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

August: Osage County
Starring: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Benedict Cumberbatch, Julianne Nicholson, Juliette Lewis, Chris Cooper, Dermot Mulroney, Margo Martindale, and Sam Shepherd
Synopsis: Family is tricky. For better or worse, our families are a part of us and help shape who we will become. As much as we might try to deny that fact, or try to run away from our families, as adults we slowly start to realize the influence family has on our behavior, our lives and the way we see the world. That is the central idea in “August: Osage County,” a drama that has some comedic moments but takes a long, hard look at family. And it really explores family dynamics — warts and all — in a significant way. That means it’s a very tough movie to sit through at times. Playwright Tracy Letts adapted his own work to the screen, and director John Wells makes the most of his talented cast. It’s a well-made movie, but probably not one that you want to watch over and over again. Letts likes to explore people’s dysfunction, and the way experience shapes our behavior. It’s a subject that’s been a part of his previous plays adapted into movies, and it’s at the heart of the narrative for this film. Some might call this a comedy — and while there are some amusing moments — it’s really more of a tragedy. The tragic part is the way Violet’s daughters seem doomed to repeat the cycle of emotional, psychological and verbal abuse handed down from their mother. Wells is best known as a super producer on TV. He was an executive producer for “ER” and “The West Wing,” but more lately he’s been known as a producer for the Showtime series “Shameless.” That’s a good connection to make when considering “August: Osage County,” as both deal with broken, dysfunctional families trying to make their way in the world. I didn’t like this film in terms of being drawn to the material, the characters and the story. It’s a very dark and spiteful production. The characters are hateful to each other and generally have little in terms of redeeming qualities. They aren’t sympathetic and, for the most part, they don’t really seem to grow and change during the course of the film. But perhaps that’s the point. My biggest takeaway from the film was the idea of the impact of family, and the dynamics of family. The way we treat each other and the way we interact with one another impacts us in long-lasting and varied ways. And, if nothing else, you see the Weston girls come to that realization along the way, which is a type of awakening or growth. In the midst of a dark story, the film has some wonderful performances. It’s a deep cast with a rich history of engaging roles. Right at the top are Streep and Roberts, whose characters form the focus of the film. Both deliver great performances with Streep in particular in rare form. Her character isn’t likeably or warm, but she creates a fiercely defined vision of Violet that helps make the film visceral and compelling. “August: Osage County” isn’t a light, fun or family-friendly film. But it is an interesting exploration of families, and what shapes us as we move to adulthood. And it features some performances that are worthy of attention this awards season.
Rating: R for language including sexual references, and for drug material. Enter with caution.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Lone Survivor

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Ben Foster, Emile Hirsch, Taylor Kitsch and Eric Bana

Synopsis: This is a powerful film. Bill Simmons, the editor-in-chief of "Grantland," called it the best war movie since "Saving Private Ryan." That's about accurate. So why isn't it getting more buzz? That's an interesting question. I think "Lone Survivor," while difficult to watch, is one of the best films of the year. It probably should be a Best Picture nominee, but it's seemed to fly under the radar. It got a late December release, following some private screenings, but it had little buzz before opening last Friday. No one really knew what it was going to be like and, fair or not, the fact it re-teams the director and star of "Battleship" had some people discounting it. You shouldn't. This is an incredible film, and it tells and incredible difficult and emotional story. It's also the rare war film — especially when considering modern conflicts in the Middle East — that doesn't paint one side with a mono-chromatic brush. There are people in Afghanistan that aren't in favor of the Taliban and its methods, and a whole village of those people came to the aide of a U.S. soldier during this real-life mission, putting all their lives in peril. In a beautiful way it captures this part of the story and brings that to the front. At the same time, it pays homage to the Navy Seals who put themselves in harm's way, and the way they fought for their country and to survive. This has very realistic combat sequences, which makes a large chunk of the film difficult to sit through. It also considers the idea of moral decisions and moral peril. When these Navy Seals decide not to execute unarmed teens, a decision most would uplift, it comes back to haunt them in a very violent way. Yet you still come away with the idea that was the right thing to do. There are some good performances here, and director Peter Berg does a nice job putting the film together. It's starting to gain traction at the Box Office, it's just a shame that more people aren't recognizing how good this film is, and how powerful a story it tells.
Rating: R for strong bloody war violence and pervasive language.
Verdict: Four stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:
Friday, January 17 — "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit," "The Nut Job," "Ride Along," "The Devil's Due"
Friday, January 24 — "I, Frankenstein"
Friday, January 31 — "Labor Day," "That Awkward Moment"