The Descendants

Seven long years after winning an Oscar for co-writing Sideways, director Alexander Payne has returned to the screen with The Descendants. It's sure to sway some Oscar voters, but what about me?

Matt King (George Clooney) is an Honolulu Lawyer and the sole trustee of 25,000 acres of Kaua'i. The land has been owned for years by his family, whose lineage goes back to King Kamehameha. But in desperate financial times, he needs to sell the land to some rich folks.

Matt is also the "back-up parent" to two troublesome girls, Alex (Shailene Woodley) and Scottie (Amara Miller). But now that his wife, Elizabeth, is in a permanent coma after a boating accident, Matt's the only parent.

Thanks to Alex, Matt learns that Elizabeth was seeing someone behind his back. And now, he decides to find this someone, just to let him have the chance to say farewell to her. Yes, it's that awkward.

Originally a novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings, Payne co-wrote the script along with Jim Rash and Nat Fraxon. What they've realized on-screen is an entertaining family dramedy. It's not overdone for the Academy's attention, nor is it completely silly. Instead, it's just between its two components and that means it's just right.

In the center of it all is George Clooney, whose performance is tops. As Matt, he's the ultimate failed family man and he knows it and hates it. Even in his most amusing interpersonal moments, we can feel certain pathos for his character. He may not be loud, but he's incredibly close to his audience, as his deadpan narration to Elizabeth can affirm.

For those not interested in the dramedy, there's some fine shots of Hawaii photographed by Phedon Papamichael. But overall, it's the balance of comedy and drama that is this film's greatest asset. And that's why I found it not only worth seeing, but to wait to see it.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

It turns out that I'm not done yet seeing this year's Oscar nominated films. Among the nominees for Best Picture is a film called Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Unfortunately, it's a title that fits the film for the wrong reason.

Young Oskar Schell (Thomas Horn) and his jeweler father Thomas (Tom Hanks) used to explore the geographic wonders of New York. But then his father dies in the World Trade Center on 9/11 (aka "The Worst Day"). His relationship with his mother Linda (Sandra Bullock), like all other of his relationships, is quite difficult.

And then, a year later, Oskar finds an envelope with the word "Black" on it and a key inside. But where exactly does the key go? To find the answer, Oskar has to search all of New York and meet and greet a whole bunch of people.

It sounds great on paper, where its story originated thanks to Jonathan Safran Foer's novel. But on screen, realized by director Stephen Daldry, there's a problem. Its problem is that it frequently goes overboard on emotional moments and its portrayal of Oskar's eccentricities. On a big screen, these moments are indeed Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. And that equals too much.

However, it's the presence of two veteran stars that eases things a bit. One of them is Tom Hanks, who plays the perfectly fatherly figure. The other is the film's Oscar-nominated cast member, Max von Sydow, who plays Oskar's mysterious mute neighbor. Even if his identity is far too obvious the moment it is hinted, von Sydow's scenes were also the most honest.

There are parts in the story which could've made the film better if they were better executed. And it's this potential that makes me place Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close down in the middle instead of the bottom. Perhaps you could find it a lot better than me if you see it yourself.

Red Tails

In World War II, the famous African American fighter unit, the Tuskegee Airmen, took to the skies in their Red Tailed fighter planes. Their resounding successes helped integrate the U.S. Army, thereby denting the racism of their time. And now, with the financial support of producer George Lucas, their story now has a theatrical film called Red Tails.

In this true life story, the heroes are named Martin/Easy (Nate Parker), Joe/Lightning (David Oyelowo), Samuel/Joker (Elijah Kelley) and Ray/Ray Gun (Tristan Wilds). While war is hell for their white counterparts, they find it "boring as hell." It's especially boring considering that the Man won't give them a decent fighter mission.

However, thanks to Col. Bullard (Terrence Howard), the Tuskegee Airmen now have front line duties. Specifically, they've now become escorts for American Bombers plowing to Axis bases. But still, even if they do swat away Nazi planes, there's still the racism on the ground.

Anthony Hemingway, who previously directed episodes for such shows as The Wire and CSI: NY, transitions to film here. What Hemingway has realized is a story filled with old-fashioned cliches. But these cliches aren't intrusive, especially not in a film that's this impressive.

Armed with impressive visuals, sound and editing, the film's dogfights succeed in their aim of amazement. On the ground, the editing also suits the film in its dramatic moments. Even the screenplay, as old-fashioned as it may seem, contains some impressive lines. Add in there some fine performances for these "basic" characters, and you have the year's first summer blockbuster.

Don't come here if you want to know history. Come here, instead, to see some amazing planes in action. That's what Red Tails aims to deliver, and on that end, it succeeds.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

And now it's time to play Whac-a-mole. Today, it's a competitive game called Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Our opposite player is George Smiley, John le Carré's renowned spy hero. Can you, the player, whack the mole before he does?

Yay, I found the mole! Whack! On to the review!

It's 1973, and Smiley (Gary Oldman) used to be at the top of The Circus (aka the SIS). Now retired, he's called to unretirement after the death of his longtime employer, Control (John Hurt). It seems that one of Control's inner-circle is a Soviet mole. And that mole is in need of whacking.

The five suspected "spies" are Percy/Tinker (Toby Jones), Bill/Tailor (Colin Firth), Roy/Soldier (Ciarán Hinds), Toby/Poorman (David Dencik) and George/Beggarman. And naturally, it's up to George to whack the mole.

Be careful, because this film punishes low-attention spans. The screenplay, by Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan, unfolds slowly, introduces plenty of characters and frequently goes back and forth in time. The end result can make for a murky mystery.

Amongst its merits, there's some genuine suspense built up by editor Dino Jonsäter. Even if the combined sum is still foggy, individual scenes can still leave the audience on edge. It also helps to have Alberto Iglesias's moody score to enhance the mood.

As for the cast, the best performance is actually that of John Hurt. As Control, Hurt perfectly portrays him as a wise, yet bitter old man Also of note are Tom Hardy and Mark Strong, who play two other agents central to the mole mystery. Meanwhile, Oldman's performance reflects the film itself; it's so murky that an average viewer might see him as a supporting character in his own film.

It's just one of those films that requires multiple viewings. Fortunately, I found it to be one you could understand partway through the second viewing. But if you can understand Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy in one viewing, then give yourself a prize.

The Artist

Almost certain to make an impact at next month's Oscars is a film that could easily fit in with its earliest nominees. It's a modern day silent film called The Artist, and after seeing it, it's not hard to see why it's so praised.

Suave George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. After the premiere of his latest flick, A Russian Affair, George bumps into aspiring starlet Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo). George gives Peppy her big break in his next film and her star is born.

Meanwhile, Hollywood begins to embrace the idea of putting sound and pictures together. George thinks this is just a fad, but he's in for a rude awakening. In times like these, the most reliable person George can turn to is his dog (Uggie).

Created by Writer, Director and Co-Editor Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist's old-fashioned style results in a fresh film. Photographed by Guillaume Schiffman, its images give quick and easy exposition. Composer Ludovic Bource punctuates these images with a lively score. And while it is a silent movie, a few key scenes actually do have sound. And when the film speaks, you listen.

On a more visible level, The Artist also triumphs. Its actors make up one of this year's most likable cinema ensembles. Its writing, expressed through intertitles, is delightfully aware of its medium. When combined with its technical elements, these aspects put the film's powers of expression on par with the latest talkies.

In other words, The Artist is fun all the way through. And for that reason, it earns its praise as one of the past year's best films.