STAR WARS: EPISODE VII - THE FORCE AWAKENS (2015)

I purposefully waited for the furor to die down - and for at least two weeks after seeing the film, so I could come back at it more objectively - before reviewing this one.  The Force Awakens is indeed better than any of the original trilogies' prequels, and revisiting characters like Luke (well, technically Luke is missing throughout the film, but you know what I mean), Leia, Han, Chewbacca, and the most lovable droids in the galaxy was awesome-sauce.  Starting thirty years after Return of the Jedi, there is now a new evil - The First Order - determined to take over the galaxy, and only a scrappy, determined and rebellious loner with the heart of a fighter (Daisy Ridley), with the help of an eager companion of questionable ethics (John Boyega) and an older, battle-scarred sage who still has a lot of fight in him (Harrison Ford) can stop the dawn of the new evil in the form of an up-and-coming dark lord (Adam Driver).  Sound familiar?  Yeah, that's the set-up of the original Star Wars film, and indeed you'll feel a lot of familiarity with the plot (such as it is) here - but if you happen to LOVE that first film (and if not, why the HECK are you even watching this one??), it's all good.  And in the details there are enough differences (and really cool battle sequences) to keep things damned entertaining.  Maybe just a little hollowness - the film doesn't resonate as deeply as A New Hope by any means, the characters not yet as much like family as you felt Luke, Leia and Han to be in the first film (with the exception of BB-8, who you WILL fall in love with) - but The Force Awakens is the closest to right the series has gotten since Jedi.  Heck, it may even make you forget how much Lucas screwed things up with the prequels. (rated PG-13)  A-

EVERYTHING IS COPY (2015)

I've always had a fascination with writer/director Nora Ephron.  From the brilliant, important Silkwood to almost singlehandedly catapulting Meg Ryan to stardom via Sleepless in Seattle and When Harry Met Sally, Ephron was a pioneer who - at heart - most often wrote about love gone both good and bad.  This HBO documentary, co-directed and produced by Ephron's son (by famed Watergate reporter Carl Bernstein, her one-time husband) Jacob Bernstein, isn't so much a controversial tell-all but more of a loving tribute - maybe even a final goodbye - from son to mom that chronicles Ephron's growing up the daughter of semi-successful screenwriting parents, to her holding her own in both the entertainment industry and feminist movement.  Interviews with those her knew her (including many famous faces), usually conducted by Jacob himself, add color to an already colorful life and show that, regardless of anything else, Ephron was much-loved and will be hugely missed by those who blessed to have known her.  Nothing groundbreaking, but nicely done. (not rated)  B

SALUT D'AMOUR (2015)

A small town in South Korea has a chance at prosperity via a redevelopment project that would bring a lot more business to their local establishments.  It's a deal the entire town wants ... with the exception of 70-year-old Sun-chil, a grumpy old man working for the local supermarket who refuses to sell his home, allowing the deal to go through.  Even Sun-chil's boss, the head of the project, can't persuade the old guy; nor can threats, pleading, or trying to play on the old man's sympathies.  But when Sun-chil shows an interest in Geum-nim, the cute elderly lady who's just moved in across the road, his boss and the other local business owners all try to teach the him how to properly woo a woman again, hoping in his happiness he will at last relent and sell.  So much more is happening than what's on the surface in this comedy-drama, and even if you guess what's coming (as I did, a little more than halfway through), it won't spoil for you the revelations, or emotional impact of this beautiful, unpretentious and impactful romance. (not rated)  A-

PEE-WEE'S BIG HOLIDAY (2016)

Though a so-so fan of the TV series, I admit to being a huge fan of Pee-wee's Big Adventure, and of the Pee-wee Herman character himself.  Twenty-six years after the series' end, Netflix brings Pee-wee back, in style, in Pee-wee's Big Holiday - and even as you notice the character has aged a bit, the film is still a wonderfully nostalgic, funny (sometimes hilarious) throwback to all that made Pee-wee Herman awesome in the first place.  The plot is overly simple: Magic Mike's Joe Manganiello, co-starring as himself, meets and becomes friends with Pee-wee before he talking the mild-mannered diner cook - who's never left his hometown - to break out and see the world by trekking to New York City for Joe's upcoming birthday party.  Never wanting to disappoint a friend, Pee-wee - despite his fears - sets out on an awesome journey that will introduce him to many colorful characters along the way (the snake farm and a trio of female criminals being only a couple of highlights), and may even see him .. tie the knot?  Nearly three decades after the height of his popularity, Pee-wee - God Bless him - is as fresh and funny as ever. (rated TV-PG)  A-

KRAMPUS (2015)

