It sounds like a textbook recipe for Oscar gold, and indeed, “The Iron Lady,” Phyllida Lloyd’s portrait of steely former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, features a predictably excellent performance at its center. When nominations for the 84th Academy Awards are announced Jan. 24, it would be stunning if Meryl Streep’s name were not called. Read More

Dismiss it as slick, tear-jerking schmaltz if you must, but “War Horse” is a rousing achievement, a bold, strikingly cinematic spectacle inspired by the Tony Award-winning theatrical adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s 1982 children’s book. In the play, Joey, a rambunctious steed bought to serve the British army during World War I, is a puppet, manipulated by actors to convey his grace and fiery soul. Read More

If anyone doubted that Pixar’s Brad Bird (“The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille”) could bring his storytelling gifts to a live-action battleship the size of “Mission: Impossible,” rest assured. Following in the formidable footsteps of Brian De Palma, John Woo and J.J. Abrams, Bird has added a potent entry to a series that has suffered nary a misstep to date.Revisionists have made a sport of dismissing past “Mission” sequels, just as surely as Tom Cruise’s star power has been questioned in recent years by the tabloids. Read More

Already mourning the loss of best mate Dr. Watson (Jude Law), whose impending nuptials at least provide an excuse to throw a spectacularly bruising stag party, a newly single Sherlock Holmes would seem to be wanting for playmates. What’s a punch-drunk, giddily androgynous supersleuth to do? Read More

On Sunday, the San Francisco Film Critics Circle honored Gary Oldman with its annual Best Actor award for his understated performance as George Smiley, a retired British intelligence operative pressed back into action to hunt a Soviet mole, in Tomas Alfredson’s “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.”Whether the prize turns out to be his first of many before February’s Oscars, or merely one to savor briefly before turning the page — and bracing himself for the publicity maelstrom sure to surround next summer’s “The Dark Knight Rises” — Oldman isn’t terribly concerned. Read More

When Jason Reitman asked him to play Buddy, a happily married alpha male whose high-school sweetheart tries to rekindle the flame just after the birth of his first child, Patrick Wilson knew he had to say yes. He also knew there were two ways to play the part, neither of which would be endearing to audiences. He could portray Buddy, in the new comedy “Young Adult,” as totally unassuming, clueless about his gorgeous ex’s transparent advances, or as an egotist who feeds off her attentions without any intention of acting on them. Read More

Paddy Considine, whose 12-year career in film began with a bruising performance in Shane Meadows’ 1999 coming-of-age drama “A Room for Romeo Brass,” has spent enough time on movie sets to recognize promise. And so he did with “Tyrannosaur,” his directorial feature debut about a widower hopelessly consumed by rage. Considine, 37, is satisfied with the script he wrote in little more than a week, inspired by his 2007 short “Dog Altogether.” He even loves the movie poster. But he had misgivings about the title. Read More