War Horse

War Horse is a modern masterpiece of classic--old fashioned?--cinema, and, if you allow it to do so, it will sweep you away with stunning vistas of the English countryside, beautiful relationships (between humans and between their animal friends), and a relished sentimentality that is utterly lacking in most stories today. Some will call it melodrama, and we agree that some of the tears and emotion seem slightly pushed upon us, but this tendency can be forgiven in the context of the broader tale, based on a live stage show, and of the gorgeous pictures with which director Steven Spielberg has chosen to tell it.

This time around, in his World War I battle scenes, Mr. Spielberg generally spares us from witnessing the raw carnage of his World War II epic Saving Private Ryan. That said, it is only within those days of bloody warfare and hardship that we learn to appreciate the bond that exists between a beautiful young horse named Joey and the teenaged boy by whom Joey was raised and trained. While they are separated, this "miracle horse" is even able to temporarily bring together a British soldier and one of his German counterparts for a compassionate truce that is easily the film's highest point. You may want to shove a few Kleenexes in your pocket on your way to the theater; you'll probably need them by the end. And you may also want to hang around until the credits have completely rolled, waiting for the relief you'll feel when you read the line, "no animals were harmed during the making of this movie".