THE SUSPECT (2013)

Dong-chul (Gong Yoo), a former top North Korean spy now seeking anonymity in South Korea after a botched mission left him abandoned and his wife and daughter dead, has taken a job as bodyguard and driver to the CEO of a powerful organization.  When the CEO is assassinated, with his dying words he entrusts Dong-chul with a very special pair of reading glasses - glasses that hold a secret those from both sides of the law would kill to retain.  Framed for murder of his boss, Dong-chul finds himself on the run again, trusting no one in pursuit of the truth, as well as the revenge on the person who killed his wife and child (which he has been plotting since leaving North Korea) ... and he doesn't care who or what gets in his way to do it.  One of my favorite films I saw in 2014, Gong Yoo is terrific in this tense, violent, complex, adrenaline-packed rollercoaster of a spy thriller that will leave you breathless - yet with a tear in your eye by the time the end credits roll.  Incredible. (not rated)  A

THE SUSPECT trailer

THE BABADOOK (2014)

The Babadook is an atmospheric Australian horror film about a young woman named Amelia (Essie Davis) who, nearly a decade later, still mourns the violent death of her beloved husband, killed in a car wreck on their way to the hospital the night Amelia gave birth to their son, Samuel.  Now a single mom still drowning in grief, and with a violent, hyperactive little boy (Noah Wiseman) acting out with his own issues, Amelia - one evening at bedtime - finds a children's book she doesn't recognize in Samuel's room, Mister Babadook, that she reads to him at his insistence, only to find an extremely disturbing story about a monster that stalks you from the shadows.  Mild violence, creepy music, and a couple of jump scares ensue ... but ultimately the film suffers from two major flaws: Samuel is so obnoxious and violent, it's hard to sympathize with him, and the ending is such a pop and fizzle, like a slowly leaking balloon, compared to all that comes before.  Hailed by many critics, The Babadook is suspenseful and looks terrific, but falls too short in the end to be great. (not rated)  C

THE BABADOOK trailer

COME BACK TO THE 5 & DIME JIMMY DEAN, JIMMY DEAN (1982)

Talk to anyone who has seen this film - set in 1975 in one of the last remaining Woolworth's in the dustbowl town of McCarthy, Texas, where the Disciples of James Dean are about to have their 20th reunion on the anniversary of Dean's death - and you'll find if they're a fan, they're also rabid about their absolute passion for it.  Flashing back and forth between 1975 and (by way of the mirror behind the dime store's counter) 1955, Jimmy Dean tells the stories of Sissy (Cher, in one of her best performances), Stella Mae (a then-virtually unknown Kathy Bates), Edna Louise (Marta Heflin) ... and Mona (Sandy Dennis, so encapsulating Mona, you never see her "acting"), who nearly two decades ago gave birth to the son of James Dean, after a one-night tryst with the legend when she did extra work on the film Giant.  When a stranger (Karen Black) "crashes" the reunion, old hurts and dark secrets come to light, in a film that - every time I see it - holds something new and real I never noticed before.  In its way, a masterpiece of filmmaking. (rated PG)  A

COME BACK TO THE 5 & DIME JIMMY DEAN, JIMMY DEAN trailer (fan-made)

THE BOXTROLLS (2014)

For many years, beneath the city of Cheesebridge, there have lived the Boxtrolls - feisty but harmless little creatures, underground garbage collectors, who venture above-ground only after dark to collect their discarded "treasures".  They've also served as a family to a young human boy named Eggs (Isaac Hempstead Wright of "Game of Thrones"), who lives in his own box and doesn't even realize he's human because he's known no other family.  But when an evil exterminator, Snatcher, who has spread rumors around town that the Boxtrolls are evil, dangerous monsters, promises to rid the city of the pests in order to elevate his status in the community, Egg is forced to the surface, where he meets the rebellious, smart-mouthed Winnie (Elle Fanning), the two working together to save their innocent friends from harm.  From the makers of Coraline and ParaNorman, (though I actually liked this more than either of those), The Boxtrolls is a rousing, funny, and exciting adventure that is original and enchanting from beginning to end. (rated PG)  A

THE BOXTROLLS trailer

THE BOOK OF LIFE (2014)

If you think incredible animation begins and ends with Pixar, 2014 saw the release of two of the genre's best in some time: The Boxtrolls (check here for review), and the beautiful eye candy that is The Book of Life.  Equally great for adults and kids, the story concerns a young Mexican man, named Manolo, who comes from a long line of bullfighters but only wants to play his guitar and sing.  He's fighting his childhood buddy Joaquin (Channing Tatum) for the hand of the exquisite Maria (Zoe Saldana), and though the three have known each other since childhood it is Manolo who - on the Day of the Dead, no less - has to navigate the challenges of three very different worlds and face his fears, to try and win Maria and save his village.  Though the film touches on heavy subjects like death and family loyalty, it does so in such a lyrical (even humorous) way, imbuing the film with a deeper, more heartfelt meaning than you'd expect.  And that soundtrack!  A feast for the eyes and the heart ... and a lovely film. (rated PG)  A-

