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Derek Cianfrance is becoming a symbol for independent filmmaking, with a bold style explore elements of humanity like failure and happiness in a single structure.

With "Blue Valentine", he brought sadness to our hearts for a love story that started so beautiful and end up so bad, is like a the fireworks at end credits of this film. Love: Volatile at the beginning and then fades slowly.

With his new movie THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES explore two parallel worlds. crime and enforcement completely separated from each other, but then connected by destiny, fate and also karma.

Ryan Gosslin plays Luke a motorcycle stunt rider that decide to quit the circus and start robbing banks to help support his family and his newborn baby. Eva Mendes plays Romina, Luke love interest and mother of the baby. The collision between crime and enforcement takes Luke to been chase by a rookie cop played by Bradley Cooper, after robbed the last bank.

The rest of the story is a lesson of consequences of our actions and how good vs evil are always around the corner tempting us to choose the best one for us, not the right one.

The film is slow and tense, there is a lot of dramatic moments that deserve to be experience without spoil the whole plot.

The Wizard of OZ is a famous film of 1939, awarded and loved by the audience thought decades. So many want to explore this story and find alternatives to tell the tale creating parallel worlds, from sequels, spin off till prequels.

This is the story of OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL. Sam Raimi director of SPIDERMAN TRILOGY. Starring James Franco as OZ, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams. The use a singular formula, the esthetics of the original film WIZARD OF OZ, black and white, 4;3 format and when the tornado hits change gradually to color with a impeccable colorful environment.

Doing some research I found out that the Robert Downey JR was asked to play OZ, so during the film I was trying to imagine him as the magician instead of Franco. I came to the conclusion that RDJr was better for this part. The cast is good, but sadly Mila Kunis is not good enough to play the evil witch, besides Rachel Weisz who is always marvelous playing any part.

To me the best thing of the movie are the visual effects, the music by Danny Elfman, the art direction, the well done 3D and last but not least Zach Braff.

After the success of a film like INCEPTION, everyone filmmaker would like to explore the possibility of make a film about subconsciousness, dreams within a dream and even hypnosis.

Perhaps this one of the fewest genres that Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionare, Trainspotting, Shallow Grave and 28 Days Later) haven't explore. With an amazing and diverse filmography. Boyle explore this subject in TRANCE. Simon play by James McAvoy a fine art auctioneer who get involved in a big hit. Steal a very famous painting. During the heist Simon is hit in the head by Franck play by Vincent Cassel. Suddenly he end up in the hospital with amnesia.

The painting get lost in the situation, the only place that the location of the piece can be found is in Simon mind. Franck and Simon look for answers with a psychiatrist Elizabeth play by Rosario Dawson.

The story of TRANCE have so many twist and turns, with sexual innuendos between Simon and Elizabeth and Franck and Elizabeth. The film is interesting and intriguing, with a beautiful cinematography and music by Underworld band member Rick Smith.

TRANCE find subplots in Alfred Hitchcock early films, David Lean and Nic Roeg.

Django Unchained is the most recent film by director Quentin Tarantino. The film exploit the subject of slavery. With a dream cast and spaghetti western plot Django Unchained prove to be a film about violence, about races, but most of all about the search of nothing. The film is fun, entertaining, fill with irony and great performances. Like Tarantino is filled with violence and that's who his world is. I love the film, but I don't consider a masterpiece. The film delivers what Is been told.

I love that kind of movies and helps me to scape from all the drama in other movies.
Great soundtrack as always and perfect achievement in technical aspects of the film

Silver Lining Playbook is a twisted romantic comedy about two very different disturbed people who are looking for answers. A man suffering a divorce and bipolar disorder and his equal a troubled widow.

This is the story a family united by football but divided by tragedies and destroyed relationships, the idea of a second chance, a dancing contest and the values human success no mater how small it is.

Great performances, Bradley Cooper did it, Jennifer Lawrence lovely and amazingly gorgeous as always. Robert De Niro is back in action and great Jacki Weaver. The big surprise is Chris Tucker part.

The biggest human hunting in history took place for several years thanks to the a woman who believe, in her capabilities to follow everything, but not focusing on a very important thing, herself.

Zero Dark Thirty tells the story of Maya a CIA agent to follows all the steps to chase one of the biggest enemy of the US, Osama Bin Laden. The narrative of the film explore periods from September 11, July 2005 bombing in London and several attacks to the US citizen in Pakistan.

