2012 Movie Reviews

All films have a U.S. release date of 2012 and are listed alphabetically with a 1-10 rating. Numbers to star equivalents are listed at the bottom.


21 Jump Street: 7/10 - "We're reviving a canceled undercover project from the '80s and revamping it for modern times. The people behind this lack creativity and they've run out of ideas, so what they do now is just recycle shit from the past and hope that nobody will notice." The film is tongue and cheek about what it is throughout, but it works because it remains consistently funny. Like most modern comedies, it spirals out of control and over-the-top for the third act, but there are enough laughs beforehand, so it's forgivable.

Act of Valor: 3/10 - Apparently real Navy SEALs were used for this film; while I'm not sure if that decision added to the realism or not, I am certain that it destroyed the acting from top to bottom throughout. It's hard to blame non-actors for being bad at acting, but it's so terrible that it's distracting.

The Amazing Spider-Man: 5/10 - Director Marc Webb does well with the origin story for the film's first act, keeping it light-hearted and fun; but the rest of the film feels more like an afterthought, as if he's begrudgingly required to follow the tried and true, color-by-numbers, superhero origin plot to its predictable conclusion -- there's simply no heart in the rest of the film, and as a viewer, you never feel the payoff.

Amour: 5/10 - Beautifully crafted by Michael Haneke and perfectly acted by Emmanuelle Riva and Jean-Louis Trintignant. I really wanted to love this film, and from a technical perspective, I absolutely should have; but something about it kept me at a distance. There are quite a few memorable scenes that will certainly stick with me, though there were far more that left me feeling disengaged and uninterested.

American Reunion: 3/10 - This is a very poorly made film and it's extremely disheartening to see the cast pulled together nine years after the last installment for such a complete mess. It's nothing more than a paycheck for anyone involved.

Arbitrage: 8/10 - This is very strong filmmaking -- writer/director Nicholas Jarecki is able to turn his extremely unlikable protagonist, Robert Miller, an unscrupulous hedgefund investor, (played by Richard Gere) into a man who audiences want to root for. As Miller's troubles deepen, despite our reservations about his character, all we can do is quietly hope he finds a light at the end of the tunnel. Richard Gere is perfectly cast and does well in the roll; Tim Roth also delivers a great supporting performance.

Argo: 7/10 - It's a great story, but not all great stories easily translate into great films. Ben Affleck plays it safe as both a director and an actor and much of the constant suspense feels very manufactured. It's something you'll look back on in fond remembrance of the story, not the filmmaking.

The Avengers: 8/10 - I was never a very big comic book fan growing up, but I can say that I invested some time in the Marvel Universe in my early elementary school years. While the Marvel films leading up to "The Avengers" have met with mixed success, it would be misguided of me to overly criticize their culmination -- this movie is just about as fun as I could hope any movie ever could be. Director Joss Whedon pulls off an extremely difficult assignment with a profound understanding of what his audience was seeking.

Beasts of the Southern Wild: 2/10 - A self-righteous and misguided celebration of poverty and ignorance.

Being Flynn: 4/10 - I find it hard to distinguish between DeNiro the actor and DeNiro the legend. Paul Weitz has created a bad film, filled with unbelievable characters and little semblance of a plot, but amidst the nonsense sits DeNiro -- a performer who I'm unable to evaluate objectively. I just wish he would work with one of the several extremely talented filmmakers in Hollywood right now.

Bernie: 6/10 - I'm a huge fan of Richard Linklater, largely because of my love for "Before Sunrise" (1995) and "Before Sunset" (2004), and I appreciate his discipline in crafting this often humorous black comedy (shockingly based on a true story). The filmmaking unfortunately grows old well before the conclusion as Linklater uses documentary-style interviews to commentate on the narrative throughout. I should add though, Jack Black gives a rare, reserved performance that works well here.

Bourne Legacy: 7/10 - In retrospect, writer/director Tony Gilroy failed at crafting a great action film, but he undeniably succeeded at crafting an engaging film. Gilroy was burdened with the difficult task of tying the previous Bourne trilogy in with the franchise's new direction and new lead, Jeremy Renner, so the film is long and very light on action sequences, but not for a moment was I uninterested.

