Las Vegas Weekly

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The Academy Awards air February 24 at 5:30 p.m. on ABC. Before the golden men get passed around, we revisit our critics’ takes on this year’s Best Picture nominees.

• 

  Amour

  Josh Bell:

  Mike D’Angelo:

  From our review: “Amour is in some ways more humane and compassionate than [writer-director Michael] Haneke’s previous work, but it retains the cold, detached style of his more provocative films, framing its simple domestic story almost like a clinical study of human frailty.” —JB

  See it: At Regal Cinemas Village Square.

• 

  Argo

  Josh Bell:

  Mike D’Angelo:

  From our review: “It’s the kind of movie that wins Oscars, sure, but it’s also consistently entertaining and socially conscious without being heavy-handed.” —JB

  See it: In theaters and on DVD.

• 

  Beasts of the Southern Wild

  Josh Bell:

  Mike D’Angelo:

  From our review: “Just because something is different doesn’t make it successful, and all of the unique elements here never add up to a cohesive or satisfying whole.” —JB

  See it: At Regal Cinemas Village Square and on DVD.

• 

  Django Unchained

  Josh Bell:

  Mike D’Angelo:

  From our review: “Django is undoubtedly one of the most creative and striking movies of 2012, but it’s also one of the most exhausting.” —JB

  See it: In theaters.

• 

  Les Misérables

  Josh Bell:

  Mike D’Angelo:

  From our review: “There’s bombast a-plenty in the film’s gargantuan sets and the camera’s CGI swooping, but [director Tom] Hooper can’t establish a simple cinematic rhythm to save his life.” —MD

  See it: In theaters.

• 

  Life of Pi

  Josh Bell:

  Mike D’Angelo:

  From our review: “The story lacks emotional engagement, especially whenever [director Ang] Lee returns to the clumsy framing sequence, and the fanciful tone is eventually at odds with the seriousness of Pi’s circumstances.” —JB

  See it: At Regal Cinemas Village Square.

• 

  Lincoln

  Josh Bell:

  Mike D’Angelo:

  From our review: “Even if Lincoln isn’t quite the mesmerizing figure the movie would like him to be, he’s still an essential part of this entertaining and engrossing story.” —JB

  See it: In theaters.

• 

  Silver Linings Playbook

  Josh Bell:

  Mike D’Angelo:

  From our review: “Nothing rings true, least of all the crowd-pleasing notion that manic depression magically vanishes if you find the right partner.” —MD

  See it: In theaters.

• 

  Zero Dark Thirty

  Josh Bell:

  Mike D’Angelo:

  From our review: “The film is ... unemphatically gripping—a data-driven procedural that acknowledges the needle-in-a-haystack nature of intelligence work.” —MD

  See it: In theaters.