Grade: A | Genre: Drama
Summary: This film was one of the year's best and deserves to be showered with accolades for Clooney and Reitman come awards season.

The Great Recession has claimed the heads of countless jobs as the days painfully snowball into months. The unemployment figure currently sits at 10% while the number of underemployed is a staggering 17.2%. We feel for our friends, family and neighbors as they bring news of being the latest to join the unemployment line, but have you ever thought about the person who is sitting on the opposite side of the table from them? I'm talking about the man wielding the rope to the guillotine. "Up in the Air" takes on that unenviable task through telling the story of Ryan Bingham, a hired gun who executives hire to fly in for the afternoon and take care of their dirty work. Just like Reitman's previous work, "Thank You for Smoking," "Up in the Air" does a fabulous job presenting Bingham as a character that we sympathize with and want to see grow as a person.

Grade: C+ | Genre: Romantic Comedy
Summary: "It's Complicated" is largely a dumbed down version of "Something's Gotta Give"

Have you ever walked out of a movie thinking, "this movie so wasn't made for me?" That's how I felt leaving the theater after seeing "It's Complicated." I thought to myself my mom would love this. "It's Complicated" is largely a dumbed down version of "Something's Gotta Give" swapping out Meryl Streep for Diane Keaton and Alec Baldwin for Jack Nicholson. Both films are puff pieces cleverly constructed to separate the Baby Boomers from their hard earned cash on a Friday night. At least "Something's Gotta Give" felt somewhat fresh and not bland and contrived like "It's Complicated." Nancy Meyers, writer of both films as well as other chick fare like "Father of the Bride" and "The Holiday," must be running thin on ideas.

Grade: A | Genre: Romantic Comedy
Summary: "(500) Days of Summer" is a very good film that sheds the conventions of Hollywood to give us an honest look at why relationships work and why some don't.

Too often Hollywood gets too bogged down in its own 'happily ever after' mischief when approaching romantic comedies. Granted most people would rather leave the theater uplifted and happy than have our protagonists hurling plates at one another ala "the Break-Up," but shouldn't real life factor in to the movie making process? The reality is most relationships end badly or else we'd all be paired up with the first person who caught our fancy in kindergarten. That's what makes "(500) Days of Summer" so intriguing. It opens the movie telling us that this isn't a love story. Just like our title character Summer, we aren't held under any pretenses that these two characters will somehow back their way into love. It's just not in the cards for this couple, but watch your mind as it furiously tries to put the pieces together and somehow figure out how we can trigger that spark of love between these two wet branches.

Grade: C | Genre: Drama
Summary: ultimately it is disappointing as well as ironic that a thriller, with a train as its setting, ends up being so very pedestrian.

The Taking of Pelham 123, adapted from John Godey's novel and a remake of the original 1974 classic, follows Walter Garber (played by Denzel Washington), a subway dispatcher in New York City, who gets entangled in a hostage crisis. When the train gets hijacked underground by the mysterious villain Ryder (played by John Travolta) and his thugs (which include Luis Guzman), Garber unwittingly finds himself the unwilling liaison to the authorities for the bad guys. Ryder demands a $10 million ransom from the city in one hour or else he will start killing the 18 people he is holding as hostages.

Grade: A- | Genre: Drama
Summary: The film's essence is a boxing match comprised of words lasting four rounds. You have two men desperately fighting for their lives and looking to rewrite their futures. Losing just wasn't an option. .

The fascination with Richard Nixon seems to carry on with the years, and Hollywood certainly isn't immuned. In 1995, Oliver Stone directed his gaze on the fallen President, largely painting him as a man plagued by mental issues. Our most recent take Frost/Nixon doesn't focus so much on the life of Tricky Dick, but rather one moment in time -- a post resignation set of interviews he has with talk show host David Frost in 1977. It marked Nixon's one chance to tell his side of the story, and to reinforce to the American public that he wasn't the bad guy everyone had painted him out to be. He just got caught up in a massive smear campaign spearheaded by journalists that were hell bent on his political destruction. While Nixon is busy fashioning the interview to repaint his legacy, Frost saw this monumental interview as his key back under the American spotlight which dimmed for him years before. Frost stakes his entire fortune and reputation on his ability to make Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) accept his wrongdoings and fork over an apology the American public has been waiting for. A tall order indeed.

