Big Eyes

There’s some squandered potential here. Amy Adams is always good, but Christoph Waltz misses his mark. As an abusive, sleazy, and domineering husband, he plays the part too comedically and never comes off as menacing as he should be. Without feeling like she’s in true peril, Amy Adams’ plight never seems harrowing enough. But the story of Margaret Keane is worthwhile. How often do we get to see a movie about a modern painter?

The Hobbit

It’s called the Hobbit, but it really about a bunch of dwarves, humans, elves and orcs and not much about Hobbits. Peter Jackson’s taste is still unsullied, though. Battle scenes are exciting and tense, staged in beautiful, rocky landscapes or crumbling castles. Warriors are noble, villains are evil, and the whole affair is worthwhile. This particular chapter is anticlimactic, though, and that might be the fault of the book. Bilbo’s journey is swallowed up by the various warriors and his triumphant return to the shire is a disappointment. It’s unfortunate that such a major achievement would end with a thud, but maybe that’s the cliffhanger that Tolkien intended.