Foxcatcher

Bennett Miller's Foxcatcher that focuses on three men, all of whom are driven by different goals. And like what Miller did with his last two films Capote and Moneyball, he enlisted choice actors for the roles. Those actors are Steve Carell, Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo.

In a stunning departure from his comedic roles, Carell delves into a dark role that's truly chilling. It's clear in some scenes that something isn't right with him, but what? Here's hoping Carell gets more roles like this.

Much like what Carell does, Tatum proves he can be a bonafide actor. It's a role that requires physical and emotional endurance, and Tatum is more than capable of it. Again, here's hoping that Tatum gets more roles like this.

In contrast to his co-star's performances, Ruffalo gives a quieter turn. He gives a performance that has him witnessing all of the silent chaos unfolding. It's only a matter of time before the unthinkable happens.

Foxcatcher is very good though its slow burn might be too slow for some. Still, as is the case with Miller's films, the performances are great. Sometimes you don't know what a person is capable of, whether they're a sinner or a saint.

My Rating: ****1/2

Moneyball

I love movies with damn good dialogue. (Why else would Billy Wilder be among my favorites?) It's fun to quote it every now and again. Well, at least until you annoy the hell out of everyone because of it.

I say this in regards to Aaron Sorkin. Who can forget the witty lines of The West Wing or The Social Network? The thing with Moneyball, however, is that the dialogue isn't as memorable as those two. But there is that Sorkin smarm within it.

Moneyball is Bennett Miller's second contribution to Hollywood. (His first was the excellent Capote.) Both movies are based on real events but as stated before, Capote comes out on top. I'm not saying Moneyball is a bad movie. It's just it could have been improved just a hair.

All in all, I thought Moneyball was good. I didn't love in the strongest sense of the word because I'm not a baseball fan. I will say this though: I like how Moneyball doesn't end like the typical sports movie.

My Rating: ****

Capote

Have you ever seen a performance in a biopic that's so mindblowing you practically believed the actor was the real deal? I've encountered a few (Robert Downey, Jr. in Chaplin, Leonardo DiCaprio in The Aviator, Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes in Schindler's List, Sean Penn in Milk), but one of the best is Philip Seymour Hoffman in Capote.

In 1959, Truman Capote (Hoffman), a popular writer for The New Yorker, learns about the horrific and senseless murder of a family of four in Holcomb, Kansas. Inspired by the story material, Capote and his friend Harper Lee (Catherine Keener) travel to the town to research for an article. However, as Capote digs deeper into the story, he is inspired to expand the project into what would be his greatest work, In Cold Blood.

I honestly did double takes when Hoffman first appeared on screen. As the movie progressed, I realized Hoffman isn't just portraying Capote; he is Capote. And having recently read In Cold Blood, this just drew me in.

My Rating: ****1/2