The Lego Movie (Movie Review)

The Lego Movie is the best animated film since Toy Story 3. Now I know that this is a very VERY strong statement I have just made, that will cause you people who haven't even seen the film to question my credibility as a film critic. There have been a lot of excellent animated films since Toy Story 3  such as "Despicable Me", "Rango", "The Adventures of Tintin", "Wreck-it Ralph", "Frankenweenie" and "Monsters University" among others. But none of these films are as clever, daring, inventive, hilarious, and emotionally resonant (yes, emotionally resonant) as The Lego Movie, which is not only one of the best animated films of the last 5 years, but feels like it was made by the very best filmmakers working at Pixar. It's also a nonstop laugh-fest from beginning to end, as well as a witty satire on corporate greed, and the reprecussions of "perfect society", which is shocking since this is a film that could've easily been made by the corporate greed machine, in an attempt to craft a shameless commercial for the product (i.e. Transformers or Battleship). Instead, the filmmakers take the consumer product at hand and use it as a medium for insane creativity, and really SELL us the product, while not actually selling it, if you know what I mean. In short, the film is a stroke of genius and already a major contendor for the best animated film of 2014. (I've already seen it 3 times. I have a problem)

The Lego Movie follows Emmett (Chris Pratt), a generic construction worker Lego who is the epitome of a useless nobody who has fallen victim to the corporate greed machine, controlled by the evil Lord Business (Will Ferrell). One day he stumbles upon "the piece of resistance" making him "the special", which, according to the all powerful master build Vetruvius (Morgan Freeman) makes him "the most important person of all time". As "the special", Emmett, with the help of a colorful cast of Lego characters, must defeat the Lord Business from taking over the world in an attempt to make everything "perfect".

The Lego Movie is an absolute blast. A high octane animated thrill ride from beginning to end, that is consistently entertaining, hilarious, engrossing, and (surprisingly) moving. This serves as another reminder that animated films aren't just for the little ones. In fact, The Lego Movie is more geared towards teenagers and up, thanks to its satirical, mature script, with a plethora of jokes so clever, edgy, and witty, that restore your faith in comedies in general. But, never fear parents, the kids are gonna love this thing too, thanks to its highly innovative blend of CGI and stop motion animation, that creates a beautiful Lego universe that is a spectacular cinematic acheivement. EVERYTHING is Lego, and I do mean everything. From the people, to the buildings, to the landscapes, to even water, everything is designed to look like it was constructed from Lego brick, and its astonishing to look at. And while the film contains one of the best voice casts in recent memory (which I'll get to in a bit) the stars of the film are directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who previously gave us highly successfully films such as Cloudy with a Chance of Meetballs and 21 Jump Street, and with The Lego Movie they have solidfied themselves as two of the top comedic filmmakers working today. This is one of the best directed animated films I've ever seen, including incredible camera angles and wide shots, and some of the best action scenes ever in an animated film. Not since The Adventures of Tintin in 2011 has an animated action scene been as impressive (if not more) than anything in the best live action action films. Particularly a scene in the Wild Wild West, Lord and Miller stage action scenes that are so exciting, so innovative, so funny, and so entertaining, that its completley invigorating. While some action scenes in films go on far too long and take away precious character developement, I didn't want the action scenes here to end, and many of them served to move the story along, which is always commendable. Equally impressive is Lord and Miller's script, which should be in consideration for a best original screenplay nomination come Oscars 2015. This is one of the funniest films in a long while, combining satirical edge with endearing tom-foolery in the most hillarious way possible. There were numerous times where I found myself bent over in laughter, and wiping away tears during a certain scene involving the 1980s space man Benny, voice by Charlie Day. Lord and Miller really know how to make an audience laugh, but the most surprsing aspect of The Lego Movie, is just how emotionally satisfying it is. There are a number of highly emotional scenes in the film, that are all SO affective, and never manipulative. The dialogue shared between characters in these moments feels real and authentic, and some of the scenes really hit home with me and I even got teary eyed during some of the films final moments. That's right guys, I nearly cried in The Lego Movie. It may sound silly, but the film is that good. Also Emmett is the best protaganist in an animated film since Carl Fredrickson in Pixar's Up. He's hilarious and we laugh at some of the idiotic things he does, but by the films conclusion you really care about this guy, and you feel for him every step of the way. He goes through an extremely affective character arc that proves that anyone has the capability to be "special", no matter who you are or what the circumstances may be. So while The Lego Movie is a comedy, It has some incredibly moving dramatic moments that elevate this wonderfully witty script to monumental new heights.

