This wouldn’t be an episode of “Spartacus” without our title character. Spartacus is leading his band south, keeping his word to Crixus that they would find Naevia. Along the way they free Roman house slaves, and those who want to stay with the band are taken in. They do run into one slave named Tiberius, who attacks Spartacus for killing his Dominus. Spartacus spares him and begins instead teaching him to fight. This in turn shows Tiberius that while his station was high within the slave ladder of the Roman house, he was still just a slave. This is simply a step by Spartacus to create an army that is united by allegiance to the same cause.

Illithya is still in Capua with Claudias Glaber, as well as a cleaned-up Lucretria. Knowing that somewhere in the broken Domina’s mind is the knowledge of her murdering Licinia (Spartacus: Blood and Sand), Illithya has begun testing what Lucretia remembers. She’s regaining bits and pieces, and that is clearly unsettling to Illithya. It’s going to be interesting to watch this relationship unfold for what it is as Lucretia regains her memories. Glaber is still hunting the rogue band of slaves, but now is also dealing with Seppius in hopes of an allegience. Seppius has enough men to go after Spartacus and win, where Glaber does not, but the talks between the praetor and citizen are quickly deteriorating. It’s also revealed in this episode the identity of the person who brings Oenomaus out of The Pit and back to the House of Batiatus to stand before Glaber.

“Spartacus: Vengeance” is shown on Starz every Friday at 10e/9c. If you haven’t already set it to record weekly, you really should.

“Pina” was a project that Pina Bausch herself began, collaborating with celebrated filmmaker WimWenders. Two days before filming was scheduled to begin, she suddenly passed away. The film is a celebration of her life’s work and the influence she has had on world dance, but with a tone of sadness. Some of the dancers in the film have been working with her for 22 years; as one dancer puts it, “She watched me dance longer than my parents did”.

Each dancer takes their turn in front of the camera, their voiceover playing while they stare sadly and intently, with much emotion. Then the camera cuts to that dancer performing a solo dance, usually in a public place like a tram platform or a busy streetcorner or at a public pool. Each dance style is both unique to the performer and also uniquely Pina.

Pina’s style, as described throughout the film, is very emotional and expressive. Many dancers say that before they started dancing with Pina, that they didn’t have the words to express themselves. Dancing gave them a language that they could speak and understand. Her dances are very celebratory of the elements; one piece that she did had a giant rock that took up half the stage, while rain poured in the background. Dancers reveled in the water, feeding off of it. They used the rock as an obstacle and as a prop to help make their dancing better.

Her dancing also commonly features men and women dancing together, in very expressive ways. One of my favorite dances in the film was one of a man in a suit and a woman in a long gown with hearts all over it. She would be walking with the man in front of her, facing her, and then she would suddenly fall face down. The man would catch her, inches from the ground, and then raise her back up. These sort of dances express so much about relationships, and it’s a good example of the strange dancing featured throughout the film. It’s strange because it’s so different, but it’s amazing because it says so much without saying anything at all.

The film opens with her fascinating take on Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, in which the entire stage floor is covered with dirt and dancers roll around in it, celebrating the earth. Pina’s other most known work, CaféMülleris also featuredprominently. Those unfamiliar with the work, as I was, might be a little confused by the piece at first. It features dancers in a room with chairs, and they maneuver around them, throw them around, and dance over and under them, while also expressing anger, love, and loneliness.

The film is best enjoyed in 3D on the big screen, like going to a live dance performance only you’re on stage with the dancers, seeing every expression on their faces as they dance. It’s a very moving, personal experience;, each dance can be differently interpreted by each audience member. “Pina” is a 3D celebration of dance, art, life, love, and Pina Bausch herself.

Nader and Simin have been married for fourteen years and have an eleven year old girl, Termeh. Simin wants a better life for her daughter and wants to move away from Iran, but Nader isn’t ready yet. He has to care for his elderly father who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. Simin insists on a divorce but Nader won’t give in, so she moves in with her mother.

Simin’s absence forces Nader to hire someone to care for his father while he is at work, and Simin recommends a woman named Razieh. Nader hires her and she starts work the next morning, with her young daughter in tow.

Razieh is a religiously devout woman though, and it would be considered a sin to work in the home of another man without the consent of her husband. One day Nader comes home from work early to find his father fallen off the bed, unconscious, with his hand tied to the bedpost. Soon after his arrival, Razieh walks in the door with her daughter. Nader makes accusations about her character and when Razieh refuses to leave the house without defending herself, Nader pushes her out the door and, consequently, down the stairs.

