Thinking ahead to Sunday, what’s my overall impression? Well, correct me if I’m wrong, but this seems like a pretty lean year. Unquestionably, there are a few memorable films in the running, but also a lot of filler — some nominees that simply make you scratch your head in wonderment. For instance, I was stunned to find the oppressive Extremely … More Details

No doubt: it’s been a very good year for both these stars. And much as I admire Jean Dujardin’s sublime performance in The Artist, my hunch is that the industry will favor one of its own on Oscar night. So who will it be — George or Brad? I’m saving my prediction for a later Oscar piece, but for now … More Details

Believe it or not, in a pop culture filled with mindless reality shows and slick formula franchises, there are still a few players out there whose work offers a glimmer of hope that originality and intelligence can prevail. Tilda Swinton is one such player. It is heartening that at 50, her career is in red-hot mode. Her next film, We … More Details

When Christian Bale won his Oscar for “The Fighter” (2010), I was hardly surprised, but nor was I elated. And I had to ask myself why. This now hugely successful movie star is prodigiously talented, blazing with intensity and intelligence- not to mention killer good looks. Still- with apologies to all the self-proclaimed “Baleheads” out there, on an emotional level … More Details