THE GREAT HYPNOTIST (****1/2)

(2014) Xu Ruining (Zheng Xu) is a psychologist and lecturer in China, a local celebrity known for his innovative techniques in using hypnosis to treat his patients - particularly debunking those who see ghosts or spirits.  But when an older colleague refers a patient to Dr. Xu - a woman named Ren Xiaoyan (Karen Mok), who claims to see dead people - the smart but smug good doctor finds he's met his match in a patient who may actually be the real thing ... or could be his undoing.  Though much of the film covers the lengthy doctor-patient session that takes place in Xu's office, I was never bored or lost interest in the tennis-like battle between them.  As convincing as Ren's stories are Xu's arguments against them ... until things start to shift and slide and the viewer  begins to realize that maybe everything they're seeing is not as it seems.  I loved this film, did not see the various twists (including the final big one) coming at all, and in the end was left with tears in my eyes as the credits rolled.  Some might find the mostly-office setting a bit static for the film, but I stayed intrigued every moment - and it was so worth it! (not rated)

THE GREAT HYPNOTIST trailer

SHARKNADO 3: OH HELL NO! (*1/2)

(2015) The first Sharknado had its charms by playing it straight but keeping things tongue-in-cheek.  Sharknado 2 took itself way too seriously and was idiotic even by its own standards; near-total crap.  So welcome to Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!, which features a bevy of right-wing celebrities that made the film even more annoying to watch, as Fin Shepard - after saving the life of the president of the United States (played oh-so-badly by Mark Cuban from "Shark Tank" - get it??) - heads down to Florida, where his pregnant wife and daughter lie in the path of ... not only a sharknado, but a series of sharknados threatening to come together to form - are you ready? - a sharkicane!  Oh yeah, sharks in space in this one too.  Yes, sharks in space.  Cameos from C-list stars, seriously bad acting and writing, and bad special effects all contribute to the third in a franchise that just isn't even fun to watch anymore.  Still, better than the second one.  And God help us, there's going to be a number four. (not rated/made-for-TV)

SHARKNADO 3: OH NO HELL! trailer

ZOOTOPIA (****1/2)

(2016) As if animated films haven't grown already, by leaps in bounds, in terms of style, look and quality, last year's Inside Out challenged the depths of emotion, story, even human psyche at a level most of us never would have thought were possible - all while remaining entertaining (and faithful) to children.  Zootopia - arguably one of the best films of the year - continues in that tradition with the story of Judy Hopps (perfectly voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin), a country bunny determined to be the very first rabbit police officer in the big, wonderful city of Zootopia, over two hundred miles away - where all animals, predator and prey, live in harmony, and anyone can make their dreams come true.  Harsh reality hits when Judy makes it there, however, then is handed a missing otter case that turns into a major conspiracy, forcing her to join forces with a con artist fox named Nick (Jason Bateman) to get at the truth.  But neither bunny or fox knows what they're in for, and from here on - without getting preachy or seeming to force its message - Zootopia becomes a story of acceptance; of coming to embrace those different from you and realizing we all exist in this world together ... and will only continue to do so if we remain united.  A funny, visually stunning, heartfelt and ultimately important film that's ideal entertainment plus a brilliant life lesson, populated with a cast of animals more human than most people I deal with on a daily basis. (rated PG)

THE 5TH WAVE (***1/2)

(2016) The earth is under alien attack, and it's coming in waves.  First the huge ships overhead cut all power; engines, cell phones, all communications and transport gone as planes fall from the sky. Two: earthquakes and floods decimate the planet, killing more life.  Third: disease, which takes out the vast majority of whoever is left, leaving only those somehow immune.  When teenager Cassie Sullivan (Chloe Grace Moretz), having already lost her parents, is separated from her younger brother Sam, she makes her way to the military base where he and other young survivors are being trained to fight the alien force and take back the earth as the fourth wave - invasion - begins.  No huge surprises here - the "big reveal" of the film is easy to figure out early on  - but between the fresh-faced cast, cool special effects, and a fairly original premise, I enjoyed The 5th Wave like the best of the brainless but stylish alien B-movies of the '50s. (rated PG-13)

THE 5TH WAVE trailer

10 CLOVERFIELD LANE (****)

(2016) There's only a very remote/ultimately confusing "connection" between this film and 2008's Cloverfield, so seeing one without having seen the other isn't an issue; this is, by no means, a sequel or extension of the first.  A young woman, Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is in the process of leaving her husband when she's in a bad car accident.  Things get worse, though, when she wakes up with a badly injured leg that's chained to the wall of a dank basement room, part of an underground bunker owned by a guy named Howard (John Goodman), who may or may not be a nutjob who tells her he's just saved her from the end of the world outside his walls - whether by plague, pestilence or aliens he isn't sure.  To say anything more might spoil the tightly-wound, tense proceedings as both we and Michelle try to determine whether Howard is savior or psycho.  For what's essentially a three-character thriller set almost entirely in an underground bunker, 10 Cloverfield Lane manages to keep you guessing.  And damn, is John Goodman amazing in it. (rated PG-13) 

10 CLOVERFIELD LANE trailer

JOKER GAME (***)

(2015) Think "indie-budget Japanese Mission: Impossible" - though Joker Game, stylish spy film with its own quirky sense of humor, deserves a better moniker than that.  A young man in the military, barely saved in time from being executed after an incident with his commanding officer, is instead recruited for "D Klan".  Trained as a spy, he proves himself a quick learner and exceptionally skilled, so is given his first mission: retrieve vital information that could put Japan ahead in the weapons game.  Needless to say, nothing goes as planned - unlike the film, which in many ways plays out with the usual tropes of the spy genre to its fiery finish.  That said, the film's fight scenes and moments of suspense are very enjoyable, and Joker Game does benefit from a sense of humor as quirky as the film itself.  Though we've seen this film before, for the most part JG manages to remain engaging, fresh and fun on its own level. (unrated)

JOKER GAME trailer (in Japanese; sorry, could not find subtitled)