Chris Pratt is hilarious and incredibly endearing as Emmett. He captures this wonderful sense of childlike naivety and innocence in his voice that fits the character beautifully. No one else could have played the role they way he did, and I'm pretty sure its become one of my favorite voice performances in animated film. His comedic timing is impeccable, but he's also so sincere, making the audience believe and sympathize with everything he is saying. Don't be surprised if the character of Emmett becomes as iconic as Buzz Lightyear or Shrek among others. Elizabeth Banks is also wonderful as the complex female lead, Wildstyle. Last year we saw an animated film with strong female characters in Disney's Frozen, and The Lego Movie is no different, with Wildstyle being a strong female protagonist that females of all ages can get behind. She's funny, likeable, and badass, but she's also deeply complex, someone who has tried to hide her identity for a long, long time. Banks adds great dimension to the character as well. Will Ferrell is hysterical as the villanous Lord Business, a surprsingly menacing and well developed villain for an animated film. The supporting cast is phenomenal as well. Will Arnett is one of the funniest characters in recent memory as Batman. Yes, Batman. His wonderful parody of the Christian Bale Batman is perfection, with much of the great comedic moments of the film coming from him. We also get fantastic work from Morgan Freeman, perfectly self parodying himself as the god-like wizard Vatruivius, Liam Neeson also poking fun at his tough guy image as Good Cop-Bad Cop, Charlie Day as the 1980s astronaut Benny, Alison Brie as the overly optimistic Uni-Kitty, Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill with a great back and forth as Superman and Green Lantern respectively, and Nick Offerman as the hillariously caricatured pirate Metalbeard.

The Lego Movie is a movie lover's dream. It has amazing, innovative animation, hillarious, witty jokes, a clever satirical edge regarding the corporate greed machine (in a movie about one of the biggest products of all time, which is freakin amazing) unique characters you can care about, emotional resonance, and it's entertaining as all hell. Don't worry, your friends won't judge you. And if they do, well...they're wrong. I'm usually one to respect opinion, but they are wrong. The Lego Movie is an animated classic for the ages. I loved it that much.

Nebraska Movie Review

Nominated for 6 Academy Awards
Best Picture
Best Director (Alexander Payne)
Best Actor (Bruce Dern)
Best Supporting Actress (June Squibb)
Best Original Screenplay (Bob Nelson)
Best Cinematography

Nebraska is another one of those meandering, slow paced, loosely structured independent films that come out every year. It's shot in black and white, doesn't have that much plot and there are not big revelations or huge character moments or anything of that nature. Now that may sound like the most boring, painful sit through in all existence. I'm here to tell you that it's not. Despite that it does meander, it is slow paced, and "artsy" so to speak, this is a film that is so profound, with rich, complex characters, and is consistently engaging and engrossing, despite it being a slow, methodical film

In Nebraska, our protagonist is Woody Grant (Bruce Dern) who has received a letter in the mail saying that he's won a million dollars, and he can pick up his winnings in Lincoln, Nebraska. His son, David (Will Forte, of SNL fame) and wife, Kate (June Squibb) are both highly aware of the fact that it's nothing but a dirty scam, but they reluctantly follow Woody to Nebraska, where they make an extended pit stop at his hometown in Hawthorne, Nebraska. While there, they encounter Woody's interesting, flawed family, and David (as well as the audience) discovers more about his estranged father and why he is the way he is.

