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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 23 FEBRUARY 2014 THIS WEEK 34 FEW Oscar-nominated films end up being very exciting. Because the Academy – which will this year be distributing its golden-man gongs on March 2 – likes to be pampered to and told stories that may be art- fully executed but that remain es- sentially comforting, a lot of Oscar- nominees tend to toe a very safe, tried-and-tested line. They tend to be based on either worthy or topical themes that would make an audience feel clever and/or socially/politically aware while watching it, and this year is no exception. 12 Years a Slave tack- les slavery – just as Lincoln and Django Unchained did last year, with varying degrees of seriousness – and both American Hustle and The Wolf of Wall Street comment (perhaps tangentially, and still) about the recent global economic recession and its causes. For the most part, these films tend to feel hollowed out because they coast on the automatic impor- tance of their chosen themes. Luckily, this does not apply to what is arguably the diamond in the rough in this year's Oscar selection: Spike Jonze's digital-romance mini- epic, Her. Jonze, who actually has a small part in The Wolf of Wall Street, and who had previously collaborated with screenwriter Charlie Kaufman to produce the most defining films of his career thus far (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation), both wrote and directed Her. It's a leap in the dark that definitely pays off. In a future world that feels both alien and strangely familiar, an excellent Joaquin Phoenix plays Theo, a near-divorcee whose work involves composing 'personalised' digital greeting cards for lovers. His fragmented relationship to ro- mance and emotional life is pushed to the Nth degree when he ends up falling in love with a highly intel- ligent operating system. Yep, our Theo – hesitant to sign his divorce papers because he still has ambiva- lent feelings towards his former partner, the emotionally distant Catherine (Rooney Mara) – falls head-over-heels with the digital construct Samantha (for whatever it's worth, she IS voiced by Scarlett Johansson). But instead of being a creepy fetish, Jonze turns their unlikely romance into a hopeful, tender ex- ploration of how love tends to work. Which also means that inevitably, problems ensue… problems that are both specific to Theo and Sa- matha's unique situation, but which also have a universal dimension. The small miracle of Jonze's film is that it succeeds in being both an edgy, observant satire while at the same time creating a delicate, whimsical mood that suffuses his world and its occupants. It leaves you with a feeling that the science fiction presented in the film may just become science fact very soon, though it's not exactly a hard sell at this point (don't the bulk of our relationships play out on Facebook and/or smart-phone communica- tion anyway?). Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema doubtlessly deserves a generous dollop of the kudos here too – the futuristic cityscapes gain a welcome, surprising dimension by virtue of not just being dotted by strikingly minimal architecture… there is a foggy 'sfumato' feel to the mise-en-scene that provides a nec- essary humane touch. But beyond just giving us a 'Brave New World', Jonze in fact burrows deep into the kind of angst that has powered and sometimes even rent relationships asunder over the centuries. Phoenix's protagonist is both passive and lovable – you kind of wish he'd get over his many hangups and just sign the damn di- vorce papers, but you also end up rooting for him when he finds love with a piece of artificial intelligence software. The conceit also allows for some poignant metaphors. Samantha's desire to fully 'consummate' the relationship by means of a physical surrogate – a minefield of awkward- ness and complication – becomes a painful