WISHING STAIRS (2003)

An isolated, all-girl boarding school in South Korea harbors a supernatural urban legend - a stone stairway, leading up to the girls' dorm, with 28 steps that - if your desire for something is truly deep, when climbing thems - a 29th step will suddenly appear on which, if you make a wish, your desire will come true.  A fairly cool premise, but the first rule of a scary movie is that it be scary - and this is where Wishing Stairs fails.  Hardly anything weird happens for half the film, as it lines up the story of two best friends - both studying ballet - whose friendship goes south when one gets too competitive.  We also see another student, a fat girl, who suddenly and swiftly drops a lot of weight after wishing on the 29th stair.  But by the time the scares do come, even with a few good moments, they're both weak and anti-climactic.  I'd forgotten this was the third of four semi-related films in the Whispering Corridors series; haven't seen the others, but supposedly this is the least scary - and after seeing it, I'd bet that estimation's true. (rated R)  D+

WISHING STAIRS trailer

HONEYMOON TRAVELS PVT. LTD. (2007)

This quirky comedy-drama with music, about six newly-married (and very diverse) couples in India who've all signed on for the same tour bus to Goa, depicts the lives of what it's like for honeymooners trying to settle into their new marriage.  Whether it's Nahid and Oscar, middle-aged and each on their second marriage, to the uptight Partho and his more free-thinking wife Milly, to the nearly too-good-to-be-true Aspi and Zara (who seem to be so much in love with each other, since childhood, it borders on nauseating), to the stern Hitesh and his weeping bride Shilpa and more, each couple's background is given fair game during the film, as truths come out and relationships (as well as love) are tested, in the end, for all the travelers.  A bit uneven at times, but you grow to care about the characters and there are enough surprises in store to keep things interesting ... in one case, even romantic and sweetly mystical.  The music is also pretty awesome. (not rated) (trailer not fully in English, sorry)  B

HONEYMOON TRAVELS PVT. LTD. trailer

MAKE MINE MINK (1960)

A lovely, charming, completely crazy British comedy, Make Mine Mink is about an elderly matron, Dame Beatrice, who rents out rooms in her spacious apartment to three tenants - skinny, nervous Pinky, stout and stern Nan, and ex-major Albert Rayne (the brilliant Terry-Thomas).  Her housekeeper is Lily, whom Dame Bea gave a "second chance" to after Lily did a short bout in prison, but when finances ground down and Dame Bea can no longer give to her various charity orphanages, it's Lily who inadvertently gives her and her boarders the idea to start stealing furs, then fencing them and giving all the money to charity ... all without Lily's knowledge, as Bea wants her to remain on the straight and narrow.  What follows are some hilarious bit of dodging from the police, heists gone wrong, and the gang becoming famous in the papers - all as Lily and her new policeman boyfriend get alarmingly closer to the truth.  Funny, silly, and a joyously lovable film; highly recommended. (not rated)  A-

MAKE MINE MINK trailer

COLD EYES (2013)

I'm surprised I don't type this review with sore fingers, because if ever there were a film that had me literally biting my nails, from start to finish, Cold Eyes would be it.  Even within the first ten minutes of the film, part of which depicts a highly efficient bank robbery pulled by a gang thieves led by one super-hardcore bad-ass, the film sucks you in and refuses to let go, before unfolding the story of a high-tech police surveillance team, seen through the eyes of its newest female recruit, as they try to find the bank robbers and shut down their organization.  Finally catching a break upon finding a low-level lookout for the gang, the rest of the film is a cat-and-mouse rollercoaster of tracking that guy to his confederates ... and, ultimately, their VERY nasty boss.  Violence abounds, but what else to expect in such a film - and NO ONE does crime thrillers better than Korean cinema, with this (like The Suspect) a MUST-SEE that will keep your heart pounding in your chest until the end credits roll. (not rated)  A

COLD EYES trailer

YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (1967)

