‘Silver Linings Playbook’

Year after year, I find myself complaining about the state of love stories in the movies. From those damn “Twilight” pictures to the countless vehicles starring the showboating Katherine Heigl, inspired romance has become difficult to come by in this day and age. 2012 however, has exhibited an unexpected change of pace in the romance department. With “Safety Not Guaranteed,” “Rudy Sparks,” “The Sessions,” “Hope Springs” and “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World,” this has proven to be a reassuring year for movies about unlikely people coming together and having a meaningful connection. Even several major action blockbusters, such as “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Looper” and “The Amazing Spider-Man,” have managed to incorporate smart, believable relationships that do not just feel tacked on.

What happens when your marriage is founded on your mutual love of getting drunk together? What ensues when one spouse decides that it’s finally time to sober up? These are just a couple questions raised by “Smashed”, a new comedy-drama film opening at Harkins Camelview 5 this weekend.

Director Jon Kasdan comes from a family of filmmakers. His father served as screenwriter for classic motion pictures such as “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. His brother has directed star-studded, raunchy comedies like “Bad Teacher” and “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story”.

Looper is a time traveling thriller that reminds us that classic science fiction doesn’t come from quality visuals or the biggest explosions. There’s no denying that “Looper” is an exquisitely crafted picture with some heart pounding action set pieces. But the reason the film warrants such praise is because of its inspired ideas, brilliant execution, and the involving characters we follow along the way. Director and writer Rian Johnson obviously had a clear artistic vision going into this project and never allowed the studio or conventions to stand in his way. His product is one of the slickest and smartest movies about time travel in a long time.

For me, the only thing better than a good time-travel movie would be an actual time machine (Come on scientists – get with it!), so I was very excited when I saw the trailer for the new time-tweaking action flick, Looper. But nothing could have prepared me for how incredibly amazing this film turned out. This movie is so much more than it appears on the surface and an instant sci-fi classic has been born.

It's distracting at first: the fact that you're looking at Joseph Gordon-Levitt but he doesn't look exactly like the Joseph Gordon-Levitt you've come to know and love. Aren't his eyes brown? Isn't his nose longer and thinner? Even the blasé smirk on his face seems like an unfamiliar expression given his usual likable, boyish cool.

“Looper” is a time traveling thriller that reminds us that classic science fiction doesn’t come from quality visuals or the biggest explosions. There’s no denying that “Looper” is an exquisitely crafted picture with some heart pounding action set pieces. But the reason the film warrants such praise is because of its inspired ideas, brilliant execution, and the involving characters we follow along the way.

The B-list rules Hollywood’s fall and holiday movie season: Bond, Bella and Bilbo.

Spring training preview

Shane McGough wasn’t born wearing a singlet and headgear, and he didn’t spend countless childhood weekends at wrestling tournaments. He just looks like he did.

Edgar Verde of Mesa didn't look like the No. 1 seed in his 145-pound 5A-I state wrestling bout. He didn't even sound like one.

Ryan Braun can breathe a little easier now that home run No. 100 is out of the way.

There is a place, my friend Lazarus says, where the native tongue is golf. It’s a place where they have three of the top golf courses in America, and soon a fourth. ... It’s called Bandon. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Oregon.

MILWAUKEE — Dan Haren no longer relies on the dominating fastball he once had. It's the pitches that he's picked up along the way that impress former manager Ken Macha.

The second day of the 5A Division I state wrestling tournament looked a lot like the first.

STATE WRESTLING