Grade: B+ | Genre: Comedy
Summary: While it may not have nailed immortal comic status like Old School or 40-Year-Old Virgin, I guarantee this will go down on the shortlist of the best comedies of the year.

The bachelor party is the ultimate rite of passage for modern man. It's that last hurrah before settling down and agreeing to be responsible and stable. It's also a time for the other men to revel in their buddies' last gasps of bachelorhood as if it were their own. Few evenings create more lasting memories even if the memories are the utter lack there of. Now the difficult part for a filmmaker and scriptwriter is to capture all that craziness in a way that isn't cheesy (Tom Hank's Bachelor Party) or disturbing (Very Bad Things). The Hangover managed to do it in spades and has introduced us to the comic talents of virtual unknown Zach Galifianakis and Bradley Cooper.

Grade: B | Genre: Drama
Summary: Oliver Stone nicely captures W's aching journey for his father's approval and his cocky attitude of living by his gut while God steered the way.

When I first heard the rumor circulating that Oliver Stone would be doing a biopic on George W. Bush, I got a queezy feeling in my stomach. I had flashes of Michael Moore branching out to direct dramatic pictures, and Stone's slanted objectivity undercutting what could have been a potentially fascinating character study. I've got to say W. proved that my fears were unfounded. Now there is plenty here for the conservative, Christian right to flap about, but the essential focus here is the portrayal of Bush. At the close of the film, its fair, and while none of us can camp out in his brain for a day to see how all the creaky gears come to the decisions he does, I believe this rendition isn't too far off the target. Before watching the film, I also feared that we were still too close to the subject matter. Would we really be able to see Bush objectively, being that he was still in office as this film debuted in theaters? Thankfully, yes. Stone essentially highlights his focuses around the war in Iraq. There no mention of financial meltdown and the lame duck years that history will fuse into his legacy. This snapshot is just enough to give us an intriguing look at the life that is George W. Bush.

Grade: A | Genre: Drama
Summary: This is a great film, but its also a tough film. This family character study hits you on all levels.

Dysfunctional family life has rarely been approached as well as we see it in Rachel Getting Married. This film makes you recall 1980s Ordinary People that featured a family who looked rather bland on the surface but was stirring incessantly underneath. Rachel Getting Married features some fantastic acting at the hands of Rosemarie DeWitt and Debra Winger, but the tour-de-force performance here is Anne Hathaway. She has had the misfortune of landing her career in a pile of fluff films (Princess Diaries, Get Smart) and forgettable turns in quality flicks (Brokeback Mountain). Rachael Getting Married is the role that cements her as one of the premiere actresses of her generation. Her character Kym is cooping with a lifetime of disappointment fueled by the spark of addiction. On loan from rehab for the weekend so that she can attend her sister Rachel's wedding, Kym personifies someone who is uncomfortable in their own skin.

Grade: B- | Genre: Drama
Summary: I'd definitely recommend this to the pet owners out there. Regardless of how much of an angel your pet is, every animal has its days where they are wild like Marley, and its easy to see ourselves in these characters.

Marley & Me is a family film aimed squarely at all those pet owners out there. You all know you who you are. You're the ones with bumper stickers proudly proclaiming, "my child drinks out of the toilet." You're the ones who keep silly things like doggy day cares in business. While watching a movie, you will not weep a tear when humans bite the dust, but if its a dog -- Niagara Falls here we come. Adapted from the book by the same name, Marley & Me was brought to the screen with none other than you in mind. The non-pet loving populace might see Marley & Me as little more than a puff piece, meant to bolster the careers of Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston while raking in some solid holiday coin. But to the pet owners out there, this may be your modern day Old Yeller.

Grade: B+ | Genre: Drama
Summary: In all, Changeling is a very good film. Angelina Jolie's performance alone is worth the price of admission, and Clint's cinematic flare really props up this film. While its story makes it fall short of being a great movie, it is definitely one that needed to have been told.

