Oh Captain, my Captain...Phillips....

Based on the book A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs and Dangerous Days at Sea, Captain Phillips tells the tale of Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks) as he takes command of a container ship with orders to sail through pirate infested waters. Naturally, it doesn't take too terribly long for his ship to get attacked and commandeered by pirates and Phillips takes it upon himself to protect his crew and the ship's cargo. He clashes with the head of the takeover, Somali pirate captain Muse (Barhad Abdi), and is eventually taken hostage. As Phillips struggles to keep his wits and his emotions about him, the US Navy begins plotting a rescue mission to retrieve him from the hands of his captors at whatever cost.

Captain Phillips will knock you flat on your back and leave you in a breathless state during its entire run time. It is, no doubt, one of the very best thrillers released in 2013. Director Paul Greengrass has, over the years, developed a reputation for crafting visceral, tense cinematic experiences and Captain Phillips is no exception. Each pulse-pounding sequence cranks up the intensity, tightening its grip around the audience, keeping us on the edge of our seats and never letting up until it reaches its powerful conclusion. The craft is superb but it's the performances of Tom Hanks as the title character and newcomer Barkhad Abdi as Muse that give this film its heart. Hanks, who is quite possibly the best actor working today, gives one of 2013's finest performances with an affecting take on an ordinary man thrown into extraordinary circumstances. Abdi gives an equally revelatory performance and it's truly amazing to think that this is his first experience acting on the big screen. The guy's a natural.

The screenplay by Billy Ray is tight and well-structured even as it struggles to give depth to its primary characters. As great as Hanks is, it's a bit hard to empathize with his character any deeper than on a surface level. We feel for him and want him to survive at arm's length, but there's not much to invest in character-wise. Greengrass pulls you into the intensity of this story so expertly that it's hard not to wish there was a bit more of an emotional connection. But, now I'm just nitpicking. The truth is Captain Phillips is excellent and more than deserving of its near-universal acclaim.

CONCLUSION: Captain Phillips is another superb entry in Paul Grengrass' filmography and showcases the amazing talents of Tom Hanks and Barkhad Abdi. It's one of the best and most nerve-wracking films of 2013 - Suspenseful, emotional and enthralling to no end.

FINAL RATING: 4.5/5

12 Years a Slave; 1 of the Year's Best Films

Um. Wow.

There's very little I can add regarding 12 Years a Slave that hasn't already been said ad-nauseum or that doesn't just involve me sitting slack-jawed, unable to come up with a single word. Since the latter example won't do this review much good, I'll have to give it another shot. Here goes nothing. 12 Years a Slave is an absolute masterpiece. It is a devastating, emotionally draining experience and one of the more difficult films I've seen in recent memory. Despite this, I couldn't for a single moment tear myself away from watching. It's completely mesmerizing.

Based on the true memoirs of its main character, 12 Years a Slave tells the tale of Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man living with his wife and children in Saratoga, New York. After being promised solid work in Washington, D.C. by a pair of seemingly upstanding individuals, he is drugged and sold into slavery. After being sent to New Orleans, he is sold from master to master and undergoes horrific hardships, paying personal witness to some of the most appalling travesties the human race has ever been subjected to. During this time period, he struggles to break free of his bonds and return home to his family, all the while attempting to keep his hope and will to live intact under truly horrendous circumstances.

As I'm sure I've already made clear, it's incredibly difficult for me to put into words exactly how powerful and moving this film is. Steve McQueen, with only his third feature film, secures his place as one of the very best filmmakers working in this day and age. His unflinching direction makes for an unforgettable viewing experience. Technically, 12 Years a Slave is flawless. The cinematography of Sean Bobbitt is magnificent, evoking the blistering heat of each hellish day Solomon must suffer through. His lens captures the impeccable details of Adam Stockhausen's expert production design in addition to the appalling events on display here. And, to top it all off, Hans Zimmer accentuates these images with one of the finest scores of 2013.