Now, I've never been to Nebraska. I'm familiar with its occasional mockery as a rundown, dank place to live, but I know next to nothing regarding it's people, culture, or history. And while I still don't know much about after watching Nebraska, Director Alexander Payne does an incredible job of capturing a wholly palpable atmosphere and environment, that convinces you your spending the day in Nebraska. Payne, with his masterful black and white cinematography (which adds a particularly special layer to an already excellent film), immerses you into his quirky, unique world with skill and precision, by doing something that all great filmmakers should, and need, to do. World Building. He creates a location with a wonderful cast of characters to inhabit, and creates a darkly comedic and melancholy tone throughout that is believable and real. Payne is one of the most polished directors in the business, and he exudes major confidence behind the camera. He captures numerous wide, still shots of the expansive Nebraska landscape that are astonishing to behold, thanks to gorgeous cinematography by Phedon Papamichael. The color pallet is irresistibly bleak, with hues of white and grey encapsulating the screen. The great world building is also thanks, in great part, to an award worthy script from first time screenwriter Bob Nelson. Nelson uses meticulous craftsmanship in the way he writes his characters. And while this movie may not have conventional character development, intense revelations, or emotional meltdowns that reveal years of information about an individual, by the end of the picture we come to a lovely place as an audience where we really understand these people. Where they're coming from, why they act the way they do, and why they've made the decisions, no matter how questionable, that they did. The conversations these people share with each other are real, and not "pseudo-real"; the kind of dialogue that so many Oscar-type movies contain. When an entire family gathers a round a huge, wood table to share salad, chicken, and homemade pie, and the matriarch of the house tries desperately to come up with small talk to get rid of the painfully awkward silences which contain quick eye contact and obnoxious chewing, it reminds us of our own families, and the outcomes of our own situations. The film also has a number of hilarious moments, that still contain a wealth of realism in each word. Nelson clearly knows what he's talking about hear, and he's absolutely deserving of the numerous accolades he's received (including an Oscar nomination for best original screenplay) and I can't wait to see what he does next.

This was one of the best years for movie performances of the last 10 years, and one of the great contributors to this fact are the incredible performances in Nebraska. Veteran actor Bruce Dern gives the ultimate career highlight performance as our main character Woody Grant. Woody's an unhappy man in his mid 70s; an alcoholic, and possibly senile. Dern takes what easily could've been a hammy, showy, caricature of a role, and does what so many actors forget to do. Just be. By simply using his presence and understanding of Woody, he single handily carries the film, in a performance that is funny, emotional, heartbreaking, and masterfully crafted. Will Forte of SNL fame gets the 1st serious role of his career as David Grant, the lonely, frustrated son of Woody. Forte has always been a hilarious comedic force, but hear he is subtle, incredibly restrained, and brilliant. Forte makes David the most sympathetic character of the piece, a man who truly believes he has no purpose in life, and has distant relationships with the ones he loves. This is Oscar level work here, and this performance should've garnered him a best supporting actor nomination. Indisputably, however, June Squibb steals the show as Woody's crazy, foul mouthed, loose canon of a wife Kate. Squibb walks away with the film, stealing every scene she's with a virtuoso and gusto about her that is equally charismatic and hilarious. Even though Kate is the "craziest" character in the film, Squibb adds a wonderful layer of humanity to her, more present in some of the film's final scenes. Very deserving of her best supporting actress nomination.

Films of this nature come out every year, but Nebraska is a very special one. It's a film that meanders, but rarely drags. Slow, but always entertaining. Black and white, but stunningly beautiful. Unusual characters, who are incredibly realistic. Payne is iconic for making films of this nature, and Nebraska is a wonderful addition to his canon. Movies this profound, moving and real are rare these days. Will it win the Oscar for best picture? No. But it's incredibly deserving of its nomination.