Brave: 3/10 - Pixar's last effort, "Cars 2" (2011), was equally terrible, which is a very troubling fact for me to accept considering the incredible run that Pixar has been on for the past decade. "Brave" is not only a bad story, but it's one that simply doesn't have the material to warrant a feature length film.

The Cabin in the Woods: 4/10 - I suppose it gains a few points for being different, though this is an excellent example of how different doesn't mean good or fun.

The Campaign: 6/10 - It's a silly, stupid, over-the-top parody on American elections, but enough Will Ferrell laughs work to warrant the 85-minute investment. Though I can't for the life of me figure out why anyone thinks Zach Galifianakis is funny.

Chronicle: 4/10 - An origin superhero story given to us through a first person lens -- virtually everything shown on screen is filmed by one of the movie's protagonists. While director Josh Trank embraces the gimmick to the best of his abilities, it wears thin as the movie enters its third act and the viewer begins to notice just how much more forced the presence of the camera becomes.

Cloud Atlas: 8/10 - This is spectacular, adventurous filmmaking, with engaging performances and flawless editing. While it accounts as little more than a glorified presentation of six interconnected short stories over a 160-minute running time, it's pieced together in such a way that it always remains entertaining, even when some of the less interesting story lines are playing out. It's a film that reaches for more than what it accomplishes, however, its merits far out-weigh its flaws.

Compliance: 9/10 - Filmmaker Craig Zobel, combing through roughly 40 real life cases of a phone pranker who was able to induce a vast array of sexual harassment incidents at fast food chains by pretending to be a police officer, has created a tense, gripping, and often unimaginable drama. Through every moment, the viewer is forced to imagine themselves as one of the people involved, wondering how one would react and all the varying responses one might have. It's easy to dismiss the lowly workers at fast food establishments as simply being stupid, but it's more than that -- it's a matter of how fear and authority affect our line of thinking, regardless to what extreme it goes.

Contraband: 4/10 - The film is contrived at every turn; each scene was like a blast of humid, stale air to the face, which is unfortunate considering that the strong cast would have been capable of much more with better material.

The Dark Knight Rises: 9/10 - Christopher Nolan finishes his trilogy strong with an intense (thanks in large part to Hans Zimmer's great score) and incredibly dark finale. Much like "Batman Begins" (2005), Nolan breaks new ground with this superhero film; he goes into it knowing that it's a conclusion, which offers him free license to capitalize on his theme of inescapable fear. As far as the trilogy as a whole, I can only think of two others with definitive superiority: The Godfather series (1972-1990) and the initial Star Wars trilogy (1977-1983) -- after that, Nolan may have just carved his name into the short list of franchise greatness.

Deep Blue Sea: 1/10 - Easily the flattest, most boring film I've seen all year. I sought it out for the supposedly strong performance from Rachel Weisz, but half way through its 90-minute running time, I had enough.

The Dictator: 4/10 - There are a few laughs, but the majority of comedic attempts fall short -- you'll spend more time cringing than smiling, unfortunately.

Django Unchained: 8/10 - Quentin Tarantino is a brilliant writer, but sometimes a very inconsistent director -- Django's major shortcoming falls in the editing, which very often seemed to be working in direct contrast to the script. The result, despite my nitpicking, is still a fantastic and extraordinarily fun film; but when it comes to Tarantino, my bar is perhaps set unfairly high.

Dredd: 6/10 - While it plays more like a video game than a feature film, the story is simple, yet engaging, and director Pete Travis keeps the action rolling. The film might be a marginal improvement over its 1995 predecessor, but Karl Urban, who portrays Judge Dredd in this film, has the charisma of a wooden chair and is a significant step down from Sylvester Stallone's rendition of the famous comic book character.

End of Watch: 4/10 - With the infuriating shaky cam direction style and a script so painfully contrived that all interest is soon lost for the leads, filmmaker David Ayer delivers a muddled mess despite the strong chemistry between Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena.

The Expendables 2: 6/10 - Among the more ridiculous cinematic experiences, but like me, if you're watching this film, it's for the glimmer of nostalgia for a film that has been lost for more than a decade. The 80s action hero is dead in mainstream Hollywood, so it brings a smile to my face to see Stallone pull a film like this together.