Kind of like National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation meets A Nightmare on Elm Street, Krampus starts out a comedy about a rowdy dysfunctional family getting together for Christmas, middle-class family set upon by their blue collar relatives ... until young son Max (Emjay Anthony), frustrated with the loopy proceedings, unknowingly summons a demon - the anti-Santa Claus - whose arrival turns Max's neighborhood into a desolate blizzard wasteland, and every member of his family into targets in need of being taught a lesson.  Krampus works as both a funny comedy and a satisfyingly creepy horror film; only occasionally do the two not mesh well, for me most notably in an ending I felt could have been stronger.  But in the narrow field of Christmas horror films, this one works well on both levels - without the bucketloads of blood and gore found in so many others of its genre, and with a lot more laughs. (rated PG-13)  B

FREAKS OF NATURE (2015)

The town of Dillford, best known for its sandwich "The Riblet", is just your average small town.  Like anywhere else, in Dillford vampires are the cool residents (top of the pecking order), while zombies are the mindless, brain-eating bottom-feeders, and humans lie somewhere in between.  All factions generally get along, and even at his high school Dag (Nicholas Braun) walks the halls side by side with students from all walks of life ... none hotter than Lorelei (Vanessa Hudgens), who Dag pines for even though she only uses him to hide her weed.  Then the alien invasion happens, and suddenly the streets are rampant with rioting and violence, as humans blame vampires and vampires fight back and zombies go berserk when the brain food supply stops ... and residents of Dillford begin to disappear.  Now it's up to human Dag, vampire Petra (Mackenzie Davis) and zombie Ned (Josh Fadem) to band together to save the world.  While not the best or funniest of the horror-comedy genre, Freaks of Nature is insane and has moments of genius, with an awesome supporting cast of familiar faces to help out, as well. (rated R)  B

FREAKS OF NATURE Red-Band trailer (adult themes/language)

VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN (2015)

Told through the eyes of Igor (a character not even featured in the original novel), Victor Frankenstein is an enjoyable, semi-lighthearted retelling of the legend of the good doctor (James McAvoy) directed by Paul McGuigan - director of a number of episodes of "Sherlock", which shows (positively, for me) in the look and feel of this film (not to mention Adam Scott and Louise Brealey - both of "Sherlock" - have supporting roles).  Here, Igor (a very good Daniel Radcliffe) is a hunchbacked clown who's only ever known the circus as his home, until rescued from his abused existence by med student Frankenstein when the doctor learns Igor's a self-studied medical genius.  Igor's knowledge, in fact, becomes essential to Victor's work, the two becoming friends and partners, even as Frankenstein's experiments grow into the arena of madness.  I enjoyed the chemistry between the two leads, and while the finale is a bit silly and convoluted, a la Van Helsing, overall (to me) the film was a fun period piece not worthy of the thrashing it got from critics. (rated PG-13)  B

VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN trailer

BRIDGE OF SPIES (2015)

Jim Donovan (Tom Hanks) is an insurance lawyer during the Cold War in America when his firm urges him to be the defense counsel for accused Russian spy Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance).  The trial is a joke, Abel already seen as guilty, and the best Donovan can do is wrangle a prison sentence for his client in exchange for the death penalty, citing the possibility of the USA being in need of the prisoner for some future exchange, should one of their own get caught in Russia.  Sure enough, when a U.S. pilot with dangerous secrets is captured in Russia, the CIA recruits no less than Donovan (as he's a private citizen with no ties to the U.S. government, per se) to oversee what turns into a rather complicated trade-off.  Hanks, Rylance, director Steven Spielberg, the entire cast in fact is terrific in this Cold War thriller ... yet as I watched it, I couldn't help feel I'd traveled this road (a lot) before; Hanks playing his one-man-against-the-odds do-gooder, as well as Spielberg's blueprint, A-Z telling of the story in a way that just feels ... "Spielbergian".  Well-made, suspenseful, and a great watch ... even if it all feels a bit too familiar. (rated PG-13)  B

SINISTER (2012)

Truth be known, I'd tried watching this film a few times, but within the first fifteen minutes it'd always freak me out.  Having now seen it ... Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke) is a true-crime writer whose first and best book was ten years ago.  His two books since have been plagued by claims of bad writing and irresponsible journalism, which is why - money running dry - he jumps at the chance to move (unbeknownst to his wife or kids), for a bargain, into the suburban home of the Stevenson family - four of the five of whom were recently murdered, hung from a tree in the backyard (the fifth, a child, disappeared that same night).  Stoked at finding the subject of his next bestseller, Ellison also finds gold via a box in his attic, containing a super 8 film projector along with innocently-labeled "home movies" that turn out to be actual filmed recordings, not only of the Stevenson's families execution, but those of other families (truly, these extremely real-looking, grainy and jumpy "home movies" are the most disturbing images of the film) .  As Ellis tracks down a connection, he also finds creepy things going on in the house, and with his family ... in one of the most legitimately scary horror films I have seen in some time.  A unique twist on the "found footage" film genre still so popular right now, Sinister - while having some requisite jump scares and a scene or two of "Okay, lets get on with it" exposition - also manages to really creep the snot out of you; it crawls under your skin and stays there, with unsettling images that hearken back to the kind of horror movies not seen much today: ones that cut away just prior to the most graphic parts, allowing your own brain to fill in images of what would be even more horrific for you.  It also has the perfect ending; one that, just as you're fully realizing what is actually going on, will smack you in the forehead like a rock.  Worthy of this extra-long review, Sinister is by far the best truly scary horror film I've seen in years - and unless you prefer your scares with buckets of gore, instead of getting your mind f*cked, you'll probably think so, too. (rated R)  A