12 Years a Slave Movie Review

Nominated for 9 Academy Awards including
Best Picture
Best Director (Steve McQueen)
Best Actor (Chiwetl Ejiofor)
Best Supporting Actor (Michael Fassbender)
Best Supporting Actress (Lupita Nyong'o)
Best Adapted Screenplay (John Ridley)
Best Editing
Best Production Design
Best Costume Design

12 Years a Slave is one of the most talked about films in years, and for good reason. This is the most harrowing, brutal, and visceral look at american slavery in cinema to date, and (despite people's differing opinions on the film) everyone can agree that it holds nothing back. If anything, director Steve McQueen should be greatly commended for his refusal to sugarcoat ANYTHING (and I do mean anything) and his courage for tackling the subject head on. It also helps that he adds incredible artistic merit to the proceedings by capturing gorgeous wide shots of the beautiful (but melancholy) settings, long, meaningful take depicting some of the most unforgivable acts imaginable, and giving the film a beautiful emotional tone, that never feels manipulative or contrived. 12 Years a Slave also features some of the best performances of last, or any year, gorgeous cinematography from the masterful Sean Bobbit, a complex, honest script from John Ridley and a beautiful, melodic score from the iconic Hanz Zimmer. This is, without a doubt, an excellent film. However, I'm going to disagree with dozens of critics and moviegoers by saying this. This is a flawed film. It's not perfect, and it's by no means the masterpiece many are claiming it to be. Now mind you, this is one of the best films of 2013, and should be required viewing for anyone ages 13+, and after seeing the film a second time I respect and appreciate it much, much more. But, I still think it has a few problems and flaws that I need to address. I wanted this to be one of my favorite films of all time. I really did. I wanted to walk out of this film with my life COMPLETLEY CHANGED, and to be reinvigorated by the power of cinema. I wasn't. Granted, an excellent film that moved me and affected in ways that few films have, but again, not perfect. Let's get into the review.

12 Years a Slave follows the true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man living a respectable life as a highly regarded violin player with his family in Saratoga, NY. He is then tricked by a pair of con artists, kidnapped, and sold into slavery. The film follows the 12 years that Solomon is imprisoned in a number of plantations in the 19th century south, and we (the audience) are a fly on the wall as we watch some of the most horrific, violent, and brutalizing scenes ever put to film.

I've already mentioned director Steve McQueen, and he is probably the primary reason to why this movie works so well. McQueen was a visual artist before he became a film director, and those skills work wonderfully in his favor during 12 Years a Slave. He frames shots with unparalled mastery and precision, ranging from a wide shot of dozens of slaves carefully picking cotton out of a field, to an intense closeup of the broken Solomon's face, expressing more words than simple dialogue ever could. There's a wonderful variety to the artistry of McQueen's shots, and it keeps things interesting and engaging (for the most part). However, the most noticable and impressive aspect of McQueen's direction are his long, almost never ending takes during the picture's most powerful, horrifying moments. Mainly two scenes in particular, one involving a tree, and the other a whip, McQueen holds long, uncut takes for what seems like hours and hours, and while this had the potential to come off as pretentious and heavy handed, instead, it's starkly powerful, and these are two of the most powerful scenes I think I've ever seen in my life. And while the majority of the film is a rather heartbreaking ordeal, McQueen (and of course, screenwriter John Ridley) don't forget to inject the film with moments of hope hear and there, and it's always effective. Speaking of John Ridley, much credit goes to him as well for creating (well, mostly adapting since this is based on Solomon Northup's own memoir) powerful scene, after powerful scene. Not only that, but each character is incredibly fleshed out from Solomon, to the kind yet cowardly slave owner William Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch), the terrifying and heartless slave owner Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender, in a verocious, stunning performance), his equally terrible wife (Sarah Paulson) the tortured, beautiful Patsey (Lupita Nyong'o) and of course our eyes and ears, Solomon Northup. Ridley reaches a vital place with each character where you really understand their motivations, mindset, fears, hopes, etc. He also does a brilliant job at exploring deeply religious themes involving faith and god's will, without EVER feeling heavy handed or religiously bias. The characters faith (or not faith) in god is such an important aspect to this film, and Ridley sticks with this theme from the early beginning, to the near end. The characters have (thankfully) interesting, thought provoking dialogue that gives the audience something to ponder over and contemplate about after the credits roll. But, as much as I did appreciate Ridley's well crafted script, it's also where my main problems with the film lie. Something I never would imagine would've been a problem with a film like this is its pace. 12 Years a Slave was, of course, going to be a slow film, but I was surprised that I was a little bored during short periods of its run time. Mostly pertaining to the films middle section, some of it meanders along, with nothing of great importance happening at all. I understand why Ridley wanted to do this, to display the monotonous quality of this kind of lifestyle, but it left me unintersted in certain parts, which is not a good sign during a movie about SLAVERY, a topic of great, great interest. Of course, these are not very big problems, but I wonder if I'm the only who thinks this. Mind you though, this is a consitently captiavting and engrossing film, there were just a few select moments that I found a little uninteresting. However, these are minor gripes to give to an incredibly made, highly important film.