The talent in front of the camera is equally stunning. Chiwetel Ejiofor leads the incredible cast with his performance as Solomon. It could very well be the best performance of 2013. Supporting performances are equally strong with Michael Fassbender being a particular standout as the sadistic and truly hideous plantation owner Edwin Epps. This character is easily one of the most despicable since Ralph Fiennes' Amon Goeth from Schindler's List and Fassbender is remarkable and terrifying in the role. Lupita Nyong'o gives a heart wrenching performance as Patsey, a female slave subject to all manner of unspeakable horrors at the hands of Epps. Benedict Cumberbatch offers some respite as kindhearted slave owner William Ford and Paul Dano gives yet another superb turn as the malicious Tibeats.

CONCLUSION: It's no surprise that 12 Years a Slave has found itself on the top of so many best-of-the-year lists; it is undoubtedly one of the most powerful motion pictures ever made and one of the very finest I've ever had the pleasure (or displeasure?) of seeing. It's imperative that you see it as soon as possible!!

FINAL RATING: 5/5

Your Attention Will Be Captive-ated by Prisoners (Get it?? Like Captive?? Like the title?? Kind of??....I tried)

Prisoners is an outstanding thriller directed by Denis Villeneuve from a screenplay penned by Aaron Guzikowski. Its unsettling plot deals with the abduction of two young girls in the suburbs of Pennsylvania. The father of one of the girls, Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) will stop at nothing to get them back and is convinced that the main culprit is a disturbed young man named Alex Jones (Paul Dano) whose RV was parked outside their house at the time of the kidnapping. Despite the fact that Jones fled the scene when confronted by the police, Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal), the officer on the case, is unable to charge him due to a lack of convicting evidence. After Jones is inevitably released, Dover takes matters into his own hands by kidnapping him and torturing him in an abandoned apartment complex in order to find out where his and his neighbor's daughters are.

Director Villeneuve has made one of 2013's most harrowing films and with the aid of legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins, the images he crafts are haunting and unforgettable. The high tension is maintained throughout the film's extended running time and there are a large number of very suspenseful sequences. Sure, it's a little long in the tooth and some of the twists are less inspired than others (Some are even downright silly), but for the most part everything works to great effect. A great deal of this success is due to a really solid screenplay, packed to the brim with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Performances are stellar across the board. Hugh Jackman gives one of 2013's best performances with a particularly dark turn as Keller Dover. The nature of his character poses some compelling questions on how far we would go to save someone we love and whether or not our actions would be justified. Jake Gyllenhaal is his equal, giving an excellent, subtle turn as Detective Loki. Paul Dano continues to cement himself as a fine character actor. His performance as the suspected kidnapper is incredibly creepy. Supporting players Maria Bello, Viola Davis and Terrence Howard are strong in their respective roles as well.

CONCLUSION: Thrillers don't get much more expertly crafted than this one. Thanks to a strong screenplay, great direction and first-rate performances, from Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal in particular, Prisoners stands tall as a rather unsettling and unforgettable movie-watching experience.

FINAL RATING: 4/5

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf of Wall Street? Not I!!

The Wolf of Wall Street, the 23rd film directed by master filmmaker Martin Scorsese, will blow your mind and boggle your senses and not necessarily in that order. It is simultaneously hysterical, disturbing, disgusting and, at all times, nothing less than supremely entertaining. Scorsese, now in his 70s, has made yet another astonishing piece of work that has more energy and takes more risks than those made by filmmakers a third of his age. If you're easily offended, you may want to take two or three steps back; this one earns its very hard R rating. It has more F-bombs, nudity, drugs and innuendos than maybe every Judd Apatow movie combined. Okay, that might be an exaggeration, but it's probably not too far off. In fact, word has it that The Wolf of Wall Street has just broken the record for uses of the F-word in a 'mainstream non-documentary film.' Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Based on a novel comprising firsthand accounts from the Wolf himself, the storyline follows notorious stockbroker Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio, giving one of the best performances of his career) and his steady rise in the world of stockbroking and his eventual fall in the world of reality. At the beginning of his career, he moves to Wall Street and starts at an esteemed firm under the tutelage of Mark Hanna (Matthew McConaughey in yet another standout performance). As soon as Belfort earns his broker's license, the notorious Black Monday occurs, leaving him jobless. He finds opportunity at a rundown company that specializes in penny stocks and, before long, he is making a small fortune with his swindling, expert sales methods. He and his friend Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill, in yet another standout supporting role) branch off to start their own firm: Stratton Oakmont. After training their employees on how to sell penny stocks to the richest 1% of America, Stratton Oakmont is off to becoming a billion-dollar company and Belfort & co. descend into a world of drugs, sex, endless partying and pure madness.