Flight: 7/10 - A gripping examination of a man who has entirely lost himself to alcoholism, with one of the more dramatic airplane crash landings you'll ever see as the backdrop. Denzel Washington is incredible (as always), expressing a spectrum of emotion with only his eyes in scene after scene. The film does struggle slightly with its editing, as some scenes linger just a little too long, bloating the runtime of the film, but it's not a criticism that should suggest passing this film up.

Game Change: 8/10 - Director Jay Roach plays it safe, but crafts a gripping political drama that covers the tail-end of the McCain 2008 campaign once Sarah Palin joined the ticket. Juliane Moore is pitch perfect as the flawed Palin and Woody Harrelson delivers a very strong performance as McCain's chief campaign advisor.

Get the Gringo: 4/10 - Adrien Grunberg's directorial debut is a definitive misstep -- in trying to follow a story structure similar to a Guy Richie film, he bogs himself down with two acts of poorly written character development. Mel Gibson is always enjoyable, but there's little for him to work with until the film's conclusion.

Goon: 5/10 - It's a mostly entertaining comedy that just lacks enough big laughs to warrant such a ridiculous plot. Seann William Scott is mostly stuck playing the straight man, but Liev Schreiber turns in a surprisingly fun performance as the antagonist.

The Grey: 3/10 - I love Liam Neeson and previously thought that I could enjoy him in any role. Sadly, two hours of him fighting wolves on an Alaskan tundra just didn't do it for me.

Head Games: 7/10 - Steve James' documentary deals with head injuries in various contact sports and the alarming lifetime repercussions. It's not a conclusion on the subject, but rather an introduction -- as a culture, we've just scratched the surface on the topic. Now that those in positions of authority (people like Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the NFL) have passed the denial phase and accepted that there is a problem, we've entered a phase where everyone is trying to compromise -- trying to justify an amount of head trauma that is less than what is currently happening in most contact sports. The truthful conclusion that I suspect one day we'll reach is that no head trauma is acceptable, which will diminish the amount rational thinking participates -- from young children to adults -- that are willing (or allowed by their parents) to play any contact sport.

Hitchcock: 7/10 - The film is heavily carried by the strong performances of Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren, as it's screenplay is unfortunately sidetracked by a distractingly purposeless sub-plot involving the illusion of an affair with Alma (Hitchcock's wife). However, when the film focuses on Hitchcock it's captivating -- Hopkins gives an endearing and lively portrayal of the great director, one that is likely to be recognized during the award season.

Hope Springs: 6/10 - While on the surface, little about this examination into an aging couples decaying marriage is exciting, it is elevated by director David Frankel's ("The Devil Wears Prada," 2006) subtle details and the abilities of Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones to transform such flat characters into three-dimensionally intriguing people.

The Hunger Games: 1/10 - In rare cases a film is able to extend itself past its filmmaking, eliciting an emotional response far greater than the material should, allowing some good films to become great and some great films to become masterpieces. With "The Hunger Games," that scarce phenomenon actually made a bad film become reprehensible. The film follows a group of teenage children -- condemned at random by their government -- forced to brutally kill each other for sport as the society's adults cheer on the blood bath (the event has been held annually for 74 years). As a species, humans exist to protect and provide for their children, so the concept of such a fantastical government is ridiculous and beyond the suspension of disbelief. Author Suzanne Collins has crafted a disgusting and inherently inhuman story.

The Impossible: 6/10 - Director Juan Antonio Bayona does well in filming some incredibly breathtaking shots, especially during the tsunami sequence, but his over sensationalism and melodrama of the search for family members that follows can sometimes feel over-the-top. With a story so inherently dramatic, there's little need to pile on. Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor both give solid performances, which helps to keep the viewer pulled in.

Jack Reacher: 7/10 - Count me among those skeptical on the baffling decision to cast Tom Cruise as the famous, 6'4", 240 pound, literary character, Jack Reacher; but also count me among those converted to a believer. Christopher McQuarrie has crafted a fine action film, embracing the campy, over-the-top nature of the character and Tom Cruise just gets it -- all of it -- he knows what the audience wants and he gives it to them.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi: 7/10 - "Once you decide on your occupation, you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with your work. Never complain about your job. You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill. That's the secret of success, and is the key to being regarded honorably." Jiro Ono is an 85-year-old sushi chef who runs a three-michelin star, 10-seat sushi restaurant in the subways of Tokyo. He has dedicated his entire life to mastering the preparation of sushi and filmmaker David Gelb gives us a brief glimpse into his fascinating world.

