19th Annual SAG Award Nominations

David O. Russell's "Silver Linings Playbook" made an impressive appearance this morning with four SAG award nominations during the announcement for the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. Both of its leads, Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, as well as a supporting nod for Robert De Niro and a Best Ensemble nomination made up the four total. Tying at four was Spielberg's "Lincoln" with nominations in the same categories for Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones and the cast.

Along with "Silver Linings" for Best Ensemble, the nominated films were "Lincoln," "Les Miserables," "Argo" and "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" which gives the latter film a slight edge toward a possible (but still long shot) Best Picture nomination. The obvious snub here is for "Zero Dark Thirty" which has otherwise been getting plenty of accolades.

The Best Actor nominations here pretty much affirm what we'll see for the category at the Oscars. That is, the usual suspects with John Hawkes for "The Sessions" and Hugh Jackman for "Les Miserables" getting in over the likes of previous contendor Joaquin Phoenix for "The Master."

Best Actress got a bit of a shake-up with Helen Mirren for "Hitchcock" and Naomi Watts for "The Impossible" re-emerging over two major snubs for Quvenzhane Wallis for "Beasts of the Southern Wild" and Emmuanelle Riva for "Amour." Somehow I can't see this overlook happening come Oscar nomination morning.

And it looks like we may have our very first Bond villain make its way to an Oscar nomination in the Best Supporting Actor category. Then again, never before has a Bond villain been played by the entirely capable Javier Bardem. The actor received another nod for his turn in "Skyfall," extending his reach to Oscar potential. This, however, meant that Matthew McConaughey for "Magic Mike" got edged out.

Sneaking their way into Best Supporting Actress were Maggie Smith for "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel," which is a fine inclusion to the category, but then also Nicole Kidman for her raunchy, twisted turn in "The Paperboy." That's a tiny miracle for the film, and there must've been a big campaign behind her. This meant not including the possible contendor of Ann Dowd for "Compliance," but more notably a pretty big snub for Amy Adams in "The Master."

The biggest thing we can walk away with here is that "Zero Dark Thirty" suddenly just hit a wall with only one nomination for its lead, Jessica Chastain. This, however, could all get rectified come Globe nominations tomorrow morning.

Check out the full list of nominations, and be sure to tune in to the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, January 27 at 8 p.m. on TNT and TBS.

LINCOLN Review

There's a point in watching Daniel Day-Lewis as our 16th president of the United States where you realize you're not just watching an actor portrayal. You are watching a man disappearing behind a historical figure, an icon of American history. You stop seeing Daniel Day-Lewis. You see Abraham Lincoln. Never again will an on-screen representation of him be so close, so real and so accurate. And it all starts with that voice. The voice Day-Lewis decided to inhabit the president with is nothing short of brilliant. The legend and lore of Lincoln brings to mind a deep, booming voice. History tells us otherwise, and the master method actor brings this richly to life. Before this film, Lincoln was a figure, a representation, an idea. Now, there's a man to go with it.

Instead of the painterly, picturesque puffery of last year's "War Horse," Steven Spielberg directs "Lincoln" with refined understatement. He allows the densely packed script from Tony Kushner ("Angels in America," "Munich") speak for itself, which was expertly crafted from Doris Kearns Goodwin's "Team of Rivals." Full of monologues, heated debates and strategic discussions, the movie documents the final months of Lincoln's presidency leading up to the passing of the thirteenth amendment and his tragic assassination at Ford's Theatre. The beauty in the collaboration is that it works like a time machine transporting audiences effortlessly to the 19th century, a time when the Civil War raged on and worry surrounded Lincoln's re-election.

Longtime Spielberg cinematographer Janusz Kaminski shoots "Lincoln" full of dark interiors and light spilling in through windows and curtains. Only a few shots are outside, and the only piece of battlefield action is in the film's first fleeting moments. For the majority of its two-and-a-half-hour running time, the film is a lesson in history -- and I mean that in the best way possible. It's smart, and you feel smart watching it. It can drag and does take a bit to get settled in with its vast cast of characters and familiar faces, but once we first enter that House of Representatives, the rewards for your attention and perseverance are immense.

The supporting crew is a laundry list of names and faces audiences will recognize. The main players are Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Lincoln's eldest son, Robert; David Straithairn as Secretary of State William H. Seward, Lincoln's right-hand man; Tommy Lee Jones as the hot-tempered radical liberal Thaddeus Stevens, a fervent advocate of black rights; and Sally Field as Lincoln's wife, Mary Todd. But that's only the beginning. James Spader, Hal Holbrook, John Hawkes, Jackie Earle Haley, Lee Pace, Jared Harris and  Michael Stuhlbarg among many other actors play strong supporting roles to give this moment in history real drama and life.

