The best film Scorsese has made in many years is surprisingly a warm and emotional family feature. It starts a little slow, but soon finds its pace and creates a fantastical and beautiful mood without compromsing the main story. Hugo is the kind of film that makes its viewers love the medium.

"Wow! That film, The Matrix, really was something. Let's do that. Just less intellectual and more political. Make sure it is less cool as well."

I have a soft spot for Tom McCarthy's films, and his The Station Agent is one of my favourites. Win Win never reaches that same level of subdued emotional impact, but it comes pretty close much thank to Giamatti's and Ryan's performances. I found the performance of Alex Shaffer uninspired and at best a little shaky, and that is probably my main quibble with Win Win. Other than that it spoke to me at the profound level McCarthy and his outstanding real human characters always do.

The first 30 minutes of Deliverance is probably one of the greatest beginnings in film history, but sadly it gradually looses interest until it falls through in the dramatic climax on the cliff. Flawed classic that feels a little contrived, but actually holds up pretty well to time.