Anthony Hopkins (Alfred Hitchcock) and the timeless Helen Mirren (Alma Reville), to the lovely leading ladies of Scarlett Johansonn (Janet Leigh) and Jessica Biel (Vera Miles); this film has all the ingredients for an instant classic. Delving much deeper into the life of 'Hitch', this film portrays his problems with alcoholism, obseity and leading lady obessions to a very tee. The nostalgia brought forth by the scenes depicted in Psycho make this film something of historical value. And fortunately, the underlying love story bewteen Hitch and Alma doesn't get in the way of portraying how Alfred changed the way we look at horror films forever. This is a must-see for any Hitchcock fans, and might even be worth a gander for those who wanna take a peek into the life of the man who laid down the blueprint for all suspenseful thrillers for years to come. Hitchcock.

Life of Pi (2012)

Director-Ang Lee

Rated-PG-13

Length-127 min.

This is the exhilarating tale of the tumultuous relationship between a boy and a tiger who are forced into each other's lives by cause of ship wreck. In their time spent together, the young boy named Pi conquers his fear of the tiger and develops a better understanding of himself, and the world around him. This film is aesthetically pleasing on numerous levels, with beautiful depictions of land and sea fully encompassed through the vision of director Ang Lee. However, the drawn out conclusion and continuously outlandish plot sequences make this film hard to distinguish what's real and what's not. I'm not taking anything away from the cinematography and visual effects, for they are some of the best I've seen in quite some time. But Cast Away has already been done before, with better actors and a more audible dialogue; this film is just Slumdog Millionaire at sea. I must admit that I was pulled in for the first hour, but as the film progressed, and the believability deteriorated, it lost its enchantment. This film surprised me with its intriguing narrative, but however surprising, still underachieving. Life of Pi.

Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)

Director-Benh Zeitlin

Rated-PG-13

Length-93 min.

This inspirational tale delves into a multitude of controversial issues ranging from poverty and alcoholism to global warming and the meaning of life. Through all the hardship, Hushpuppy (Quvenzhane Wallis) provides audience members with an astonishing sense of strength and hope. This story takes place within the southernmost part of Louisiana, and depicts the poverties that Hushpuppy and her alcoholic father, Wink (Dwight Henry) face on a daily basis. The poverty line is strictly divided by the water levee that disallows ocean water into the coast, where the rest of society resides. When the "Bathtub" or their little slice of heaven floods because of the levee, reality truly sets in. The clash between reality and fiction is hard to distinguish in some cases, for we are often allowed inside the mind of young Hushpuppy and her dreams of enormous hogs making their way down south and memories of her long lost mother are scarcely defined. This distinction could be made more obvious if Director Benh Zeitlin was more definitive with what is real and what is not; for I am still unsure at the film's conclusion. The optimistic outcome of this film is unfortunately overshadowded by the reality of homelessness and abandonment. I think Quvenzhane did a fantastic job for an actress of her age, and was very deserving of her youngest ever nomination for Best Actress; however, it was still not quite enough to lift this film to its full potential. Beasts of the SouthernWild.

 

Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

Rated: R
Length: 157 min.

I am beginning to think that this was yet another mediocre year for Best Picture nominees, for as I watched Zero Dark Thirty for the very first time this afternoon, I was once again disappointed. This action-thriller portrays a very realistic depiction of the events leading up to Osama Bin Laden's capture; however, it took a little too long to get to that point. With the vivacious acting skills of Jessica Chastain playing the role of the obsessive feminist CIA operative, this film was somewhat intriguing.  On the other hand, the dramatic elements of this film seemed to be underplayed and there was a need for more background information to support the placement of characters in the film. Not to mention the fact that every member of Al-Qaeda seemed to have a name that started with "Abu," and the majority of the rest were impossible to understand. This film could have been condensed to an hour and 45 minutes and reached the same conclusions. For one of this year's best, I was only mildly impressed, and I still think Django Unchained is highly under-appreciated in the world of film. Overall, not a bad film by any means, and most definitely patriotic; but hardly worthy of a Best Picture nomination in my eyes.