Hugo – 4 stars – Based on a children’s book about a boy working to finish what his late father started. The story is captivating; wondrous discoveries are made as Hugo tries to solve the mystery of an automaton. Sacha Baron Cohen does a fine turn as the station inspector. Fantastic visuals of a train station in wintry Paris, only enhanced more by 3D. A pleasant surprise, and one I look forward to watching again with my daughter.

The Help – 5 stars – Powerful film about the African-American women who served as maids to white families in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960s, and the aspiring novelist who collaborated with them to tell their stories from their point of view. Memorable performances all around, including that of Viola Davis (Best Actress nominee), Octavia Spencer (Best Supporting Actress winner), Jessica Chastain (Best Supporting Actress nominee), and Bryce Dallas Howard. No movie has made me think twice about pie since, well, American Pie.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close – 4 stars – The story about a boy on an exhausting search through post-9/11 New York City. Oskar tries to solve the mystery he believes was left by his late father, whom he lost when the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center fell the year before. Thomas Horn is spectacular as Oskar, and it’s any wonder why the boy was not nominated for his amazing performance. This movie is filled with emotion, and I found it very difficult to relive what Oskar will only refer to as “the worst day”.

The Artist – 4 stars – A silent film about a silent film star struggling with the rise of “talkies” in late 1920s Hollywood. Best Director winner Michel Hazanavicius does a fine job of bringing the audience back to an era long forgotten. Presented in black and white, made in the 1.33:1 screen ratio (like those from the golden age of cinema), and combined with a great score, the winner of Best Picture had the look and feel of a classic silent film. “Full” credits were even displayed at the beginning of the movie, another common trait of older films (note the word “full” is in quotes, as not all credits these days can be displayed before the movie begins, hence the reason they were moved to the end). Several “rules” were “broken”, which I thought helped the story along (you must see the movie to understand). Entertaining and a nice change of pace.

Midnight In Paris – 3.5 stars – A writer visits Paris with family, and thanks to some midnight encounters in the City of Light, he has to come to terms with the divergent paths he and his fiancée are taking. Wonderful dialogue from Best Original Screenplay winner (and Best Director nominee) Woody Allen. I referred to this as Woody’s stab at “sci-fi”, but it’s more “Fantasy Island” in France. Funny film, and an enjoyable end to a long day.

Since I’m late, it’s senseless to predict what the Academy would select as Best Picture (I honestly would have predicted “The Artist”). But MY choice would have been “The Help”.

War Horse – 3.5 stars – Sweeping epic from Steven Spielberg about a bond between a young man and his horse during the First World War. Break out the tissues (an AMC employee actually offered tissues to moviegoers when it was done). Think “Lassie Come Home” but with a horse instead of a collie. This tearjerker may have been too sappy for my friend, but it certainly tugged at the heartstrings of animal lovers, including my own.

Moneyball – 4 stars – Based on Michael Lewis’ book about the Oakland A’s and GM Billy Beane’s sabermetric approach to building a competetive team with limited payroll. Brad Pitt (Best Actor nominee) is pitch perfect as Billy Beane, and Jonah Hill (Best Supporting Actor nominee) complements him as the assistant GM. Fascinating look at the numbers game and how it impacted baseball in 2002.

The Tree of Life – 2 stars – Wikipedia describes this film as a drama with “experimental elements”. Sometime in the 1960′s, Mr. and Mrs. O’Brien (Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain) receive news of their 19-year-old son’s death. Their eldest son Jack is then seen modern day, just having had an argument with his father about his brother’s death. I don’t think anyone in the theater expected what happens next. A lot of ethereal imagery appears on the screen: galaxies, volcanoes, microbes, dinosaurs, earth, water, fire (not necessarily in that order). We are then transported back to 1950′s Texas where we see Mr. and Mrs. O’Brien live, witness the birth of their 3 sons, and the boys’ childhood seen mostly through Jack’s eyes. I could relate to this part of the film where a story was being told: fearing one’s father, minding my manners, respecting my elders, learning to be a man yet trying to be a kid at the same time. But then director Terence Malick’s screenplay had to go trippy on me again. I have to say his experiment on life, evolution, religion, and what not just didn’t work for me.

The Descendants – 3 stars – I have to admit that I have a man crush on George Clooney. I pretty much enjoy everything he’s in. With that said, I had high expectations for this film. This is a bittersweet dramedy about a lawyer reconnecting with his daughters after his wife ends up comatose from a boating accident. Some hilarity ensues as he deals with greedy family members, a bitter father-in-law, his own daughters, and the notion of infidelity within his marriage. Humorous and sad with fine performances by Clooney (Best Actor nominee) and Shailene Woodley as his eldest daughter Alexandra. I believe this film was nominated for Best Picture on the merit of Clooney’s performance alone (like Black Swan in 2011); that is why I gave it 3 stars.

