REEL CRITICS:

“Confessions of a Shopaholic” will make you laugh as Rebecca Bloomwood careens around New York City’s pricey boutiques like a pinball, scooping up designer duds in a true fashionista frenzy.

Oh but the horror, the horror! Rebecca is past her Prada-clad eyeballs in debt thanks to her 12 (!) maxed-out credit cards. Five years ago, this might have seemed a bit wackier than it does now. It’s now more of a sad sign of the times: Years of instant gratification at all costs and “buy now, pay later” have hit the fan.

Pint-sized dynamo Isla Fisher, as Rebecca, is the film’s sole red-headed redemption. A gifted physical comedienne, she is immediately likable: an incredible bubblehead and also a shrewd observer of life — excluding her own, of course.

Through a serendipitous mix-up, Rebecca lands a job as a journalist (!) for “Successful Saving” magazine. One glance at her incredibly charming editor (Hugh Dancy) and we know everything that’s going to happen for the next 90 minutes.

“Shopaholic” is about as deep as Rebecca’s green silk scarf but still pretty to look at. Loved the talking mannequins — they were almost more fun than the clothes themselves.

And the Academy Awards should go to ...

The big studios release more than 200 major films each year, but only 20 of them usually account for all the major Academy Award nominations. This year is no exception.

“Milk” provides a realistic look at historical events surrounding the election of the first openly gay man in America politics. Sean Penn’s terrific performance as Harvey Milk makes him a worthy Best Actor nominee. “Frost/Nixon” provides a similar situation for Frank Langella. He clearly mastered every aspect of Richard Nixon’s personality and mannerisms in his outstanding role. But the movie looks like it was made for TV.

“The Reader” is much more complex with historic WWII overtones. Kate Winslet’s magnificent effort playing a former Nazi prison guard should win her the Best Actress award. This film is captivating and thought provoking, but might not take the main prize.

“Slumdog Millionaire” is the great indie entry with lots of Oscar buzz. It’s a serious and startling look into India’s rapidly changing society. Unknown actors and great directing provide a realistic glimpse into the violent forces at work in their culture today.

But the movie that shines above all the rest is “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” It offers a sweeping epic view of America across several decades. The screenplay is from the writer who gave us “Forest Gump.” Brad Pitt is a serious Best Actor contender playing a man who ages backward across the 20th century to become younger as the years pass by. It’s a strange premise presented with first-rate acting, directing, writing, cinematography and special effects. It deserves to win Best Picture this year.

SUSANNE PEREZ lives in Costa Mesa and is an executive assistant for a financial services company. JOHN DEPKO is a Costa Mesa resident and a senior investigator for the Orange County public defender’s office.