The American - Must See - If you like great 70's movies like The Day of the Jackal, The Conversation and Three Days of the Condor, then you should love this movie. George Clooney plays Jack an American assassin and custom arms maker who has fled to rural Italy to escape Swedish assassins. The film's controlled deliberate pace is a perfect compliment for a character forever looking over his shoulder paranoid of who may be waiting around the corner. Clooney and director Anton Corbijn have done a masterful job of molding a character in Jack who is meticulous, proud and profoundly lonely. The kind of lonely only a man living in a foreign land, whose only companionship is found in the bed of a hooker and the conversations with a local priest. Clooney and his understated portrayal is the perfect choice as an American abroad leading an isolated existence. I really loved this movie. 
Machete - See it - Robert Rodriguez is not the master of subtlety. He is pretty good at integrating comedy and violence. Machete isn't on the same level as Desperado but with Danny Trejo dropping lines like "Machete don't text." It's a good change of pace film. Machete the character is an ex Federale exiled in the US after escaping from the clutches of Mexican drug lord Torrez played by Steven Seagal complete with an outstanding Mexican accent. When he's set up to be the fall guy in a Texas politician's publicity stunt, Machete goes to work exacting his revenge. You'll recognize everyone in the movie from Lost alumni Michele Rodriguez and Jeff Fahey to Cheech Marin and Lindsay Lohan. I was less than impressed with Robert De Niro's portrayal of Texas Senator John Mclaughlin but then I remembered this is the same De Niro that makes Focker and Analyze _____ movies now. As a side note to Jessica Alba. If you're the worst actress in a movie that includes Lindsay Lohan, you're pretty bad. I promise you won't sprain your cerebral cortex watching this movie but you'll be entertained and have a lot of fun.
Collapse - See it - Michael Ruppert has a pretty accomplished resume. Especially, when it comes to illegal drug trafficking. He is a graduate of UCLA and for LAPD who spent years trying to expose the CIA's involvement with funding programs through illegal drug trafficking. He seemed like a logical choice for Chris Smith to approach for a documentary about illegal narcotics. It seems though they found a man in the throws of a new mission. Ruppert believes we are on the precipice of an apocalyptic economic collapse based on our insolvent banking system and reliance on oil. Personally, I could sit an listen to Ruppert speak on the subject for days. His passion and presentation of evidence, wrong or right, is captivating. He's the kind of guy you can sit in front of a camera and just let him go. I'm not sure director Smith actually did much more than that. This movie was recommended to me by fellow documentary aficionado @seanincypress. I sent him a message about half way through to celebrate what a beautiful nut Ruppert was. His reply was "If 20 percent of what he says is true, we're fucked." Whether or not you buy what Ruppert is selling, he is infinitely entertaining to watch speak on the subject. 
Black Swan - Must See - At this point Black Swan has been reviewed to death. I saw it a few weeks ago and forgot to include it in my reviews. However, with the Oscars approaching I want to at least touch on the major contenders. The first thing this movie did was prove my theory that you could make a movie focusing solely on Natalie Portman's face and I'd happily spend two hours watching it. She is completely mesmerizing on screen. Every worry, fear, lust and pain is right there to behold as she finally embodies the black swan. Not only should she be the favorite for Best Actress but she should win going away.If I were making the selection, Darren Aronofsky would win for Best Director as well. Aronofsky reminds me a lot of David Lynch in the late 80's early 90's. He has a knack for creating tension between the audience and what is on the screen. So much so, you're never really comfortable in your seat. Black Swan like most Aronofsky movies isn't a film you can watch once and know exactly what you've just seen. It's a film you have to absorb into your conscience and piece back together to finally understand.
I don't think Black Swan has much of a chance to walk away with Best Picture. It lacks the slick film making and cultural relevance of The Social Network. Nor does it have the publicity momentum and historical importance of The King's Speech. What it does have that neither of those films produced is a "WOW" moment. A few moments on film that are so completely engrossing and incredible you simply lose your breath.
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