The Oscar season gathers steam with "The Railway Man."

If Academy Award voters remember the September through December Oscar season is a ways up around the bend look for multiple Oscar nominations for "The Railway Man," including actor (Colin Firth) and actress (Nicole Kidman)."The Railway Man" is superbly accomplished cinema. It's an unconventional film about an unconventional topic that resonates on multiple levels in the contemporary international socio-political climate. "The Railway Man" is transformative.The film is based on the best-selling autobiography, "The Railway Man: A POW's Searing Account of War, Brutality and Forgiveness" (2008) by Eric Lomax, a British World War II Army officer captured in 1942 by the Japanese in the fall of Singapore. Lomax and thousands of POWs were forced to build the Burma-Siam railway, a project which inspired director David Lean's classic movie, "The Bridge on the River Kwai" (1957).Lomax (Firth) was tortured because he wouldn't reveal why he spearheaded the building of a secret radio receiver and drew a map depicting the railroad line and bridge."I like trains," Lomax says.Lomax's obsession with trains, specifically, passenger train service timetables he memorizes, frustrates his wife Patti (Kidman). They met where else? on a British passenger train in 1980. Their dialogue echoes and references director Lean's movie, "Brief Encounter" (1945).Patti is bound for the Highlights. Lomax, in crazy curly hair, goofy mustache and unfashionably huge glasses, is just bound bound to his past. He's a "railway enthusiast, not a trainspotter," he emphatically tells Patti.Patti suffers Lomax's nightmares, outbursts and sullen silences. He is unable to share his wartime experiences with her. She confronts Lomax's wartime Army buddy, Finlay (Stellan Skarsgard). Lomax's recollections, including the building of the railway, construction of the radio, its discovery and the unspeakable cruelty of his Japanese captors, is recounted vividly (the violence depicted is too intense and lengthy for this reviewer).Lomax's wants to seek revenge when he learns the Japanese officer, Takeshi Nagase, who supervised his interrogation is still alive. We'll let you see this extraordinary, difficult and inspiring film to learn the rest of the story.Firth is brilliant in portraying the nuances of a furtive, cauterized, ruined man who is "still fighting the war."Kidman is efficient in creating empathy not only for the weary wife who endures her husband's abusive nature, but in conveying sympathy for the often cruel Lomax, as well as wounded warriors everywhere. Her cool blue eyes radiate warm with love for him."The Railway Man" is directed at a leisurely pace by Jonathan Teplitzky ("Burning Man," 2010) from a screenplay by Frank Cottrell Boyce ("Millions," the wonderful 2002 Danny Boyle directed film) and Andy Paterson (producer, "Beyond the Sea," 2004; "Girl With A Pearl Earring," 2003; "Hilary and Jackie," 1998).Teplitzky, working with his long-time cinematographer Garry Phillips, lets the camera linger on the actors in moments of silence. His long and considered view allows the audience, to consider the effect of the spoils of war on those who serve.The fine soundtrack by David Hirschfelder ("Australia," 2008; "Elizabeth," 1998; "Shine," 1997) augments the characters' emotional conflicts.Get on board. Don't miss "The Railway Man.""The Railway Man," MPAA Rated R (Restricted. Children Under 17 Require Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian.) for disturbing prisoner of war violence; Genre: Biography, Drama; Run time: 1 hr., 54 min.; Distributed by The Weinstein Company.Credit Readers Anonymous: Stay for "The Railway Man" closing credits for photos and information about the real-life people on whose lives the film is based. Scottish-born Eric Sutherland Lomax died in 2012. His wife attended the film's premiere at the 2013 Toronto Film Festival.Box Office, May 16: "Godzilla" stomped to No. 1, with $93.2 million, treading the year's biggest opening day, $38.5 million, and second biggest opening weekend, after "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," $95 million. "The Neighbors" moved to No. 2; $25.9 million, $91.5 million; two weeks;3. "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," $16.8 million, $172.1 million, three weeks; 4. "Million Dollar Arm," $10.5 million, opening; 5. "The Other Woman," $6.3 million, $71.6 million, four weeks; 6. "Heaven Is For Real," $4.4 million, $82.2 million, five weeks; 7. "Rio 2," $3.8 million, $118 million, six weeks; 8. "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," $3.7 million, $250.6 million, seven weeks; 9. "Legends Of Oz: Dorothy's Return," $1.9 million, $6.5 million, two weeks; 10. "Moms' Night Out," $1.9 million, $7.3 million, two weeksUnreel, May 23:"X Men: Days of Future Past," PG-13: Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James McAvoy, Michael Fasbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Anna Paquin, Ellen Page, Peter Dinklage, Hugh Jackman and a cast of mutant thousands star in the sci-fi action film. Wolverine goes back to the past to change the future, while managing to invoke the title of The Moody Blues' 1967 concept album. Characters from the original X-Men film trilogy join forces with their younger selves from "X-Men: First Class.""Blended," PG-13: Drew Barrymore steps away from her chair in her duties as co-host with Robert Osborne of TCM's "Essentials" classic movie show to see how essential Adam Sandler is to a comedy about a families' resort where romance is the last resort. Kevin Nealon, Bella Thorne and Joel McHale co-star.Read Paul Willistein's movie reviews at the Lehigh Valley Press web site, thelehighvalley-press.com; the Times-News web site, tnonline.com; and hear them on "Lehigh Valley Art Salon," 6 - 6:30 p.m. Mondays, WDIY 88.1 FM, and wdiy.org, where they're archived. Email Paul Willistein: pwillistein@ tnonline.com. You can follow Paul Willistein on Twitter and friend Paul Willistein on facebook.