Page 20 THE VILLADOM TIMES II & IV • January 20, 2010 Critic’s picks (continued from Entertainment page) difficult time easier. Clooney effortlessly enters the skin of enigmatic Bingham. Vera Farmiga is Alex Goran, a romantic interest Ryan sees by appointment. Anna Kendrick is brittle Natalie, newly hired to streamline company costs, who advocates eliminating the need for extensive air travel. This is an able trio of performers. Each character is vivid, real, and faceted. The movie resonates these days, and is one of the most literate pictures of the year. “Precious” is the raw, harrowing, and occasionally horrifying story of Clairece Precious Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), an overweight African-American teenager who lives in Harlem in 1987 with her mother, Mary (Mo’Nique). Pregnant for the second time by her absent father, Precious endures daily psychological and physical abuse from her poisonously bitter mother. Precious looks to improve her lot despite what many would consider insurmountable obstacles. It’s not often a movie is so bleak, so unflinch- ingly graphic in its portrayal of the circumstances some young people must face because of ignorance, abuse, and hopelessness. Director Lee Daniels has fashioned a study of hope over adversity, optimism over depression, action over despair. “Precious” pays off in two superb leading performances by Sibide and Mo’Nique and its theme that, no matter the odds, a person can pursue a better life. “Avatar” is everything a movie should be: dramatic, exciting, beautifully photographed, riveting, powerful, and unforgettable. It is not merely an extraordinary visual spectacle with its intelligent, exciting use of 3-D -- perhaps the best use of that technique ever in a movie. It has a solid plot about the intrusion of one society on a totally different society with diametrically opposed values. Thanks to advances in technology, director James Cameron was able to fashion intriguing-looking aliens -- the Na’vi, a blue-skinned race of humanoid giants who inhabit the moon Pandora. From the name of the moon to the story of a society coveting a natural resource, the film can be regarded metaphorically as many plot points will remind viewers of America’s history. Not since “Star Wars” have I been so impressed with a motion picture. “Avatar” is the must see film of the year, if not the decade -- and the best picture of 2009. Slater film, Danny is transported into Slater’s world, where the good guys always win. The problem is that “The Last Action Hero” has identity issues. In “Cliffhanger” (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment), Gabe Walker (Sylvester Stallone) is a ranger with Rocky Mountain Rescue who finds himself going after a gang of crooks, headed by Qualen (John Lithgow), who have hijacked a U.S. Treasury plane and crash-landed in the Rockies. The underlying theme is about Gabe losing his nerve because of a tragic accident that occurred during a rescue attempt. The mountainous location provides many opportunities for vertigo-inducing action scenes, with the nine-minute opening sequence being the best. “Damages: The Complete Second Season” (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment) stars Glenn Close and features Ted Danson, Rose Byrne, Tate Donovan, and William Hurt. Academy Award-winner Marcia Gay Harden and Timothy Olyphant join the cast in Season Two. Following the first season’s legal battle and victory over CEO billionaire Arthur Frobisher (Danson), Patty Hewes (Close) has the legal world at her feet. As she is pondering her next move, Daniel Purcell (Hurt), a man from Patty’s mysterious past, re-enters her life, drawing her into a new legal challenge. ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 ARIES -- Mar 21/Apr 20 Someone you care about is acting Someone you care about is acting strangely and you need to get to the strangely and you need to get to the bottom of what is bugging this person. bottom of what is bugging this person. It may take a while, but you’ll find a It may take a while, but you’ll find a resolution. resolution. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 TAURUS --Apr 21/May 21 In order to achieve great things you In order to achieve great things you need to take risks, Taurus. This is defineed to take risks, Taurus. This is definitely the week for risk-taking. You nitely the week for risk-taking. You may not be immediately happy with may not be immediately happy with the results, but hang in there. the results, but hang in there. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 GEMINI -- May 22/Jun 21 There’s a side of you that loves order There’s a side of you that loves order but the other side thrives on chaos. but the other side thrives on chaos. Feed your need to have things unruly Feed your need to have things unruly and exciting this week, Gemini. and exciting this week, Gemini. CANCER Jun 22/Jul 22 CANCER -- Jun 22/Jul 22 Be true to yourself, Cancer, and stick Be true to yourself, Cancer, and stick to your guns when someone challengto your guns when someone challenges what you know to be right. Pretty es what you know to be right. Pretty soon most will come around to your soon most will come around to your way of thinking anyway. way of thinking anyway. LEO Jul 23/Aug 23 LEO -- Jul 23/Aug 23 When you’re faced with a particuWhen you’re faced with a particularly vexing situation this week, Leo, larly vexing situation this week, Leo, you’ll find that the answer isn’t nearyou’ll find that the answer isn’t nearly as complicated as you originally ly as complicated as you originally thought. thought. VIRGO Aug 24/Sept 22 VIRGO --Aug 24/Sept 22 Take note of the little things around Take note of the little things around you, Virgo. They will help you spawn you, Virgo. They will help you spawn new ideas. Channel your creative ennew ideas. Channel your creative energy into a special project this week. ergy into a special project this week. LIBRA Sept 23/Oct 23 LIBRA -- Sept 23/Oct 23 Take inventory of the relationships Take inventory of the relationships you have that need a little work, Libra. you have that need a little work, Libra. You may find that you’re spending You may find that you’re spending time with some people more than othtime with some people more than others and this is adding to the problem. ers and this is adding to the problem. SCORPIO Oct 24/Nov 22 SCORPIO -- Oct 24/Nov 22 This week you need to adjust your This week you need to adjust your focus to give equal time to both work focus to give equal time to both work and family, Scorpio. It’s easier said and family, Scorpio. It’s easier said than done, however, when a large projthan done, however, when a large project arises. ect arises. SAGITTARIUS Nov 23/Dec 21 SAGITTARIUS -- Nov 23/Dec 21 To the surprise of those around you, To the surprise of those around you, Sagittarius, you are able to see and reSagittarius, you are able to see and relate to someone else’s point of view. late to someone else’s point of view. Embrace these feelings and make a Embrace these feelings and make a plan to have more of them. plan to have more of them. CAPRICORN Dec 22/Jan 20 CAPRICORN -- Dec 22/Jan 20 Are you pining over someone or someAre you pining over someone or something that seems out of your grasp, thing that seems out of your grasp, Capricorn? Find a new object of your Capricorn? Find a new object of your devotion and you’ll feel much better. devotion and you’ll feel much better. AQUARIUS Jan 21/Feb 18 AQUARIUS -- Jan 21/Feb 18 There are times when you have to put There are times when you have to put your people-pleasing skills aside and your people-pleasing skills aside and speak the honest truth, Aquarius. This speak the honest truth, Aquarius. This week is one of them. Don’t sugarcoat week is one of them. Don’t sugarcoat anything. anything. PISCES Feb 19/Mar 20 PISCES -- Feb 19/Mar 20 If you’ve been a bag of emotions it’s If you’ve been a bag of emotions it’s time to reign in those feelings, Pisces. time to reign in those feelings, Pisces. You can no longer coast out of conYou can no longer coast out of control. trol. New releases (continued from Restaurant page) Anderson, takes on the difficult task of focusing on 10 major characters who illustrate the theme that odd things happen all the time. Julianne Moore and Melinda Dillon play wives to men (Jason Robards, Philip Baker Hall) who are dying of cancer. Cocaine addict Claudia (Melora Walters) and former wiz kid Donnie (William H. Macy) are the damaged offspring of cruel parents, while home nurse Phil Pharma (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and police officer Jim (John C. Reilly) ooze compassion. Tom Cruise plays misogynist crusader Frank T.J. Mackey. Despite more than three-hours of running time, the film never comes together. “The Last Action Hero” (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment) stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as movie action hero Jack Slater, idolized by young Danny Madigan (Austin O’Brien). When his best friend, Nick (Robert Prosky) the projectionist, gives him a magic ticket to the new Jack Answer to Last Week’s Puzzle Answer to Last Week’s Puzzle