FISHING NAKED (2015)

David Ottertale (Bronson Pelletier) and his buddy Rodney (Evan Williams) are a pair of free-spirited buddies living in a small mountain community who excel at scaring city tourists off prime fishing locations with a Bigfoot hoax (Rodney usually in the suit).  Their days are spent mostly fishing and hanging out, and at night David brings the fish home to his grandma Louise (Elaine Miles), who has a heart condition and who - it's hinted at - is also slowly being romanced by the town sheriff, Art (Steve Reevis).  The arrival of two townie girls, camping in the woods, sparks the boys' hormones ... but also results in the Bigfoot hoax being taken to the next level, and the next, until the FBI is brought in and Louise finally reveals a real alien being is involved.  Fishing Naked could have been a better film in more skilled directorial hands, but is still a likable comedy, thanks largely to Pelletier's scene-stealing boyish charms and the deadpan delivery of Elaine Miles.  A typical low-budget stoner comedy, elevated by the beautiful Colorado scenery and Miles's and Pelletier's chemistry on-screen. (not rated)  C+

THE WATER DIVINER (2014)

At first glance Russell Crowe's directorial debut, The Water Diviner, isn't the most uplifting of stories.  Set during and several years after the Battle of Gallipoli, the film is about an Australian man, Connor, with an almost mystical knack for finding underwater wells, who along with his wife suffers a blinding loss when all three of his three sons are killed in battle.  Another tragedy four years later, and Connor - determined to keep a promise he made to his wife to have his sons buried at home - travels to Turkey in search of their remains, his process blocked at every turn by the military, a new invasion, and the ongoing tensions of the country itself, still very much in the throes of war.  Crowe turns in an understated, heartfelt performance, and yes the film openly manipulates your heartstrings (with this subject matter, you'd expect less?), but not in a way that feels fake or forced.  Crowe's debut as a director is touching, moving, suspenseful and humane; may he continue to work more behind the camera, as well. (rated R)  B+

CINDERELLA (2015)

Everyone knows the story of the beautiful, kind-hearted Ella (Lily James), forced into servitude when her father dies and leaves her with a cruel stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and pair of selfish, wicked stepsisters ... until a chance meeting with a handsome young man she doesn't know is the prince of the kingdom (Richard Madden) sets her on a magical path to happiness.  The story's been told many times - by Disney itself in its classic animated film - yet this live-action adaptation is a surprisingly emotional, funny and magical retelling that's a joy to watch throughout.  The early scenes with James aren't quite as strong, but that changes upon the arrival of a terrifically-restrained Cate Blanchett, who never goes overboard with her performance ... a treat saved for Helena Bonham Carter as the fairy godmother, who is deliciously giddy in what is one of the best sequences of the film.  Inspiring, suspenseful (yes, even though you know the story), visually stunning, and (thankfully) never too over-the-top, this is one of the best versions of Cinderella you'll ever see. (rated PG)  A-

EX MACHINA (2015)

Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) is a computer coder in New York for the world's largest internet company, Bluebook, when he wins an inter-company lottery to spend a week with the company's brilliant, reclusive CEO.  Flown by helicopter to a remote area in the Alaskan mountains, he meets Nathan (a brilliant Oscar Isaac) - a guy protective of his secrets who drinks, works out, and has a unique experiment waiting: Caleb will test and interact with the most advanced artificial intelligence ever created.  Her name is Ava, (Alicia Vikander), and her level of humanity is such that Caleb starts to question his own feelings toward her ... and his feelings for Nathan, whom Ava warns is not all he appears to be.  The film is well-done, the effects spectacular, the mind-games it plays on the viewer first-rate - yet, somehow, the tense ending we spend most of the film leading up to just sort of ... happens, with little fanfare and no real surprises.  Mixed on this one. (rated R)  B-

13B (2009)

Even by 2009 you'd think people would have seen enough movies to know and not rent an apartment on any thirteenth floor.  In the Indian horror film 13B, Manu (R. Madhavan) and his brother have socked all their money into renovating and moving into a spacious apartment with their loved ones, which includes their mom, Manu's wife and younger sister, and his brother's family.  Soon after settling in, Manu finds the elevator won't work (but only for him) ... they can't get a single nail into the walls to set up their prayer room (a #1 priority in any Indian household) ... and a new soap opera the women of the house are hooked on has begun on channel 13 at 1pm (1300 hours) every day, featuring characters that not only eerily mirror Manu's family - but also foretell both good and quite awful events Manu soon finds coming true.  A cool premise, but for me the film builds decent suspense (even subtle humor, in spots) throughout, only to leave too many plot holes and questions - and a bit of confusion - leading to a letdown by the end.  Just so-so for me. (not rated)  C