James Bond (Sean Connery) is off to Japan when the hijacking of two space capsules (one American, the other Russian) has two of the world's biggest superpowers accusing each other and on the brink of war.  Upon landing in Tokyo, Bond teams up with the Japanese secret service and a small army of deadly ninjas (yes, NINJAS!) to track down the source of the signal of the hijacking vessel, and take down what turns out to be an old enemy organization determined (as always) to control the world.  Cool gadgets, over-the-top chase scenes and action sequences, and the usual political incorrectness of the Bond women featured here make for (if you can ignore that last one, it being a sign of the times and the genre) one of the more entertaining, genuinely fun (in a videogame sort of way) of all Bond's adventures. (not rated)  A-

YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE trailer

MY OLD LADY (2014)

Despite an unfortunate title and ads that peg this as more of a comedy (it's really a drama with touches of comedy), in the end I sort of fell for My Old Lady.  Kevin Kline stars as Matthias, an irascible, bitter American who's used the last of his money on a ticket to Paris, to claim the inheritance of an apartment his estranged father left him in his will.  Upon arrival, he's shocked to learn the apartment was rented as a "viager" - common in France, it's a process where the original remains living in the apartment, the new owner paying monthly rent until the first owner dies; then, the apartment is theirs - and is currently inhabited by the 92-year-old Mathilde Girard (Maggie Smith) and her daughter Chloe (Kristin Scott Thomas).  Matthias, who came to Paris to sell the place, instead has to attempt a "Plan B" - selling the contract - and in the process comes to learn about both women, long secrets of his past, and whether he can find a happiness in life again.  Very emotionally involving, with a sweet finish. (rated PG-13)  B+

MY OLD LADY trailer

GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES (1953)

While never a big Jane Russell fan, I'm further ashamed to admit I wasn't a big fan of Marilyn Monroe until I was an adult - probably from years of seeing her as a "blonde bombshell" in the media, instead of the truly gifted actress I've since learned she could be.  This film is a perfect example; here, Monroe is not only mesmerizing, with the viewer unable to look away from her whenever she is on-screen, but she also does a brilliant job as Lorelei Lee, a singer who values her rich fiancee Gus as much for his money as his love of her, while her best friend and fellow vocalist Dorothy (Russell) tries to keep her out of trouble.  The two board an ocean liner to Paris, on Gus' dime, where Lorelei obsession for diamonds gets her into trouble and a private detective hired by Gus' disapproving father stirs the pot even more.  Add a funny, semi-lecherous aristocrat named Piggy and an all-male Olympic team of athletes to the mix, and the girls wind up in Paris without a dime and the cops after Lorelei.  A great film, and good GOD is Monroe wholly bewitching in it. (not rated)  A

GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES trailer

IDA (2013)

Nominated for the 2015 Best Foreign Film Oscar, Ida is set in Poland in 1962 and concerns a young woman, raised by nuns in a convent, who is set to become a nun herself when the Mother Superior informs her that she must first meet with her only living relative - Aunt Wanda, whom she's never seen and who refused to take Ida in as a child - before taking her vows.  In Wanda, Ida discovers a woman who seems her polar opposite in both manners and morals, and also learns a secret about her past that bonds the two women, setting them off on a journey for some long-needed closure that will have both ladies questioning their beliefs and their places in the world.  The story is simply told, the film striking in its use of black and white photography, cinematography ... even the music is haunting.  Agata Trzebuchowska, as Ida (her acting debut), has eyes that reach down to her soul, and while the film may not be for everyone it's a beautiful, simple story of faith - in one's self, as well as in that of a higher power. (rated PG-13)  B+

IDA trailer

WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAY (2014)

