MOVIES

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Suraj Sharma stars as the title character in "Life of Pi." (Fox 2000 Pictures/MCT) (TRIBUNE MEDIA MCT)

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This film image released by Film District shows Jeffrey Dean Morgan, left, and Chris Hemsworth in a scene from "Red Dawn." (AP Photo/Film District) (CP)

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This film image released by Paramount Pictures shows a scene from the film "Rise of the Guardians," an adventure with Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and other mythical beings battling an evil spirit. (AP Photo/Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Animation ) (CP)

óè RECOMMENDED

LINCOLN 'Ö'Ö'Ö'Ö

Grant Park, Polo Park. 14A

Steven Spielberg succeeds at getting under the skin of American icon Abraham Lincoln from the perspective of his singular genius as he negotiates the passing of the 13th Amendment banning slavery, an effort that required prodigious political skill. Daniel Day-Lewis offers a sure-thing Oscar-contending performance. 'Ö'Ö'Ö'Ö

óè STARTING TOMORROW

BESTIARE

Cinematheque. Subject to classification.

An experimental documentary by Denis C¥té observing wild animals (giraffes, rhinos, tigers, bears) going about their business out of their element in a safari park

THE GIRLS IN THE BAND

Cinematheque. PG

A documentary by Judy Chaikin about female musicians in jazz and big bands and their fight for recognition in a male-dominated realm.

RED DAWN

Kildonan Place, McGillivray, Polo Park, St. Vital, Towne. 14A

As a pure action film, this remake of John Milius's commie-baiting, Reagan-era paranoid thriller is just acceptable. But the decision to change the villainous invading force from Chinese to North Korean is sheer cowardice, a demonstration that the filmmakers don't have the courage of their lunatic convictions. 'Ö'Ö

LIFE OF PI

Globe, Grant Park, McGillivray, Polo Park, St. Vital. PG

Ang Lee adapts the bestselling novel by Yann Martel about a young man who finds himself adrift on a lifeboat with a man-eating tiger. Lee crafts one of the finest entries in his eclectic resume with this gorgeous, ruminative film that is soulfully, provocatively entertaining. 'Ö'Ö'Ö1/2 (Reviewed by David Germain)

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS

Grant Park, Kildonan Place, McGillivray, Polo Park, St. Vital, Towne. G

One can't fault the lush animation in this story of mythical kid heroes (Santa Claus, the Sandman, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy) joining forces with Jack Frost to fight the Bogey Man for the imaginations of the world's children. But one can certainly take issue with the Hollywood impulse to render these gentle creatures as warriors. 'Ö'Ö

THE SILVER LININGS PLAY BOOK

Polo Park. 14A

Bradley Cooper plays an unemployed bipolar school teacher who moves back in with his parents (Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver) to regroup and plan to reunite with his estranged wife, only to be distracted by a young widow (Jennifer Lawrence) with issues of her own. Director David O. Russell returns to the same eccentric/blue-collar milieu as The Fighter but a climactic dance competition doesn't have the same impact as a prize fight, and Bradley Cooper doesn't have the same impact as Mark Wahlberg. 'Ö'Ö'Ö

ARGO

Grant Park. 14A

Ben Affleck doesn't let facts get in the way of a good story with this based-on-fact tale of a CIA agent sent to rescue six American embassy workers trapped in the Canadian consulate during the hostage crisis in Iran by posing as a film producer scouting for Persian locations for a science fiction movie. The film shifts the focus of heroism away from the Canadians and onto American intelligence operatives who kind of caused the mess in the first place. But as long as you remember that "based on a true story" is not the same things as "a true story," Argo is a fun ride. 'Ö'Ö'Ö1/2

CLOUD ATLAS

Globe. 14A

A film adaptation of the challenging novel by David Mitchell in which events and characters from the past, present and future are all tied together by invisible bonds. Stars Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Sturgess, Jim Broadbent and Hugh Grant each play multiple roles in multiple plot strands. If you're 20 years old and high, the platitudes presented here may seem profound. Anyone else should recognize it as a bloated, pseudo-intellectual self-indulgent slog. 'Ö'Ö (Reviewed by Christy Lemire)