Now let's talk about another highlight of the movie, the unbelievable performances from its fantastic ensemble cast. Chiwetl Ejiofor is an absolute revelation, giving one of the most honest, emotional, and moving performances in recent years as Solomon. I have never seen an actor use his expressions, his eyes, his face, his posture, with such feeling and depth. Ejiofor doesn't have very much dialogue in the film, so his entire performance is resting on the emotion he can create without saying a word, and its absolutely brilliant. The 5 nominees for best actor at the Oscars this year are all fantastic, but I really wouldn't mind if Ejiofor went home with the Oscar come March. I don't think its going to happen since the current favorite is Matthew Mcconaughey for Dallas Buyers Club (which I have not seen yet), but Ejiofor gives the type of performance that will be discussed by film fans alike for years and years to come. One of my favorite actors, Michael Fassbender gives maybe the most unlikeable performance of his career as the truly evil plantation owner Edwin Epps. This man is an embodiment of every godless, terrible, despicable white slave owner during the 18-19th centuries and Fassbender disappears into the role, taking what could've been a one dimensional villain, and creating a character full of anger, fear, lust, and hatred. He is equally deserving of a best supporting actor win, even though it will probably go to Jared Leto for Dallas Buyers Club. Despite the astonishing performances given by these two wonderful actors, the movie belongs to Lupita Nyong'o who plays one of the most tragic characters in a long time, the young, beautiful Patsey. Epps is deeply in love with Patsey and she becomes the object of his affection and his hatred. Nyong'o's performances encompasses the full scale of emotions. Hope, sadness, anger, desperation, fear, happiness, and many others, Patsey is easily the most complex and interesting character of the piece, thanks in no small part to the the skill of Nyong'o's raw, riveting performance. The supporting cast is astonishing as well with Paul Giamatti as another evil and heartless slave trader, Benedict Cumberbatch (who is quickly becoming one of the most popular actors in Hollywood) as the compassionate yet cowardly slave owner William Ford, Paul Dano as his carpenter; the ruthless, fearful Tibbets, Sarah Paulson (who is absolutely amazing, in a performance that should've garnered her awards consideration) as Epps' angry, heartless wife, and Brad Pitt as Bass, a Canadian abolitionist. I will say, seeing Brad Pitt near the end of the film was really strange, since having this big star in this very non Hollywood film felt painfully out of place. He's hardly in the film, and he's perfectly fine in his role, but I just felt that was unnecessary, out of place casting.

