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Pat (Bradley Cooper), suffers from what appears to be a bipolar breakdown and is admitted into a mental institution. Now, months later, Pat moves in with his parents (Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver) as he tries to set his life back on course; but, with the strong temptation to try and reconcile with his ex, Pat appears to be stuck on a destructive path – until Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence). Almost as unbalanced as Pat, Tiffany may just hold the secret to balancing both of their neuroses, but what’s the strategy? Written and Directed by David O. Russell, a compelling and oddly believable story is once again key, exploring the family dynamic, mental instability and unpredictability, and ultimately one’s ability to come to terms with one’s own self. Admittedly, while some of the story feels “just too convenient,” this is a minor quibble when looking at the work as a whole. Both Cooper and Lawrence give us plenty of drama to sink our teeth into with stark contrast to what might be the expected. Unconventional laughs also keep the ship righted and true. Definitely worth your consideration. Silver Linings Playbook is rated R.

Picking up where Part 1 left off, the juggernaut known as the Twilight Saga comes to a close, which to some may be sweet relief. Bella (Kristen Stewart) is now officially a vampire, her recently born daughter, Renesmee (Mackenzie Foy), is growing at a supernatural pace; meanwhile, the Volturi are under the impression that vampire law has been broken and a punishment is due. A bloodbath (so to speak) will ensue if the Cullen family and the Quileute tribe can’t dissuade the Volturi. How can they possibly all live happily ever after? Directed by Bill Condon, again we have thin and rough source material to work with and challenged acting abilities from many of the leads; but wait, what’s this? Somehow Condon manages to pull off the unthinkable, the film is palatable. Once again, unintentionally comedic moments punctuate the film throughout, but it’s hard to take the piece seriously anyway. Where success is met happens to be on the CGI battlefield, a saving grace perhaps? Going under the assumption you’ve made it this far into the series, you’re in for the gift of a decent-ish film to close things out, but that’s not saying much. Eat your hearts out Twihards, don’t forget your pepto. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 is rated PG-13.

Considered a bit of a relic by MI6 standards, James Bond (Daniel Craig) and Head of Secret Intelligence M (Judi Dench) appear to be in their twilight hour. But, when a criminal mastermind threatens to release a stolen document that contains the names and locations of all embedded agents around the world, our hero’s have a task best suited for their unique but perhaps dated skill set. But when this mastermind turns out to be a demented former MI6 agent named Silva (Javier Bardem) things turn particularly personal. To save the day will require a return to where it all began for Bond, Skyfall, but is it too late? Celebrating 50 years of James Bond, the screenplay here is simple enough in its setup, but still manages to pack enough of a wallop to feed spy fans, new and old alike. All the while, the film doles out just the right amount dry British humor to add the always appreciated Bond wry wit. Calling attention to the years of Bond evolution a few well placed nods to earlier iterations provide for a few smiles as well. Acting from the ensemble is on par with what we’ve come to expect from the group with special recognition going to Bardem. Showing yet another face of evil, Bardem seems to effortlessly climb into character effectively creeping out even the strongest of hearts. Totally worth your time and attention and the price of admission, Skyfall is rated PG-13.