Doug (David Tennant) and Abi (Rosamund Pike) are a newly-split married couple in the beginning stages of a fairly bitter divorce that is - in its way - affecting their three small children, in particular eldest daughter Lottie.  But Doug's father Gordy (Billy Connolly) is turning 75, and as this will be his last birthday (Gordy is dying from cancer), Doug has talked Abi into pretending they are still together - still happy - long enough to take the family up to the Scottish Highlands for a huge birthday fete planned by Doug's brother Gavin (Ben Miller).  Gavin is anal-retentive, with a manic-depressive wife and repressed teenage son, so needless to say sparks of some sort fly whenever ANY of the adults are together, but Gordy is warm and wonderful and adores his grandchildren.  This is a very funny, warm film ... that, for me, veered off-course when a major event happens, about halfway through, that had trouble having too much of a chuckle over.  Also, things feel a bit rushed in the end, in what is otherwise a very enjoyable (if quirky) film. (not rated)  C+

WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAY trailer

MONSTERZ (2014)

Japan's remake of the Korean film Haunters, Monsterz stars Tatsuya Fujiwara as the nameless villain of the film; a man who, since childhood, has been able to completely control anyone he sees with just a stare.  So far he's only used his "gift" for petty theft, to get money to live on ... until one day, in a crowded park full of people all frozen still from his stare, he spots a guy unloading a moving truck who has not fallen under; the only person ever, it turns out, whom he can't control.  He becomes obsessed with Shuichi (Takayuki Yamada), who himself seems able to mystically heal super-fast from any injury he receives, and before long Shuichi is dodging various attempts on his life, realizing he's the only one who can take this man - now turned killer - down.  Monsterz has more character depth than Haunters, bonding the leads as abnormals in a "normal" world, but fares the same in terms of light comedy, a few great set pieces, and a tense confrontation in the end.  Intense stuff! (not rated)  B

MONSTERZ trailer

BIG HERO 6 (2014)

In the future, the city of San Fransokyo (a neo-realistic mash-up of San Francisco and Tokyo that looks pretty awesome animated) is still the center of technology.  Hiro Hamada is a 14-year-old tech genius who spends his days bored and winning battle-robot matches, until he's taken by brother Tadashi (Daniel Henney) to the "nerd school" he attends, where Hiro not only meets some of Tadashi's way-cool classmates ... but also Baymax, a "plus-size" inflatable vinyl robot Tadashi has created for the sole purpose of helping people who are hurt or ill.  Hiro, dazzled by the school, is determined to win his way in himself - but when a disaster befalls both Hiro and the school, the young genius soon learns his invention has been stolen, and San Fransokyo is under siege.  His answer?  Transforming Baymax and his new friends at the school into high-tech superheros to save the day.  Comedy, adventure, action, a few tears, and a lot of heart make Big Hero 6 one of the best animated films in some time ... and fully deserving of its Oscar nomination. (rated PG)  A

BIG HERO 6 trailer

THE IMITATION GAME (2014)

The true-life story of Alan Turing (played here by Benedict Cumberbatch), the British mathematician who went to work at the top-secret Bletchley Park in the beginning years of World War II, as part of a group of code-breakers determined to break Enigma - the code the Nazis used to communicate their plans for the Allies' destruction and winning the war.  Turing himself, however, would begin to see that only a machine could beat a machine, and would end up (with much opposition) building one that would break the code, ultimately saving millions of lives and (according to some) shaving what may have been years off the war itself by leading the Allies to victory.  One of the most compelling, rousing, yet heartbreaking (thanks to Turing's fate in the years after the war) films I've seen in ages, thanks to terrific direction, writing and cinematography, with stellar performances by Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley leading a near-perfect cast.  A wonderful, near-perfect film. (rated PG-13)  A+

THE IMITATION GAME trailer

ANNABELLE (2014)