Casting Sally Field as the impassioned Mary Todd was inspired, as the veteran actress shows us the 16th president's wife as both indignant toward and admirable of her husband. Likewise, Tommy Lee Jones brings a weathered yet tough energy to Thaddeus Stevens whose private secret reveals his personal connection to Lincoln's cause. Both of these seasoned performances will be nominated alongside Day-Lewis.

All of this, all of "Lincoln," it all circles back to Day-Lewis. The scenes of him speaking to his Cabinet are captivating. He plays Lincoln with a quicksilver spirit that is ideal to the president's lore and how well-loved and appreciated he was by his party members. He has all the patience in the world, idling by and telling long stories -- but he also has his moments where he doesn't see what he knows needs to be done getting done. And when he slams that fist of his down on the table and asserts his power, you'll get chills. If nothing else, Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" could likely restore your faith in American politics.

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Review

It is certainly debatable whether or not we needed a reboot of the "Spider-Man" franchise ten years after the first film and just five years after the most recent one. But if we are going to receive a "Spider-Man" reboot, then I'm glad it's this one. From director Marc Webb (fitting last name, right?), "The Amazing Spider-Man" is essentially a remake of Sam Raimi's original "Spider-Man" (2002). But that's to look at it in the most basic sense, which wouldn't do Webb's version justice. He presents a re-imagining of the web-slinging hero's origin story, a more emotionally invested and comprehensive back story as to what happened to Peter Parker's parents and what ends up motivating him to don a mask and start fighting against criminals. And while Raimi's "Spider-Man 2" (2004) is the best of the Spidey movies, this one comes in a close second.

Peter Parker is played by Andrew Garfield ("The Social Network," "Never Let Me Go") whose name is going to blow up after this movie. After being mysteriously left behind by his parents, he comes into the care of his Uncle Ben and Aunt May, played exquisitely by Martin Sheen and Sally Field as loving parental figures. Peter stumbles across his dad's old briefcase filled with brilliant scientific work, a clue into his past and why he fled. The documents lead him to a skyscraper housing Oscorp, your everyday comic book science corporation working on potentially dangerous cutting-edge technology. There Peter meets a genius scientist, Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans), his dad's old lab partner. Together they were working on cross-species interbreeding, hence the availability of a toxic spider to bite Peter and change his life.

Even after Peter's transformation, the movie is smart to keep focusing on his personal story for a solid hour, especially focusing on the blossoming first love between him and his female classmate, Gwen Stacy, played by the always delightful Emma Stone ("The Help," "Easy A"). Gwen's father is the police captain (Denis Leary) who's skeptical of Spider-Man busting crooks. Gone are the days of civilians submitting photos of Spider-Man to the local newspaper. Now to catch a glimpse of him, all you have to do is watch a viral video on the internet. Peter is still a photographer, yes, but it's more of a vintage hobby. It's a cultural update that makes sense. But even with video evidence of Spider-Man serving the people, the police captain is not convinced.

Soon a larger threat than just petty criminals emerges. Dr. Connors, desperate to grow back his missing arm, experiments with lizard genes and gives himself a disastrous transformation. He morphs into the ultra-strong and violent-minded Lizard who seeks to make all men equal in the worst way possible. Lizard proves a formidable villain, but he feels limited to being, well, simply a large, angry reptile. The action sequences to follow are all well-choreographed, easy to follow and make sense for the narrative. The effects are great, and the CGI is never overdone. Watching our web-slinging hero swing through the Manhattan skyline is breathtaking with swirling camera angles and stunning lighting. Some purposeful 3D shots are used such as a first-person Spidey view, which are a fine touch, but as usual the technology makes an otherwise vibrant picture too dark.

"The Amazing Spider-Man" will wow audiences in terms of its spectacle, its moving grace and swift blockbuster appeal, but what audiences will most take away from it is the experience of a first-rate romance. This is only Marc Webb's second feature, which is an impressive feat all its own, his first being the indie love story, "(500) Days of Summer." With that experience, he's able to infuse the Peter/Gwen relationship with quiet magic and a hint of modesty to let his actors shine.

The chemistry between real-life couple Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone is lively, effervescent and adorable in all of its teenage high school shyness. Stone gives Gwen a compassionate and charming allure while Garfield's awkward skateboarding Peter is a creation all his own with perfect nuance. This includes when he's in Spidey mode being smart-mouthed and snarky with criminals much like in the original comic. The actor's spindly limbs and slim yet sturdy frame, as well, are an ideal fit to the limberness and agility of Spider-Man. Individually these two gifted actors make their characters something wholehearted. And together? They're an absolute dream.