Ang Lee’s Life of Pi is a crowd-pleaser, in the very best sense of that phrase — which is often turned pejoratively. To be sure, Lee’s story (adapted by David Magee from Yann Martel’s bestseller) deals in matters that a lesser filmmaker might’ve slathered together into sentimental claptrap: leaving one’s home, losing one’s family, near-death experiences, bonds forged, faith questioned. These are, to put it mildly, easily manipulated elements. But doing it this well, working an audience’s emotions without showing the strings, is not an easy task. Lee is up to it. … Read More