A prequel to The Conjuring set around 1970, Annabelle is about a young married couple, John (Ward Horton) Gordon and his pregnant wife Mia (Annabelle - yes, that's her real name - Wallis), who live in Santa Monica and are very close to their neighbors, Pete and Sharon Higgins, whose adult daughter Annabelle ran off to join a cult some time ago.  On the same evening John gifts Mia with a beautiful Victorian collectible doll she's long been seeking, the couple is caught up in the brutal murders of their neighbors, slaughtered in their home when a crazed Annabelle returns with her psychotic boyfriend, to kill her parents in a satanic ritual a la the Manson family.  The Gordons escape death, thanks to the cops, Annabelle shot and killed holding Mia's doll in her lap.  And when weird things start happening, Mia soon suspects Annabelle's death has brought a demon into their midst - one who wants the soul of her baby to manifest itself on earth.  Some good jump-scares and genuine creepiness, but not quite as well-acted, convincing, or under-your-skin eerie as The Conjuring. (rated R)  B

ANNABELLE trailer

BOYHOOD (2014)

Boyhood has garnered so much PR, it's almost gotten impossible to expect the film to live up to expectations.  That said, I shocked by just how NOT into it I was.  A bad film?  No.  Does it deserve a "Best Picture" honor, no matter the award?  HECK, no.  The film's hype comes from being shot over a 12-year period, so you get to see the young actors in the cast grow up before your eyes ... but the fact remains, for 2 hours and 45 minutes nothing happens in this film.  There are no real conflicts - just scenes of potential drama (young Mason tries drugs for the first time, or is given a rifle by his grand-dad for his 15th birthday, or one scene of him being taunted by bullies) - NONE of which are ever followed up on.  I spent almost three hours waiting for something to happen, when in the end it just felt like watching Mason's family's home movies.  Again, not a bad film ... but if this wins a Best Picture Oscar over its more creative and structurally engaging competitors, I may never watch the Oscars again. (rated R)  C

BOYHOOD trailer

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (2010)

In the far north land of Berk, many long years ago, Vikings daily fought the onslaught of dragons who would steal their food, claim their sheep, and destroy their homes with their fiery breath.  Stoick (Gerard Butler) is the leader of his community, a huge mass of muscle and testosterone whose primary goal is to find the dragons nest and destroy them all, securing Berk forever.  His son, Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) ... not so much.  Hiccup is small and skinny, making up in intelligence and imagination what he lacks in brute strength, though he wants desperately to fight side by side with his father, to make the old man proud.  That is, until Hiccup comes across a stranded, injured dragon - a Night Fury, the most deadliest of dragons that no human has ever before seen - and soon to realizes that maybe his village's perception of dragons is all wrong, after all.  Inventive, funny, thrilling to watch and with some stunning animation sequences, from beginning to end I loved How to Train Your Dragon - a wonderful film for all ages, kids and adults alike. (rated PG)  A-

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON trailer

THE CONJURING (2013)

Based on the real-life files of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (played here, respectively, by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga), The Conjuring is a creepy, scary, pretty darn awesome psychological horror movie that does things right, focusing on messing with your head over blood and gore.  The Perron family, headed by Roger (Ron Livingston) and Carolyn (Lili Taylor), have moved with their five daughters into their new home, a rustic old Rhode Island farmhouse, and soon discover a malevolent force exists there that seems to be after their girls.  Carolyn finds the Warrens, begging for their help, and though at first skeptical the Warrens' visit to the Perron home shows them something genuinely evil does reside there.  Full of chills, jump-scares, creepy atmosphere, and beautifully directed by James Wan, The Conjuring is one of the best horror films in recent years, and more pee-your-pants thrilling than a good rollercoaster ride. (rated R)  A

THE CONJURING trailer

BIG EYES (2014)

It's 1958. Margaret (Amy Adams), a painter and suburban housewife, packs up her and her daughter and leaves a controlling husband, relocating to San Francisco where she struggles, selling her work at street fares (all of her work featuring waif-like kids with oversized, sad-looking eyes) when she meets Walter Keane (Christoph Waltz) trying to sell his fairly generic Parisian landscapes.  The two marry, and when Walter - a shameless promoter and salesman - tries to sell their work, it's only the big-eyed children people are interested in buying ... and soon Margaret learns he's taking credit for her paintings, ostensibly to get sales.  Based on their real-life story, for years Margaret would allow the deception as her husband gains international fame, and the film is an intriguing watch (Tim Burton doing a fine job directing).  One point off for Waltz's Austrian accent slipping out so much (Walter Keane was American), but he and Adams are wonderful in this tale of a very talented woman pushed into long-term silence by her shyster husband ... until she can take the guilt no more. (rated PG-13)  B+