Kathryn Bigelow deliver an amazing directing job, making the film a tense and stressing 8 year story. Jessica Chastain is marvelous, her melancholic look from the very beginning of the film, to her dramatic performance during investigation and interrogation till the end hem she finally breakdown in tears when finally achieve here biggest mission ever.

The film is powerful and technical success.

There is no way to express my confusion to this movie. Explore the nature of Scientology in a film could be made as a documentary. But digging the idea of create a dramatic plot as "The Master".

"The Cause" is what it called the group where Freddie Quell, Joaquin Phoenix character discover a life after post war and alcoholism. The leader of the cause Lancaster Dodd and Sue Dodd played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams represents a transition to Freddie. A way to escape from the insanity within but no the solution to his problems.

This is a very complex film

Since Disney bought Pixar I was always concern about the future of one of the most successful companies of animation in Hollywood. Pixar always write and conceptualize great films, great stories, great characters. But probably one of the most important legacies is teach other companies, how to make good 3D animated movies, finally Disney is learning how to do it.

Wreck it Ralph is a film based on a famous video game from the 80's. The story is about Ralph who is responsible of wreck everything on the game "Wreck it Ralph" while at the same time Fix it Felix jr fix the destruction from Ralph.

Tired of doing the same typical destruction Ralph wants to be recognize as a very important part of the game. So he embarks into an adventure that take's him inside other games to win the prize and comes back successful.

Due a serious of events Ralph cause problems with other game characters and put in risk the existence of his own game.

The film is fun, entertaining and well tough. Great cast voices by John C Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jane Lynch and Jack McBrayer.

Human beings usually face roads of happiness and suffering thought life, faith is one of those elements who keeps dreams alive, but also help us as a safety net to overcome obstacles, such as goals and losses.

This is the kind of elements that conform the story of "LIFE OF PI" a fantasy story based on a book under the same name. The film directed by Ang Lee Brokeback Mountain, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) Pi which his full name is Piscine Molitor is an indian boy that live with his parents in India. Pi dad's owns a zoo, but due economic problems PI dad's choose to sell all the animals and move with the family to Canada on a ship.

During a storm PI lost of his family on a shipwreck and end up stranded for 227 days in the middle of the ocean with a tiger "Richard Parker" which are the only animal survivor.

The film explore faith, the will to live and marvels of live under any circumstances. Ang Lee filming is beautiful, Claudio Miranda cinematography is fantastic, Tim Squyres editing is beautiful but one of the most amazing achievements in the film is the original score by Mychael Dana.

To experience Life of Pi, you have to see it in 3D, this way you can see the wonderful visual effects y such a marvelous filming.

Behind the scenes are always been a treat for audience, but never are the actual information behind the creation of a piece of work. Film that explore the making of a movie represents an interesting documentation, that shows the creator and the collaborators. Many films have been made to show the story behind the story of a important film. Clint Eastwood made "White Hunter Black Heart", which tells the story of John Huston making of "The African Queen", Tim Burton made "Edwood" the story of the worst filmmaker in history and how he made Planet 9 of Out of Space, Elias Merhigue "Shadow of the Vampire" about the making of "Nosferatu" by F.W.Murnau even Federico Fellini made "8 1/2" about the filmmaker Guido Anselmi and his 8 and a half films.

Sacha Gervasi brings the film "Hitchock" the story of this famous filmmaker and the creation of his masterpiece "Psycho" Honestly the movie is Anthony Hopkins persona and character, perhaps Hellen Mirren as Alma Reville have a good performance, as Hitchcock wife. Gervasi creates a great environment for the film, but it doesn't bring something new to the table, even the amazing ensemble cast that goes from Scarlet Johannson playing Janet Leigh, Toni Collette playing Hitch secretary, Jessica Biel playing Viera Miles and James D'Arcy playing Anthony Perkins is enough to impress. This is the kind of experiment about the making of a film, that is entertaining but doesn't work all the time.

The movie entertain and show you interesting passage of the story behind Psycho, but is not strong enough to connects with all the audiences and become a great film, some scenes that doesn't make sense and you end up with strange flavor in your mouth.