Killer Joe: 8/10 - It's a simple, bear-bones plot, but it's masterfully directed by Friedkin and perfectly cast and acted. Matthew McConaughey steals the show with his portrayal of a depraved and psychopathic detective, moonlighting as a hitman; but Thomas Hayden Church and Juno Temple hold their own well. It's a violent black comedy that's not for the squeamish, but if you're willing to let loose and have a little fun, it's one of the better movies of 2012.

Killing Them Softly: 4/10 - Andrew Dominik's much anticipated follow-up to the brilliant 'Assassination of Jesse James' (2007) falls flat on its face. The dialogue is poorly written and the plot's metaphoric connection to the country's 2008 economic crisis is so forced and in your face, that it feels like you're being beaten over the head by a mallet for the entire 90 minutes. Brad Pitt is effortless in the role of a mob hitman, and James Gandolfini is more than capable of keeping an audiences' attention portraying a mobster, but it's just not enough to save the movie.

Last Ride: 7/10 - Austrailian director Glendyn Ivin has crafted a wonderful, introspective character study on a troubled father and his son. While there is little plot to speak of, Hugo Weaving is able to draw us deep into his extremely flawed character with a great performance.

Lawless: 6/10 - Director John Hillcoat directs this film with no cinematic flow -- it's simply actors chewing up scenery, jumping from set piece to set piece, until they arrive at the inevitable (and somewhat unsatisfying) conclusion. My first instinct is to suggest that the film needed to be significantly longer in order to accomplish what Hillcoat sets out to do for the various character arcs he's developing, but perhaps that's only because I cherish every moment Tom Hardy spends on screen and wish there was more of him to see.

Les Miserables: 4/10 - Even if we place aside the overwhelmingly bad vocal performances littering this famous musical adaption, Tom Hooper's directorial decisions are atrocious throughout. Granted, it's material better suited for the stage, but to not even make an effort to take advantage of the big screen is baffling -- he took a epic, sweeping tale and condensed it to its lowest possible denominator. All that being true, it would be disingenuous of me not to add that Anne Hathaway is absolutely spectacular in her relatively brief screen-time and her performance of "I Dream a Dream" alone is worth admission -- she will walk away uncontested for Best Supporting Actress this season.

Lincoln: 6/10 - Spielberg has crafted a film that more resembles propaganda than a biography; it's a retrospective honoring of a legend, not a realistic examination of a great man's life, which is an incredible disappointment to me considering my expectations. Daniel Day-Lewis' marvelous depiction of the 16th president of the United States deserved better, as did Tommy Lee Jones' powerful portrayal of Representative Stevens.

Lockout: 3/10 - "A man wrongly convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage against the U.S. is offered his freedom if he can rescue the president's daughter from an outer space prison taken over by violent inmates." That's the film's synopsis, and to be truthful, it reads far more realistic than it plays out on screen. The film's one saving grace is being able to watch the incredibly versatile Guy Pearce channel Duke Nukem, regaling the audience with seemingly endless witty one-liners as he embarks on his ridiculous journey.

Looper: 7/10 - Writer/Director Rian Johnson has come a long way since making "Brick" in 2005 -- it was a film that had style and demonstrated talent, but failed completely on account of its pretentiousness. With "Looper," Johnson has created a very good time travel film, and ironically enough, the film's struggles are not with plot holes like most time travel films, but instead with various premises. It's a film filled, from top to bottom, with logical inconsistencies. The bright-side, however, is that most of those gaffs won't be realized during your first viewing, so enjoy the ride.

Man on a Ledge: 3/10 - It's simply incredible that plots this ridiculous get the green-light for funding. The upside is that you will get to stare at Genesis Rodriguez throughout the whole film...

