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American Hustle

American Hustle

The Con over Reality: making the case
Christian Bale, Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper
Directed by David O. Russell

In "American Hustle"’s would-be signature moment con-man Christian Bale shows G-man Bradley Cooper a Rembrandt in a gallery. He explains that it’s really a fake. Who is the better artist, he asks, the original artist or the person who took the time and skill to fake it? Well, I would say the artist. He is the one who perceived it. He is the one who conceived it. He is the one who summoned the ... more >

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

A possible Oscar contender, so watch out
Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence
Directed by David O. Russell

A romantic comedy may feel like a strange new direction for director David O. Russell (“I Heart Huckabees,” “The Fighter") but his adaptation of Matthew Quick’s namesake novel is a winner, serving up equal parts romance and uplifting drama. What of Bradley Cooper 2.0?  He plays a demanding role to perfection. His Pat Solatino, a bipolar Philadelphia man who spent eight months in a psych ward ... more >

The Fighter

A movie narrative that keeps on giving
Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale and Amy Adams
Directed by David O. Russell

There is never a doubt about how the fights will turn out in “The Fighter,” except the ones that play out within the family of Mickey Ward. Dickey Eklund (Christian Bale) at one time was called "Pride of Lowell, Massachusetts” because he managed to knock down Sugar-Ray Leonard (though some would say Sugar-Ray tripped). Now he mostly spends his time training his brother Mickey (Mark Wahlberg)--when ... more >