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The Brothers Coen have gone back to the novel for their inspiration for this version of True Grit , and the result ranks along side No Country for Old Men as the brothers’ best work and the best movie I have seen all year. Fourteen-year-old Mattie (played with true grit by newcomer Hailee Steinfeld ) hires boozing Federal Marshall Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to track her father’s killer and return him to Arkansas for trial and a just hanging. They are accompanied into Indian territory by a Texas Ranger, played by Matt Damon, in pursuit of the fleeing villain. First and foremost, True Grit should not be compared with the previous film version, as it is neither a remake nor a “ reimagining .” Despite its origins, this version, adapted, produced, edited and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen , manages to remain quite Coenesque , if there is such a term: unconventional, with quirky dialogue and action peppered with offbeat humor and sudden acts of brutal violence. The story, a straight

A cantankerous hermit with a shady reputation named Felix Bush (Robert Duvall, in a brilliant performance) has lived alone in a ramshackle cabin for forty years before realizing it’s about time to “get low,” or die, and decides to venture into town with a wad of cash to plan his funeral, which he wants held while he is still alive. Hearing of the money, an unscrupulous funeral director (Bill Murray in a humorous but subdued performance) and his assistant, played by Lucas Black, rise to the occasion. Bush, who is feared by many of the locals, insists upon inviting everyone in four counties who has a story to tell about him, knowing full well none of them will be flattering. But the story he truly wants told is a dark and secret one, and as we learn more about Bush’s curious past we realize that what he seeks is redemption for the sins that forced him into his decades-long seclusion. Get Low is a simple film with a strong story and well-developed characters. The unraveling of Bush’s pas

There is something about Harry Brown that is mesmerizing from the first moment we meet the elderly shut-in in his simple apartment, and the grim journey that Harry Brown takes its audience on becomes far from simple. Michael Caine plays a poor, grieving widower living in a crime-ridden section of an English town who, after losing his best and only friend to street violence, decides to do something about it. Yes, this is a vigilante movie, but Clint Eastwood or Charles Bronson, Caine is not. His soft, reluctant determination is in marked contrast to characters in movies of a similar vein, and Caine ’s performance elicits sympathy and concern more so than a hope that he gains vengeance. First-time feature director Daniel Barber use Caine ’s age to great advantage, and the stellar performance by Caine is muted and complex. The film rests entirely on his capable shoulders and he carries it like a martyr on the way to the cross.

As usual I have waited until the last moment to post my annual Oscar picks, and the field for Best Picture, now with ten nominees instead of the previous five, makes it more difficult this year. The one film that really stuck with me was Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker, which was screened last year at the Seattle International Film Festival. In a field of great films, including UP (which should take the award for Best Animated Feature), Up in the Air (a great movie and serious contender) , Avatar (a real ride of a movie but not Titanic ), A Serious Man (a remarkable film I enjoyed very much, but was little-seen), and An Education (another great, but little-seen movie), I predict The Hurt Locker will take home top prize. Here is what I wrote about this film: The Hurt Locker follows a crew of American Army bomb experts through their tour in Iraq in 2004. Sergeant James is young, cocky, and takes unnecessary risks, so much so that he puts the lives of his crew in danger. But h

This review is coming in a week late. Cindy and I went out to see James Cameron’s Avatar before Christmas. Already, I knew that this film had some mixed reviews from sources I trust, so, if we were going to see, let us see it on a IMAX Screen in 3D. It was recommended that we arrive at the auditorium early to secure a good seat at the AMC Lynnhaven theater. The advice was gold: forty minutes prior to the film starting, most of the good seats were taken. I was able to secure a center seat, but, only in the fourth row of the second tier seats. 3D Movies I am not a fan of 3D movies. Lately, many of the animated films will be released with a 3D version that you can pay a few extra dollars to see. Very few mainstream films employee the technique. The last two films I saw in 3D were Beowulf and My Bloody Valentine . Neither film was very good, and the 3D was gimmicky. Avatar’s approach to 3D felt different – it provided visual depth. The movie screen became a window that we were