The cheesy voice-over really did take me out a few times, but if the Academy truly meant something/cared, Amandla Stenberg would be getting a Best Actress nomination early next year. Talk about a knockout performance.

An incredible first hour is followed by a very solid second one. Bradley Cooper can direct (and sing, holy shit), and Lady Gaga delivers an honest, wholesome performance. 

A great crowd-pleaser that also has something to say. One that I can recommend to just about anyone.

Forget "The Dark Knight". Forget "The Dark Knight Rises". Forget even "Inception". This film matches the levels of greatness that "Memento", my favorite Nolan film, manages to reach, and it does it without telling the story backwards. This is dark, mysterious, captivating, intelligent, and is easily one of Nolan's most under rated films so far.