THE DUFF (2015)

Bianca Piper (the likable Mae Whitman) is your average high school girl who pals around with besties Jess (Skyler Samuels) and Casey (Bianca A. Santos) every day, when a chance remark from her lifelong friend and neighbor, football captain (and man-whore) Wes Rush (Robbie Amell, proving he can carry a film as a romantic-comedy lead), makes Biance realize that in terms of school pecking order she is a DUFF - the Designated Ugly Fat Friend guys find approachable when trying to scope out info on her hotter friends.  As Bianca realizes just how true the DUFF phenom is, she spirals out of control herself, ditching her friends and hiring Wes to teach her to be a hottie - leading to embarrassing viral videos, alienation from her entire school, and with no help even from her part-time mom (Allison Janney). Though the second half of The DUFF isn't as strong as its first, a likable cast, terrific soundtrack and the film's sarcastic sense of humor make this fun to watch - though it also (nicely) strives to share a positive message about staying true to yourself. (rated PG-13)  B+

A WEREWOLF BOY (2012)

Elderly grandma Kim Sun-yi, living in the States with family, is summoned back to Korea by a phone call - one that leads her to a small home in the countryside she briefly lived in as a teen - and the bulk of this drama (one of the best, most tragic love stories this reviewer has ever seen) takes place 47 years earlier, when Sun-yi's health brought her and her family to this country home ... and the discovery of a young, feral man living on the property, apparently raised by wolves (or is he one himself?) and long since abandoned, whom the family is forced to take in while local officials try to figure out what to do with him.  This is a beautiful, well-crafted film with just the right touches of comedy, romance and drama; a film that (deservedly) made a star of lead actor Song Joong-ki, who without dialogue brings incredible humanity to Chul-su, and the film itself "rose up the box office charts to become the most successful Korean melodrama of all time".  Have Kleenex ready. (not rated)  A

(NOTE: There is an "extended" version of this film that contains a modified scene, toward the end, that makes this version worth tracking down if you can get it.)

FOCUS (2015)

Nicky (Will Smith) is a first-rate con artist practically from the womb, thanks to a grandfather and father who taught him everything he knows.  Finding humor more than anything else in watching the fledgling thievery of wannabe Jess (Margot Robbie), Nicky is finally talked into taking the young, beautiful woman under his wing, where she soon shows a proclivity for the work, quickly becoming a member of his team.  When they become romantically involved soon after, Nicky decides there's no room for love in the world they inhabit, and promptly leaves her ... only to run into Jess a couple years later, when she becomes a potential stumbling block to what could be the biggest payoff of his illicit career.  Focus is a decent film, though the ending's not as big a deal - twist-wise - as I think the filmmakers would have liked it to be (though for BD Wong's brief appearance in the film alone, the movie is worth seeing).  But essentially this just felt more like Will Smith playing Will Smith, in a film that might have been better with a different lead actor. (rated R)  C

SEVENTH SON (2014)

Master Gregory (Jeff Bridges) is a Spook - a hunter of supernatural evil who decades ago imprisoned the queen of the witches, Mother Malkin (Julianne Moore), in a dark pit.  When Malkin escapes, her powers at their peak during a blood moon, she kills Gregory's apprentice (a wasted Kit Harington), threatening the entire world with darkness, and its up to Master Gregory to find his best possible weapon - the all-powerful seventh son of a seventh son - to finish her off at last.  Enter Tom (Ben Barnes), a farmer from an impoverished family who is taken under Gregory's impatient wing, even as he finds himself falling for the beautiful Alice (Alicia Vikander) - who happens to be Mother Malkin's niece.  Seventh Son is "okay" in terms of story and execution, but suffers from not spending enough time developing its characters (Alice, to me, was just annoying), as well as a performance from Bridges that's virtually a duplicate of his character in The Giver.  Some nice moments, but a disappointment overall. (rated PG-13)  C+

THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE OUT OF WATER (2015)

Combining live-action (an unrecognizable Antonio Banderas as Burger Bob the pirate, who cleverly steals Mr. Krabs secret recipe for Krabcakes and starts the Apocalypse down in Bikini Bottom) and animation (which for the first half of the film feels like nothing more than an extended episode of the TV-series, though things definitely bump up a notch once some of the animated characters go above water and get 3-D), this film - based on the insanely popular show - never comes off as more than a padded episode from the series, with filler added to make it feature film length.  The 3-D animation, once SpongeBob and friends hit land, is beautifully done, with touches of humor and an over-the-top chase scene at the end keeping your interest.  But I couldn't help feeling, especially throughout the first half of the film, as if the writers weren't sure of where to go or what to do, so just stretched things out to fill time - to the point that, by the time all that cool 3-D animation kicked in, the movie had already lost me a bit. (rated PG)  C

STRIPPED (2014)

As someone who drew cartoon characters off TV soon as he was old enough to hold a crayon, I couldn't wait to watch Stripped.  A documentary about the rapid decline of newspapers - and specifically, the comics pages you once found so abundant in them - the film does a great job of succinctly covering the various stages of the comic strip, from its origins to how syndicates worked to the artists who essentially made no money for years until they caught on ... up through how comics were marketed and sold then compared to now, and even to the web comics and graphic novels that seem to be taking over as newspapers seemingly shrink their comic content daily.  Included are interviews with some of the biggest in the business (including first-time-ever voice commentary by Bill Watterson, publicity-shy creator of "Calvin & Hobbes"), and while the film ends on a positive note, I would still have liked it to be a bit longer, going a little more in-depth on both the creative and business side of the cartoonist's life.  Still good, though. (not rated)  B

ACOUSTIC (2010)

Shot in Seoul and featuring members of popular K-pop groups 2AM and CN Blue, Acoustic is a short, sweet collection of comedic and romantic stories, loosely tied together by film's end, about life and music and how the two can be so completely intertwined.  Whether the story of a girl with a terminal illness who is trying to finish writing her song before she dies ... a musician forced to sell his guitar online, due to money problems, whose dork friend bungles the sale by losing the guitar ... to a tale set in the future where the government has full control of what feels like a constant police state, and music is a thing of the past ... Acoustic benefits greatly from earnest performances via its attractive young cast, who can make you laugh one minute with comedy that rings true, yet manage to pull off the dramatic moments (while reigning it in before it hits melodrama) the next.  Sweet film ... and loved the music, too! (not rated)  B+

THE AGGRESSIVES (2005)

Cheon Jeong-Myeong (star of the South Korean version of Hansel & Gretel and with one of the most open, expressive faces in film) stars in The Aggressives as So-yo, a teen abandoned by his parents when they're forced to leave South Korea to evade criminal prosecution (it's never made 100% clear why).  Alone and bored and with an interest in (and mild talent for) in-line skating, So-yo finds a new group of friends in the sport, and not only develops his skills but also forges a bond with the leader of the pack, Moggy (Kim Kang-woo), who along with his buddy that formed the group of skates is having trouble coming to terms with the fact he's getting old enough to put this "hobby" behind if he's to face the real, adult world.  Part personal journey, part coming-of-age story, part sports tale, The Aggressives - while not the perfect film - is a strong, well-acted, touching story of friendship ... and of the difficulty inherent in letting go of a dream that may never see reality. (not rated)  B

CHAPPiE (2014)

District 9 - loved it.  Elysium - liked it.  But Neill Blomkamp's newest, Chappie, is the best of the trio - his most energizing, emotionally-involving and funniest film yet, featuring a virtuoso performance by Sharlto Copley (never seen on-screen, as he voices the title character).  Set in a near-future Johannesburg overrun with crime, Chappie opens looking like a vintage Mad Max film but plays out at first like RoboCop, via tech genius Deon Wilson (Dev Patel) who's created programming leading to an army of robotic cops that are taking a huge bite out of crime at last.  Deon's co-worker, ex-soldier Vincent (Hugh Jackman), is shut out with his older crime-stopping creation at the company, but when Deon is kidnapped and forced to put his new artificial intelligence program into the half-destroyed body of a former robot cop, the remarkably childlike and human Chappie is "born" ... and Vincent is out for blood.  Chappie is a marvelous, funny, very moving portrait of humanity, as seen through the eyes of one just learning how to be human.  Truly wonderful. (rated R)  A

KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE (2014)

Imagine the coolest James Bond film.  Then imagine it as directed by Quentin Tarantino, with graphic violence and tons of dark humor ... and you have the hybrid gem that is Kingsman: The Secret Service, starring Colin Firth as Harry Hart, a gentleman spy in England who - to repay a debt to the man who saved his life a decade ago by sacrificing his own - enlists the man's now-grown son Eggsy (Taron Egerton) as his protege in the Kingsman agency.  Just in time, too; as Eggsy and his fellow recruits begin training, tech giant Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson) puts into action a plot to take over the world with a shocking plan that will "solve" the global warming crisis for good.   Directed by Kick-Ass helmer Matthew Vaughn and with an incredible ensemble cast, Kingsman: The Secret Service is brilliant, violent, funny, completely bonkers ... and I loved every minute of it.  The church scene alone will have your jaw dropping open about a foot. (rated R)  A

BALLET 422 (2014)

Ballet 422 is a documentary about one of the most prestigious dance companies in the world, the New York City Ballet - and in particular the efforts of Justin Peck, dancing with the company as one of fifty members of  the corps de ballet for seven years, to choreograph and stage the company's 422nd original ballet ... in just two months.  From day one of rehearsal to opening night, the film is very much an interesting progression of watching the performance come together, and the is never boring - but at only 75 minutes and with no insights into Peck's mind, thought processes or insecurities via voice-over narration or interviews (ditto for the company members), the film lacks a strong emotional or dramatic core that would have given it more depth than a simple narration of events.  A good behind-the-scenes view of putting a ballet together, for lovers of ballet or not; just could have been better, resonating more with viewers emotionally, if we could have seen into the hearts of Justin and/or the dancers. (rated PG)  B-

PROJECT ALMANAC (2014)

Have loved time travel films since watching Rod Taylor in The Time Machine as a kid.  Even as the credits started rolling for Project Almanac and I saw "MTV Films", I still had high hopes.  David Raskin (Jonny Weston) is a science geek in suburban Atlanta whose biggest dream is to get into MIT.  He's over the moon when he makes it but then learns $40K of the tuition isn't covered by scholarship, and in his efforts to find a way to raise more money comes across a videotape of his seventh birthday party (the day his father died) ... where he spots a glimpse of his adult self in a mirror.  He and his friends discover his father had started working on a time machine, which they complete, and though at first things are great eventually bad choices lead to disaster (big surprise).  The shaky-cam "found footage" stuff here is bad enough, some viewers will likely be made sick watching, and while a good effort the ending is flat and co-producer Michael Bay certainly leaves his mark with cool special effects and set pieces over developing characters we care about. (rated PG-13)  C+

THE WAY HE LOOKS (2014)

Sometimes a film comes along that reminds you how simply an effective, beautiful story can be told on-screen; such is the case with The Way He Looks, about Brazilian high school teenager Leonardo (played to perfection by Ghilherme Lobo), blind from birth, who mostly spends his days hanging out with his bestie Giovana and trying to prove to his overprotective parents that he's old enough to start being more independent.  Then a new student - Gabriel - arrives at school, changing the dynamics of Leo's and Gia's friendship as the duo becomes a trio ... and Leo's feelings for Gabriel grow beyond those of friendship.  The film's beauty lies in the way it honestly, poignantly depicts the pangs of first love, your first crush, and how those feelings of both melancholy and innocent bliss are universal to us all, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.  A great with and cast, with particular kudos to Ghilherme Lobo, who brings such depth and heart to Leo; so much so, I couldn't believe it when I learned he was a sighted actor in real life. (not rated)  A

KILLER TOON (2013)

Couldn't turn down this premise: Ji-yun, a young artist in South Korea, has gained fame and fortune turning out graphic novels of horror and violence.  She's passed her deadline when finally emailing her latest manuscript to her publisher, who has stayed in the office late waiting for it - and the next morning the lady publisher is found dead, face cut up and her own eye gouged out ... in exactly the same manner as an identical character in the opening scene of Ji-yun's new story!  Even the crime scene photos are duplicates of images Ji-yun has already drawn, leading the police to suspect her - but the killing and suspense and tie-ins to Ji-yun don't stop there.  Neither does the suspense, the scares are nicely stretched out and creepy for the first hour or so before the film slows down a bit but picks up again toward the end, with a finale that might be confusing for those who haven't been paying attention all along.  Atmospheric and worth watching, even with a slightly weak ending. (not rated)  B+