Despite the fact that I have a few gripes with the film, I still think it should be required viewing for pretty much everyone, because what McQueen has accomplished is something of monumental importance and significance. This is no "Song of the South" slavery sugarcoating, or "Gone With the Wind" BS or Django Unchained fun revenge flick (even though that film does do a good job of showing some horrible acts of slavery. I'm not criticizing that film, Django is fantastic. Anyway, back to the topic at hand). This is slavery, in its brutal, terrible, horrifying, unforgivable glory. If anyone in the world still tries to defend slavery as simply "a peculiar institution" I don't know what to say to you. Well what I will say is "Watch this film. That'll shut you up." This one of the darkest, most shocking situations in world history and the fact that it took a filmmaker this long to REALLY present it, holding nothing back, is a bit concerning. Nonetheless, a filmmaker has done it and he, and the entire production team, should be greatly respected and admired for that. This was no easy task. McQueen and Ridley had to present the facts without holding anything back, while attempting not to feel manipulative or overly emotional. Despite its numerous Oscar nominations, this is no "Oscar bait" movie. It's so, so honest, and all of its emotional feeling and resonance is 100% natural, and completely earned. This is a timeless story, even more timeless because slavery still exists in our world today. To experience this film, and try to fathom how forms of this STILL EXIST TODAY, is (a word I've used quite often this reviewing) terrifying. In short, despite the fact that I don't think its the American masterpiece that many seem to think, it would be a disservice not to see this film.

Also, many of you are probably going to have to see when it becomes required viewing in APUSH. But this is no ordinary history class movie. This is artistic, nuanced, well crafted filmmaking, and Steve McQueen is going to have the license to make WHATEVER HE WANTS for his next film, I'm sure of it.

I give 12 Years a slave a very, VERY strong B+

American Hustle Movie Review

Nominated for 10 Academy Awards
Best Picture
Best Director (David O'Russell)
Best Actor (Christian Bale0
Best Actress (Amy Adams)
Best Supporting Actor (Bradley Cooper)
Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Lawrence)
Best Original Screenplay (David O' Russell and Eric Warren Singer)
Best Editing
Best Production Design
Best Costume Design

If there's one word I can use to describe David 'O Russell's new film, the 70s period piece American Hustle, it would be style. This movie, from start to finish, has so. much. freakin. style. From the direction, to the acting, to the script, to the soundtrack, to the cinematography, every frame of this film is oozing with unparalleled style and swagger, that it's almost too much. In fact the film walks a very fine line between stylish and campy, but thankfully doesn't contain an ounce of the latter. This is a hell of a film, one of originality, energy, and pure brilliance, 'O Russell directed by favorite film of 2012, Silver Linings Playbook, and while this doesn't quite reach the heights of that extraordinary film, this is an entirely different animal, showing his great versatility as his director. While it is loosely based on the infamous ABSCAM scandal, that's just the backdrop to what is a highly interesting character study about hustling to survive, conning, and reinvention.

The film centers around a con duo, Irving Rosenfled (Christian Bale) and Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) who are madly in love and are geniuses at the art of conning. They are soon recruited by FBI Agent Richie Di Masso (Bradley Cooper) to go after a string of corrupt politicians in the New Jersey area, including good hearted mayor, Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner). Di Masso soon realizes that he had no idea what he was getting into, and what follows is one of the very best films of 2013.

I really loved American Hustle. It has all the qualities that a truly good movie should have. First off, David 'O Russell proves, once again, that he is a master behind the camera, and one of the very best directors working today. He has a way with the camera that indicates instantly that your watching a David 'O Russell film. But more than ever he lets you know, throughout, that HE directed this film, and while it may come off as a bit over indulgent or arrogant to some people, I couldn't get enough of his various slo-mo sequences and zoom-in pans. The film wouldn't have been the same without his assured hand guiding the film.

He also writes one hell of a script. The characters in American Hustle are some of the most interesting cinematic creations in recent memory, and Russell defines EVERY SINGLE ONE (really, even the very small characters) perfectly, and they're all memorable, complex, and interesting in there own different ways. The dialogue here is sharp and crackling, the kind of script where you can't wait to hear what the characters are about to say next. The scenes involving Bale, Adams, and Cooper planning the operation truly showcase 'O Russell's ability to right insanely clever, entertaining dialogue, as the actors deliver the wonderful lines in exhilarating ways. But Russell is even stronger in the film's more emotional and vital moments, perfectly capturing the desperation and craziness of some of the film's main characters.

