Nebraska

As it turns out, Alexander Payne didn't need to wait seven years to make his next movie. Because it's already here.

Nebraska is not only Payne's first movie to be not based on a novel since his first, Citizen Ruth, but it's his first movie where he had no part of the writing process. Instead, the story was conceived by Bob Nelson.

Woody Grant (Bruce Dern) has just won a million dollars. He thinks he's won a million dollars, anyway. But really, it's just a scam to get him to buy magazine subscriptions. His son, David (Will Forte), sees what it is. But regardless, he agrees to drive Woody from Billings, Montana to Lincoln, Nebraska, where the sweepstakes office is. Woody's wife, Kate (June Squibb), sees it as a waste of time. But she comes anyway.

On the way there, they arrive in Woody's hometown of Hawthorne. So many of Woody's friends and family are still there. All of whom hear "a million dollars" and nothing else. Each of them selfishly wants a slice of the pie. Woody's just too nice to tell them off. So it's up to David and Kate to do so.

As a black and white movie, Nebraska stands out amongst its fellow nominees for the cinematography Oscar. That's because Phedon Papamichael's photography already stands out. Among other things, it emphasizes Hawthorne's small town environment, the scheming acquaintances' evilness and even Woody's fading state of mind. It also stays still for many shots, which allow the viewer to take in the environment.

Dern leads the way as Woody. He may be gullible, but he's determined. This is evidenced in his first scene when he tries to walk to Lincoln on foot. If he'd learn to say no, he'd be able to do something major with his life. That's his problem. Squibb, meanwhile, has the best lines as Kate. She'll stand up for Woody as much as she'll decry his being a fool.

Nebraska is a dramedic tale about how people react to the promise of riches. It's downright hilarious in many scenes; it's quite moving in many more. It's ultimately a feel good movie as bright as the movie's cinematography is not.

Inside Llewyn Davis

Joel and Ethan Coen just love to make movies where nothing goes right. In a darkly funny way. They continue this tradition with Inside Llewyn Davis.

Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) was half of a pretty successful folk duo. Now, he's a down on his luck folk singer. His former partner jumped off the George Washington Bridge. His albums aren't selling. He may have to go back to his former career as a Merchant Marine. He may or may have not gotten a friend, Jean (Carey Mulligan) pregnant. She hates him. And he has to rely on friends to give him a place to stay.

And there's also a cat. A cat who likes to run to Llewyn. A cat who also likes to run away from Llewyn. There's also a cat who looks like the one cat but isn't. Llewyn picks it up because he thinks it's the cat. Only later does he find out it's not.

In other words, stuff happens to Llewyn Davis. He's just gonna have to get through it.

The soundtrack is one of the main draws of the film. The Coen Brothers fill the soundtrack with existing folk music. The one exception is a new number titled "Please Mr. Kennedy." The soundtrack highlights Llewyn's melancholy state of mind. Again, in a comedic way. "Hang me, oh hang me. Wouldn't mind the hangin', except for layin' in the grave so long."

Whether or not you like this film depends on you finding humor, as the Coens do, in the misfortune of others. They mitigate this fact by making some of Llewyn's misery self-inflicted. For example, the film opens with somebody beating up Llewyn. Only later does the film elaborate on the reason.

Inside Llewyn Davis is not a film for all tastes. There are plenty of enjoyable bits of dark humor. But you should look elsewhere if you want a happier comedy.

Lone Survivor

Coming out very late last year but arriving wide just in time for the Oscar nominations tomorrow is Lone Survivor.

Director Peter Berg ditches sci-fi action, ala Battleship, for real-life action. Specifically, it's about Operation: Red Wings. The operation and its results are detailed below:

In 2005, soldiers Matthew Axelson (Ben Foster), Michael Murphy (Taylor Kitsch), Marcus Luttrell (Marc Wahlberg) and Danny Dietz (Emile Hirsch) have been given the task to eliminate Taliban official Ahmad Shah (Yousuf Azami). They stake out Shah's hometown from the comfort of the nearby forest. They're then accidentally spotted by goat-herders. They let the goat-herders go after an ethical debate.

Now that their cover's been possibly blown, the four men hike back to an extraction point. They get into a firefight with Taliban soldiers. Before long, three of the men and a Chinook helicopter carrying sixteen are lost. The last man survives thanks to a local villager honor-bound to defend him. Who is the last man?

Well, the film is based on Luttrell's 2007 memoir of the same name. Not much of a point to keep that a surprise.

This is an OK film at best. The firefights keep you on edge thanks to the sound designers. Editor Colby Parker Jr. does a good job, especially with the Chinook hope spot. And it's overall well shot by Tobias Schliessler.

But I had a hard time following the main characters, except for Luttrell. Their characterization made it hard to care when they died. Meanwhile, Luttrell's hiding out at the Afghan village makes up a relatively and disappointingly minuscule portion of the movie. A huge third is the mission from initial surveillance to the ill-fated firefight. And there were a few scenes of injuries (i.e. tumbling down cliffs and labored breathing) that stretch out a bit too long.

One good bit from the Afghan village scenes: Luttrell asking for a knife and instead getting a duck.

Anyway, Lone Survivor is a respectable film that points out how one man survived the hell that is war. If the story was adjusted a bit, it could've been a great film.

Her

For anyone who's loved their electronic devices more than people comes a movie about them. It's simply called Her. It's the first film solely written and directed by Spike Jonze.

Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) is at the lowest point of his life. His marriage to Catherine (Rooney Mara) is ending and he'll be on his own. One day, he makes the acquaintance of Samantha (Scarlet Johansson). Samantha is unlike any woman he's ever met. Especially since she's small enough to fit in his pocket.

Samantha is not a person in the conventional sense, but an artificially-intelligent operating system. She's there on his computer and phone. She talks to him like any person would another. And that's just fine with Theodore. But as time goes on, Theodore wonders if that's a decent substitution for actual human contact.

Joaquin Phoenix perfectly plays Theodore as an awkwardly reluctant man. He admits to himself that he's not good with close relationships. He wants to commit but doesn't know how to. And yet with Samantha, he finds himself much better as a person. His narrative arc is a compelling one from the beginning.

Production Designer K.K. Barrett creates a rather colorful, eerie metropolis that takes the viewer so long to recognize as L.A. in the future. You know it's the future even if it doesn't scream future. About the only thing vastly different is the video games; Jonze himself voices a foul-mouthed game character who's also artificially-intelligent. Meanwhile, costume designer Casey Storm provides Theodore with a wardrobe to match his surroundings.

Her is an unconventional love story. But you'll be invested in it just the same as if both lovers were flesh-and-blood. It might just get you to not take your electronics for granted.