THE BOOK OF LIFE trailer

THE INTERVIEW (2014)

Even with an overacting, sometimes annoying James Franco, The Interview is by far one of the best films I've seen this year; certainly the best comedy, and WELL worth your time to seek out and see.  A bawdy, very funny, and wonderfully entertaining film, it's the story of cheesy tabloid TV reporter Dave Skylark (Franco), and his best friend/producer of ten years, Aaron Rapaport, who score the interview of a lifetime when they learn that one of the biggest fanboys of their show is none other than North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un (Randall Park).  After the CIA inducts this duo to assassinate the supreme leader with a slow-acting poison, giving them enough time to escape North Korea before he dies, things get enormously screwed up - hilariously so - as these pair of doofs get bogged down in everything from armed bodyguards and sexy Asian babes, to a precious little puppy and a dictator who's suddenly, seemingly developed a heart of gold.  A brilliant, not-to-be-missed film. (rated R)  A

THE INTERVIEW trailer

AS ABOVE, SO BELOW (2104)

One sign of a good film, to me, is if the movie is still stuck in your head weeks later; you can't, somehow, stop thinking about it on the fringes of your mind, and when you do it still produces a visceral blip on your emotional radar.  Such is the case with As Above, So Below, one of those "hand-held camera" sort of films that have already grown out of favor by now, yet here fits the movie perfectly.  Scarlett (Perdita Weeks) is a brilliant archaeology student who speaks four languages and has multiple college degrees, whose search for an ancient artifact has her leading a small crew - including on-again, off-again partner George (Ben Feldman) - into the labyrinth of catacombs beneath the city of Paris that house the bones of thousands of the dead ... and maybe the ghosts that go with them.  The film, though classified as horror, is more the kind of scary movie that gets under your skin and stays there, as the deeper (and more off the charts) the group goes, the more claustrophobic and sinister things get.  More spiritual than you'd think, but that's why it works. (rated R)  B+

AS ABOVE, SO BELOW trailer

CJ7 (2008)

When  writer/director Stephen Chow - the brilliance behind Shaolin Soccer and the frenetically funny Kung Fu Hustle - decided to make a children's film, he wanted to do one that parents could sit down and enjoy with their kids ... and in CJ7 he's succeeded beautifully.  Chow stars Ti, a dirt-poor blue collar laborer (and widower) who lives with his ten-year-old son named Dicky in what barely resembles a shack in the poorest section of town.  Dicky is bullied at school for wearing second-hand clothing and shoes his father repaired after finding them in a dump, but one night - after upsetting Dicky when he can't afford a fancy toy in a store - Ti finds, in the dump, a "toy" in the form of a green ball that Dicky soon learns is a tiny, dog-like alien left behind by its ship.  From here Chow's trademark comedy touches make the film a joy to watch, as Dicky tries to find a way to use CJ7 to confront his tormentors.  Touching, heartfelt, and very funny, CJ7 is a remarkable small film with an awfully big heart, perfect for adults and kids alike.  Have tissues ready before watching. (rated PG)  A

CJ7 trailer

THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING (2014)

One of the most beautiful, lyrical films of the year - and featuring Oscar-worthy performances by Felicity Jones and especially the incredible, long-overdue-for-the-attention Eddie Redmayne - The Theory of Everything is only a biography in telling the story of Hawking's life, illness and work through the love story between him and his wife Jane.  Meeting at Cambridge in 1963, the two were already in love by the time Hawking's work as a student was turning him into a local celebrity, and when his debilitating illness began to show itself, it was Jane who stayed by his side, never stopped believing in him.  The film touches, of course, on Hawking's work as a cosmologist, seeking to discover the one equation that would explain everything in the universe, but it's really the story of Stephen and Jane and a marriage that kept Hawking going long beyond the doctors had written him off.  Incredible performances, and total Oscar bait come February (deservedly so). And again, Redmayne is nothing short of amazing. (PG-13)  A

THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING trailer

FURY (2014)

In the last months of World War II, as the Allies advance further into Germany, a lone Sherman tank led by a tough army sergeant nicknamed Wardaddy (Brad Pitt) pushes even deeper into enemy territory with its crew of five that includes a new second gunner named Norma (Logan Lerman) whose never seen action before.  The tank, called Fury, is the real star of this gritty war film that - despite the familiar cast (Pitt, Lerman, Shia LaBeouf, Michael Pena, and Jon Bernthal round out the crew) - still comes off a dramatic, very real depiction of the frightening, solitary fear that comes when you find yourself quickly becoming outnumbered, out-manned and virtually in the hands of the enemy.  Much has been said about the final "fight scene" (no spoilers here), but for me by then I was so invested in the film it was no problem for me to finish out the enthralling, nail-biting ride to its emotional end. (rated R)  A-

