Doubt - 10 stars out of 10

Doubt - 10 stars out of 10

"I have my certainty" ...that this is one of the finest movies that I've experienced in a while.  The acting was simply impeccable.  Meryl Streep once again proves herself as the best actress of our time.  Her character immediately comes to life and completely drives the plot.  The script creates an interesting transformation of her character.  Sister Aloysius does not change but the audiences opinion of her does.  It is easy to hate "the dragon" from the start but as the movie progresses, it becomes easy to see that she is the source of goodness in the school.  Typically, anybody playing opposite Meryl looks amateur but Amy Adams really came through.  She had been stereotyped by her fluff performance in "Enchanted" but this role was her breakthrough into dramatic roles as she brought every ounce of emotion necessary to play this character.  Philip Seymour Hoffman was great and keeps the audience guessing until the final minutes of this movie, breaking the rules just enough to make us like him but being straight-laced enough that we can't decide on his guilt or innocence.  Once again, the script brings everything to light with Sister Aloysius' alleged phone call, never stating what happened but allowing us to figure it all out through the context clues.  Viola Davis is good in her role but I think that an Oscar nomination for her brief appearance was a bit undeserved, although I can't really think of another Supporting performance from 2009 that was worthy.  Her 12 minutes weren't THAT good (see review for "Les Miserables" for the only 12-minute role that is deserving of an Oscar).  Regardless, the acting is so strong in "Doubt" with the actors being nominated for 4 Oscars that you will feel as if you are watching real life unfold in front of you.

First Position - 9 stars out of 10

First Position - 9 stars out of 10

"First Position" is more than a movie - it is life.  This documentary chronicles the journey of several ballet dancers in their preparation for the Youth America Grand Prix.  It is probably because of the young age-range (and immeasurable "cuteness" factor) that a strong emotional connection is formed from the very start and will have you cheering for these kids by the end of the 90 minutes.  Aran was definitely my favorite dancer and I wonder where he will be in 10 years.  Overall, the dancing is beyond impressive.  These young kids have true skill and the film properly represents the amount of training and dedication that is necessary to attain this level of skill.  The script creates just as much drama as any fictional dance movie out there and is definitely better than most of them.  Whether you are a documentary fan or not, "First Position" is a must-watch for some great insight into the competitive world of ballet.