BIG EYES trailer

PRIDE (2014)

It's the summer of 1984 in the UK, where under Thatcher not only is the gay and lesbian community feeling oppressed and abused, but so are miners after Thatcher's closing of the pits.  The miners are striking, their families starving, and when gay activist Mark Ashton (Ben Schnetzer) decides the LGBT community should show solidarity with the miners - themselves knowing discrimination first-hand - he forms a group, Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners, that actually finds very little support within the blue collar mining communities.  That is, until a small village in Wales (much to the distress of a number of its small-minded citizens) accepts their help, the LGSM group heading north to support a community that has never even seen their kind ... much less support them.  Pride is a marvel; a funny, touching, beautiful, must-see film about people - just PEOPLE - and how, in the end, we are at our best when not only accepting of each other, but ourselves.  A pure joy. (rated R)  A+

PRIDE trailer

INTO THE WOODS (2014)

I knew I was in trouble with Into the Woods from the first few minutes, when Red Riding Hood was so annoying, I would have thrown her to the wolf myself.  A mash-up of fairy tales that finds the lives of characters from Red to Cinderella to Jack (as in The Beanstalk) and more forever changed within the mystical confines of the local woods, the storyline itself concerns an evil old witch (Meryl Streep, who seems to lose interest about halfway through the film) who sends the local baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt) on a quest for four items she needs to break a spell - in return for which, she will also lift the spell that's kept the couple from having a child.  Music, adventure, and magic ensue, but none of it ever feels truly fun or engaging.  And just when it seems Happily Ever After's come, the last fifty minutes of the film shakes everything up, leading to a rather downer of an ending overall (at least for me).  Well-made as it is, and with a strong cast, I rarely if ever felt engaged with the characters, or even with what was going on, on-screen.  Disappointing. (rated PG)  C+

INTO THE WOODS trailer

BIRDMAN (2014)

Known more as a "star" than a bonafide actor, Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) years ago gained worldwide fame in a series of three films in which he played a superhero called Birdman.  He turned down doing a fourth film, and his career pretty much hit the skids - which is why, now, he is working to re-brand himself on Broadway, in an adaptation of a Raymond Carver story he wrote, directed, and is starring in.  But the rehearsals alone prove one disaster after another; an injured actor, his egocentric and unreasonable replacement (Edward Norton), malfunctioning props, and a daughter (Emma Stone), fresh out of rehab, working as Riggan's assistant so he can try to be some sort of dad at last, all add to his frustrations in trying to feel relevant again.  A unique, fairly incredible showcase for an amazing performance by Keaton, Birdman is a thinking person's film with lots of subtext that will have you either scratching your head or muttering "Wow" by the end.  Maybe both. (rated R)  B+

BIRDMAN trailer (adult language)

WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS (2014)

It's so hard to do comedy and horror together, with the just the right blend of each - but it's done masterfully in the New Zealand-set film What We Do in the Shadows, already one of my favorite movies of the year, as we follow the lives of four German vampire flatmates, reality TV show-style, and their daily problems of living as the undead.  There's the fussy Viago, the rebellious Deacon, the older-than-the-ages Vladislav ... and Peter, who is a dead ringer for Nosferatu and rarely leaves the basement other than to hunt (he also has a few anger issues, it seems).  Whether chiding Deacon for not following the Chore Wheel and doing his dishes, to tips on not ruining Viago's sofa by spreading newspapers and towels before killing your victims, the film is hysterical, oddly charming, and with amazingly terrific special effects that add to what already feels like a very real (if a bit nuts) mockumentary.  Wonderfully daft, lovingly made, and HIGHLY recommended. (not rated)  A

WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS trailer

TIME LAPSE (2014)

Artist Finn (Matt O'Leary), his writer girlfriend Callie (Danielle Panabaker), and Finn's gambling addict friend Jasper (George Finn) share an apartment, Finn acting as manager of the small complex they live in.  When their elderly neighbor seems to have gone missing, Callie goes over to investigate - and the three discover a huge (about the size of a small car), weird-looking camera that, they learn, takes Polaroids of what will happen 24 hours in the future ... and is trained (bolted to the floor) right on their apartment's front window. When Jasper talks his roommates into using the camera to win at the dog races, the trio soon find themselves caught up in something more sinister, becoming slaves to whatever the camera projects.  A totally compelling premise ... that gets lost more in the real world of greed than in any supernatural doings, with no satisfactory explanation, in the end, of why, where or how the camera came to be in this mildly interesting thriller.  George Finn, in the pivotal role of Jasper, is particularly weak. (not rated)  C

TIME LAPSE trailer

THUNDERBALL (1965)

The fourth film in the James Bond series finds 007 (Sean Connery) heading to Nassau when SPECTRE's #2 man, Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi), hijacks a military plane and steals the two nuclear missiles that were on-board.  Holding them ransom to the world, SPECTRE threatens the destruction of a major U.S. or UK city if their demands are met, putting Bond on the clock as he follows his lead to the Bahamas - where, of course, the usual Bond gadgets, Bond babes, and Bond super-megalomaniac villain await.  The underwater filming, especially the fight scenes, are very impressive when considering this was shot in the mid-1960's, and Connery is, of course, the unflappable Bond who will stop at nothing to save the world and catch the bad guy.  Having seen the updated version, Connery's Never Say Never Again, it was nice to finally catch the original at last - and Thunderball is an engrossing, well-made spy thriller (okay, with maybe a couple of hokey lines for modern-day audiences) that, more than ever, shows why the world will always love Bond ... and Connery AS Bond. (not rated)  B+

THUNDERBALL trailer

FINDING MR. DESTINY (2010)

Gi-Joon (Gong Yoo) is a fussy, mild-mannered perfectionist who comes up with a brilliant idea for his new business: he will locate and reunite people with the "first love" they've lost contact with, even if many years ago.  Enter unkempt, overworked musical stage manager Ji-woo (Su-jeong Lim), whose military father drags her to Gi-Joon's office when she turns down a pilot's marriage proposal, determined she find her own first love, whom she's been obsessing over since last seeing him a decade earlier in India.  The romantic comedy blossoms from here, with Gi-Joon's frustrated efforts both in dealing with Ji-woo herself, as well as trying to find her ex - but while the blueprint of this rom-com might seem spelled out from the beginning, the film still holds its share of comedy and a few sweet, romantic scenes ... not to mention a few surprises and a wonderful message about destiny, and how our first relationship may (or may not) necessarily be our first love. (not rated)  A-

FINDING MR. DESTINY trailer

GONE GIRL (2014)

Gone Girl is, hands down, one of the most intricate, visceral, and under-your-skin unsettling films you may see in some time.  Based on the novel by Gillian Flynn, who also wrote the screenplay (and deserves an Oscar nom for it), the film tells the story of a marriage - between small-town boy Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck), who moves to New York City and meets big-city girl Amy (Rosamund Pike) - and the same dissolution of that marriage when the couple, both victims of the economy, need to relocate back to Nick's hometown, jobless and with no prospects.  And when Amy disappears one July morning, on their fifth anniversary, the cops finding what appears to be staged evidence of her kidnapping only throws suspicion onto Nick as the culprit - a situation made worse when it seems more and more like Nick isn't so upset she's missing.  And that's only the first hour, when the film takes a shocking u-turn and then it's "hold onto your seatbelts" for the rest, in this moody, dark, unpleasant but exquisite thriller sure to be remembered at Oscar-time. (rated R)  A

GONE GIRL trailer

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