Hugo: Dickens called and he wants Oliver Twist back

Saw "Hugo" and it is wonderful for kids and adults alike. Charming, poignant. Really glad I saw it. I loved the casting: Ben Kingsley was great as were all the others. Asa Butterfield is perfectly cast as Hugo and his role has an Oliver Twist-like aspect to it. You just want to scoop him up. Hope to see him in more films... Saw this at the Avalon in DC with a ton of families- that made the experience even more enjoyable to be around kids so excited to see this film.

Albert Nobbs: As the Irish say, "fair to midling"

I so wanted to like this a lot, being a huge fan of Glenn Close, but sadly that is not the case. The film has an interesting story to tell, that of Albert Nobbs, a woman who passed through most of her life as a man in late 19th century Ireland. Her life is a lie as she works as a butler in a Dublin hotel. The film's tensions arise when she falls for a young lady. The film suffers from slow pacing. 

Downton Abbey: Warning Addictive

Downton Abbey... I am totally consumed with this show. Character development is so great - even minor characters like Mrs. Patmore- the cook. Also love William Molesley and his roses. I think it is a testament to how well acted these parts are too when such small roles - acted with an economy of words - give us such a rich sense of the character.

Moneyball: Modern David vs. Goliath

I know next to nothing about baseball and found this film very good because it is about the underdog. David vs. Goliath. The movie is all heart in telling the saga of the Oakland Athletics during the 2002 season. Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill are interesting bookends as characters where these two, using Sabermetrics, which is the mathematical and statistical analysis of baseball records, built a ragtag team. As Hill states "like an island of misfit toys." The best line in a very well-written film. The soundtrack by composer Mychael Danna is hauntingly beautiful. Bring Kleenex.

My Week with Marilyn

Saw "My Week with Marilyn" and while not a great film it is a great character sketch of Monroe, Olivier and even Leigh. It captures a brief moment in time and dynamics between a lengendary actor and a movie star. Michelle Williams dazzles. She captures the elusive ethereal qualities of Monroe none has ever really fully embodied since: sexiness, vulnerability and an "it" quality that is magic onscreen — our eyes never left her. I hope Williams gets nominated for an Academy Award.