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Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week.

American Hustle
Starring: Amy Adams, Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and Jeremy Renner
Synopsis: In his poem Marmion, Walter Scott wrote “Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive!” Those words come to mind when watching “American Hustle,” a film that examines con artists of all kinds during the late 1970s. The film starts with a disclaimer — “some of this actually happened.” Though the inspiration for “American Hustle” is the real-life FBI operation known as “Abscam,” this isn’t a docudrama. The names, places and details have been changed. This is a work of fiction that looks at some people’s lives, using a familiar historical event to help prop up the plot. It was also a chance for “Hustle” director David O. Russell to reunite with some actors who have been a part of his recent Academy-Award nominated films. Christian Bale and Jennifer Lawrence won Oscars in Russell films, while Amy Adams and Bradley Cooper earned nominations. And that core group forms the heart of this latest story. Russell is a varied and fascinating filmmaker. He marches to the beat of his own drum, telling wildly disparate stories in fascinating ways. His past two films have been award darlings, but told very different kinds of stories. “American Hustle” is a fitting follow up to that in that it’s very good, and wildly different from what he’s done before. It is grounded in history, but not beholden to history. These are unique creations thrown into a familiar situation to provide context and the framework for the plot. But really the film is an exploration of its characters, and that’s where it shines. Cooper, Bale, Adams, Lawrence and Renner are excellent in their roles. Bale continues to be an actor that can shift his appearance and all his other characteristics from role to role. Here he feels a million miles away from Bruce Wayne and Batman as he branches out to new endeavors. Adams previously earned an Academy Award nomination for her work with Russell on “The Fighter,” and here she turns in another memorable performance in a very different kind of role. Cooper, too, shines in a role that feels very different that what he’s done before. Last year Lawrence won an Academy Award for her work in “Silver Linings Playbook” and landed on the radar everywhere with “The Hunger Games.” She continues to show her range, talent and the ability to tackle myriad roles and characters here. She inhabits Rosalyn, a weird and wild character, and makes it her own in a stunning way. Russell’s movies work because he gets the best out of the people he works with, and the same is true with “American Hustle.” Some have said that this is Russell trying to nail the kind of period piece and tone that made Martin Scorsese famous, and there are some elements of that here. But in the end, this feels like a film all his own, exploring an interesting set of characters that seem desperate to do anything but take a hard look in the mirror. They’ve lived into the deception so long and so boldly that it’s a part of them. The beautiful moments come when the facade breaks and some of them are able to finally step into the light. Last year I thought Russell gave us the best film of 2012. In a year with so many beautiful and challenging stories, that’s not the case in 2013. Despite that, “American Hustle” is a fascinating, well-crafted and lovingly told film.
Rating: R for pervasive language, some sexual content and brief violence. Enter with caution.
Verdict: Four stars out of four.

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

Starring: Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, David Koechner, Christina Applegate, and Meagan Good

Synopsis: "Anchorman" was a comedy that was a mild failure in theaters that found new life on video. People saw it, it became a cult classic, and now it's everywhere. So it makes sense that a sequel would come, and for those that loved the first film, this is probably a red letter day. That being said, you can tell that the people making the film had fun. But not all of that fun translates off the screen. This is the kind of movie that should have plenty of cameos, fast-moving jokes, and a run time of about 75 to 80 minutes. But this film is two full hours, so it drags quite a bit. They try to do a lot, and not all of it works. At times it feels like a "Saturday Night Live" sketch gone awry. There are fun and funny moments, and the actors give it their all, but it doesn't all work. I did like the interactions between Carell and Kristen Wiig, but some of the rest of the movie was too much. I especially felt like it went over-the-top in its racism at points, which was wildly uncomfortable. Overall, this movie is OK, and will likely be a hit with die-hard fans, but it felt like a labor of love done to excess to me.

Rating: PG-13 for crude and sexual content, drug use, language and comic violence.

Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Saving Mr. Banks

Starring: Tom Hanks, Emma Thompson, Colin Farrell, Ruth Wilson, Paul Giamatti, Bradley Whitford, Jason Schwartzman, and B.J. Novak

Synopsis: We know "Mary Poppins" today as a classic, heart-warming tale. It's a classic that inspires, uplifts, and cheers the soul. We know the music, the story, and the characters. But "Saving Mr. Banks" looks beyond the movie we know to the story we don't. For P.L. Travers (Thompson), the author of the books upon which the movie is based, the story of Mary Poppins was rooted in pain and sorrow. And when Walt Disney (Hanks) sought to buy the rights to her stories and give it the full Magic Kingdom treatment, there was a part of her that couldn't let go. "Saving Mr. Banks" is the story of Disney, Travers, and the rough road that led to making that classic movie. It is interspersed with the backstory of the author, and the tough childhood that inspired the story. Some might reject "Saving Mr. Banks" as too schmaltzy to be taken seriously, but I thought the performances were moving, as was the story. Hanks has had an incredible 2013. He shined on screen in the understated "Captain Phillips," and he's great again here as Disney. Thompson has a much less enviable role. She portrays Travers with all her rough edges and deeply felt issues, but makes you care about her journey anyway. The film is buoyed by some wonderful supporting performances, and it delivers a satisfying emotional conclusion to its journey. This is the kind of heart-tugging film that comes out during the holidays, but that doesn't mean it's any less wonderful of a journey. "Saving Mr. Banks" has the lightness that many films this time of year don't, but it it's also got plenty of heart and soul, which is a winning combination.

Rating: PG-13 for thematic elements including some unsettling images.

Verdict: Three stars out of four.