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Here's the movies I saw this week.

Monument's Men
Starring: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Hugh Bonneville, John Goodman, Bill Murray, Bob Balaban,  Jean Dujardin, and Cate Blanchett
Synopsis: This film, directed by Clooney, was originally slatted to come out around Christmas but got pushed to February. It's a shame because I liked the film and the performances, and I think it could have been an award contender if it had come out sooner. Alas, it didn't. This film is based on the true story of the men that went to the front lines of the war effort during World War II to try and protect art and cultural centers from being wiped off the map. One of the things that stood out to me in the Iraq-war documentary "No End In Sight" is the fact that the State Department had a plan to do the same in Iraq, but the army ignored it and destroyed much of the culture of the reason. The State Department officials cited that as a reason the people freed from occupation soon turned against the forces that ended their occupation, because their culture had been destroyed and disrespected in the process. During WWII, the Monuments Men made sure that didn't happen. It's a fascinating piece of history that should be remembered and celebrated, as it is in this film. From a cinematic standpoint, Clooney the director does a good job of pacing the action and bringing the story to life. The film is full of good performances and a good blend of comedy, action, and drama. The movie makes the most of its talented cast and provides an enjoyable piece of entertainment. That's a winning combination that has been in short supply the past few seasons.
Rating: PG-13 for some images of war violence and historical smoking.
Verdict: Four stars out of four

Winter's Tale
Starring: Colin Farrell, Jessica Brown Findlay, William Hurt, Russell Crowe, and Jennifer Connelly
Synopsis: Valentine’s Day weekend has become a time when romance films aren’t hard to find. In fact, this year, three movies opened on February 14 vying for that date night dollar. But one of them looked a little different than the others. Akiva Goldsman won an Academy Award for his script for the movie “A Beautiful Mind,” and is an inventive and respected writer. For his feature-length directorial debut, Goldsman decided to tackle the unique novel from Mark Helprin, which debuted in 1983. It’s a love story, yes, but it’s not the traditional kind of love story. This film mixes a little mythology, theology and period drama in telling its story, which has some of the trappings of a typical Valentine’s Day feature. The trailer for “Winter’s Tale” is a bit confusing, and of course once you watch the film you understand why. Unless you’ve read the book, you likely will have trouble figuring out what is happening in the film simply by watching trailers. And while it’s marketed as a love story an released on Valentine’s Day weekend, “Winter’s Tale” is much more complex than that. Goldsman spent a good part of the past few years working as a writer and director on the sci-fi series “Fringe.” That has helped him in crafting this story, which has a supernatural element to it. Goldsman won an Academy Award for a film starring Crowe and Connelly, and both are here turning in solid performances in his directorial debut. Farrell does a good job in the lead role, and the supporting performances from Brown Findlay and Hurt are also good. This is a well crafted film, just a bit weird in the theology/mythology it offers and in the way the story is constructed. Likely as a result of adapting it from a novel some pieces have been lost in translation. There are parts of the film that feel like abrupt transitions and not all of the plot is clearly defined. That’s not enough to derail the film, but it keeps it from being great. “Winter’s Tale” has good performances, is well put together and has an interesting story. It is, in part, a love story — but it’s also a story of destiny and how our love can help us accomplish great things. There are also a few fun surprise cameos in the film, which is a sign of the respect Goldsman has in the industry. Still, this is a film that’s tough to market, uneven at times but ultimately enjoyable.
Rating: PG-13 for violence and some sensuality.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:

Friday, February 21 — "Pompeii," "Three Days to Kill," "Welcome to Yesterday"

Friday, February 28 — "Son of God," "Non-Stop"