SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

The first part of the movie was hard to take --especially with wonderful Robert De Niro doing a superb job of playing the obnoxious father of Bradley Cooper who has just come home to live after spending court mandated time in a mental institution after he "lost it" when he found his wife in the shower with another man.   Lots of yelling, not one of my favorite things.   However, if you can endure the first half hour or so, it gets better and better, especially when Jennifer Lawrence enters the picture.  She's irresistible,  although she's considered rather nutty.  She's definitely not ordinary. She offers to help  Cooper win his unfaithful  wife  back -- because she is friends with a friend and can get them connected -- in a rather unique way.  You may love this movie, you may hate it.  I'm sort of in-between.  Marvelous Cast Directed by David O. Russell, the acting is flawless.     

LINCOLN

If you've read the rave reviews, you can believe them! This is a magnificent film.  With a huge, superb cast Directed by Steven Spielberg, the acting is so good, it doesn't seem like acting.  Daniel Day-Lewis, as they say,  "inhabits" the role of LINCOLN beyond any wildest expectations!  (Oscar, Oscar, Oscar!) Tony Kushner's screen play provides marvelous, lifelike dialogue.  The movie focuses on the last few years of Lincoln's life, reveals his home life, especially his loving relationship with his youngest son, as well as the impossible achievements he accomplished, getting the 13th Amendment passed (abolition of slavery, and bringing an end to the Civil War . Tommy Lee Jones is wonderful as "Thaddeus Stevens" -staunch supporter of Lincoln.  Sally Field is "Mary Todd Lincoln," his wife, known to have been mentally unbalanced, and Miss Fields is great in the role. I loved seeing Hal Holbrook, just to mention one more of the many gifted players.  This is an epic not to be missed.  (The film lasts about 2 hours and 40 minutes, but you can't be bored!)

SKYFALL

Daniel Craig IS 007!  This latest James Bond thriller is a winner.  With a marvelous cast, including the inimitable Judi Dench as "M" (better than ever , so is Javier Bardem (one of my favorite fine actors) as the bad guy (but with a reason out of his past), and Ralph Fiennes, excellent as always. Directed by Sam Mendes, the Photography is   gorgeous. 

LATE QUARTET

Exquisite MUSIC, superb cast ably Directed byYaron Zilberman.   Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christopher Walken, Catherine Keener, and Mark Ivanir play the members of a marvelous and successful string quartet.  The young (age 23) Imogen Poots plays the daughter of Keener and Hoffman.  This drama, perhaps I should really call it a melodrama, was simply marvelous. It actually brought me in tears in parts. Walken's character discovers he is in the early stages of Parkinson's disease.   The film has drama, some humor (not a lot) and  emphasizes the intensity of the dedication and concentration of true musicians.   Excellent film.

ARGO

Brilliant depiction of the true story of the rescue of 6 hostages who had taken refuges in Iran in the home of the Canadian Ambassador.  Marvelous cast, including the Director, Ben Affleck, who plays "Tony Mendez,"  the CIA agent who plans their escape using the ploy of pretending the 6 are members of a film crew using Iran as the site of a science fiction movie called "Argo."  In the excellent cast of 15 I  recognized Alan Arkin, John Goodman and Bryan Cranston. To make things look authentic, a script is written and printed up, newspaper coverage is managed to advertise the making of this non-existent film, and each of the hostages is give a false name to match their assumed roles in the making of the movie.  Even knowing that the plan actually was successful, the movie was so well done, it kept me in suspense!  Plus, humor was perfectly and appropriately included in the clever script by Chris Terrias and Joshua Bearman.  (George Clooney is listed among the 6 producers  -- he obviously knew a good thing when he saw it!) Highly recommended! 

JUST 45 MINUTES FROM BROADWAY

Delightful look at the interaction among several generations of a family of professional actors.  Fast paced, realistic dialogue (seemed to be), and the film was possibly a documentary: "movie within a movie " (at one point you see cameramen filming the group. There's also a clear distinction made between actors and "civilians" - shown when two of the daughters (one in show business, the other not) come home to visit, and the conflict that occurs.  Sibling rivalry, always dramatic!Oh, the "non-actor" daughter brings her fiance home to meet the family.   I really, really enjoyed this film.  But then, you know I grew up in Hollywood!

PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER

If an accurate portrayal of the difficulties of being a teenager appeals to you, then you'll probably appreciate "Perks."  The acting is marvelous.  Especially notable is Logan Lerman as "Charlie."  Equally excellent are Ezra Miller as "Patrick," and Emma Watson (definitely grown-up from and out of her childhood role as "Hermione" in the Harry Potter series). Directed by Stephen Chbosky, whom I applaud for casting Paul Rudd, who is suuperb as the kids' High School Freshman English teacher.  Personally,  I'm just not that interested in stories about "High School Days." Sorry, not the genre for me.    I am told the film follows the book (which I'd never heard of) quite accurately.  And, there's a background of early childhood problems that is revealed near the end.  You may love it; I didn't, as explained above.