Nader finds out from Simin that Razieh has been hospitalized; she was pregnant and had a miscarriage. Razieh’s husband Houjat is outraged, and sues Nader for the death of his unborn child. If convicted, Nader could serve between one and three years jail time.

“A Separation” is a very complex story told through beautiful, effortless narrative. It feels at the same time like a slow-moving film, but it’s also extremely compelling. Farhadi has a clear concept of his culture and translates it to a worldwide audience incredibly well.

Each character has their own agenda to promote, but each character’s intentions are noble. Nader wants to care for his dying father in his own home, while raising his daughter as best as he can. Simin wants a better life for her daughter than she had growing up in Iran. She still loves her husband and wants the family to remain intact, but she knows that if her husband won’t cooperate and leave the country, a divorce is the best scenario for her daughter.

Razieh is very religious, from a poor, working class, and pregnant. Her intentions were to find a job to support her family, but then with the miscarriage, she found herself fighting for her family’s integrity. Houjat is a man burdened by debt, the loss of his unborn child, and the financial responsibility that comes with supporting a growing family. He just wants the best for his family.

The film walks the fine line between morality and what is religious, and what is necessary to survive. Farhadi conducts the cast with skilled perfection, like they’re his symphony. “A Separation” is a film that plays with the core of our very being, and shows just how similar we are to other parts of the world.

While on location reporting on yet another frivolous story in the remote Alaskan town to which he’s been relegated, reporter Adam Carlson (John Krasinski) stumbles upon the whales and finally gets the story he’s been looking for. His report gets picked up by affiliates in the states and soon the whales’ predicament becomes a national news story that captivates the country, including Adam’s ex-girlfriend Rachel (Drew Barrymore), who’s (conveniently) a Greenpeace activist.

Rachelsoon arrives in Alaska to lead a rescue mission, and despite publically attacking his Alaskan oil-drilling plans mere days before, she enlists the help of wealthy oil baron J.W. McGraw (Ted Danson). McGraw sees a good PR opportunity in assisting with the rescue, so he allowsuse of one of his massive barges to break apart the ice to free the whales. Getting the barge to the site of the whales is a major undertaking all its own, requiring military leadership, spearheaded by the gruff Colonel Scott Boyer (Dermot Mulroney) whose orders come directly from President Reagan.

As the nation becomes increasingly fascinated with the plight of the whales and the effort to save them, the media descends upon the small Alaskan town, causing tension among the locals who aren’t used to so many outsiders in their town. One arrival that instantly gains Adam’s attention is Jill Jerard (Kristen Bell), a beautiful reporter that’s looking to report real news as opposed to the fluff pieces that she’s usually forced to cover (not unlike Adam’s own situation, so you can imagine the two quickly form a bond).

Despite a growing rescue effort that now includes dozens, the unpredictable conditions of the arctic cause one setback after the next for Rachel and the team who realize the whales’ chances of survival decrease with every passing day. The volunteers race against the clock and the weather in order to save the giant creatures that have no other hope.

Many of the characters in “Big Miracle” are very broadly written, and as a result, the film is incredibly predictable. Considering who this film is for and what it’s about, though, that’s not necessarily bad thing…

“Big Miracle” feels very much like a Hallmark or ABC Family Original Movie, but with a much larger budget. Like many of those made-for-cable features that teach morality, it’s incredibly sappy and watered-down. It works well as a big-budget Lifetime Original Movie, but it’s often eye-roll worthy and overall pretty forgettable.

The film boasts a strong ensemble cast, including a handful of great character actors in small roles: Stephen Root, Tim Blake Nelson, and John Michael Higgins, but all of the characters are so one-dimensional that none of the actors ever get the chance to do any great work. “Big Miracle” is worth watching with your family at home one night, but that’s about it.

“What’s hubris?”

“Chronicle” answers one of contemporary cinema’s burning questions: Are “found footage” films hamstrung by the necessity of someone always being behind the camera? That answer is no, not if telekinesis is involved. A lesser-burning question: How do you do Big Action scenes in “found footage” films, since there’s only the one POV? You use every security cam, police dashboard rig, onlooker’s phone and even your blogger girlfriend’s camera. It can be done, and the film’s finale nicely deals with this potential logistical nightmare in such a way that you don’t really think about how illogical and silly it is until you’ve already started the drive home. I mean, who gathered all this footage, anyway?