FLIGHT

Grant Park, Kildonan Place, McGillivray, Polo Park, Towne. 18A

Denzel Washington stars as an airline pilot who has to fight for his professional career after an accident threatens to expose his secret as a prodigious substance abuser. Director Robert Zemeckis paces with the momentum of a thriller but Washington's presence adds the gravitas of a gritty character drama. 'Ö'Ö'Ö1/2

HERE COMES THE BOOM

St. Vital, Towne. PG

Raising cash to save his friend's job, a tubby high school teacher (Kevin James) becomes a mixed martial-arts sensation. Yes, it is every bit as ridiculous as it looks. That's not such a bad thing for the movie, whose makers embrace the fact that they're essentially doing a live-action cartoon. 'Ö'Ö1/2 (Reviewed by David Germain)

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA

St. Vital. G

This animated comedy posits a protective dad Dracula (voiced by Adam Sandler) whose resort for monsters has kept humans from f his innocent daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez), until a goofy human (voiced by Andy Samberg) blunders onto the property. This is mostly fun, and considering most of the voice cast also starred in Grown Ups, represents a vast improvement, comedy-wise. 'Ö'Ö1/2

PITCH PERFECT

Polo Park. PG

A raucous comedy about a troubled college girl (Anna Kendrick) who joins an a cappella singing group at the insistence of her father, only to bond with a collection of oddballs. As an attempt to revive the magic of the femme comedy Bridesmaids, it's lacking, but the music and the supporting cast do pitch in to deliver a modestly fun time. 'Ö'Ö1/2

SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN

Globe. PG

Malik Bendjelloul's movie about a little-known folk singer named Rodriguez is easily the feel-good movie of the summer and promises to surprise even the most jaded cynic with its heart, humour and historical significance. I'd tell you more, but I'd spoil the sweet sense of surprise. 'Ö'Ö'Ö'Ö (Reviewed by Katherine Monk)

THE SESSIONS

McGillivray. 18A

A drama based on a true story about a man (John Hawkes) in an iron lung who wishes to lose his virginity and contacts a professional sex surrogate (Helen Hunt). Perhaps it's a function of director Ben Lewin's chronological maturity (he's 65), or the fact that he's a polio survivor himself, but he keeps the film from succumbing to every conceivable trap, creating a movie that brims with spiky humour, indefatigable resolve and profound emotional truth. 'Ö'Ö'Ö'Ö (Reviewed by Ann Hornaday)

SKYFALL

Grant Park, Kildonan Place, McGillivray, McGillivray VIP, Polo Park, St. Vital, Towne. 14A

The 24th James Bond movie pits Daniel Craig's secret agent against a former agent (Javier Bardem) intent on destroying the British Seceret Service, and M (Judi Dench) in particular. Bond manages to be realpolitik-pertinent while paying discreet homage to the films of the past. Director Sam Mendes brings unexpected dramatic heft but manages the action stuff very well, too. 'Ö'Ö'Ö'Ö

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART II

Grant Park, McGillivray, McGillivray VIP, Polo Park, St. Vital. PG

The last chapter of the Twilight franchise has Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) defending their vampiric daughter Renesmee against a threat by those bloodsucking hoodlums, the Volturi. Whatever happens before it, the finale is a doozy, certain to be satisfying to fans and impressive even to the casual Twilight viewer. But so much of what comes before that payoff is mundane, dull -- all talk and no action. 'Ö'Ö (Reviewed by Roger Moore)

WRECK-IT RALPH

Grant Park, Kildonan Place, McGillivray, Polo Park, St. Vital, Towne. G

A video-game villain (voiced by John C. Reilly) in a primitive arcade game goes rogue when he escapes to prove his mettle in other, more sophisticated games in this funny, inventive Disney adventure. This riff on the realm of video games past and present may lack Pixar prestige, but it blasts out fun as relentlessly as a Low Orbit Ion Cannon. 'Ö'Ö'Ö'Ö

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 22, 2012 C12