American Hustle

One very muscular recent movie that I have seen recently is Christian Bale's American Hustle.  The film is extremely well shot and well staged, and the characters and the costuming is inhabited well by the actors.  The film visually resembles Casino, and is a very fast-paced examination of a small-time criminal.  Like a Scorsese film, with many of the same flourishes.  I remember some dismissing this film as just one more heavily marketed ride, but I thought it was worth the trip.  Recommended!

Salt

A few days ago I watched Salt, a film that depicts a group of special agents in a conflict.  Interestingly enough, it involves a special agent named Ted Winter, whose name ironically evokes the  Ted-named characters from the Seth MacFarlane Ted films and Shutter Island.  The film is mainly similar to Shutter Island, with the innocent-sounding Ted being an antihero and almost a villain.  Not a very coherent plot, but many enjoyable action scenes.  Recommended!

King Kong

A week ago I watched a movie called King Kong.  A very weird movie, almost a cartoon with Jack Black playing a comedy-relief oriented leading man who is trying to capture King Kong.  Naomi Watts plays the love interest of King Kong, and the movie has some great action scenes, but it is never really scary or horrifying.  However, as it stands as an action movie, cartoon, or video game-influenced film, it is enjoyable on its own terms.  Recommended!