Day 2 of the Best Picture Showcase is next Saturday. Follow me on Twitter, GetGlue, or follow the Twitter hashtag #amcbps as moviegoers tweet during the showcase. I’ll have another post a week from today to review the last five films, and I’ll also give my prediction. After four films in, Moneyball is atop my leaderboard.

Told ya I was coming back.

David Lee Roth knows what he’s talking about. This line from the track “Blood and Fire” sums it up. With the release of the band’s 12th studio album A Different Kind of Truth this past week, Van Halen has returned to give their fans a major dose of hard rock. I’ve read reviews on the web, Twitter, Facebook, comments on blogs and on iTunes, and the reaction is mixed but mostly positive. For those that are disappointed with ADKOT, it’s expected. It is impossible to please everyone, especially when you’ve gone through at least 5 lineup changes in over 2 decades, not to mention it’s been 14 years since the last studio album. This record is for the fans, those who appreciate the music and the band and take it for what it is. I could get into a debate about Dave vs. Sammy, but that’s a post for another day. I just want to talk about the album.

And this album ROCKS.

Boy, does it rock. There are no ballads. From what I can tell, there are no keyboards. Just straight up, bone-crunching guitar-driven rock. The production on this record is better than their last effort; it sounds GREAT. Dave’s vocal range isn’t what it used to be (wasn’t much to begin with), but his lyrics are firmly tongue-in-cheek. Alex Van Halen’s insane tempos on the drums are unleashed once again. Wolfgang Van Halen keeps pace on the bass with his father and uncle; yes, Michael Anthony’s background vocals are missed, but Wolf holds his own. And Eddie Van Halen? Well, he just rips through this record track for track; from bluesy licks to monster riffs, Eddie’s still got it. ADKOT is probably their heaviest and darkest record since Fair Warning. And I love every second of it.

“Tattoo” – The first single, and maybe the weakest track, thanks mostly to the goofy chorus. However, Eddie more than makes up for it with a great solo.

“She’s The Woman” – An improvement on the old demo. Wolf tears it up on bass. This track makes me wanna dance, that is, if I could dance.

“You and Your Blues” – One of my favorites, I love singing along to it. It’s radio-friendly, and it rocks.

“China Town” – Big Al goes bonkers in a “Hot For Teacher”-kind of way. Wolf impresses as he shares hooks with Eddie.

“Blood and Fire” – Love the lyrics on this. Highlight is Dave’s quote above, which leads into a fantastic solo from Eddie. Currently my favorite track.

“Bullethead” – Balls-to-the-wall. It’s enough for me to hear Eddie’s “elephant” sound to kick it off.

“As Is” – The song starts off with a heavy intro that sounds N-A-S-T-Y. Then the tempo kicks in, and all hell breaks loose. Kinda reminds me of “Sinner’s Swing!” off of Fair Warning.

“Honeybabysweetiedoll” – Maybe the darkest song on the record that took some getting used to. Has a basic riff, but by the middle of the song, Ed takes it to the next level. Then he goes off the chart with his solo. LOVE it.

“The Trouble With Never” – The Three Twins (Ed, Al, and Wolf) bring the funk. Mid-song, Dave gets “deep” with Al and Wolf before Eddie returns with more funk.

“Outta Space” – Straight up-tempo rock with some wordplay from Dave.

“Stay Frosty” – Dave gets bluesy and philosophical in a way that only he knows how, then the band joins a la “Ice Cream Man”. VH boogie at its best.

“Big River” – Taken from another demo; I didn’t like this at first, but it has grown on me.

“Beats Workin’” – For me, this song sounds like an outtake from 1984 (it was originally called “Put Out The Lights” in the 70s). Trying to get used to the lyrics.

There are complaints regarding the use of old demos on this album, and that VH could not be “creative” enough to write new songs. To me, these are new songs. Yes, I’ve heard some of the demos before, but we the fans have asked VH for years to release this stuff. And I believe Eddie has always reached into his vault for every album to date, so this is nothing new. I would love to hear the band jam in the studio when playing off the old stuff. I love a good jam session. And in some ways, I can hear the jam sessions on this album. I couldn’t ask for anything more.

Told ya I was coming back. Say ya missed me. Say it like ya mean it.

Yes, Dave, I missed you and the boys. It’s good to have ya back.

Van Halen – Tattoo from Van Halen on Vimeo.

Any music fan knows that when their favorite musician(s) releases new material, the moment you hear it, it can be a very special moment. That moment has occurred for me 8 times since the late 80s with the band I’ve followed since 1986: Van Halen. Today, VH released their first single “Tattoo” from their new album A Different Kind of Truth (release date Feb 7). It’s been nearly 8 years since VH’s last new song (“It’s About Time” off The Best of Both Worlds with Sammy Hagar; the band also recorded 2 rather forgettable songs with Sammy). The forthcoming album will be the first studio album for the band since 1998′s Van Halen III with Gary Cherone. The last time they recorded with David Lee Roth was in 1996 for “Me Wise Magic” and “Can’t Get This Stuff No More” from Best Of, Volume I. Truth is the first studio album with Dave since their landmark 1984 album. The new album will also be their first with Wolfgang Van Halen playing bass.