200 POUNDS BEAUTY (2006)

Hanna is an overweight young singer with a great voice who works two anonymous jobs - as a phone sex operator, and as the real singing voice of a rising Korean pop star.  Her self-esteem is so low, she can't confess her love to Sang-jun, the music producer who hired her as a ghost-singer; even her father, living in a nursing home, thinks she's her mother, often asking his "wife" why she's gaining weight.  But a failed suicide attempt leads to Hanna's dropping out of sight for a year, during which she gets head-to-toe plastic surgery that turns her life around when she finally re-emerges, unrecognizable, as the thin, beautiful Jenny.  Working again with a clueless Sang-jun, "Jenny" becomes the star Hanna always wanted to be - but the greatness of 200 Pounds Beauty is in its straight-up message of just how much beauty on the outside may corrupt beauty on the inside, if you let it.  It's an homage to the "fat and ugly," people who spend their lives in the shadows - yet who, like flowers, need to bask in the sun to have any hope of growing at all. (not rated)  B+

THE ROAD WITHIN (2014)

Robert Sheehan and Dev Patel never cease to amaze me.  Here Sheehan plays Vincent, a young man with Tourette's Syndrome living in Nevada with his divorced mother, who's just passed away.  Vincent's father, who long ago abandoned his son, has aspirations of a political career so decides to tuck Vincent away in a treatment center.  There, Vincent meets his roommate Alex (Dev Patel) - a germaphobe with severe OCD - and the streetwise, anorexic Marie (Zoe Kravitz), and when the chance comes to steal the car of the woman running the center, Dr. Rose (Kyra Sedgwick), the trio suddenly find themselves on a road trip to the ocean, where Vincent can scatter the ashes of his mother - Dr. Rose, with Vincent's dad, in pursuit.  Funny and sad, heartbreaking and uplifting, a fine cast (especially the three leads, of which Dev Patel turns in the best performance of his career so far), make The Road Within a touching dramedy of friendship and fitting in - even if fitting in only with those who love you most. (rated R)  A-

RIDE (2014)

At first glance, Ride would seem to be one big cliche.  Helen Hunt (who also wrote and directed) plays single mom Jackie, an intellectual, anal-retentive book editor in New York whose son Angelo (Brenton Thwaites - who, somehow, gets better looking and more skilled as an actor with each role), an aspiring literary writer, is about to visit his dad in Los Angeles for the summer, before starting college in NYC in the fall.  The mother-son bond between them is strong - almost a death-grip, when it comes to Jackie - and when, early on in the summer, Angelo decides to forego college and stay in California, enjoying sun, sand and surf, Jackie reacts by flying out to L.A. without warning to bring him home.  But what sounds like a cliched plot actually becomes much more under Hunt's strong lead performance and intelligent script.  Her chemistry with Thwaites also rings very true, and with David Zayas and Luke Wilson adding comic support, Ride contains more depth and originality than one might first think, when watching it.  And, thanks largely to Hunt, it's well worth your time. (rated R)  B

4TH PERIOD MURDER MYSTERY (2009)

Some films demand you just check logic at the door and enjoy the ride ... which is why I loved 4th Period Murder Mystery, a fast-paced thriller set in a high school in South Korea, about the smartest, most popular guy in class, Jeong-hun, who is framed for the murder of his biggest rival.  He finds the body along with a dowdy, true crime-obsessed classmate everyone calls Curtain (because she never pulls her long hair back from her face), who instead of reporting the death works with Jeong-hun to try and find the real killer in just forty minutes (the length of time for 4th period), before their fellow students come back to class.  From there the film sucks you in as clues are followed, chases happen around the school, and tension builds tight as a piano wire (sprinkled with perfect touches of comedy).  The murder itself is handled a bit lightly and a few burps in logic occur, but all is easily forgiven in favor of one funny, suspenseful, and outright fun rollercoaster ride of a film. (not rated)  A-

BABY AND I (2008)

