The Fighter - 4 stars

This is Christian Bale's masterpiece.

"The Fighter" is a powerfully epic movie, and as my boy Roger Ebert only says a few times a year, "This is one of the year's best films."

There have been a only been a few performances in the last few years where actors have completely disappeared into their roles... Heath Ledger as the Joker in the "Dark Knight" comes to mind... J. Phoenix as Johnny Cash in "Walk the line"... MACGRUBER lol just kidding

As you are watching this movie... you keep forgetting that it is Christian Bale playing Marky Mark's drugged up older brother... he is AMAZING in this movie, and frankly, has absolutely no competition in the Best Supporting Actor category... Michael Douglas will get a nomination for Gordon Gekko no question, and Andrew Garfield will totes get a spot for "Social Network", but this is Bale's award and nobody else's...

Is there another sport that lends itself to great movies like boxing does? The answer is no... here is some proof:

• Rocky
• Cinderella Man
• Raging Bull
• Million Dollar Baby

"Rocky" and "MDB" won best picture... "Raging Bull" was nominated but should have won... and "Cinderella Man" should have been nominated but wasn't... Paul Giamatti was unreal in "CM"

Point it, the personalities and stories of overcoming adversity are soo much greater in the boxing community, they are so much more powerful than those of other sports. Take hockey or golf for instance... those sports are expensive to play growing up... who wants to watch a movie about some damn rich kid who is good at sports? Nobody! The only good movie about a rich kid is "Richie Rich"... fact

Let's wrap this up... Marky Mark was very good in the title role of Mickey Ward... Amy Adams has her terrific cleavage on display the entire movie, and nobody is complaining about that! Seriously, she has come along way from her days of guest starring on the first season of "Smallville", she's a great actor... and whoever that was playing Marky Mark's mom was a crazy bitch... but good... all of them will probably get Oscar nods

Is this the best movie I've seen this year... it's close... that list is coming out soon and this will be near the top... so to repeat, as Roger Dodger says, this is one of the year's best films....