My thoughts on the new song “Tattoo”? It ain’t bad, but it ain’t great either. The lyrics have Dave written all over them: “Mousewife to bombshell in the time it took to get that new tattoo”. Wasn’t crazy of the repetitive chorus at first, but it has actually grown on me. Alex and Wolf maintain the foundation with a solid groove. And Eddie’s guitar is heaven; his signature “brown” sound is back in full force.

I had my doubts on whether Wolfgang could play with the band. But after watching this video of VH performing “She’s a Woman” at their Cafe Wha? show last week, he proved me wrong. The audio isn’t great, but you can clearly hear Wolfgang tear it up on the bass.

People are going to inevitably compare the new stuff to VH from both the Dave and Sammy eras. I don’t expect A Different Kind of Truth to rival any of their classic albums; most bands can’t, and I don’t think that’s the intent. It is 2012, and three quarters of the band are pushing 60 (Wolfgang turns 21 in March). I mean, come on – look at the Rolling Stones, for crying out loud. I’m just happy to listen to the band, and it’s exciting to hear new material from a group who is clearly having fun together once again. If there’s anything that gives me goosebumps, it’s listening to Eddie play. I anxiously await the arrival of the new album.

Now the only thing I haven’t done yet is see them in concert with Dave…

Pujols batting in our first game at Busch III

Many believe Albert Pujols is the best player in the major leagues. Cardinal fans believe that (at least, some did up until last Thursday). Rookie of the year, 3-time MVP, 3 National League pennants, and 2 World Series champonships. He holds the record of 10 consecutive seasons from the start of his career on hitting .300 with 30+ home runs and 100 RBIs. But most say that 2011 was an “off-year” for Pujols. Slumping during the season, career lows in batting average and RBIs, and missed 13 games due to injury. For most players, Pujols’ 2011 stats would be stellar. Per the New York Times, “Even when Pujols struggles, he excels.”

For me, I had hoped that Albert would have stayed a Cardinal, to be a member of a team for the duration of his career. He may hever supplant Stan Musial, but he would have been right up there with “the Man”. St. Louis adores its Cardinals. Most superstars are usually held in the highest regard by their fans, but nowhere else will you find the support and adoration like you will in St. Louis. Just ask the players, past and current: St. Louis has the best fans in baseball. I don’t think any other town will treat Pujols the same as St. Louis did. It’s disappointing to hear people are “recycling” or even burning their Pujols jerseys. I have Cardinal gear with former players’ names on them, and I still wear them; I know there are other Cardinal fans like me. So let’s be realistic and not take this change so personal like Cleveland did.

I don’t feel hatred or anger towards Pujols. Major League Baseball is a business, and I know Albert did what he felt is best for himself and for his family. For a working man, you and your family ALWAYS comes first. Forget the millions of dollars here for once. If I’m in a position where I excel at my job, and someone else wants to hire me, pay me more, and possibly give me something more that I currently have, I will seriously consider leaving my current employer to join a new team. It will sadden me to leave the group that I have worked with day in and day out and have grown close to, but ultimately, I must put myself and my family first when it comes to a change in my career.

And Albert is an extraordinary person. He is a better person than me when it comes to charitable work. He and his wife Deidre established the Pujols Family Foundation to help those with Down Syndrome (something Deidre’s daughter was born with), and it also aids the poor in his home country of the Dominican Republic. And he is actively involved, whether it be a prom for his friends or delivering supplies to his homeland. To get a better understanding of Albert Pujols outside of baseball, you must read and see his segment on 60 Minutes. It certainly puts things in perspective.

And what about the Cardinals? They’ll be fine. We just won the World Series, for crying out loud. With the exception of Game 3 where he joined Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson as the only players to hit 3 HRs in a WS game, Pujols was not a major factor (yes, I know in Game 6, he did hit a key double in the 9th that led to a tie game that ultimately… well, you know the rest). The lineup we have is solid. And now we have a little extra money to play with.

Good article on USA Today on the Angels’ signing of Pujols and what it does for baseball.

I’m happy that he was a Cardinal for his first 11 seasons, and each of them were pretty damn awesome. I’m glad that I got to see him play, and although she won’t remember them, I’m happy that my little girl Sophia went to 3 of his baseball games as a Cardinal. Albert, good luck in LA. I wish you all the best with your future endeavors in baseball and in life. Thanks for the memories.

Photos of Sophia from the fall of 2011, including photos featured in her “Fall 2011″ video.