FURY trailer  

THE MAZE RUNNER (2014)

Thomas (Dylan O'Brien) wakes up in an underground elevator with no memory.  When the elevator reaches the top, he finds himself trapped in an enclosed outdoor enclave, The Glade, with a group of other boys that is surrounded by a huge, insurmountable stone maze.  None of the boys remember anything but their own first names, and over time have had to develop as a society in order to survive (a new boy and supplies arrive in the elevator every 30 days, with no explanation and no way out).  Worse still, the maze entrances close up at night, and anyone inside never comes out again; there are monsters in the maze, called Grievers by the boys, for those trying to escape.  When the elevator arrives with a young girl, a chain of events is set off convincing Thomas that somehow they must all escape the maze, no matter what, in this exciting and well-acted thriller - a modern-day Lord of the Flies set in a dystopian world that feels more real and threatening than anything The Hunger Games ever dreamed up. (rated PG-13)  A-

THE MAZE RUNNER trailer

I ORIGINS (2014)

You'd think that a film about a molecular biologist (Michael Pitt), obsessed from childhood with the variances of the human eye, who stumbles across a scientific discovery that could change the world and what we believe as a society about creation as we know it, might be either too dull or too full of scientific mumbo-jumbo for the lay-person to become emotionally involved in.  Such is not the case with I Origins, a wholly original and thought-provoking film that, halfway through, hits you with a pair of sucker-punches that spin the film into an entirely new direction.  You have to pay attention, and for awhile might even wonder where things are going, but if you let go and enjoy the ride, the ending of the film is a quiet knockout that - at least for me - left me stunned and with a tear or two in my eyes.  To say anything more would spoil things; this is either a film you will embrace, even as it makes you feel uneasy, or really not "get" altogether.  Either way, it's a film not easy to forget. (rated R)  A-

I ORIGINS trailer

TUSK (2014)

Justin Long, you've betrayed me.  My fault, I guess; I went into Tusk knowing only it was a 'horror comedy' starring Long, one of my favorite actors.  When the credits started and I saw Kevin Smith billed as writer and director, my skin started to crawl ... but that was nothing compared to the 102-minute assault on my senses that followed, ending with my barely able to finish what ended up being the worst film I saw this year (yes, worse than Sharknado 2).  Long stars as a shock-jock podcaster who goes missing when he heads out to interview a reclusive ex-seaman in Manitoba, causing his fellow podcaster (Haley Joel Osment) and emotionally-fragile girlfriend (Genesis Rodriguez) to search for him.  But what the old sailor has in store for Long, supposedly funny to Kevin Smith (Smith reportedly admits he was high while making the film), makes for one of the most disgusting, morbid, and UNfunny films I've ever seen. Even Johnny Depp, in a small unbilled role, is both awful and annoying. (rated R)  F

TUSK trailer

DRACULA UNTOLD (2014)

If you know any historical facts attributed to the real Vlad the Impaler - the man who inspired Bram Stoker to create Dracula - you'll find them forgotten here.  Luke Evans stars as the young prince, captured and tortured from childhood until molded into a killer by the Turks, who now peacefully runs his kingdom and is a loyal husband and father.  When an old friend turned new nemesis, the Turk warlord Mehmed (Dominic Cooper), demands the sons of Vlad's kingdom to build his new army of killers, Vlad's only recourse in fighting Mehmed's bloodthirsty army lies in a monster who inhabits a cave in the mountains - a monster who can imbue Vlad with the power and near-immortality that could protect his family and subjects ... though at what a cost to him.  The film is high on style, but low on substance; performances are fine, the film looks great, but enough time isn't spent on developing Vlad or the story to fully engage the viewer in the characters or what's going on.  Not a horrible film; you just get the feeling that it could have been so much better. (rated PG-13)  C

DRACULA UNTOLD trailer

LATE PHASES (2014)

Fans of the Hammer horror films, or B-movie monster films of the 1950's - this one's for you!  The terrific Nick Damici plays Ambrose, a Vietnam vet blinded in the war, who is being moved to a senior retirement community by his son.  Bitter and cantankerous, Ambrose seems resigned to living out his final years all but forgotten, but even his first night in he learns that some of his fellow seniors are dying from anything but natural causes; the woods beyond the gated neighborhood are home to a wild pack of dogs, and it seems once a month - in fact, once every 30 days - someone falls victim to a vicious attack.  After his new neighbor is mauled to death, Ambrose realizes the animal in question might not be a dog after all - and that's when Late Phases turns into one of the coolest werewolf films made within the last few decades (at least).  Bloody, yes, but also tense, scary, even occasionally humorous - all in the right places.  Didn't think they made B-movies this good - this fun - anymore. (not rated)  B