It's not exactly breaking news that Scorsese is a master of his trade, but can I just take a moment to reflect on what a truly magnificent filmmaker he is? Seriously, the energy never lets up in the entire three-hour running time and not a single moment is wasted. There were some brief moments when I started to feel the extended running length, but these thoughts were quickly washed from my mind by sequence after sequence of absurd hilarity. Scorsese's spirited direction keeps the pace up and running at all times; the editing is brisk and the robust cinematography is top notch. The cast fires on all fronts and meets every challenge thrown their way with the greatest of gusto. This is one of the most fearless ensembles ever assembled by Scorsese and their work should be applauded.

There's been some controversy as to whether or not The Wolf of Wall Street is promoting the outlandishly inappropriate behavior of its primary characters, but Scorsese is neither endorsing nor condemning this conduct. He portrays the man and his dealings with an honest lens without forcing the audience to agree with any point of view. Not once is Belfort portrayed as anything other than a guy who gets away with living a rather degenerate lifestyle. Scorsese just points the camera and shoots and, per his standard style, asks us to be the judge.

CONCLUSION: The Wolf of Wall Street is crude and vile. It's also supremely satisfying entertainment helmed by one of our greatest living filmmakers. Another one to join the ranks of 2013's best and brightest.

FINAL RATING: 4.5/5

Saving Mr. Banks or How PL Travers Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Walt Disney

Saving Mr. Banks tells the tale of Mary Poppins author PL Travers and her decision to hand the rights of her beloved book over to Walt Disney so he could proceed with a film adaptation of the material. As this main storyline unfolds, there are also flashbacks involving Mrs. Travers' troubled childhood involving her father and his struggles with alcoholism. Her experiences would provide major inspiration as she went about writing Mary Poppins later on in her life.

Let me start by getting the big question out of the way: Yes, Saving Mr. Banks does delve a bit into slightly queasy, Hallmark channel-worthy schmaltz, but, thankfully, it's not overwhelmed by this nonsense. It has such an earnest essence and such great performances that it manages to rise above the sentimental muck without being a totally rousing success. Saving Mr. Banks struggles to find the balance between its two parallel storylines. The main one involves Mrs. Travers' working relationship with Disney and her general opposition towards the creative directions they were going in; the other involves the flashback sequences that show her as a young girl dealing with her father's affliction. The film cuts back and forth between the two in awkward fashion. Just as we're investing ourselves in the story involving Travers' experiences at Disney Studios, we abruptly cut to a flashback sequence and it slows down the pace of the film considerably. It finally stumbles into its stride about halfway through when the flashback sequences get a bit more dramatic material to work with, but the storytelling method never fully gels in an effective manner.

What really makes the film work though are its strong performances, mainly those from Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks. Thompson has a difficult part to play as Mrs. Travers is so unlikable for the majority of the movie. Even as we discover more about her family's struggles when she was a child, the screenplay never gives us a strong reason to empathize with her in the 'present day' sequences. It's not particularly believable when she begins to have a change of heart because the writing hasn't defined her character enough for us to understand her reasoning and the flashback sequences just don't work in tandem with the 'present day' footage. Thompson makes the most of what she's given and keeps Mrs. Travers enjoyable to watch even as we are frustrated with her conduct. Hanks embodies the role of Disney splendidly and gives a wonderfully charming performance as the legendary figure. Jason Schwartzman and BJ Novak make welcome appearances as the Sherman Brothers, the talented musical duo who crafted the songs for the film. I also really enjoyed seeing Paul Giamatti as Mrs. Travers' lovable driver Ralph. Additionally, Collin Ferrell gives a sweet, understated performance as Mrs. Travers' father in the flashback sequences. It's just a shame that the screenplay doesn't strive to bring his character above the level of trite characterization.

