Lincoln, rated PG-13
One of the most anticipated films of the fall, Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” stars Daniel Day-Lewis as President Abraham Lincoln during the months preceding his assassination. If one of the finest of all filmmakers (Spielberg) teaming up with the most dedicated and brilliant actor of his generation (Day-Lewis) doesn’t have you excited, consider the outstanding supporting cast, which includes Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, David Strathairn, Hal Halbrook, John Hawkes, Jackie Earle Haley, Michael Stuhlbarg and James Spader. If this isn’t Spielberg’s most masterful film since “Minority Report,” I’ll be surprised.
Life of Pi, rated PG
Most high school students are familiar with Yann Martel’s book “Life of Pi,” an inspiring story of a young boy stranded by himself on a lifeboat with a large tiger in the middle of the ocean. You couldn’t have asked for a more outstanding director for this material than Ang Lee, the visionary filmmaker behind films as diverse as “Brokeback Mountain,” “Sense and Sensibility” and the underrated “Hulk.” Additionally, Lee has filmed “Life of Pi” in 3D, following in the footsteps of Martin Scorsese, another genius filmmaker who used 3D to its full potential with last year’s “Hugo.” Based on the awe-inspiring trailer, this looks to be the family film of the year.
Jack Kyser is a graduate of Austin High School and New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.
