Blue Jasmine

Blue Jasmine, Woody Allen's compelling  new film, is about a woman (Cate Blanchett) on the verge of a nervous breakdown. In his 48^th film, Allen touches on hot button topics ranging from class disparity to mental disorder. And it’s a gem.

This film is good enough to end the discussion about whether Woody Allen’s work is on a downhill trajectory. It is definitely not. It’s more precisely a late career of wins and misses. And this is a solid win on par with his recent films Matchpoint and Midnight In Paris.

But enough about Allen, Blanchett’s tragic Jasmine is one of the most memorable characters on film in my lifetime. She’s in almost every captivating scene. And her film is a first-class treat.

Simply put: Woody Allen meets Tennessee Williams, featuring the Best Actress performance of 2013.

Award potential:  Such a standout that you can actually call this one in July. Golden Globe and Oscar winner for Best Actress, Cate Blanchett.

The ten buck review: Worth ten bucks.