See: Silver Linings Playbook

I watched this in the cinema last November, and enjoyed it immensely. This film delivered something very different from what I was expecting- the trailer made it look like a standard romantic comedy (albeit one with an excellent cast)- and so I thought it would be a pleasant if not challenging way to spend an evening with my housemates, when in fact by trying to market it like this I feel like they were doing it a disservice.  Jennifer Lawrence received the Best Actress Oscar for this film, and she was very good in it but I also thought the rest of the cast were equally good.

The main thing that I liked about Silver Linings Playbook was the portrayal of mental health issues. In the UK we are encouraged by adverts to talk about mental health- it's seen as more of a taboo subject that people are secretive about even more than the most embarrassing bodily function (or malfunction). 'Silver Linings Playbook' is a love story about two people with (arguably serious) mental health problems- but it's also a film about families. One thing that struck me we was the inference that everyone to some extent has problems of this kind; Robert De Niro as Bradley Cooper's character's father has compulsions that have been accepted- the family has adjusted to building life and ritual around them, which I think is a realistic picture of what happens in that kind of situation.

Silver Linings Playbook is a funny, quirky, and bittersweet film. All of the acting performances are excellent, and it makes a good point but without driving it home too much. Worth paying for.    

See: Oz The Great and Powerful

'Oz The Great and Powerful' has a lot to live up to as the prequel to the classic MGM musical 'The Wizard of Oz', starring Judy Garland in what is arguably her best (as well as best-known) role.  Although it is a good and enjoyable film, 'Oz' never quite lives up to it's full potential. My friend commented that at certain points you could tell it was a Disney studios film because you could tell which bits were going to have rides modeled on them, which feels uncomfortably cynical especially when compared against the perceived innocence of the original film.

In some ways, the cynicism feels appropriate; 'The Wizard of Oz' is about the innocent Dorothy's journey to help her friends and to return home to Kansas, whereas 'Oz the Great and Powerful' is about Oz's personal journey to redemption. His character is weak and selfish, ambitious to become a great man but not bothered about becoming a good man. Franco's turn as the winking, theatrical Oswald (Oz) is entertaining but has an emptiness to it- like some of the other actors (for example Mila Kunis) it feels a little like they aren't really giving the same level of performance they might for a more serious role. I did enjoy Rachel Weisz's performance as Evanora.

A good film for a Sunday afternoon, but not worth buying the DVD.