In the last month I've been on a moviegoing tear... and I don't have the patience for long drawn out reviews but from best to worse:
Up in the Air
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Invictus
Avatar
Huge huge gap in quality between Fantastic Mr. Fox and Invictus. I would say definitely see the first two, and don't see the last two, but with all the hype about Avatar it is hard to avoid. If you do have to see it, see it in 3d imax.
Also, one could argue that I seem to be biased by the presence of George Clooney, but considering that you can't even see him in Mr. Fox: whatever.
Although I really enjoyed Up in the Air, it has been a long time since I saw a movie in the theaters and was truly moved OR impressed with the aesthetics. My favorite movies leave me thinking that film is THE most powerful medium for conveying emotion or giving a sense of a specific time and place, and no movie for a while has done that.