Joon-su is a spoiled, arrogant high school student with wealthy parents; an only child who specializes in starting fights, mouthing off to teachers, and getting suspended from school.  More rebel than criminal, his aberrant behavior still comes home to roost one night in a grocery store, when he turns long enough to select a bottle of wine off a shelf - and turns back to find a baby has been left in his shopping cart, along with a note saying he's the father and the boy is his responsibility now.  Worse yet, Joon-su returns home to find his parents have run away (!) thanks to his rotten behavior, cutting off his credit card and all communication.  With the help of his buddies, and a new girl to school who is smitten with him, Joon-su first tries to find the mother ... then a way to ditch the baby ... before ultimately becoming determined to be the best dad he can be.  Sweet and funny, Baby and I (aka Baby and Me) is a wonderful film nowhere near as predictable as you'd think.  And I dare you not to fall in love with that kid. (not rated)  A-

BABY AND ME trailer

MARATHON (2005)

I have never, in my life, had an experience that moved me as much as watching Marathon.  Writing this, even just looking at the poster causes my heart to overflow all over again, thudding in my chest.  Based on a true story, Cho Seung-woo - in an Oscar-worthy performance you have to see to believe - stars as Cho-won, a young man born with autism who only seems to find his center of calm in running.  His mother, a force to be reckoned with who has always been there for Cho-won (even at the expense, at times, of her husband and Cho-won's younger brother), signs him up for a big marathon, and to prepare him for it harasses an ex-marathon winner, doing community service for a DUI, into being his coach.  Simple yet profound, heartbreaking and indescribably life-affirming, again I have never experienced anything as magical and one-of-a-kind as Marathon - in film, or in real life.  It's a movie that reaches into your heart and wraps it up like a gift from God. (not rated)  A++

MARATHON (full movie!)

SAD MOVIE (2005)

Don't let the title fool you; while it fits the film and may not make many rush to see it initially, for the first three-quarters of the film Sad Movie is funny, engaging, romantic, and introduces viewers to: the kindhearted slacker whose girlfriend of three years wants to break up ... the fireman who saves a young woman from a burning building only to fall in love with her older sister, who wants him to propose ... the rescued sister, whose job is to entertain kids dressed as Raggedy Ann (complete with over-sized headpiece), whose face is scarred so she won't even remove the head for the handsome street artist she's falling for ... and a mother, long-neglectful of her trouble-making young son, who finally receives a harsh wake up call.  A well-written collection of intertwining tales that will have you immediately caught up in these characters and their fates ... before, yes, the tears (many of them) start to flow.  A lovely, touching, must-see of a film that stresses the importance of loving and living to your fullest, always, while you still can. (not rated)  A

SAD MOVIE (full movie!)

FLY HIGH (2009)

Blown away by Kim Bum since the K-drama "Boys Over Flowers", I was anxious to see Fly High (aka Flight in South Korea).  Here he plays an aspiring actor who works at a gas station, in general leading a lonely life until one night in a club he finds a kindred spirit in a beautiful girl with whom he immediately falls in love.  When tragedy befalls her and she ends up in a care facility, mentally traumatized, all he wants to do is care for her ... and, sadly, must take work as a male host (read: gigolo) in a teahouse to support both himself and her care, telling her in his visits that his acting career is blossoming.  Kim is great here, but the film is somewhat a downer, with his character getting the snot beat out of him on more than a couple occasions ... and an ending that, literally within the last few minutes of the film, is nothing short of anger-inducing.  Nice performances, but with an ending that just blew it for me; watch Kim in The Gifted Hands (reviewed on this blog) instead. (not rated)  C-

FLY HIGH trailer (Korean only; could not find one w/English subs, sorry!)

SONG OF THE SEA (2014)

From the director of The Secret of Kells, this beautiful animated Oscar nominee is the story of a six-year-old girl named Saoirse and her slightly older brother Ben, who has never quite forgiven his sister since their mother died the night Saoirse was born.  They still live in the same lighthouse with their still-grieving father, but on the night both children are finally spirited away by a grandmother who's convinced her son his lighthouse is no life for children, the kids learn that Saoirse is the last of the selkies - the only creature alive who can free the magical creatures still trapped in this world, sending them home at last.  But time is against them, and making their way back to the sea to save both Saoirse (who grows weaker with every moment) and those like her, the kids find opposition in a crone named Macha who steals feelings from creatures' souls ... and has different plans for the tiny selkie.  Beautiful to look at, Song of the Sea is also a wonderful, mythical tale of heart, hope and the importance of family - no matter who you call "family." (rated PG)  A-

