Page 20 THE VILLADOM TIMES II & IV • January 18, 2012 Best films of 2011 (continued from Entertainment page) a real character rather than a cartoon version of one. Pitt portrays Beane as a flawed man trying something innovative to combat decades of thinking about the value of a player. “50/50.” The title relates to the chances Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) will survive cancer. He and Kyle (Seth Rogen) have been close friends since junior high school. Kyle is loud and brash, says whatever is on his mind, and pursues hedonistic pleasures. In contrast, Adam is softspoken, thoughtful, and accepting of the hand life has dealt him. One might call “50/50” the first semi-tragic buddy film. There are lots of laughs, but never at Adam’s serious health risk. Kyle is there to encourage, reassure, and calm, but he does all this in his own unorthodox way, which gives the movie its distinction. Viewers never feel manipulated. These two men are likeable and their relationship is solid. This is a movie about the test of friendship. The two leads have tremendous screen chemistry and, though viewers laugh often, no one loses sight of the fact that a young life hangs in the balance. “The Ides of March.” Governor Mike Morris (George Clooney) is a career politician campaigning in the Ohio Democratic primary for president. Charismatic, with movie star looks, Morris has assembled a crack team headed by campaign manager Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and his right-hand man, Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling). Clooney does double duty as star and director of this intelligent political drama. The story is told through the eyes of the idealistic Stephen. Though the characters are fictional, they are not far from the real thing, whether it’s Clooney’s JFK-inspired Morris, the rumpled, harried campaign manager (Paul Giamatti) of Morris’ opponent, or an aggressive reporter (Marisa Tomei). The dialogue sparkles, and the film unfolds as a fast-paced melodrama about the machinations of people who will go to any lengths to win an election. Politics is a dicey topic for mainstream movies, but “The Ides of March” hits just the right balance between laying out the hows and whys of political intrigue and creating tension. “Take Shelter.” This is a “Twilight Zone”-style tale about Curtis LaForche (Michael Shannon), crew chief of a small Ohio sand-mining company, who lately has been disturbed by nightmares with dark clouds and lightning flashes and unusual formations of bird flocks. He also hears thunder on clear, sunny days. Curtis fears he is becoming unbalanced and seeks medical help, but he also can’t shake the feeling that the dreams and hallucinations are portents of bad things to come. He engages in behavior that frightens his wife (Jessica Chastain), spends a great deal of money building an underground shelter, borrows company equipment without permission, and alienates family and friends. Viewers are never quite sure whether Curtis is a madman or a prophet. “The Help,” “The Debt,” “Midnight in Paris,” “Moneyball,” and “The Ides of March” are currently available on DVD and Blu-ray “50/50” will be released Jan. 24.