The exploration of tales stories behind stories, so called Prequels it's been the new gimmick of Hollywood to continue producing franchise and keep them alive, but sometimes works as a perfect excuse to refine the tale of a hero in the process of becoming one. Sam Mendes perform a great job doing something out of the ordinary, making a sequel that literally ends to continue with the actual story. Skyfall is to me the last episode of the prequel created with the film Casino Royale in 2005. Daniel Craig star as James Bond setting the foundation of the most important secret service agent of our time. Skyfall is the story on another chapter of the agent 007 fighting again a evil character who is looking for destruction, chaos and most of all eliminate MI-6. This time the thread is beyond everyone expectation, including James Bond boss "M". The film Skyfall is one of the best ever made. Whithout been compared to films such as Dr No, Goldfinger, Moonraker or Live and Let Die. This new movie reshapes the franchise creating a new breed of characters and new stories that will continue as the ending credits of the film said: James Bond 50th Anniversary. James Bond will return.

I have to say that you end up totally breathless after the film concludes, Javier Bardem to a fantastic job as a Bond villain, Ben Whishaw is great as Q, another great treats for this film is Thomas Newman music score which explores new sounds for this movie, besides his traditional and melancholic tunes, Roger Deakins cinematography, which creates a fantastic environment in the China sequence and last but not least Adele singing the opening credits for the film.

Killers and assassins are very interesting characters to present in films. Sometimes are too cliché, is a matter of writing, perhaps you can find them in films like Die Hard, Silence of the Lambs, Scarface, M or White Heat. But at the end of the day, they have a cause, something really meaningful to do in the story.

When I think about "Seven Psychopaths" I can only think in films by Guy Ritchie, like "Snatch" or "Lock Stock to Smoking Barrels". A story of a bunch of killers, psychos or wanna be who just want to get rid of the bad apples in this world.

"Seven Psychopaths" is the story or Marty (Colin Farrell) a struggling writer trying to find a good script to create. His friend Billy a dog kidnapper and his partner Hans (Christopher Walken) kidnap a Shih Tzu dog owned by a Mafia guy Charlie. Marty becomes entangled to the haunt for Charlie's dog and continue with killings of most of the characters on the film, all this is happening while Marty developed a screenplay for a film named : "Seven Psychopaths" The film is hilarious is cynical. The combination Rockwell, Walken Farrell is perfect. The film is absurd but full of entertainment.

So many movies about time travel have explore the possibility of time travel. Could be about stopping a tragic event in the present, that could affect human beings or just a single person. Back to The Future, TimeCop, Freejack, Primer, Bill and Ted, Twelve Monkeys are among some of the fewest exploring that, but Terminator is the one who took the experience to a whole different level. Nowadays is difficult to not been compared of been influence by this story. Besides that Ryan Johnson director of "Brick" create this futuristic tale about killers of the future who eliminate people from the past by paying in silver bars. in LOOPER Johnson bring back his main actor Joseph Gordon Levitt as the best in town to get rid of this people from the past. The film is interesting and fun, the fact of having Bruce Willis as Gordon Levitt old version creates this atmosphere with action, but reminds so much to any of Bruce Wills films. Ironically the fact of having yourself as a sidekick establishes an interesting combination and tension, who is going to be killed first or hurt, is this situation will hurt the one from the past or the future?

One of my favorite things of the film is the original score by Nathan Johnson, who works again with Ryan, after his fantastic work in the score of Brick

Since the 80's is been really hard to find compelling stories about students who struggle to fit in into the system. Directors decided to focus on comedies and other approach about kids and their issues in the classroom. Finally after a long wait I witness something out of the ordinary, a film that look like a chick flick but end been something more like an statement of kids who not fit in.
"The Perks of Been a Wallflower" is the story of Charlie a kid who is facing the loss of his best friend who commit suicide, his mental illness and the finding of his first love.
The film explore most of the same issues about kids in school but also find it's own way describing characters and situations from the point of view of Charlie. Emma Watson is astonishing, she bright the screen all over with her acting and beauty. But the scene stealer is Ezra Miller as Patrick a gay teenager who is having a secret relationship with a popular kid.

What makes the film special to me is the reference of music and mix tapes, something that in the 80's and 90's was the best way to share music...

