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The Master is the movie to beat this year. If you want a movie to think for you go see something else. Without a doubt the movie will polarize it's audiences. But what did you expect from Paul Thomas Anderson? The same person who brought us "There Will Be Blood," "Boogie Nights," and "Magnolia."

Tiny Furniture is just plain bad. There's some good material somewhere in this jumbled mess. It's hard to like Lena Dunham's character or any other character for that matter. I just watched the first two episodes of Girls, her new show on HBO, and it's really good. She has definitely improved her writing and direction in where she wants to go. As for Tiny Furniture, it feels like a patch work of self indulgent ****

I found Damsels In Distress hilarious and one of the best comedies I've seen recently. The dialogue is razor sharp, the actresses are great, particularly Greta Gerwig's character. I admit there's probably one dead spot in the film, but it quickly picks up where it left off.

Being a fan of the original Fright Night and director Craig Gillespie, I found the movie disappointing (particularly the ending). You got to hand it to Colin Farrell though, he played a really good villain, too bad it goes to waste on the mediocre movie.

Warrior has some great actors on display and boy do they put everything on the line here, but unfortunately the story and dialogue are some of the most cheesy, cliche stuff I've seen or heard in a long time.

Draw yourself a warm bath because you're going to need one after the heartbreaking Matha Marcy May Marlene. Incredible performance by Elizabeth Olsen who I think got snubbed from the Oscars.

Werner Herzog's fascinating social documentary about the controversial death penalty, is both refreshingly unbiased and heartfelt throughout. Herzog asks all the right questions and leaves it to the viewer to decide.

The costumes and the whole look of the film is great, but the action sequences and story felt flat to me. You do care for the characters and the movie is a nice prequel to The Avengers.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy has some riveting moments and some dull moments, but the performance from Gary Oldman is unforgettable.

David Wain's Wanderlust has a lot of flaws, but it also has a lot of laughs.

The Secret World of Arrietty is sugar coated Hayao Miyazaki (he didn't direct this movie, but he co-wrote the story). If your looking for the wild imagination of Miyazaki's classics like Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, or Howl's Moving Castle this is not the movie for you. However if you're looking for Pixar, family friendly stuff, here you go.

Woody Allen's Midnight In Paris is one of the best films he has made in some years. If you're a fan of Allen's work you'll enjoy this one. Owen Wilson plays the typical (Woody Allen) neurotic character (and he nails it) lost in the streets in Paris after midnight. I won't give away any more just go see it.

Great performances all around particularly the two leads Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg. I found the movie both thought-provoking and beautiful to look at. If you don't like art-house type film (where the emphasis is on style not story) this is not your kind of movie, but if you do you will be rewarded.

Michael Fassbender, Viggo Mortensen, and Keira Knightley all bring their A-game, but the direction and script are underwhelming. The movie has a lot to say without really knowing how to deliver. After waiting four years from the time the excellent Eastern Promises came out this is pretty bland stuff. David Cronenberg is one of the best directors out there, hopefully Cosmoplis turns out better than this.

When I heard David Fincher was remaking the excellent Swedish film The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, I wasn't as worried as most people were. Fincher, having made Seven and Fight Club, I thought the source material was right up his alley. The film itself doesn't surpass the Swedish original, but is well acted and a well made film. The score is excellent by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. I guess the one thing is missing is the discomfort from the original.

The Descendants starring George Clooney is quite an emotional journey through a family's hardship. I found the movie realistic and darkly comedic in some areas. The emotional scenes don't give off a melodramatic feel. I definitely recommend it.

Mysterious Skin is gut wrenching story, tragedy with great acting from Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Brady Corbet. Mysterious Skin is a movie that stays with you, it's impossible to shake off.

The Artist, making a statement about art and the film industry without saying a word. I had my doubts going into the film. but came out of the theater very impressed. Definitely one of the best pictures of the year. How could you not fall in love with this underdog of a movie?

Donnie Darko's Directors Cut builds off the theatrical version by a lot with character development and a few loose ends with plot. If you decide to take a dive in the moody, thought-provoking Donnie Darko waters, you might as well dive in the 133 minute director's cut version.

Even though Donnie Darko is a messy movie, you don't walk away disappointed. You think about what you just watched and what it meant. The Directors Cut kind of ties some loose ends and makes it even more thought-provoking.

The mildly entertaining "Best Worst Film" is kind of a companion, or commentary for Troll 2. If you haven't seen Troll 2, you're not missing much. But if you need a bad movie to balance all the good movies you've been watching. Troll 2 might be the one.

The first Mortal Kombat movie made a lot of money, why not make another one? Mortal Kombat: Annihilation is exactly why you don't make another one.

Video game movie adaptations haven't always been the greatest idea. The two mediums don't really come close to each other in terms of direction or design. Having said all that, Mortal Kombat is entertainingly bad.

Even though Ace Ventura; When Nature Calls excedes it's predecessor, it's hard to get over how annoying Jim Carrey's character is.

It's hard to top the imagination and ambition of The Fifth Element. The film is simply a fun ride that the greatly entertaining, Luc Besson takes you on.

