Michael Stuhlbarg

CHICAGO – “Inside Llewyn Davis” shows the strength of the Coen brothers’ authorship, and the vitality their vision gives to different time periods, locations, and life experiences. This freewheelin’ bildungsroman of destiny? coincidence? trails a scraggly singer/songwriter (Oscar Isaac as the title character), daring to spread olden tunes in a period of American artistry that is pre-Dylan.

CHICAGO – HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire” found a narrative urgency and a deep sense of poetic melancholy in 2012’s season three, the best of the program’s run to date.

CHICAGO – The auteur Woody Allen is one of the most prolific post-studio-system directors, averaging one film a year for close to 40 years. His meditations on life have become part of the culture, and he brilliantly expresses himself once again – with help from Cate Blachett – in the emotional “Blue Jasmine.”

CHICAGO – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film with our unique social giveaway technology, we have 30 pairs of advance-screening movie passes up for grabs to the new Woody Allen film “Blue Jasmine” starring Cate Blanchett!

CHICAGO – 2012 contained three great Tommy Lee Jones performances, and one of them was delivered by Josh Brolin. Whereas Jones himself was flat-out brilliant in “Hope Springs” and “Lincoln,” he was assigned the thankless task of playing second (or third) banana to the wisecracking, increasingly Bugs Bunny-like Will Smith in Barry Sonnenfeld’s wholly unnecessary third installment in the “Men in Black” franchise.

CHICAGO – “Ordinary men avoid trouble. Extraordinary men turn it to their advantage.” Isn’t that line from the second episode of the third season of “Boardwalk Empire,” returning tonight, September 16, 2012 on HBO, really at the core of everything we know about Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) and the people that play in his circle of violence?

CHICAGO – “Men in Black III” is such a soulless venture, a film made by committee that doesn’t display the touch of anyone with any remaining actual interest in the characters. In the pipeline for years, the film has been fine-tuned to the point that all of its personality was buffed out in the process.

CHICAGO – Two films tied for the most Oscars this week and only one is available on Blu-ray as Martin Scorsese’s beloved “Hugo,” winner of five Oscars, hit the home market with one of the best HD transfers I’ve ever seen (and I’ve seen hundreds). This movie looks beautiful in HD, arguably more so than it did in 3D in theaters. I have more issues with the film than most critics but the transfer perfectly amplifies the film’s strengths, downplaying its weaknesses. The special features are light but the video is strong enough not to complain.

CHICAGO – HBO long led the way when it came to TV on DVD releases, but they were never much for special features. I think the idea was that their programming spoke for itself. “It’s not TV, it’s HBO.” So why should they do what their competition does when it comes to deleted scenes, commentaries, etc.? It was a bit frustrating to read press releases for great TV shows and realize that they were once again bare-bones editions. Which makes the bonus-packed first season of “Boardwalk Empire” all that more amazing.

CHICAGO – Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo” is a deeply personal piece, a magical tale about imagination and the importance of film preservation presented with some of the most technical expertise in years.