episode for the couple, but it's also a reminder of that point when relationships become unsal- vageable, and when desperate at- tempts to stem the rot only amplify a couple's problems. The triumph of 'Her' is that it suc- cessfully marries a unique idea with an emotionally satisfying drama. Jonze never plays the concept for laughs or quirky kicks. Instead, it lets it run its course. Which is more than can be said for the vanilla cine- ma that dominates the Oscar race. FILM IN CINEMAS TODAY By Teodor Reljic St James Cavalier Valletta Tel. 21 223200 Trishna (18) 20:45 Embassy Cinemas Valletta Tel. 21 227436, 21 245818 I, Frankenstein (3D) (12A) 10:00, 12:15, 14:30, 16:45, 19:00, 21:15 12 Years a Slave (15) 10:25, 15:00, 18:00, 20:50 The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (PG) 16:20, 18:45, 21:10 RoboCop (12A) 10:25, 13:20, 15:55, 18:35, 21:10 Philomena (12A) 10:00, 12:15, 14:30, 16:45, 19:00, 21:15 The Monuments Men (12A) 10:30, 13:30, 16:00, 18:25, 20:50 Eden Cinemas St Julian's Tel. 23 710400 That Awkward Moment (15) 14:20, 16:30, 18:45, 21:10, 23:15 Delivery Man (12A) 14:10, 16:25, 18:45, 21:05, 23:20 Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (12A) 14:05, 16:30, 18:45, 21:05, 23:20 RoboCop (12A) 14:25, 18:10, 21:00, 23:35 Captain Phillips (12A) 14:25, 18:05, 20:50, 23:30 I, Frankenstein (3D) (12A) 14:20, 16:30, 18:50, 21:15, 23:25 Her (15) 14:20, 18:10, 20:55, 23:30 Cuban Fury (12) 14:05, 16:15, 18:30 The Monuments Men (12A) 14:00, 16:20, 18:45, 21:15, 23:45 Last Vegas (12A) 14:05, 16:20, 18:35, 20:45 The Wolf of Wall Street (18) 14:05, 17:40, 21:15, 23:00 August: Osage County (15) 14:25, 18:05, 20:45, 23:15 American Hustle (15) 14:30, 18:00, 20:50, 23:35 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (12A) 14:30, 18:00, 21:10 Frozen (U) 14:00, 16:20, 18:40, 20:55, 23:10 Carrie (15) 21:10, 23:20 12 Years a Slave (15) 14:30, 18:00, 21:00, 23:45 Empire Cinemas Bugibba Tel. 21 581787, 21 581909 I, Frankenstein (3D) (12A) 10:45, 13:35, 15:45, 17:50, 20:45 RoboCop (12A) 10:30, 13:30, 16:00, 18:30, 21:00 Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (12A) 10:35, 13:45, 15:55, 18:00, 20:50 The Monuments Men (12A) 10:40, 13:35, 16:00, 18:30, 21:05 Walking with Dinosaurs (3D) (U) 10:45, 13:55, 15:55, 17:55, 20:45 The Counselor (18+) 10:35, 13:30, 16:00, 18:30, 21:10 Frozen (U) 10:50, 14:00, 16:20, 18:35, 20:50 Love in digital YOUR FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY www.maltatoday.com.mt ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ HER ★ ★ ★ ★ CONNOISSEUR ★ ★ ★ DEMUR ★ ★ BLUR ★ SLUR This week's picks ADVENTURE THE MONUMENTS MEN Based on the true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history, The Monuments Men tells the tale of an unlikely World War II platoon, tasked by FDR with going into Germany to rescue artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves and returning them to their rightful owners. Starring: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban, Hugh Bonneville, and Cate Blanchett. DRAMA AUGUST: OSAGE COUNT Y August: Osage County tells the dark, hilarious and deeply touching story of the strong-willed women of the Weston family, whose lives have diverged until a family crisis brings them back to the Midwest house they grew up in, and to the dysfunctional woman who raised them. Starring: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Benedict Cumberbatch, Abigail Breslin, Sam Shepard, and Chris Cooper. COMEDY CUBAN FURY Beneath Bruce Garrett's under- confident, overweight exterior, the passionate heart of a salsa king lies dormant. Now, one woman is about to reignite his Latin fire. Spotlight hits, sweat drips, heels click – Nick Frost IS Cuban Fury. Also starring: Chris O'Dowd and Rashida Jones. HER (15) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Theo (Joaquin Phoenix) falls in love with an operating system voiced by Scarlett Johansson in this quirky but poignant comedy-drama