SONG OF THE SEA trailer

DACHIMAWA LEE (2008)

A crazy, frantic Airplane!-style spoof of Korean spy movies from the 1980's, Dachimawa Lee is a short, round-faced Korean James Bond who fights villains with his martial arts and various spy weapons, while at the same time also wooing the various women who fall under his spell, all of whom seem smitten by him.  Here he's out to get the Golden Buddha, a small, cheap statue sprayed gold whose real value lies in the list of Korean secret agents hidden inside; a list the Japanese are determined their hands on.  The film is funny, even laugh-out-loud in spots (the part with the airplane propeller is worthy of an "OMG" moment, alone), but even at 99 minutes it feels a bit long, thanks to a segment in the middle - when Lee gets amnesia - that drags things down a bit.  Nowhere near the frenetic lunacy of Airplane!, but still an enjoyable spoof that fans of the action-spy genre especially should enjoy. (not rated)  B-

DACHIMAWA LEE trailer

HIGHWAY STAR (2007)

Korea's version of country music, "trot" is more in style/appearance in the vein of lounge singers like Wayne Newton.  Hugely popular by those who embrace it, it's fairly scorned by those into more "serious" music ... and this wonderful, funny comedy-romance opens when a singer from the sticks, rock-and-roller Bong Dal-ho, is thrilled to finally be discovered by two music producers who come into the club where he's performing.  Elated, he heads to Seoul - only to learn, once there, that his new mentors only help shape and train trot singers!  Signed to an iron-clad contract, Dal-ho's forced to cut both his hair and on-stage style severely - though when he finally gets his TV debut, shame forces him at the last minute to don a mask and sing incognito!  The gimmick works, to Dal-ho's horror, making him an overnight sensation stuck performing the very music he loathes - now seemingly with no way out.  The comedy here is wonderful, the romance touching but light, and Cha Tae-hyun is lovable as Dal-ho.  A very funny "feel-good" film. (not rated)  A-

HIGHWAY STAR trailer

MADHOUSE (1974)

Vincent Price and Peter Cushing have been scaring me since childhood - especially Cushing in Hammer horror films, some of which also featured Christopher Lee keeping me up many a long and freaked-out night as Dracula.  In Madhouse, Price plays actor Paul Toombs, most famous for his creation of "Dr. Death" in a series of low-budget horror films, who years after going mad due to the murder of his young fiancee (it was assumed by many that he'd killed her), is now free and trying to resurrect his career with the help of his friend, writer Herbert Flay (Cushing), when a series of murders emulating killings in his old Dr. Death films begin to occur all over again.  A great premise, but sadly the film topples under the weight of a bad script, worse special effects, and irritating plot holes.  The ending is kind of cool, and it was great to watch Price be Price (Cushing's role is minor by comparison, and the film suffers from that, too), this one can be skipped except by the most ardent of Price/Cushing fans. (rated PG)  D+

MADHOUSE trailer

LOST RIVER (2014)

Ryan Gosling has always been a little ... left of center, let's say, though I have a feeling many who see Lost River (his writing/directorial debut) will feel the man's trolley has completely slipped its tracks.  The film was heavily derided (even laughed at) at Cannes, and to say it isn't easy to categorize is an understatement.  Gosling, quite obviously influenced by Nicolas Winding Refn (his Drive/Only God Forgives director) filmed this bizarre, surreal "dark fairy tale" in what looks like a war-ravaged Detroit, the city here playing Lost River - a town nearly all residents have long ago abandoned, since it was created via the opening of a dam whose reservoirs flooded out a bunch of smaller valley cities to form this one, and its lake.  Christina Hendricks ("Mad Men") stars as Billy, a single mom of two boys who's three months late on her mortgage, and to keep her home has to take a job at the creepiest club ever, where acts of carnage are committed onstage for those who get off on watching (indeed, the most disturbing scene in the film is when Billy seemingly - and painstakingly - slices off her own face).  Meanwhile, her son Bones (Iain De Caestecker of "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."), along with a girl named Rat (Saoirse Ronan) who lives in the next house over, works to release the curse they feel Lost River is under, after Bones finds the underwater cities beneath their man-made lake ... all while Bones continues trying to elude the insane Bully (Matt Smith), who is after Bones for stealing "his" copper from the town, and who has the tendency to use scissors to cut off the lips of those who cross him (swear to God).