There are a few things you can count on in this life outside of death and taxes. The Cubs will never win the World Series, no one will ever date Jessica Simpson for her brains and Clint Eastwood will always direct a quality motion picture. Whether it be Unforgiven, Mystic River or Million Dollar Baby, Eastwood never short sheets the bed. He faces a subject head on, and drops all those uncomfortable, real moments on the table to make his audience squirm like any great filmmaker should. Dirty Harry has a knack for telling the tough stories normally reserved for the likes of Scorsese and Coppola. With the release of each work, Eastwood continues to evolve into one of this generations great directors. The complex drama Changeling cuts at a parents worst nightmare -- losing a child.

Grade: D+ | Genre: Suspense
Summary: This film was akin to one of those throw away episodes from the original series. The suspense was tepid, the thrills were slight and the storyline never even bothers to consult reality.

It seems not so long ago that Mulder and Scully were searching for E.T. while busily answering life's unexplainable questions on the long-running suspense drama the X-Files. At the time, it was one of television's better shows and at its close it seemed to propel its leads in divergent directions. David Duchovny went on to star in the hit sex-fueled dramedy on Showtime Californication while Gillian Anderson has played support in a flurry of films (The Last King of Scotland, Tristram Shandy) to little fanfare for her efforts. Well 10 years have flickered by since we had our last installment X-Files: Fight the Future feature film, so you'd image if they were going to dust off the ol' case files for another crack at this it should be quite a doozy. That is where you would be wrong.

Grade: B+ | Genre: Action/Adventure
Summary: In a time when we are battling wars abroad while dealing with the interminable credit crisis that seems to cinch Americans tighter by the day, its nice to check-in to Bond's world for a couple hours where the most dire of situations can be squelched with a swift right hook and a stiff Martini.

Isn't it nice to finally have an actor who embodies the essence of James Bond the way Daniel Craig does? He is what Bond was always meant to be. Tough as nails, steely good looks, acting depth deeper than a rain puddle. He just slides on the coat of James Bond so well whereas the others made it look like they were borrowing their older brother's suit. Since Sean Connery abdicated his throne oh so many years ago, we've been assaulted with a guy who perpetually looked like he had a rod stuck up his a$$ (Roger Moore), a Shakespearean actor (Timothy Dalton) and a skin deep pretty boy (Pierce Brosnan). When the Bourne Identity franchise waltzed onto the silver screen, it seemed to be filling the action/adventure void Bond had left like a gapping wound. No more. Bond is back and badder than ever. Quantum of Solace marks the second film staring Daniel Craig (Layer Cake, Casino Royale) that features the reinvention of James Bond. Its a satisfying action picture from the opening wild car chase to closing credits.

Grade: A+ | Genre: Indie/Drama/Comedy
Summary: Indie as usual does good, and in the case of Juno, it does even better than most. An unconventional story of a very unconventional young girl with the sass and wit of all the people you wish you could be and sound like, Juno demonstrates how great screenwriting and endearing characters can engage and carry a film beyond any high-budgeted studio "Blockbuster."

Ellen Page is a revelation (in case you haven't seen Hard Candy, do so!), who has put herself in the pop-o-sphere of beloved and endearing female characters. From interviews, you can see that much of her own personality came through to Juno, but with an added whip smart sarcasm that wraps every word coming out of her mouth rivaling anyone that dare stand in her way.

Grade: B+ | Genre: Political Drama
Summary: The Last King of Scotland constructs a fascinating story of a country in flux and the power of unchecked idealism. President Amin is the role of a lifetime for Whitaker, and he takes advantage of the ripe opportunities it presents.

Africa seems to be finding the spotlight more and more among Hollywood's savvy directors and screenwriters. Perhaps this is due to a lack of news coverage on pressing issues or the cyclical poverty that seems to huddle the region in darkness. Whatever the cause recent years have shown us riveting portraits of this continent in crisis from the genocidal struggle of Hotel Rwanda and the intrigue of the Constant Gardener to the mangled youth of Tsoti. With each passing day, we know the killing impulses strengthen in Darfur and the AIDS epidemic slowly toils away at its task of blotting out an entire generation. The Last King of Scotland aids us in answering some of the questions plaguing Africa today through the looking glass of Uganda in the early-70s. It is a film hinged on stirring performances and a gripping intensity that doesn't let you free.