CONCLUSION: Saving Mr. Banks is fun, sweet and slightly forgettable. It relies a bit too heavily on contrived and overtly sentimental storytelling methods in order to elicit an emotional reaction, but it works overall due in no small part to the talents of Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks and the rest of the supporting cast.

FINAL RATING: 3.5/5

"Well no one told me about Her...." But, that's not true. I'm telling you now!!

Her is a passionate, deeply affecting love story. It takes place in a not-too-distant future where the human race spends most of its time hooked in to whatever technologies they have available to them. (Come to think of it, we might be living in this day and age already) People go about their daily lives with an ear plug that feeds them whatever information they desire and keeps them in constant contact with loved ones and acquaintances. Amongst these people is our main character Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix). He is one of the top employees at a company which specializes in composing letters for all kinds of occasions for people who are either don't have the time or are too lazy to write them themselves. He and his wife have recently split up and, though it's been some time now, Theodore is still unable to bring himself to sign the divorce papers that will seal the deal. He's a bit quiet, but he's not socially inept and spends a decent amount of time with his best friend from college Amy and her husband Charles, both of whom are trying to convince him to get back into the dating pool.

After noticing an intriguing advertisement for the world's first artificially intelligent operating system, a system that 'understands' you, he decides to give it a shot and purchases one for himself. After answering a few general questions about his personality, Theodore is introduced to his new OS Samantha. She's smart, funny and easygoing; the two of them hit it off immediately. As their relationship develops and they share more and more with each other, they begin to fall in love and this leads to all manner of joy, heartbreak and revelations for both Theodore and Samantha.

This is a beautiful film, stunning in its simplicity and remarkable in its observations on the complexities of love and relationships. It contains few new discoveries on the subjects, but presents them with a heartfelt sincerity that speaks volumes. Unlike a great number of films in this genre, Her is not a depressing slog; it is often times hysterical. The frankness with which it examines the concept of relationships is genuine and sometimes painful to watch, but it also contains an emotional release that will leave you floating lighter than air by its conclusion.

After the slumping effort that was Where the Wild Things Are, Spike Jonze is back on his A-Game with a vengeance. His script is sharp, intelligent and emotionally rich; his direction is stunning and the images he crafts are breathtaking, rendered with clarity that evokes a future age not too far off from our own. The story falters a bit with its slightly underwhelming conclusion, but the journey there is more than worth this minor complaint. The soundtrack by Arcade Fire and Owen Pallett is haunting and divine and Hoyte Van Hoytema's magnificent cinematography is a wonder to behold.

The performances are nothing short of amazing. Joaquin Phoenix leads the charge as Theodore with an empathetic performance that can make you laugh in one moment and break your heart in the next. Scarlett Johansson is his equal and even though she never appears on screen, she'll manage to win you over immediately. It's one of the best performances of the year and may the Academy be royally screwed for ignoring it simply because she never actually shows up as a physical presence. Make no mistake, every moment she shares with Theodore will make her feel just as real as if she was actually there. Supporting performances from the rest of the cast are strong with Amy Adams and Rooney Mara being the cream of the crop and, just a cool tidbit, Spike Jonze has a wonderful cameo as the voice for a character in one of Theodore's video games.

CONCLUSION: A wholly original love story for the 21st century mindset, Her is a breath of fresh air. It's funny, heartbreaking and, above all, cathartic and features knockout performances and superb direction. It's one of the very, very best films of 2013 and I highly recommend you see it as soon as possible if you know what's good for you!!

FINAL RATING: 4.5/5

Do the hustle!! The American Hustle, that is. (I'm so sorry)

American Hustle follows a fiendishly gifted con man named Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale). He and his partner Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) have been living the sweet life, thriving off their supreme con artists skills when the rug is abruptly pulled from under them by FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper). Good ol' Richie-boy wants Irving and Sydney to work for him, bringing down various mob bosses and corrupt politicians with their conning skills. It doesn't matter so much if the politicians are actually corrupt; it's more important to Richie that he goes down in the books as the one who brings them all to justice. One such politician is the beloved Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner) who unwittingly gets caught up in their game. Meanwhile Irving's wife Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence) watches from the sidelines, causing all manner of trouble for her husband and his bumbling band of boneheads.