“Chronicle” is a dark film. It begins knee-deep in the immediacy of a teenager facing a potential beating by his alcoholic father, and that thread never really lets up, simply driving young Andrew (Dane DeHaan) to some very defensive, emotional and flawed decision-making. Andrew is that awkward kid whose efforts to do his own thing only attract the bullies in larger numbers. He has decided that “filming everything” is important, one assumes because some things have happened at home and evidence would be helpful. Riding to school with popular cousin Matt (Alex Russell), Andrew’s recordings look like any other teenager’s goofy behavior. At school he’s asked by one of the cheerleaders not to film them practicing. And those bullies just toss him and his camera around the halls of academia (hard to believe in this age of zero-tolerance high school safeguarding).

But late one night after a rave, Andrew, Matt and soon-to-be class president Steve (the immediately likable and winning Michael B. Jordan) explore a rather suspicious cavern in a faraway field, and the otherworldly (or perhaps just heretofore undiscovered) MacGuffin therein affects the boys in strange and wonderful ways. First is their seemingly impenetrable skin, evidenced when Andrew jokingly drives a fork into Matt’s hand; the fork crumples, and there isn’t a mark on Matt. But then there is a considerable and increasing telekinetic force that allows the trio to move and impact objects and propel themselves into the air. In short: multiple superpowers. What teen wouldn’t have fun with those?

And it is fun, even with the side-effect nosebleeds and the reminder that Andrew’s life is a downward spiral that can’t end well. That is, until awkward Andrew does something out of anger that sends someone to the hospital. “We need rules,” Matt challenges him. No harm to living things, nothing done in anger, and fewer public displays. But his father’s badgering and some seemingly harmless teenage embarrassment push Andrew past the point of no return.

“Chronicle” is a tight, effective film. On the one hand, it takes the shuddering camerawork of other such films and tempers the movement, making it easier to watch, cleaner. And while not all of its special effects are seamless, the film overall looks solid. The acting is uniformly good and the film benefits greatly from the camaraderie of the three kids and the sense of humor found in much of the first half. A coda tacked onto the finale feels hollow, as the intended parties will never see the footage. And this brings us back to the matter of how so much footage from so many sources could be seen by whoever does find the camera left behind at the film’s close. It just doesn’t make sense. But perhaps, given the success of everything before it, this is a minor quibble.

If you don’t mind your found footage rooted in sadness, anger and domestic violence, and can appreciate the occasional twist on the superhero origin issue (or supervillain, I’ll grant you), then “Chronicle” will seem like a winner. It is another in a line of January/February Dead Zone surprises, sturdy genre films that carry their weight and please the viewer handily, despite the season’s lowered expectations.

Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe), a young 19th century attorney, visits a very haunted residence in north England to settle the estate and obtain papers of its late occupant. He leaves behind his motherless son, Joseph (Misha Handley, Radcliffe’s actual godson), and endures the horrors that reside in the house.

“The woman in black” is said to be a ghost that haunts the house in mourning for her child that died, and the legend is that the ghost is responsible for many of the local children’s deaths.

When Arthur arrives, the townspeople want him out of their village immediately; they even refuse him a room at the town lodge. But he can’t depart the mission because his job depends on it; he has to support his son. What horrors lie ahead for Mr. Kipps? Go see this hauntingly beautiful film to find out.

Interesting Connection: Before playing Harry Potter’s father, Adrian Rawlins played Arthur Kipps in the original 1989 BBC film of the same name.

I know the biggest question you all have is, “what was it like seeing Daniel Radcliffe in a movie that’s not ‘Harry Potter?’” He’s actually not that bad, but I can’t lie… it’s strange seeing him in a movie that is not “Harry Potter;” that series kept him busy for a decade and we have only seen him as the character Harry, except for a few diversions like “December Boys.” Radcliffe’s gotten a little taller and he has grown some sideburns, but he’s still a young lad. It’s eerie to see him be a father of a 4-year-old in the film, especially when Radcliffe is only 22-years-old and still looks like he’s a schoolboy. That aside, he still brings the film home.

The production design is pitch perfect, with all its bloodcurdling props, e.g., dolls and toys, which play a vital role in the film. The house itself is very creepy, i.e., remote and ominous; when you first look at it you say, “now, why in the hell would anybody go in there?” I sure wouldn’t; Mr. Radcliffe has got some cojones.

A very effective tool in the film is jump scares; some may find this to be a cheap trick, but it does what it’s supposed to do. There is one long suspenseful scene in the house where Radcliffe is experiencing about as much paranormal activity as one can handle. That scene was well done by director James Watkins (“Eden Lake”); it’s just you, the house, and Radcliffe’s character, and all the various chills.

