The cynical play here would be to knock the “unexpected” nature of this enterprise because, after the overwhelming success of Peter Jackson’s justifiably epic Lord of the Rings saga, why wouldn’t Jackson and New Line seek to replicate that run with The Hobbit?  

Consider this a mission or statement of purpose for next year’s film coverage. The seed of the idea began at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, where I decided to go, as I stated, where the frames took me.  

Playing for Keeps, about a former soccer star struggling to stay relevant to his young son while fighting off the attention of a host of soccer moms, sadly, doesn’t look like a keeper, at least not for the lads, despite the tantalizing presence of Jessica Biel.  

As a judge for this year’s Black Reel Awards, I am screening the shorts and features up for consideration, and at the conclusion of each new film I catch myself swelling with real pride because, through these independently produced films, I feel like the reflection I’ve been seeking sharpens as the frames settle into place.
  

Anna Karenina latches onto the idea of life played out on a constantly shifting Old World stage — jazzed up with a sensual restlessness and humor to equate 19th century society and the theater as realm both subject to rules of order that cannot be circumvented.  

Yann Martel’s bestselling novel captured the hearts and minds of readers from the moment of its release and kicked off feverish discussions for an adaptation, although the challenging story — about a young man adrift at sea with a Bengal tiger as his only companion — scared off several would-be Oscar-chasing helmers.  

Action-oriented second unit director Dan Bradley (The Bourne Ultimatum) cuts and pastes Chris Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Adrianne Palicki and Josh Peck into sequences riddled with inconsistencies and plot holes so gaping that there’s no way even an ounce of blood or logic could be drawn.  

An evil spirit named Pitch (Jude Law) unleashes a full-out assault on the planet and it’s up to a team of Immortal Guardians to protect the children of the world in this animated adventure.  

n Silver Linings Playbook, we get Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper), a former teacher, newly released from a mental institution after a violent psychotic incident, heading back into the hornet’s nest that he calls home, the South Philly domicile of his parents, Pat Sr. (Robert De Niro) and Dolores (Jacki Weaver).  

Director Sacha Gervasi attempts to frame Hitchcock as a love story between the director and his wife Alma, a rekindling of their passion for one another without actually presenting evidence of the initial spark or the carefully laid foundation between them.