American Hustle

David O Russell has come out all guns blazing in the new feisty vision of a film he calls American Hustle.  Using an elaborate and elusive storytelling style, American Hustle is about as entertaining as cinema gets. The film is put simply a fictional representation of true events. It dramatises the infamous FBI ABSCAM operation. In the 1970s the FBI launched an elaborate sting operation which resulted in the arrest of no less than 7 politicians all in public office. What Russell has really taken on for the premise of his film is the involvement of con artist Melvin Weinberg (renamed Irving Rosenfield in the film). Weinberg avoided a 3 year prison sentence by assisting in the investigation.

The Spectacular Now

A charismatic, happy-go-lucky high school senior whose life seems to be largely perfect, is hardly the subject of any film, book or song. The Sutter Keelys in life - that is the well-liked everyman - is never hard to find but certainly difficult to find depth in. 

My Top 10 Films Of The 21st Century (So Far)

I owe my love of film largely to my father, an avid Robert De Niro fan, who believed that the narrative arc of a film could teach his children all necessary life lessons. And I must say he was not far from the truth. Although his list of top 10 films would differ greatly from mine I would be remiss not to articulate just how much film lovers owe to their parents today.

Having been born on the outskirts of this new millennium - it seems the duty of educating my father on new age cinema has landed on me. (But don't tell him that).

And here goes my declaration of the best films created since the year 2000.

Carrie

Carrie is a film which seriously titters on the border of its genre.  I only actually watched about 10 minutes of the 25 minute genre defining footage. The rest was petty filler and whilst being quite an entertaining film - I believe I have enough inspiration to fuel a whole series of nightmares lasting about two months. Yes all that in 10 minutes. Being hardly a worthy critic of horror films - I can only justify my appreciation for the film via my love for cinema - an obsession sourced primarily from wikipedia and strict parents.