This isn’t a perfect ghost story by any means; there’s some plot holes here and there (questions do arise, like “what happened to the dog?”), but do I care? No. I went to this film because I wanted to be frightened, and the scares are served up hot and fresh.

“The Woman in Black” manages to be fun, entertaining and scary all at once; it’s very refreshing to see such good ghost story after a long string of bad ones, e.g., “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark.” So, yes, you have my approval. See it in the theaters!

“Don’t waste my time.” – Henry Hamilton

… And “In Time” doesn’t do that.

Justin Timberlake stars as Will Salas, a man who lives day to day, and is working hard to get his mom (a so fine Olivia Wilde) to a better life. In this film, time is currency; the rich live forever and the poor die trying. I should also mention that no one ages past 25, which explains why Will’s mom has got it going on.

Time is ticking away like digital clocks on their forearms. Every second counts, so people have to lie, cheat, and steal to survive… or else they’ll just die; it’s very interesting when they die by the way.

There’s an instance in the film when this young dude, Henry Hamilton (Matthew Bomer, “Chuck” TV series), is at a bar with some ladies; Henry is quite wealthy, with a lot of time on his hands (literally). Will runs into Henry at the bar after a shift at the sweatshop, and Henry is just flashing his time all around the joint, which is a big no-no (it’s hard to hide your wallet when it’s on your arm). These high numbers catch the eyes of Fortis (Alex Pettyfer from that “I Am Number Four” flick), and he’s some 75-year-old mobster of a gang called the “Minutemen” (clever, I know, right?). So after a chase between these guys, little Henry decides he’s done running and living. He’s tired of this whole vampire-like lifestyle (minus the blood and fangs).

After dawn, Will wakes up with a century on his arm (whoa, dude). How do you transfer time, you ask? Well, you’ll just have to watch the movie. While Will gets a Christmas morning, Henry spends his morning sitting on a bridge waiting for his remaining seconds to run out. BOOM! Henry’s life ends like Death smacked him on the back of the head and pushed him over the bridge so his body could leave a mess.

Now, this mix-up has got determined cop Raymond (Cillian Murphy, “Inception), of the “Timekeepers” (another great name, I know), prowling the alleys for Will. While on the run, Will meets the lovely Sylvia (a red wig wearin’ Amanda Seyfried, “Mamma Mia!”), and he decides to take her along on this “Robin Hood”-style runaway (where they steal from the rich— banks included— and give it to the poor).

This film’s concept is truly unique and innovative. How’s the execution, Preston? Well, not too great. Many things in the film are just thrown at you, and you’re forced to accept it. But is it still worth checking out? Oh, yeah! I had fun watching this film; it reminded me of a modern sci-fi version of “Bonnie and Clyde.”

The premise and the story outweigh every other element in the film, including: the acting (which isn’t too shabby, especially from Timberlake, who can do these action roles) and the dialogue (well, it’s still not that great, but doable).

“In Time” isn’t the best sci-fi movie out there, but it’s a harmless rent. Just you wait for that scene where Will plays poker with someone who has centuries on his arm, which adds to the movie’s intensity. In this film, if you lose, you don’t just hand over all your cash and call it a day— you’re dead. “In Time” is one of the most thought provoking and entertaining pieces you’ll come across. So go rent it!

“Vengeance” picks up a short while after “Blood and Sand” ended. The House of Batiatus has fallen at the hand of the gladiators. Quintis Batiatus is dead, his pregnant wife Lucretia has been stabbed by her gladiator-lover Crixus and left for dead, and their runaway fighters have been killing every Roman in Capua they have encountered. Spartacus is seeking revenge on Gaius Claudius Glaber (played by Craig Parker) and his wife Illithia (played by the amazing Viva Bianca), while Crixus is determined to find his love Naevia, This strife between Crixus and Spartacus is causing a rift in the ragtag band, and is setting the scene for what can only be an eventual split. Spartacus sees this, and begins sending off as many of the freed slaves as he can to seek freedom away from Capua. Glaber, who has been sent back to Capua from Rome to take down Spartacus, has taken up residence in the House of Batiatus with his reluctant- and now pregnant wife- Illithia and has set about rounding up as many of the fugitives as he can. He captures a band of slaves, and the only survivor of his wrath is Aurelia, the widow of Spartacus’ best friend (who died when Spartacus was ordered to kill him during what was supposed to be a friendly match- who said history was boring?). Aurelia is paraded through the streets and Glaber lets it be known that she will be summarily tortured until she gives up the location of Spartacus. It’s also discovered that not all who were involved in the massacre from “Blood and Sand” have perished, and that past sins have a way of resurfacing.