LATE PHASES trailer

MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT (2014)

Woody Allen's latest is a mixed bag, set in 1928, about a magician/master illusionist named Stanley (Colin Firth) who is brought in by a friend to expose a lady psychic (Emma Stone) and her mother, who may be on the verge of swindling a wealthy family.  Stanley, ego as big as his talent, insists he can spot a scam artist right away, but finds himself challenged with the spiritualist Sophie, who seems to even know some private things about him and his aunt that she'd have no way of knowing.  She's obviously a fraud, Stanley believes, but his ego takes a beating when, with every attempt he makes to trap her, Sophie seems to prove her otherworldly talents ... and could his frustration also come from a growing attraction to her?  This is Woody Allen after all, and Magic in the Moonlight has its charms, but the age difference between Firth and Stone is a distraction ... and Firth's Stanley is just unlikable enough (Firth's performance also over-the-top enough) to often come off more grating than endearing.  Woody's best in awhile, but still not up to vintage Allen. (rated PG-13)  C+

MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT trailer

DR. NO (1962)

Recently realizing that I'd seen way more Roger Moore Bond films than Sean Connery's (though I prefer Connery AS Bond), I wanted to start fixing that ... and Dr. No, the first of the film series, was both new to me and a heck of a good time.  Bond's introduction is sleek, sexy, and full of intrigue, as we meet 007 just in time for him to get an assignment in Jamaica, trying to find out who is determined to sabotage an upcoming space mission.  The usual Bond gadgets hadn't been introduced yet, but the beautiful Ursula Andress makes the perfect first Bond girl, and from the action to the coy humor and total feel of being immersed in a really cool spy's world, Dr. No is a treat I can't believe I've only just seen for the first time.  Only complaint is you would have thought, by the 1960s, they would have found an actual Asian actor to play the nefarious, half-Chinese Dr. No.  But Lordy, what a cool film - and a great beginning to what would become an iconic film series. (not rated)  A

DR. NO trailer

ONE CHRISTMAS EVE (2014)

What would you say about a group of people that includes spending their Christmas Eve night with multiple trips to the emergency room, getting hurt on a construction site, suffering potential frostbite, getting stranded in an SUV on a highway in the middle of a potential blizzard, being robbed at gunpoint, and barely escaping a fire that guts a police station ... while somehow remaining perky and congenial about the entire thing?  Well, if it's a Hallmark Channel Christmas film, you'd play it off for laughs and Disney-level cutesy ... which is why One Christmas Eve has a couple of nice moments but is otherwise a grating story about how trying to find a home for a puppy on Christmas Eve can lead to one disaster after another.  The cast makes the most of what they have to work with, and if you're willing to suspend all disbelief in reality and can take the sugar-rush of such cuteness, you might enjoy this confection of a holiday film sure to cause at least one cavity via all its sweetness. (not rated)  D+

ONE CHRISTMAS EVE trailer

HOUSEBOUND (2014)

Kylie (Morgana O'Reilly) is a rebellious gal with a chip on her shoulder and a history of petty crimes under her belt.  Busted for attempting to jack an ATM machine, Kylie's latest punishment seems by far the worst (to her) yet, when she's forced - complete with ankle bracelet - to move back in with her mom and step-dad, to the house she left as soon as she was able.  Kylie won't communicate with her step-dad, and thinks her mom - who believes their home is haunted - is a real whack-job ... until Kylie herself starts to hear bumps in the night, and even witnesses a few bizarre things that seem to have no earthly explanation.  Determined to debunk any ghost, even as she starts to wonder if there IS an evil presence in the house, makes for one pretty cool suspense/horror film, complete with perfect touches of comedy that made it not only fun to watch, but also provide a new spin on a well-worn genre.  A terrific New Zealand import that more people on this side of the Pacific should see. (not rated) A-

HOUSEBOUND trailer

THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY (2014)

Hassan Kadam (the long-under-appreciated Manish Dayal) is a young cook from India who learned his love of cooking and food from his dear mother, who died tragically in a fire that forced the family from their home and restaurant in the violent political uprisings of India.  Finally trying a new life in the south of France, failed brakes strand the family in a small town where Papa Kadam happens to find a building he feels will make the perfect place for his family to start a new restaurant ... directly across the street from a sophisticated French restaurant owned by Madame Mallory (Helen Mirren), a woman determined to not be bested after finally receiving her first Michelin star.  Mayhem, comedy, and even mutual sabotage ensues, along with a touch of romance ... but the film's strength is its love for food, as seen through the eyes of those would treat it like art.  Not quite as emotionally involving as, say, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, but this is a sweet, charming, well-worth-taking journey nonetheless. (rated PG)  B+

THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY trailer