Jhon Hillcoat director of the "Road" and "The Proposition" explore the tough side of the depression in small town of America. Shia LeBouf, Tom Hardy and Jason Clarke are the brothers Bondurant. Owners of a bootlegging small industry in Virginia. They own the town and they control the police. But after the arrival of a crooked special deputy played by Guy Pierce things turn ugly and dangerous for them. Rakes wants a piece of the pie and he will take revenge against the brothers. When Lebouf it's a shadow for the brothers, he take control surprising everyone and becoming the most powerful gangster in town.


The film is slow and bloody. Great performance to the cast specially Guy Pierce and Jessica Chastain which is very sexy in this movie, a true gem.

One of the most interesting ideas of human interactions, is with machines. Robot and Frank explore this idea in a very smart way. A retired thieve lives alone in his upstate house, totally abandoned. His sons, trying to help him and clean the mess. Offer him the possibility to have a personal robot that help him with groceries, cooking and cleaning. Frank hesitate to the idea and after struggling with the plan he have another. Robot suggest creating home gardening, but Frank choose to have personal robot to be his side kick on a new hobby. Stealing values objects in town. Frank Langella perform Frank in this movie, James Marsden and Liv Tyler their sons. Peter Sarsgaard do the voice of the robot.

The film is enjoyable and smart.

"No" is the fourth film of Pablo Larrain, on which explore another chapter of the complex political arena in Chile. The famous referendum that close the horrible dictatorship of Pinochet is shown there the eyes of a director of TV commercials. The premise is very smart. In a production company the owner president is called to make the campaign of "Yes" in the referendum is called to create the campaign for the "No" in the referendum. Gael Garcia Bernal plays, René Saavedra, responsible of this successful No campaign. Juggling between jobs, political meetings, shooting, editing and reviewing the competitor in this battle. We see people ready to stop Pinochet in this tragic time for Chile. But on the other hand. We face the duality of what's best. Dictatorship with better quality of living or a democracy filled with problems like Allende's presidency. See political ideals as concept or content vs seen the audience and costumer as the people who will vote is a smart and complex idea. That not only show how is the world where we living, doesn't matter it this happen 20 years ago, still an issue for most of all.

Gael plays really well this ad guy, his conversation about what's art, what sell, who is the client and who is the costumer shows how is the treatment of politicians about voters. We are the product but also the consumer. The best success of a product to be sold, is that a a candidate or a party wins.

Human society is challenge everyday when you question things such as trust, power, orders, but most of all there common sense. These are the most important elements in the film "Compliance" directed by Craig Zobel.

The story takes place in a fast food restaurant, it could be in any town of the US, it doesn't matter. Sandra (Ann Dowd) the manager of this place is a person with complex issues, is important to mention that this kind of job create the illusion of authority and power, but also respect. She received a phone call from a apparent detective policeman who report stolen money from the costumer and the responsible is Beck (Dreama Walker) a cashier who works there and just have a manager employee relationship with Sandra.

Officer Daniels (Pat Healy) give directions to Sandra over the phone of how to handle the suspect while he "arrive' to the scene. The chain of events will show how human begins area capable to trust-accept-control-obey orders and finally accept the consequences of their act. The film presents a clear vision of a group of American citizen who blinded by apparent authority follow a protocol of sick directions without question their actions.

The film is powerful and controversial and I think everyone should see it in order to protract themselves of been mistreated like so many Becky's in this country.

Samsara as the encyclopedia explains: is the meaning of continuous flow, a cycle of birth, death and rebirth. This is the name of the film under the same name by the same team behind Baraka and Chronos. After 20 years Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson reunited to tell another story, only without words. Besides Baraka, you can't compare both of them and try make a point, there are two different films, with different pace and style. Samsara try to explain human cycle as its best. Technology influence the wheel of life, it move us, from the creation, use and expiration date we can see how a useful object can be dangerous as waste. The force continuity animal cycle as the wheel turn to a chicken or a cow, that been forced to mass produce to feed the world. All this is happening while we still admire our world growing, changing, but also falling apart.

Divided by war, natural tragedies and religion. We coexist in a planet where all think different and we still connected by a constant cycle that bring together and separated later. The film is beautiful, the images captured are gorgeous and the music composed is a true gem.

After Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind, the way of making romantic films change dramatically. Now the story of a boy who meets a girl, is a matter of fantasy, complicated situation that could be a dream or reality, challenges in modern societies look for the essence of simple things such as girls with unusual or non trendy names, boys with peculiar jobs and cities where you never think that a love story could happen.

