This is not a similar opinion to Marc's. "Somewhere between good and very good (the same reaction as mine, btw) is not 'thumb down in the air.'"

Billy, I haven't seen one of your 4 star movies. Mostly because they have never been here.

No such excuse for not seeing Sita Sings the Blues! It's EVERYWHERE!

http://www.sitasingstheblues.com/

I saved the link to its free download but haven't got around to using it yet.

I also liked Public Enemies, but I can see why someone could dislike it. Johnny Depp operates his John Dillinger character within a narrow alleyway of emotions, and it's easy to mistake this very un-Depp role as vacant. It isn't, it's quite intense actually, but if you don't see that quality then the whole film is running on empty.

If I were rating these movies, Up in the Air would get three stars, Public Enemies two, and Heat one.

My four-star reviews of the year are A Serious Man, The Hurt Locker, Avatar, 35 Shots of Rum, (500) Days of Summer, A Prophet, The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, Big Fan, Sita Sings the Blues, Goodbye Solo, and World's Greatest Dad.

Three-and-a-half: District 9, Funny People, The Informant!, Inglourious Basterds, and I Love You, Man.

Three: Crazy Heart, Up, Up in the Air.

I said much the same thing after first seeing, Public Enemies. I actually said that I thought Depp's performance would be ignored come award season. Yet, it was one of his more subtle performances. And I thought very effective. And yes, Lorne, it was indeed intense.