Affleck's new 'Baby'

No, Boston Ben Affleck hasn't impregnated Jennifer Garner again. He's gone out and made a critically hailed movie, "Gone Baby Gone." I wasn't as enamored with the film as my peers -- I couldn't swallow the umpteenth plot twist which brings the film to a close -- but it's still an impressive work. And Affleck appears right at home as a director, capturing the gritty side of working classs Beantown and drawing strong, sustained performances from his cast (Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris and brother Casey as the film's star). Affleck's acting chops were never great, which became more obvious with every role he took. But he's still effective when cast just right, as he was in the underrated "Hollywoodland." If "Gone" makes some Oscar noise, he might not have to worry about his acting for a while. (Photo: Casey Affleck plays a conflicted private investigator in "Gone Baby Gone")