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Here's a look at the new movies that I saw this week. One was great, one was confounding.

Killing Them Softly
Starring: Brad Pitt, Scoot McNairy, James Gandolfini, Richard Jenkins, and Ray Liota
Synopsis: Andrew Dominik is an interesting director. I didn't love his last feature, "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford," but I was fascinated by it. There were great performances, some unique visuals, and an interesting storytelling style. Those things are still present in "Killing Them Softly," which again teams Dominik with Pitt, but the story is repugnant. And the political connection layered on top of it tends toward a distraction. I've read a few different takes on what point Dominik is trying to make about America, politics, and the fractured nature of our society. I can understand some of them, but I almost feel like that gives this film too much credit. This film seems to follow a familiar formula for the genre, but does it with grandiose speeches and gallows humor that doesn't quite land. In fact, it might be fair to say the title of film applies to the affect on the audience. There is a reason that this film flopped with its score on cinemetrics websites. It's a film that appears to be one thing that tries to go in another direction. It's fair to say that's just Dominik's style — as he did something similar with the Jesse James film. And at least "Killing Them Softly" clocks in at a reasonable 97 minutes, unlike his last opus. Still, it's a film that gritty, gross, and hard to watch. There are no heroes in the film — which could also be a statement about how Dominik perceives America. There is a lot of darkness and ugliness, which does ring true when considering our country. But it's a film that seems to revel in the darkness and leave that as it's statement. The closing of the film is Pitt's a-moral hitman saying America isn't a country, but rather a business. While there might be some truth in that statement given the moral and social decline here, not everyone wants to see America continue down that path. Maybe Dominik doesn't either, but his film turns into a mess as he tries to get his ideology into the film. When that muddled message is combined with grim characters and disturbing levels of violence, it's easy to see how the film would be a turnoff for many. Despite that, I can see why some have hailed it as one of the year's best films. I'm just not among them.
Rating: R for violence, sexual references, pervasive language, and some drug use. Enter with Caution.
Verdict: One star out of four.

Life of Pi
Starring: Irrfan Khan, Suraj Sharma, and Rafe Spall
Synopsis: A boy finds himself alone, in a small life boat, in the middle of the ocean. Or at least he’s mostly alone. His only companion is a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. For days, he is left to find a way to survive after losing every thing and every one he’s ever known. Such is the tale of “Life of Pi.” Based on the trailers — which offer a glimpse at the stunning visual achievements of director Ang Lee but little of the real narrative of the story — one could be left to wonder how the film’s 127 minutes will be filled. But what you get in “Life of Pi” is far more than the story of a boy, a tiger and an ocean. This is a beautiful, moving and thought-provoking journey of a young man who is wrestling with the bigger questions while trying to make his way in the world. “Life of Pi” is a story of survival, but it’s also a journey of discovery and faith. Those ideas lie at the heart of the film and are integral to the story it wants to tell. That’s what makes “Life of Pi” an engrossing and moving film. Lee is a gifted director when it comes to telling these kind of stories. As a director, he’s enjoyed a number of critical successes — including “Sense and Sensibility,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” and “Brokeback Mountain.” With his last Best Picture nominee — “Brokeback Mountain” in 2005 — I noted that his film included the single most visually stunning shot of any film that year. With “Life of Pi” — which is available in 3D as well — he delivers more stunning visuals. The composition of the shots, the sets and the colors are beautiful. It is a visual presentation that completely enhances the viewing experience. “Life of Pi,” much like Lee’s other films, is beautiful to watch. But, like Lee’s other films, it’s not just the visual presentation that grabs your attention, it’s the beautiful story it tells. “Life of Pi” is a musing on faith and the nature of God. That’s something that’s not used as a selling point in the trailers, but was a feature of the novel from Yann Martel upon which the film is based. In fact, it’s this larger idea of faith and connection that is the thread that weaves the narrative together. Early in the film the adult Pi offers that his is a story that will cause the young writer to believe in God. But it’s not just the young writer who is meant to be moved by the narrative, but rather the audience. That being said, the film doesn’t hew to one specific religion, but rather a larger notion of God. Given that, it is more a tool to be used to inspire questions and consideration within each viewer. I found that to be the case when I watched the film — especially since the first act of the film is dedicated to this idea — and that will likely hold true for most viewers. If I were to critique the film, it would be for the final act. After an engrossing and moving story, the film changes course a bit at the end. It offers something that is open to interpretation, but it pulls you out of the moment a bit. That being said, I enjoyed “Life of Pi” and found it a moving and surprising film. Though some may head into the film expecting something akin to “Avatar” — a breath taking visual performance with little substance — I found the film to be more interested in the substance of the ideology it presented than the visuals it used to enhance that presentation. That’s a rare position to take in this era of filmmaking.
Rating: PG for emotional thematic content throughout, and some scary action sequences and peril.
Verdict: Four stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:

December 7 — "Playing For Keeps"

December 14 — "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"

December 19 — "Zero Dark Thirty," "The Guilt Trip"

December 21 — "This Is 40," "Jack Reacher," "The Impossible," "Monsters, Inc. 3D," "Cirque de Soleil: World's Apart"

December 25 — "Django Unchained," "Les Miserables," "Parental Guidance"