WAR HORSE (USA 2011) ****
Directed by Steven Spielberg

Based more on the 2007 National Theatre play of the same name, which in turn is based on the 1982 children’s novel by Michael Morpurgo, WAR HORSE is the type of epic Spielberg is known and is good for.

CARNAGE (Germany/Poland/France 2011) *****
Directed by Roman Polanski

This is Roman Polanski at his wicked best, in a film with arguably the BEST cast living today.  CARNAGE is based on the Tony award winning play ‘Le Dieu de Carnage’ (The God of Carnage) by Yasmina Reza.  (It is best to view the trailer below to better appreciate this review.)

PINA (Germany/France/UK) ***
Directed by Wim Wenders

PINA is a documentary dance film by acclaimed German director Wim Wenders (PARIS, TEXAS and WINGS OF DESIRE) on the late Pina Bausch and her company Tanztheatre Wuppertal.

WE BOUGHT A ZOO (USA 2011) **
Directed by Cameron Crowe

20th Century Fox must be wishing high for their new Christmas movie WE BOUGHT A ZOO.  Directed by renowned Cameron Crowe (JERRY MAGUIRE, ALMOST FAMOUS) and based on the book of real story of a zoo start-up written by none other than the lead character himself, WE BOUGHT A ZOO is a serious animal film like MARLEY AND ME which made lots of bucks for Fox not many Christmases ago.

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN (USA/NZ 2011) ****
Directed by Steven Spielberg

Performance capture, the technique of more realistically bringing to life comic book animation, popularized by Robert Zemeckis in POLAR EXPRESS gets the high end treatment by Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson in their 3D collaboration THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN, the biggest holiday movie opening around the world.