The Place Beyond the Pines

Cianfrance’s bloody valentine is a three headed mutant character study, with slow deliberate pacing, kept entertaining through some of the curviest curveballs ever thrown and a cast who knock them out of the park.  Powerful and shocking drama boldly introduces hyper-Aristotle’s 3x3 act structure.   Awfully long run-time, but squashes it.

Blue Valentine

Heart-wrenchingly real look at why love sucks. Gosling goes full Nelson with powerful performance in anti-Notebook. Williams delivers as well, and both performances invite viewer to wallow amidst a future room of despair. Far too mundane for mainstream. Think 500 Days of Winter, though Gosling’s hairline suggests more like 5000.