Before Titanic came out, Waterworld was the most expensive film ever produced. Comparing the two is like night and day. Even though I don't particularly care for Titanic I think if once you have a commander of the screen and someone with a vision like James Cameron you're going to have substantial differences in results. Titanic full of ambition (like Waterworld), took home 11 Oscars while Waterworld was just nominated for 1 Oscar (Best Sound).

Anaconda is one of those movies you watch again late at night and think what's the big deal? It's not awful or merely good, it's just a bad 90's action movie.

Dominic Sena's Kalifornia is entertaining to a point, but by the end of the movie you kind of wish the overacting and ridiculous plot twists would end.

You hear all this hype surrounding The Godfather, such as "it's a masterpiece," and the movie is included in countless critics and moviegoers top 10 movies of all time. I'm afraid they're right. The movie is a masterpiece and a beautiful piece of art that surpasses most films I have ever seen. From a technical standpoint it's flawless.

Ridley Scott's American Gangster is a well-acted crime drama that far from a masterpiece, but a very well made film. I liked Denzel Washington's character in this gangster pic than I did in Training Day, which felt a little forced. Russell Crowe is a fantastic actor if given the opportunity.

A first rate, white knuckle thrill ride from the great Martin Scorsese. Not only does The Departed build off the excellent original (Infernal Affairs) but it has a tour de force of acting performances from Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg, and Jack Nicholson. Scorsese is at his best, there is not a dull moment in it's 151 minute run time.

A close to perfect film with a wonderful acting job from Ryan Gosling. He's turning into one of the great actors from this generation.

Borat is a flat out hilarious movie, where Sacha Baron Cohen shins on every level. The only reason I don't give the movie a 10 is some of the scenes go on for way too long and kind of lose their welcome. Regardless I highly recommend this film.

One of the things I really like about the film, "Cave of Forgotten Dreams," is Werner Herzog puts his soul into each frame. You can really tell the Chauvet caves made a huge impression on him in some spiritual way, as did the archaeologists who worked therein. A compelling documentary.

After hearing about Hell and Back Again on NPR I was hoping for a poignant documentary about the horrors of coming back from war (The Hurt Locker, Jarhead, or Restrepo (I know the first two are Hollywood movies)), but the whole movie felt flat to me. Maybe the hero, Sergeant Nathan Harris, didn't let the viewers inside emotionally. Maybe it was that lake of a music score? I'm not quite sure, the film just didn't do it for me.

In Stranger Than Fiction, Will Ferrel's turns his best dramatic performance to date, while working with a fantastic original screenplay by Zach Helm.

Star Wars: A New Hope is a excellent piece of science-fiction that dreams big and never looks back.

Sleepy Hollow is a visually brilliant piece of work from Tim Burton, but other than that I can't say there's anything I like about the movie. It's not particularly scary, thought-provoking, or extremely well acted. The film as a whole is just OK, but worth every penny for it's visuals.

Robert Rodriguez follows up his other B-movie (From Dusk Till Dawn) with another B-movie The Faculty, which screams for a cult following. Robert Rodriguez seems to like settling for mediocrity. The writer Kevin Williamson tries to keep the steam rolling from his work on the first two Scream movies, but is running on fumes. After all that being said I enjoyed the movie for what it is.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is simply awful. Even the writer Joss Whedon has made it clear that this is not what he had envisioned. Bad acting, bad lines after bad lines. Why would Donald Sutherland waste his time with something like this?

Alien: Resurrection looks like something Joel Schumacher would make with all the style and and no soul. The more Alien movies they make, the worse they get.

The cynical Rushmore is hilarious and in some way depressing. Wes Anderson's movies live in this strange universe that are both as intriguing as they're odd

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Cormac McCarthy's adapted novel "The Road" is powerful story telling in some sort of Biblical way. Viggo Mortensen gives a performance of a lifetime. I'm surprised that this film didn't get more recognition from the Academy as CM's other novel No Country For Old Men did. Like NCFOM The Road is filled with underlying meaning and themes that can be discussed long after the credits are done.

It's amazing to me that The Ides of March, with all the things it wants to say about modern politics, not only says what it needs to, but turns some great performances out of it.

A compelling, well told story of one particular ELF member named Daniel McGowan. I don't want to give away too much of the story. It's an inspiring movie that makes you want to take up a cause or change something about your life.

One of the greatest Oscar snubs of all-time, besides well Raging Bull and Taxi Driver. Martin Scorsese was on his way to becoming the new Stanley Kubrick in never receiving the coveted Best Director or Best Picture award. The cast is great Peci and De Niro are awesome.

A nicely wrapped up 3rd installment to Steig Larsson's movie adapted trilogy. The change in director, in the second film, might of been the downfall to what could have been an excellent trilogy. Noomi Rapace still kills it as Lisbeth Salender.

This film is by far the best in the Swedish trilogy of films. The atmosphere/mood of the movie is really dark and some of the scenes are very hard to sit through. What makes the movie worth sitting through this kind of material (and the whole trilogy) is Noomi Rapace (who should have been nominated for an Oscar). Her excellent performance of the tortured hero, Lisbeth Salander, is movie magic and will be talked about for years to come.