By Matt Honig

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'The Grey' as barren as its setting

It's Liam Neeson pitted against Mother Nature in "The Grey," writer-director Joe Carnahan's fourth outing. Carnahan, the man behind such middling fare as 2007's frenetic "Smoking Aces" and the unnecessary adaptation of "The A-Team," has very likely found his first big box office hit with "The Grey," however, the film is only a slightly above-average thriller with a stylish aesthetic gloss.

'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' a refreshing take on espionage film

Between Bond, Bourne, and Ethan Hunt, the past decade has seen an unbearable onslaught of conventional spy films. Thankfully, the newest effort in the age-old "spy" genre provides a nice departure from the usual fluff Swedish director Tomas Alfredson (helmer of 2008's internationally acclaimed horror "Let the Right One In") has truly done wonders with "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," a quiet, yet relentlessly gripping take on espionage cinema.

'The Artist' a film worth talking about

Chances are, you've probably never seen anything quite like French director Michel Hazanavicius' "The Artist." That's because it is a silent movie shot entirely in black and white. Yes, you read that correctly. The subtitled black-and-white film was released in 2011. Even the picture quality is grainy. Although its premise may seem a little off-putting to the average 21st-Century moviegoer, "The Artist" is actually a refreshing take on an antiquated mode of filmmaking.

Payne drama has a bid at Oscars

Filmmaker Alexander Payne has proven himself a seasoned veteran at tip toeing the line between comedy and tragedy. Whereas most Hollywood dramedies often fall victim to excessively syrupy third acts, Payne's films-from the senior-citizen road-flick "About Schmidt" to the coming-of-middle-age tale "Sideways"-are as melancholy and telling of the human condition as they are bleakly hilarious. His newest, "The Descendants," is yet another solid dramedy that will surely see its share of awards recognition come Oscar season.

Contagion"" proves to be an outright killer flick