Movies this week

Cloud Atlas. No, I haven't read the book. Yes, it does have some of the flaws of earlier Wachowski films, but damn if it isn't a spectacular, amazing, multi-narrative, multi-layered film that never slows down and provides some great actors with opportunities to play multiple roles. I'm not always a Tom Hanks fan, but he was brilliant. Halle Berry gets to be more than a pretty face, and Hugo Weaving is awesome as usual. Also features Susan Sarandon, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Grant, Jim Sturgess, Ben Wishaw (he is always amazing), James D'Arcy, and Doona Bae, who was just wonderful.  I want to see it again. Tom Tykwer is co-director, and he and his bandmates provided a gorgeous, gorgeous score.

Silver Lining Playbook (sneak preview). Finally Bradley Cooper gets a meaty serious role where he can show his acting chops. He and Jennifer Lawrence were terrific, and David O Russell managed to combine a serious and often frightening treatment of mental illness with humor and compassion, and a wonderful "redemption through ballroom dancing" ending that was both satisfying and self-aware.  Robert DeNiro gives one of his best comedic performances, and the supporting cast is terrific. The audience I saw it with applauded at the end. Good use of songs with Danny Elfman coordinating the music. Mandy Moore was the choreographer and dance coach.

Howl's Moving Castle. We adore Miyazaki movies, but we have only ever seen them on DVD. To see this film in a movie theater was wonderful. The quality of the art, the colors, the animation, the wonderful music: it was all so much more vivid and compelling on the big screen. They were only showing the English dub, but the voice acting was terrific: Christian Bale, Lauren Bacall, Jean Simmons, Blythe Danner, Emily Mortimer, Billy Crystal.