This is the first (hopefully only) time you'll read a review on this blog that breaks my commandment-like constraint of length (normally I want anyone coming here to be able to zip through reviews in under a minute) - not just because this film is so hard to classify, but also because I wanted to make it clear how much I feel Lost River is worth seeing.  It's strange, violent, very surreal, even had me squirming in my seat a few times, and early on I had decided I didn't like it; all true.  But I stuck with it, and by the end had grown to appreciate Gosling's effort at trying to make an unconventional film that has power.  One that isn't mainstream or straightforward or even pleasant; often, while watching it, I found myself feeling bad - tainted - as grubby and violated as the town of Lost River looks here.  I cared about Bones and his mom and brother, about Rat and her grandmother, and Bully ... well, Bully just freaked me the hell out, period.  The bottom line is, the fact that a 95-minute film had this kind of hold, this kind of power - caused these kinds of sensations in me, repulsive as some of them were - says an incredible amount about the film itself.  About the power film can possess, in general.  And while no masterpiece, maybe not even a particularly great film, I can appreciate and even respect Gosling for what he set out to do.  Even more so because I found myself so caught up in all the weirdness, all the way. (rated R)  B-

LOST RIVER trailer

THE HOUSE AT THE END OF TIME (2013)

The first supernatural thriller to be made in Venezuela, The House at the End of Time is about a wife and mother of two sons, Dulce (Ruddy Rodriguez), who was arrested thirty years ago for the murders of her husband and 12-year-old son Leopoldo (though the boy's body was never found).  Too old and frail to remain in prison, Dulce has been released - guards included - back to the dilapidated, abandoned home where it all took place, to live her final years.  But the house has been waiting for her; not just the ghosts of the past, but also apparitions she begins seeing around her home - one of which carries a butcher knife.  The film is incredible, twisting and turning on itself until toward the end, when blatant confusion turns into a finale that will have you recommending this film to anyone who will listen.  For fans of The Others, The Orphanage, Pan's Labyrinth, or the Korean Hansel & Gretel - you have a wondrous experience waiting for you here. (not rated)  A-

THE HOUSE AT THE END OF TIME trailer

INTERSTELLAR (2014)

Clocking in at eleven minutes short of three hours, Christopher Nolan's Interstellar - co-written with his brother Jonathan - is a sci-fi epic set in the near future, on an earth clouded in dust and ravaged dry by drought, about an ex-pilot-turned-farmer named Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) who is given one last chance to fly when he becomes part of a team sent to explore a wormhole that's mysteriously appeared in space, which (what's left of) NASA believes might contain the answer to mankind's survival.  The film's cast is a who's who of fine actors (both to the film's credit and disservice), and while much of the plot may cause nerdgasms in sci-fi nuts, the brothers Nolan also bring it down nicely to a human level, via the relationship between Coop and his devoted, very similarly-minded daughter, Murph.  That said, while an amazing achievement and visually stunning, I found the film overlong and the ride more informational than engaging.  Beautifully made, but more for fans of the genre (most of whom, deservedly, seem to worship the film) than anyone. (rated PG-13)  B

INTERSTELLAR trailer  

REINCARNATION (2005)

Directed and co-written by Takashi Shimizu, the man behind the Ju-on/Grudge films, Reincarnation is a moody creepfest about a young, up-and-coming actress, Nagisa Sugiura, who lands her first big role in a horror film chronicling the real-life events of a local professor who suddenly went on a murderous rampage at an isolated hotel twenty years before, killing eleven people including his own kids.  The film opens with quick shots of various people we don't know seeing ghosts, and when the crew of her film takes to the real hotel for "atmosphere," the visions Nagisa has also been having escalate,  as do the deaths - the film part horror, part psychological suspense (except for maybe the creepiest doll in cinema history; let's not forget her!) as it builds toward a genuinely satisfying "reveal" at the end that may confuse you if you aren't paying attention.  Not Shimizu's best, but still better than most of the horror coming out of the States today, and an eerily fun time. (rated R)  B-

REINCARNATION trailer