I can name Beginners, Submarine, 500 Days of Summer and even Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris match to new way of seen the search of love. Travel there time, erasing a relationship from your brain, dancing with animals and writing a book abbot your possible love interest.

That's the plot of Ruby Sparks. Paul Dano, plays a famous writer who is facing a writers block, he find a way of write about this girl from his dreams, then she become a real person, who can be controlled and manipulate just with simple writing. This love story represents to me a great metaphor of love, you meet someone and you get drown into the situation, facing so many confusions and doubts, is like discover one day that your dream girls appears out of nowhere after you write about her is a revelation. Is facing true vs fantasy and how love can be something unexpected not a matter of manipulation, is act of improvisations and experience, when you force something never succeed.

The team behind Little Miss Sunshine, make a good movie out of Ruby Sparks, nice soundtrack and great assemble cast.

Killer Joe is a black comedy, well that's what most of important movie websites label this movie, but with touch of a criminal thriller.
Willam Friedkin director of "The Exorcist" and "The French Connection" directs a great ensemble cast. Matthew McConaugey star as Joe a Dallas police detective who also have a side job as a hit man. Emilie Hirsh, Juno Temple, Thomas Haden Church and Gina Gershon are the components of a very particular family who bring Joe to eliminate a family member in order to cash the insurance and pay some dangerous debts.

Friedkin presents this story with very mysterious passages of the city of Dallas, the scum in the streets that only cares about who fail and how to enjoy while it happen.

McConaugey delivers one of his best performance, this actor is becoming better and better.

The film is surprising del done, well edited, with such a nice pace and with an amazing touch of film noir. But keep in mind that the film contain some sadistic and very violent scenes , a couple of unexpetected nudity and sexual situations, totally justified for this film. Probably that's why received a NC-17

Woody Allen, tells a great story, but unfortunately he get caught into the spider web of trying to tell so many stories. He fall in love of Barcelona, Paris, but Rome is more like a miss feeling of not achieving his romantic film innuendo. He try be brilliant as Midnight in Paris, but he can't. There is to many things going on, Italy is romantic, but not as passionate as France. There is no characters that can show you that. Roberto Benigni story is funny, the newlywed Italian couple with Penelope Cruz is entertaining and Woddy Alle and his new in law shower singer is funny as hell, but Alec Baldwin, Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page is simply a whole mess, you end been confuse.

Oliver Stone pretension is to go back to his Natural Born Killer style. He pick a good cast, but none of them deliver enough to convince me that they own that role. Specially John Travolta. Blake Lively is miss cast, her character that can be played by any other actress, her narration is just simply an excuse to make the storyline easy for the audience. The film is sick violent and bloody, with a very bad ending, with no message at all, but visually is rich and colorful.
The film exploit violence in the middle of the Mexican Cartel war, with an additional plot of two indi drug dealers who live in Laguna Beach, CA

Steven Soderberg impress me one more time. He can make a chick flick or any other film and show you how capable is to do a film with style.

The story takes place in Tampa, FL. Mike a thirty something guy who works as a stripper by night and by day works ins construction. His life is an illusion of success where is not. Is just a glimpse of a powerful lifestyle that is just falling apart.

You see his cinematic vision in this feature. He choose a good cast, but at the end he just entertain us, with a good film. Nice cinematography and nice editing.

The Dark Knight Rises is the final chapter of the Christopher Nolan saga. The film brings all the cast from the previous two, adding some Inception talent, Joseph Gordon Levit, Marion Cotillard and Tom Hardy. After spent tow hours and 45 minutes, you leave the theater breathless. The story follow eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, Batman is hiding and the Harvey Dent act bring apparent order to Gotham.

The film is long and that's my only complain, I can understand that is hard to finish this story in just two hours and also close this circle. The film is impressive and big, bombastic if I say. Anne Hataway is great as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, in fact they never use that name in the movie, Chris Nolan perfect move. Nothing is in your face, you have to figure out or is just hidden meaning. The ending is dramatic and emotional. The conclusion bring order but at the same time open new concepts for the studio, but let Chris Nolan depart of this trilogy with style, as a gentleman.

Hans Zimmer, bring a perfect score and develop new layers in the score, letting the audience participate ( a few months ago Hans Zimmer brought an idea, every fan possible record there voices to be incorporated into the soundtrack)

The experience is marvelous and I think the film is just epic, but is my opinion as a fan, film editor and just movie goer.