This is easily one of the most entertaining films I've seen all year. I wasn't a fan of 2012's Silver Linings Playbook, but writer/director David O Russell bounces right back with this ambitious, highly enjoyable effort. It's kind of like a madcap version of Martin Scorcese's Goodfellas, kickass soundtrack and all. It never quite manages to reach the heights of that mobster classic, but what movie does? American Hustle breezes by during its nearly 140 minute runtime and features superb performances from its star-studded cast. How can you pick a favorite when you've got the likes of Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner and Jennifer Lawrence in the mix. (Isn't it interesting that all of them have starred or will star in a comic book film by the end of the year?) Bale is masterful as always, disappearing into his role as the overweight, balding con artist Irving. Adams is ever so seductive as Irving's partner Sidney; Cooper is exquisitely conniving as FBI agent Richie and rounding out the mix we have Lawrence and Renner, both of whom are amazing in every which way.

CONCLUSION: There's very little to not love about American Hustle. Its final act may not be as strong as the ones that precede it, but the entire package more than makes up for this. It has an unpretentious nature that contributes a whole lot to its charm and much of this is thanks to the excellent screenplay and energetic direction of O Russell. Easily one of 2013's best.

FINAL RATING: 4/5

Inside Llewyn Davis review

Joel and Ethan Coen are arguably the greatest working filmmakers of this day and age. Each film they make further cements this argument, whether it be a profound masterpiece such as Barton Fink, Fargo and No Country for Old Men or zany bafflers such as Raising Arizona, The Big Lebowski and Burn After Reading. I haven't even gotten around to mentioning the dozens of others that fall into that indefinable category in which the Coens dabble from time to time (The Man Who Wasn't There, O Brother Where Art Thou, A Serious Man). Inside Llewyn Davis falls into this latter category. It's dark, somber and sometimes hilarious, but overall, it defies a specific label because...well, it's a Coen Brothers movie. Defying labels is their speciality.

The story follows Llewyn Davis, a down on his luck folk singer desperately trying to earn a living in the early 60's. Llewyn's prospective music career took a turn for the worse when his singing partner committed suicide and he now spends most of his time performing in small, rundown venues hoping to make a name for himself so he can break into the music scene. He's just recorded a new album, but it isn't selling much; no one pays much attention to the folk scene these days. (Keep in mind, this is before Bob Dylan emerged into the world and shook up the music world) He spends most of his time bumming cash from friends and crashing on the couches of whoever will have him. In his free time, he manages to estrange himself from every possible relationship that comes his way, whether it be friendship or romantic. His friends Jim and Jean are generous enough to give him the time of day and allow him to stay at his place, but Jean's tolerance for Llewyn is thin. She thinks she may be pregnant with his child and wants him to pay for an abortion before Jim finds out. To top it all off, Llewyn accidentally locked his friend's cat out of their apartment, so he has to carry it the city with him until they get back into town. Needless to say, life isn't going to well for poor Llewyn and we're paying witness to every comically tragic moment.

I love the Coen Brothers to death and even though Inside Llewyn Davis doesn't rank amongst their best, I have a feeling I'll enjoy it more upon repeat viewings, as is typically the case with their more confounding efforts. Oscar Isaac is excellent as the title character and manages to keep us hooked into Llewyn's journey despite the fact that he's not always enjoyable person to watch. Supporting performances are strong with the likes of Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake and Coen regular John Goodman filling in the ranks. The plot suffers from a meandering road trip in its second act that goes on for a bit too long with far too little of consequence occurring, but seeing as how its these sequences that give us Goodman, I shan't complain too much.

CONCLUSION: Though it may not be one of the best works that the Coen Brothers have produced, Inside Llewyn Davis is still a worthy entry in their catalogue and an intriguing character study.

FINAL RATING: 4/5