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KANSAS CITY, MO — The Screening Room
5. SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN
-The intriguing documentary “Searching for Sugar Man” was a real-life mystery exploring what happened to a brilliant 70s era folk-rock singer that many critics said topped Dylan. What the filmmakers discovered was stranger than fiction.
4. THE MASTER
-Although highly flawed, Paul Thomas Anderson’s look at a Scientology-like cult had two of the strongest performances of the year. The scenes between Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman are electric and the movie stuns inspite of its unsatisfying conclusion.
3. ZERO DARK THIRTY
-The CIA’s search for Osama bin Laden, from 9-11-2001 to the raid on his compound, gets a throrough cinematic examination in Katheryn Bigelow’s tense and engaging movie. It’s like a police procedural, but powerful and important.
2. LES MISERABLES
-This big screen adaptation of the Broadway musical is a beautifully produced and moving version of Victor Hugo’s classic about grace versus the law, set in 19th century France. Anne Hathway can dust off a spot on her mantle for her inevitable Oscar. Take Kleenex.
1. LIFE OF PI
-Although the 2001 bestselling novel was thought to be unfilmable, thanks to recent developments in cinematic technology and a daring filmmaker named Ang Lee, “The Life of Pi” is a visually stunning and absorbing movie experience. It’s both an exciting and ripping yarn and a thoughtful exploration of spirituality that’s worth seeing in 3-D
