2007 - Short Term 12

I like Brie Larson.  A lot.  From her work on United States of Tara it was clear that she was a force to be reckoned with both in comedy and drama - and then here comes this - out of left field and perfectly executed.  It's the story of a foster care facility and the supervisors who work there - one in particular.  It's an honest and nerve-inducing look at this world and it's done so with compassion and gritty honesty.  The entire cast is top notch and the film is well worth the reputation that it's gathered.  I think I'll give it another watch with my wife - this kind of film is right up her alley.
It just became available on Netflix, so don't be shy - give it a go!

1963 - 21 Jump Street

I've never seen a single episode of the original 21 Jump Street, but I appreciate the cleverness in the meta set-up.  It's not a remake so much as what's happening with the Jump Street program a few decades later.  Very smart move.
Jonah Hill is one of those actors who can do very little wrong in my book.  He's just entertaining as hell for me to watch - and Channing Tatum is super delightful here - the two are a pretty fantastic pair.  Throw Brie Larson in and I'm a happy camper.  The comedy in this film is sharp and on point - it's a bit winky, and a bit of a satire, but it's never a bad thing - and the action is a lot of fun as well.  Sorry I was late to the boat on this one, and looking forward to the sequel!  It's on Netflix!

1905 - Don Jon

Only Joseph Gordon-Levitt would cast himself in a role like this and thank the sweet lord that he did.  Holy shit did I love this film.  I loved how fun it was, how much the cast gelled, and how inspired the casting was (especially Tony Danza).  I loved the style of the images, it's repetition.  Such a wonderfully endearing and fucked up lead character that you really love and want to see get what they want and need.  Again, this is a film where I don't want to give away a single damn thing, but know that I smiled from ear to ear from start to finish.  Not only is this a great film, but for a first time filmmaker, it's the promise of a great career as a filmmaker and I'm so excited to see what he does next in his regard.  See this the instant you're able.

1584 - The United States of Tara: season three

And so it ends.  Was it really only three seasons?  Feels like it's been a lot more than that.  Alas.  I really really liked the direction of this season, seeing the inside of Tara's mind, her making deal with the alters.  Loved Eddie Izzard's cameo (shame it didn't last the entire season - although it's understandable by, story wise).
This season saw both the kids have to face real life and deal with it.  It saw Tara's sister finally get over herself and see the amazing man that was standing right in front of her.  It also saw Max finally lose his shit and say what's on his mind (the entire building/sequence of which was masterful), but most importantly it saw Tara confronting her alters and the first step of getting her shit together.  I think this show finally found it's legs, and ironically just as they decided to cancel it.  I think getting a glimpse into Tara's mind is a great thing to play with (except for that over the top finale with the water-boarding and being saved by Max entering (eyes rolled a bit there).
I'm disappointed that this show will not continue.  I was looking forward to writing a spec of this series, but it's pointless now.  Although intended to be a season finale, I think that this worked out just as well to have it as the series.  Everyone here felt a little older and wiser, like it mattered that they'd been here and done these things.  For fun I think I'll revisit some season one stuff to just see how far everything has evolved.  
If you've never seen this show you owe it to yourself to check out the first batch of episodes, only a dozen episodes a season - not too hard to catch up.  And remember, it's never too late to discover an amazing new series.
***The other thing that I wanted to add, having thought about it, is that what I really loved about this season was the new alter Bryce, but more so just what it did to the dynamic of ALL the characters.  I loved that, for the first time, we felt genuinely concerned and worried about her and all the other characters.  Good stuff, indeed! 
United States of Tara: Third Season