Rico Zamora (flickfever)

In what is becoming the year's most talked-about film, one can't help but feel sucker-punched by the breadth and scope of this little gem. The range of emotion one goes through while watching the harrowing events that transpire on the screen is staggering. The very essence of crude filmmaking is displayed here as Lee Daniels (the film's director) takes us on a no-holds-barred journey through the life and times of a victim of life's most unimaginable cruelties.

Precious Jones, our protagonist, is a 16-year old Harlem dweller who lives in an abusive home with two children of her own. Illiterate and a self-proclaimed good-for-nothing, Precious dreams of a better life. Through her terrible trials and tribulations, she manages to elude all sort of literal, physical pain through her self-imposed reassurance of a better life--through daydreaming.

If one must go through life pushing ahead by means of lurid daydreams; then life itself (the reality of life) must be one hellish nightmare. And, for Precious, it is one. Not only must she learn to overcome her environmental limitations (barbaric parents, ignorant peers and low self-esteem), but she must learn to look for the good in herself that others are so willing to push deeper inside of her.

Filling the immense shoes of this character is a courageous Gabourney "Gabby" Sidibe. The 26-year old first-time actress is a diametrical, polar opposite to the character she portrays. Bubbly and sprightly, the New York native is but a sharp and genuine shard of raw talent that makes you wonder, "Where did this girl come from?" She is simply an awe-inspiring sight to behold on the big screen. She delivers a performance that is exhilarating, guttural and gut-wrenching; yet subtly tender and heart-warming.

Infamous comedienne, Mo'nique, also renders one of the most harrowing performances seen in a long while on film. Her gutsy portrayal of a ghastly mother is one for the ages. Her dark take on urban attitude is spot-on and brings great believability to a character that--portrayed by a more polished actress--may have come off a patronizing, unconvincing and--ultimately--unsubstantial and unwarranted. But the funny lady-turned-uncanny dramatic actress delivers the goods from the start and through her knot-in-the-throat, heart-breaking self-defense toward the film's end.

he entire movie is a dramatic conflict--and the film itself serves an unapologetic commentary on life's hardships; life's triumphs; life's lessons and its rewards. It speaks to the fact that life is multi-faceted--even if it's mostly a bleak, cruel universe that must be inhabited by bleak, cruel characters.

The implication is that black is never truly black--but a murky mix of dark hues that combine to paint a bleaker picture. But, if the bigger picture is pushed aside, one can see the brighter fragments of hope, love and redemption displayed on a canvas that had seemed shredded with the pain of the people who'd created it. There's beauty in the most obscure of places--and finding the precious bits of beauty lodged within those abysses can reap fruitful benefits for even the most down-trodden, hopeless individuals.

Expect Precious to sweep at the Oscars next year (at least as far as nominations are concerned) and become the film on everybody's lips.

Wes Anderson is known for turning in brilliantly original films with a quirky predilection for whimsy. Fantastic Mr. Fox is no exception. In fact, it may very well become the new rule as to what you can expect from such a brilliant director.

This delightful little movie about a fox and his family is really a work of art. The source material (a book by Roald Dahl) is breathtakingly original to begin with. But when married with Anderson's affinity for cerebral, intelligent execution, it makes for a very moving and thought-provoking visit to the theater.

That's not to say that because this movie is slightly more intellectually-elevated, it is inaccessible to kids or their parents. It is simply an observation of mine that movies aimed at kids don't have to be kiddy--and they don't have to wander into obscenity in order to make them more appealing to adults. This movie marries the concept of enjoyability for all ages without the trapping of pop-culture referencing or lightly-veiled sexual innuendo at every corner to make things enjoyable for the young-at-heart.

The fact that the film is executed employing the technique of stop-animation is also an odd, yet brilliantly justified decision by Anderson. Although this technique is not new by any means, it really suits Anderson's visual style very well; giving it an antique, contemporary--yet inherently vintage visual palette.

When the Foxes have to move from one underground dwelling to another because of the factory and farm owners above ground, this makes for a journey that is both unusual for the characters involved and unusually entertaining for the audience witnessing it with popcorn in one had and a soda cup in another.

It is not without its share of pitfalls and limitations. But these are due primarily to the medium in which the film was created--not with any innate defects produced by the story, the script, cinematography or even the cast (led by George Clooney and Meryl Streep.

It really goes to show that a good story can go a long way. And it doesn't take high-tech, glossy computer imagery or a big budget to create a film that is breathtakingly beautiful in all respects. Mr. Fox (20th Century, that is) knows just how to make a movie that shines despite its lack of shiny 21-century flair!

A classic screwball comedy from the 1930s, this one star William Powell and Carole Lombard. At the height of the Depression, this film became as much a social commentary picture about the division of classes in America as it did a divine comedy about the division of classes in America; and how it ultimately doesn't matter how much money you've got in your pocket in order for love to flourish.

Wes Anderson is at his best here with a pitch-perfect ensemble cast and an awesomely funny script. The quirky Tenenbaum family is relatable to everybody and the dynamic between the cast and director is evident as the quality of the acting and art direction prove that. A must-see!