The first film I saw was the Jeff Goldblum vehicle “Adam Resurrected,” about one Holocaust survivor helping others with mental recovery while battling with his own. Goldblum plays the charismatic, once “funniest-man-in-Germany” Adam Stein without his characteristic Goldblum vocal inflections and spontaneous hand gestures. Though that sounds like it leaves the viewer deprived, it shows that Goldblum does have some decent acting chops.

However, he is the only good thing about the film. Schrader’s direction is less than remarkable; he makes choices that are more clichéd than interpretive (like shooting all the flashback scenes in black-and-white). The script is unfocused in both tone and topic. Parts felt forced and invented. The ensemble (minus Willem Dafoe and Derek Jacobi) does little to help the film as it spirals downward. Some, like Ayelet Zurer, who plays Stein’s love interest, actually make several scenes unbearably odd and awkward.

Unfortunately, after the film, Schrader, this year’s recipient of the Life Achievement Award, was given a microphone. I had to cut my way through the pompous and egotistical self-congratulation when I left the interview early.

My second film was Kurt Kuenne’s “Dear Zachary,” this year’s winner of the “Best Documentary” Award. “Dear Zachary” started as a gift from Kuenne to his murdered friend’s unborn son as a way for him to meet his father. However, due to heartbreaking events, legal complications and the enduring love of two people, “Dear Zachary” turns into the best documentary I have ever seen.

The film is at once the most depressing and inspirational film in my experience. It is also the greatest love story ever told. I hesitate to go any further into the film because you must see it to understand the power that flies off the screen—power I can’t put into words. As a very personal film, “Dear Zachary” is an experience you can almost completely feel.

I had the fortune to be sitting across the aisle from Kate and David Bagby, the parents of Andrew Bagby, who was murdered. They and director Kuenne spoke after the screening and showed what powerful and amazing people they are. It will be difficult to find this one at the local theaters, but it premieres on Sunday, December 7 at 9 p.m. on MSNBC. Don’t miss it.

That same night, I saw the winner of this year’s “Best International Film” Award, Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire” (yeah, some night, right?). “Slumdog” tells the Oliver Twist-like tale of an orphaned boy in an impoverished part of India as he follows love all the way to becoming a contestant on the Indian “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” The film is undoubtedly alive in every aspect. Danny Boyle shows why he is the best director alive whom no one seems to care about recognizing. Look for this film to make a splash at this year’s Academy Awards. “Slumdog Millionaire” is one of the best films of 2008. (For a more detailed review, see Student Life from Wed. Dec. 3).

On closing night, I sat with a full house for Darren Aronofsky’s “The Wrestler.” The film is about a wrestler (believe it or not) who is trying to resurrect his life and career after falling from stardom and suffering many trials and self-induced hardships. Once extremely talented, Randy “The Ram” Robinson, is a genuinely good, charismatic guy. Aronofsky’s tale doesn’t fall too far into clichés, or make Robinson the butt of “old wrestler” jokes, but offers a sentimental, heartfelt, sometimes hard-to-watch glimpse into the life of a troubled man trying to make a comeback. Mickey Rourke, who plays Robinson, is the best thing about this film.

From my description above, you can probably see that he was a perfect casting choice, as the plot pretty much describes his life. Rourke offers a rough, personal and often funny iconic performance that is the best leading male performance I’ve seen all year.

Though the film moves between being unbearably tough and dangerously sentimental, it ends at a resonating, almost melancholy tone that is pitch-perfect. “The Wrestler” is a fantastic character study and a return to form for Aronofsky after “The Fountain.”

Try to get a hold of Bruce Springsteen’s original song written for the film. It’s beautiful, bare and honest and captures the entire spirit of the film and Rourke’s performance perfectly. Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood show up to give troubling, yet honest and strong performances, but this is Rourke’s film. Expect to see him nominated for a Best Actor Oscar and don’t be surprised if he is crowned.