"Submarine"
Touching "coming of age" story that wows with both its wicked sense of humor and unexpected emotional resonance.
"Super 8"
Entertaining throwback to the Spielbergian blockbuster. Sentimental in all the right ways. Although one wishes the filmmakers would have chose not to visualize some of the film's more mysterious plot points.
"Midnight in Paris"
Clips by at a light, breezy pace without saying anything all that insightful. Underwhelming.
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2"
Powerful finale to the "Potter" film series. Wrings emotion out of its epic battle scenes, while also allowing time for some more intimate moments. Stunning visual effects that make for great visual spectacle, while also serving the emotion of the story. Stellar acting from Fiennes, Radcliffe, and Rickman.
"Beginners"
Touching portrayal of a father-son relationship. Handles each of its characters with great warmth and subtlety. Thankfully ditches most of its "indie" cliches by film's second act. Impressive performance from Ewan McGregor.
"Crazy Stupid Love"
Starts off as a bland, but serviceable, romantic comedy, but quickly succumbs to many of the genre's worst cliches. Overstays its welcome by nearly twenty minutes. The film's impressive ensemble somehow manage to stay afloat. Lacks emotional honesty and genuine wit. Should be re-titled "Stupid Stupid Stupid."
"Source Code"
An entertaining, thought-provoking thriller with solid acting, but an unfortunately weak ending. Film's final reveal left this reviewer feeling cheated.