The Master: 9/10 - I can't recall ever having such a difficult time collecting my thoughts on a film -- everything about the narrative feels inherently intangible to me, like a memory just out of my mind's reach. As a follow-up to "There Will Be Blood" (2007), Paul Thomas Anderson was impossibly tasked with living up to the great film of this generation; yet he delivers something so unique and so special, that I'm unable to even contrast the two films. What I can tell you with absolute certainty is that Joaquin Phoenix gives a transformational performance; one that has left me shaken for days. This film is important, not just for its statements on religion or the fragility of man, but for it's cinematic perfection -- we are witnessing a filmmaker who has attained complete control over his craft.

Moonrise Kingdom: 4/10 - I suppose that if you are a fan of Wes Anderson's humor, this would be a very enjoyable film. I, however, am not.

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory: 5/10 - I've been a fan of Berlinger and Sinofsky's ongoing documentaries on the infamous "West Memphis Three," if only for the mostly intelligent examination on the viscous child murders that took place in the small town. Unfortunately, in their latest entry, there's just not enough material to defend the film's two hour runtime -- the screen time is mostly filled with paper-thin conspiracy theories, taking away from the more intriguing drama of the three men who have been behind bars for the murders for nearly two decades.

Premium Rush: 4/10 - What a stupid movie. The plot is silly and the dialogue is mostly cringe-inducing. It was nice to see Michael Shannon having some fun with his villainous role though.

Project X: 4/10 - I can't be too critical of the film considering that it met my expectations, but it's just about as forgettable as a film could be -- and considering that it's based on the hypothetical greatest high school party of all-time, that's a tough pill to swallow.

Prometheus: 7/10 - I admit, I'm a softy for a film revolved around human origin theory; it's a topic that I find endlessly fascinating. When it's well-made, well-acted, and encapsulated in sci-fi horror, all the better. Unfortunately, the film's shortcomings can't be ignored -- it's a very flawed story that requires a tremendous suspension of disbelief on more than a few occasions.

Queen of Versailles: 4/10 - Lauren Greenfield starts out making a documentary about billionaire David Siegel and his wife, who are in the process of constructing the largest single-family home in the U.S. While she's filming her documentary, the 2008 financial collapse hits and Siegel's finances crumble, halting the construction of the house and the future of the family. I'm not suggesting that it's an easy task to change course midstream while filming a movie, but it is an enormous opportunity, one that Greenfield does not capitalize on.

The Raid: Redemption: 4/10 - It's 100 minutes of well choreographed violence. Those looking to praise or denounce it as something other than that are trying to sell something that isn't there.

Ruby Sparks: 8/10 - Zoe Kazan has written a film that examines the creative process and acts as an allegory for every relationship one can ever have, most indirectly intriguing, parenthood. Kazan also stars in the film as the imaginative creation of the protagonist, a famous writer played by Paul Dano. The film works because it keeps the viewer guessing -- at no pont did I know where it might lead, which kept me engaged throughout and still thinking long after it ended.

Safe House: 6/10 - Why does there always have to be a "surprise" mole? It's come to the point where there is literally always a mole in a thriller, preventing any possible shock in the surprise moment of revelation. If screenwriters insist on building a mole into the plot, I would suggest taking a more Hitchcockian approach and relying on suspense instead of shock-value (reveal the mole to the audience, but not the protagonist). Still, despite the flawed script and the bland direction from Daniel Espinosa, leads Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington manage to keep the film engaging.

Safety Not Guaranteed: 4/10 - A quirky film that starts out making all the right steps, but quickly loses steam as it rolls through the second act. The audience is waiting for the pay off -- is this guy who thinks he can travel back in time completely nuts, or what? -- but screenwriter Derek Connolly keeps delaying the conclusion without the interesting material needed to do so.

Savages: 7/10 - Oliver Stone's filmmaking acumen often allows you to overlook the plot when it becomes paper thin, but the great performance from Benicio Del Toro is a nagging and constant reminder to just how bad nearly all the other actors in the movie are (very similar to the issues that Christian Bale caused with "The Fighter" in 2010).

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World: 3/10 - The film doesn't have the dramatic depth of character or the comedic moments to qualify as anything other than a failure. I genuinely have no idea what writer/director Lorene Scafaria was trying to create.

The Sessions: 7/10 - Filmmaker Ben Lewin keeps the material light and humorous, doing well with the film's pacing, but what is most noteworthy are the the incredibly brave performances by John Hawkins and Helen Hunt.