Like its predecessors, “Vengeance” does not shy away from graphic sex and violence, which may at times seem gratuitous, so of course this is not something to watch with the kiddos. The story itself progresses rather quickly and the characters are so well-written and so well-acted that the hour passes and you are left yearning for the next one. Or, if you are like me, you are cursing Starz for not being able to make the week move quickly enough so you can find out what happens next. I was literally counting down the days for the premiere. It’s that good of a show.

“Spartacus: Vengeance” is shown on Fridays at 10p/9p CST on Starz. For further information, check out the official website at http://www.starz.com/originals/Spartacus

In its early inception, Smash was the brain child of Steven Spielberg himself, who wanted to do a show about Broadway. Originally picked up by Showtime, Smash was going to be a grittier look backstage on a Broadway production. Spielberg wanted an entire musical written just for the show and if the musical was good enough, he would actually produce the live Broadway production of it. Now on NBC, the show is much more family friendly, but still has all of the backstage backstabbing and drama that is commonplace with every theater production.

The show has a large cast of characters and all of their stories are thrown at you pretty quick. Debra Messing plays Julia, one half of a successful Broadway songwriting duo, who has decided to take a break from the biz to focus on her family and adopting a baby. When the other half of the duo Tom (Christian Borle) gets an inspired idea to make a musical based on Marilyn Monroe, Julie can’t resist helping him write. The two get involved with Eileen Rand (Anjelica Huston), a well-known Broadway producer who is going through a messy divorce and trying to make a name for herself on her own. The three of them begin casting so they can sell the idea of this musical and create demo versions of the songs.

Karen (Katharine McPhee), a Midwestern girl waitressing in New York while trying to get her big break, hears of the audition and goes for it. A veteran Broadway actress named Ivy (Megan Hilty) also sees this as her chance to star in a musical, and the audition process quickly is whittled down to these two very different ladies. Possibly not coincidentally though, Ivy gets the part after sleeping with Derek Willis (Jack Davenport) the director, and Karen is given a role in the ensemble.

The show is muddled with so many characters and storylines that it’s difficult to keep up. Honestly, I couldn’t even remember the name of Katharine McPhee’s character until the third episode. So much is going on that it’s a relief when the big musical numbers happen, because it gives some time to really enjoy what the show is about – musicals. With songs written by Mark Shaiman (Hairspray, Catch Me If You Can, South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut, and many more) and Scott Wittman (collaborator with Shaiman on Hairspray and Catch Me If You Can), of course the music is incredible. Spielberg has assembled the best of the best to work on this show.

NBC was kind enough to send the first four episodes to Red Carpet Crash for review, and by the end of those first four episodes, the Marilyn Monroe musical is really shaping up nicely. I can see this actually becoming a musical that I would enjoy seeing (and I love musicals). At the end of the first episode, Katharine McPhee and Megan Hilty (who played Glinda in Wicked on Broadway) sing “Let Me Be Your Star” as they both prepare for their big audition as Marilyn. That song embodies everything about the show, from their getting ready, to their dreams of being a Broadway star.

There’s a song called “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” that Ivy sings with Michael (Will Chase) who has been cast in the musical as Joe DiMaggio; it’s reminiscent of “Somewhere That’s Green” from Little Shop of Horrors. There’s a USO number that Ivy performs in front of would-be investors (including guest star Nick Jonas) that brings the house down. Much like people have said about Marilyn herself, when Ivy is singing, it’s hard to take your eyes off of her. She’s magnetic. There’s another song called “The 20th Century Fox Mambo” that sounds silly in song title, but it’s so well performed and choreographed. These original songs are going to be a hit on itunes. And not just the original songs, but the amazing covers of songs such as “Grenade” by Bruno Mars and “Rumor Has It” by Adele.

Smash is a little slow going in storyline, but it’s always hard to tell how good a show is going to be by the first few episodes. With upcoming guest stars like Uma Thurman as a big Hollywood actress interested in the part of Marilyn for herself, and Broadway icon Bernadette Peters as Ivy’s mother, the show is only going to get more interesting. Hopefully it can flesh out all of the characters a little better over the remainder of the first season, but those songs are enough to snare even the most closeted Broadway fan.