An aspect of this film that can't be ignored is the incredible soundtrack, which features incredible song such as "Dirty Work", "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", "Live and Let Die", "Jeep's Blues", "Long Black Road", and a slew of other classics. Not only is it fantastic to just be able to listen to a bunch of really great songs during a movie, but the music complements the film's setting, tone, and characters brilliantly, and it's a wonderful artistic touch on 'O Russell's part. Also the costume design, explosive hair, and impeccable production design brilliantly reinforce and consistently remind us that THIS TAKES PLACE IN THE 70'S. And again, while that would usually drive me insane, its executed so brilliantly that I fell in love with the over the top nature of the film.

But perhaps the biggest strength of the film is the impeccable, fearless performances from its central five actors. Christain Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and Jeremy Renner. The fact that those actors are all together in one movie is already cause for celebration, but thankfully they are all at the top of their game, giving some of the best performances of their respective careers. Christian Bale is one of the few actors working today who one could describe as "infallible" since he seems to give great performance after great performance...and his sterling reputation only continues to grow as he is irresistibly charismatic as (arguably) the central character Irving Rosenfeld. Bale annihilates a flawless new york accent, and he presents us with a deeply broken man who, despite his profession, really just wants to do the right thing, even if it is in his own, twisted way. Amy Adams gives the most energetic and intense performance of her career as Sydney Prosser, a character who is so unsure about her own identity and is unable to convince herself who she really is. Adams is easily one of the best actresses working today, and she has yet to give a single sub par performance yet. Jeremy Renner is equally terrific as mayor Carmine Polito, showing a lighter, more vulnerable side as an actor. Renner has been greatly ignored by critic circles and awards shows, which is a real shame, because he's fantastic here.  And it seems like Jennifer Lawrence can do NO WRONG, as she knocks it out of the park once again as Bale's hilariously idiotic wife, Rosalyn. As good as Lawrence is, she isn't quite as strong as some of her acting counterparts, and there are numerous times where it seemed like she was trying a bit too hard. However, she has more talent than actresses twice, even three times her age, but you guys know that I mean, come on, who doesn't love Jennifer Lawrence? But the showstopper here, the absolute best performance, believe it or not, is Bradley Cooper as the fascinating FBI agent Richie Di Masso. A few years ago Bradley Cooper was a throwaway Hollywood actor, known primarily for The Hangover movies and showing up periodically as a supporting player in a slew of romantic comedies. Now, he's a two time Oscar nominee, and a highly respected actor. A few years ago, if I had told you that Bradley Cooper was even STARRING alongside Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence and Jeremy Renner, you would've laughed in my face. But not only does he star with them, he overshadows them as he gives a performance full of ferocity, hilarity, vulnerability, and uncontrollable insanity. This is also in great part to David 'O Russell, who makes Di Masso one of the most interesting characters in recent years, but Cooper elevates the material and makes the role his own.

The film has a few, very small issues. For one, the film has a few slow moments here and there, but all flaws are forgiven because the last 45 minutes of this film is the most entertaining and investing  experience I had at the theater all year. Brilliant, exhilarating film making. Also, it runs a bit long, and maybe a couple of the scenes in the 1st half could have been trimmed down a bit. But these are minor gripes to give to a stellar film.

The best thing about American Hustle are its wonderfully complex themes. It seems, throughout, all the characters are conning each other, one way or the other, trying to reinvent themselves, and are doing whatever they can to survive. 'O Russell explores these themes with vividness and care creates one crazy world with a group of crazy characters to inhabit it. American Hustle is the kind of film that gives you a cinematic high, and when it ends you'll immediately want to sit down and watch it all over again. David 'O Russell, you're a bad ass.