Silver Linings Playbook: 7/10 - A very good script, but it's clear on a few occasions that Russell isn't sure how to handle some of its quirkiness. Bradley Cooper is miscast in the lead and doesn't have the range to flesh out the well-written protagonist, but fortunately Jennifer Lawrence gives a supporting performance worthy of an Oscar nomination.

Skyfall: 7/10 - It's likely that my hopes were set too high once Sam Mendes and Javier Bardem signed onto the film -- both setting high water marks for the caliber of director and actor involved with the Bond franchise. It's a good film, slightly surpassing the underrated "Quantum of Solace" (2008), but falling definitively short of the greatness achieved in Daniel Craig's first Bond, "Casino Royale" (2006).

Taken 2: 3/10 - It's a disastrously bad film from top to bottom. The plot is so unspeakably ludicrous that any good will left over from the exciting original is washed away from the start.

Ted: 5/10 - The movie has a few laughs, but it is missing every other ingredient that defines what a movie is, specifically, an engaging plot and fully realized characters. Filmmakers are too quick now to take a sit-com quality script and extend its length.

This Means War: 7/10 - A script so over-the-top and ridiculous that viewers are able to stop trying to justify its implausibility fairly early on, allowing them to simply get swept away with the frequent laughs and engaging performances. Tom Hardy is carving out his place on the short-list of must-see actors in Hollywood right now.

The Vow: 4/10 - The film's characters are painfully two-dimensional, but even worse, so are the actors -- there's not a moment where either Channing Tatum or Rachel McAdams are able to seize the many opportunities and elevate the material.

Trouble with the Curve: 5/10 - Blah. Everything about this film is hollow: the characters and the plots they participate in. All of it feels tacked on and empty.

Wanderlust: 5/10 - It's the same failed comedy script formula that repeats itself several times a year: over-the-top characters in a string of brief sit-com sequences. The result is a film that makes you laugh on occasion, but makes you pay for it by falling flat with the majority of its gags.

The Watch: 5/10 - Vince Vaughn and Jonah Hill are among the very best comedic actors working today; their ability to squeeze laughs out of even the worst material is uncanny.

Zero Dark Thirty: 9/10 - It's no easy task to craft a suspense thriller in which every audience member goes into the film knowing the outcome -- Osama Bin Laden is dead and the movie will end with that event. Kathryn Bigelow is masterful in her direction, expertly pacing out the trail that leads to the inevitable conclusion; and she is wise to tie her film to the performance of Jessica Chastain, who hits all the right notes as the lead CIA operative on the hunt for Bin Laden.


Rating Breakdown:
10 = 4 Stars (Masterpiece)
9 = 4 stars
8 = 3 1/2 stars
7 = 3 stars
6 = 2 1/2 stars
5 = 2 stars
4 = 1 1/2 stars
3 = 1 star
2 = 1/2 star
1 = No stars (I was likely unable to finish viewing it)

Looking Back at 2011 - Top 10 and More

At the time of this posting, I've seen 82 films with a US release date from 2011.

The Top 10 Films Released in 2011

1. Tree of Life
2. Drive
3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
4. Hugo
5. Tabloid
6. Take Shelter
7. The Ides of March
8. The Artist
9. My Week with Marilyn
10. Shame

Individual Accolades

Best Director:
1. Terrence Malick - "Tree of Life"
2. Pedro Almodovar - "The Skin I Live In"
3. Martin Scorsese - "Hugo"
4. David Fincher - "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
5. Nicolas Winding Refn - "Drive"

Best Performance by an Actor:
1. Tom Hardy - "Warrior"
2. Michael Fassbender - "Shame"
3. Michael Shannon - "Take Shelter"
4. Leonardo DiCaprio - "J. Edgar"
5. Philip Seymour Hoffman - "The Ides of March"

Best Performance by an Actress:
1. Michelle Williams - "My Week with Marilyn"
2. Meryl Streep - "Iron Lady"
3. Rooney Mara - "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
4. Juliette Binoche - "Certified Copy"
5. Tilda Swinton - "We Need to Talk About Kevin"

Best Screenplay:
1. Woody Allen - "Midnight in Paris"
2. Asghar Farhadi - "A Separation"
3. Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin - "Moneyball"
4. Abbas Kiarostami - "Certified Copy"
5. Steven Zaillian - "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"