Saturday Night Movie Recommendations with Abe

Welcome to a weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. I'm going to be providing a handy guide to a few choice movies currently playing in NYC as well as several films newly released on DVD. I’ll also aim to comment on those films I have not yet had the chance to see, and I invite you to add in your thoughts on any films I haven’t seen in the comments below. Understandably, some weeks will have considerably fewer releases to address than others.

Now Playing in NYC

I’m still catching up on other recent releases, but I can skip both Battleship and The Dictator.

New to DVD

Albert Nobbs (mixed bag): This Oscar-nominated film features a calculated performance by Glenn Close and a humorous one from Janet McTeer, but the film itself isn’t quite certain what tone it wants to take and suffers as a result. It’s worthwhile from the performances, but that’s about it.

The Grey (recommended): This thriller essentially functions as a vehicle for Liam Neeson to be awesome as his oil rig worker and companions are chased through the snowy Alaskan wilderness by wolves following a plane crash. It’s a lot of fun, and quite a stressful experience.

Now on Netflix Instant Streaming

Drive (highly recommended): This Cannes Best Director winner, which received a lone Oscar nomination for Best Sound Editing, is an absolutely thrilling, captivating film that’s dark and moody but never sinks too deep. Ryan Gosling is perfectly cast as a near-silent stunt man moonlighting as a getaway driver, and the rest of the ensemble is top-notch as well. Bloody and violent at times, but so worth it.

London Boulevard (recommended): This gangster drama marks the directorial debut of “The Departed” scribe William Monahan and features a superb cast led by Colin Farrell and Keira Knightley working with an entertaining script full of humor.

Looking for Eric (recommended): This intriguing British comedy from 2010 is certainly unique, featuring Englishmen and a soccer star who appears to the main character as his moral cheerleader. It may not be for everyone, but it’s a worthwhile and interesting film.

Severe Clear (recommended): This 2010 documentary came out right when “The Hurt Locker” was peaking, and the comparisons between the two are well-deserved. This is an instance of a strong documentary that effectively uses footage to tell a story without making it seem like research or supportive evidence for some larger claim.