“You know the story of the scorpion and the frog? Well, your friend Nino didn’t make it across the river.” – The Driver

Ryan Gosling stars as The Driver, a LA movie stunt driver and auto mechanic by day and a getaway driver by night. Usually a loner, Driver runs into his beautiful neighbor Irene (a lovely Carey Mulligan), a young mother who is living in the dangerous world that her ex-convict husband (Oscar Isaac) has put her in. After a heist gone wrong, Driver finds himself stuck in a situation where he must take down some ruthless criminals and defend those he loves.

“Drive” was undoubtedly my favorite film of 2011, and was recently shutout of the Oscars, which is ridiculous as I mentioned in my Oscar Reaction’s article. That aside, “Drive” blends a cocktail of film noir and action with a teaspoon of romance, all to deliver a violent but buoyant film with massive appeal. It’s the “Pulp Fiction” of this decade, and a beautifully crafted action-thriller with twisted humor.

Ryan Gosling is like you’ve never seen him before; he gives one of his greatest performances as the aggressive stunt driver of few words— as written by Hossein Amini (“The Four Feathers”) from the James Sallis novel. Gosling completely inhabits the character, turning what could have been a straightforward Hollywood tough guy role into a complex character that is possessed with a certain peculiarity and immobility— almost reminiscent of Robert DeNiro’s Travis Bickle (“Taxi Driver”). He really brings down the hammer (literally) on that line where logic, reason, and self-preservation become secondary to protecting what is important to you. There are a few moments where he doesn’t only cross the line but races past it in flying colors. Every line is delivered perfectly and every gesture is natural. We also need to mention that he has the coolest jacket ever (a gold satin jacket with a scorpion on the back); yes, that would be a definite Oscar snub for Costume Design.

Twitter quote: “Ryan Gosling didn’t get an Academy Award nomination? There’s some bull**** right there.” – Russell Crowe.

This would mark the second year in a row for Gosling to receive no nominations; he was terrific in “Blue Valentine” — much better than Michelle Williams (nominated this year for “My Week with Marilyn”), who was nominated for her role in “Blue Valentine.”

All of the actors and actresses are flawless in their roles, especially Albert Brooks, who is far from his days as Marlin in “Finding Nemo,” as the fierce Bernie Rose. How Brooks was ignored for his performance is beyond me.

Twitter quote: “I got ROBBED. I don’t mean the Oscars, I mean literally. My pants and shoes have been stolen.” - Albert Brooks

This is an absorbing and tremendously unique piece of cinema from Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn (“Bronson,” one of my favorites). After my screening I met and spoke with Nicolas Winding Refn, who is one of the most honest and inventive directors working today. He has a firm grasp on how to really tell a story, and in such an interesting way. At the Q&A Refn spoke about how the film initially was going to have a budget of $100 million, parallel the “Fast and the Furious” films, and star Hugh Jackman as The Driver, but thankfully, he dismissed going in the way of Michael Bay and scrapped this Hollywoodized idea.

Something in the film that is extremely powerful is its emotionally transcendent cinematography from (DP) Newton Thomas Sigel (“Three Kings,” “X2″). It’s one of the main reasons this film works so exquisitely; it grabs a hold of you and takes you inside this often dark and dreamlike LA setting. Another effective element is its score and the soundtrack. One of my friends called the soundtrack, “ ‘The Garden State’ soundtrack for kids who wear tight jeans,” which is quite accurate (blast Kavinsky’s “Nightcall” while driving, you’ll feel like the ultimate bada**). Cliff Martinez’s score is so hauntingly beautiful; it works so well with the film’s 80 vibe. If his score had not been disqualified to run in the Oscar race, it would have taken home the gold.

“Drive” is a very violent film that has brutal killings in it (lookout for that skull stomping scene in the elevator), but each scene of violence has a significant meaning. “One feels poetic, and another feels strange” (Winding Refn, Dallas Q&A). I’m sure many people will turn away from this film because of how violent it is— a lot have actually (I’m looking at you Academy). But it’s the undertone and deeper meaning of violence that makes it feel necessary, which is why I compare it to “Pulp Fiction.” When that film came out in 1994 many people hated it because of how violent it was, which is something that Quentin Tarantino is known for (see “Kill Bill” and “Inglourious Basterds”). Both he and Refn use violence as a tool, and not as something to be thrown in without purpose. These are art house filmmakers that know what they are doing.

Although “Drive” doesn’t include as much swift and clever dialogue as “Pulp Fiction,” its silence and gesture acting serve it well. So be sure to buckle up and race over to your nearest video store and pick up the instant classic ”Drive;” it will take you on the ride of your life and leave all the other films you saw last year in the dust!