(No trailer, sorry; what trailers I could find, I felt ruined a few surprises in the film - and Sinister is definitely a movie you want to go into knowing as little as possible!  Please search for a trailer on your own, if you like - but you've been warned!)

VACATION (2015)

A fan of the original - and not a fan of Ed Helms - made me prepared to hate this remake ... which means no one was more surprised than me when I found myself laughing pretty much all the way through it, even at the cruder, more stupid jokes.  Rusty Griswold (Helms) has grown up, with a beautiful wife (Christina Applegate) and two sons of his own.  He's a pilot with a mediocre commuter airline, growing stale in his routine, when he decides to mimic his father of long ago by taking the unwilling family on a drive 'cross-country to ... Walley World!  Nothing - repeat: NOTHING - goes right, often in a funny as hell way, and on their trip the family even manages a visit to Rusty's sister, where an eye-opening Chris Hemsworth shows he can be about as anti-Thor as possible, when called upon (cameos by Norman Reedus and Charlie Day, along with appearances by Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo, help greatly).  Skyler Gisondo and especially Steele Stebbins are freaking hilarious as the Griswold boys, and as much as I hate to admit it, Vacation is a very funny, foul-mouthed guilty pleasure I will be visiting again.  And again. (rated R)  B

BOULEVARD (2014)

At 60, Nolan Mack (Robin Williams) is a steady guy.  He's been working the same job at a bank in Nashville for nearly 26 years, has been married even longer to the quietly intelligent Joy (Kathy Baker), and has built a comfortable life in suburbia.  Nolan doesn't rock the boat and seems happy, even as you notice cracks in the foundation (he and Joy sleep in separate rooms, he doesn't seem thrilled with the prospect of a job promotion).  Then one night, after visiting his ill father in a nursing home, Nolan drives down the same seedy, prostitute-lined street he's seen many times - and on impulse suddenly makes a u-turn, almost hitting a handsome young hustler, Leo (Roberto Aguire).  Boulevard is the story of a quiet, unassuming man who's never made waves, finally opening up to being gay after years of living a lie.  It's Robin Williams's final on-screen performance and he plays it with beautiful restraint, Nolan fighting to keep his life of normalcy even as it all begins to unravel.  Poignant, especially in light of Williams' suicide in 2014. (rated R)  A-

SUFFRAGETTE (2015)

Suffragette brings the progression of the women's rights movement in England into sharp focus via the very personal story of Maud Watts (the perfectly-cast Carey Mulligan), a wife and mother who toils long hours in a hot, dilapidated laundry under the watchful eye of her overbearing male bosses.  When the women's movement fires her up, Maud realizing just how important it is that those who come after her not live the kind of life she has, she soon becomes a genuine soldier for the cause, eventually putting her marriage, home and even her child's future in jeopardy.  Full of great performances and passion, Suffragette is a stark reminder of the way the world once was, that many of us alive now would find hard to believe ever even existed.  Though it came off a little "Hollywood-ized" for me and could have used more grittiness and less gloss, the film is nevertheless touching and important and at times heartbreaking, with a stellar cast; one of those movies everyone should see, to make sure our past is known so we're never doomed to repeat it. (rated PG-13)  B+

VAMPIRE (2011)

An odd indie film I'd been wanting to see because of Kevin Zegers, I knew going into this it wasn't about traditional "vampires"; Zegers plays biology teacher Simon Williams, who trolls an online site called Side by Cide to find young women looking to kill themselves.  Convincing them he will join them in a suicide pact, he instead kills the women by draining their blood into glass jars, to drink later, and is also part of a bizarre community who think of themselves as vampires (including a complete psycho named Renfield, who uses his "vampirism" to cover his even more sick tastes), that make him seem almost normal by comparison.  And let's not even get into the mother with Alzheimer's (Amanda Plummer), who spends her days harnessed to giant helium balloons, or the pretty suicidal blonde, Ladybird, who Simon develops feelings for ... Vampire is a unique, very slow-moving drama with the feel of a slow-burning Asian horror film.  Unsettling, weird and flawed enough to make for an intriguing watch ... if not something you'd exactly rush to see. (rated R)  C

VAMPIRE trailer

DOPE (2015)

Three best friends - Malcolm (Shameik Moore), Diggy (Kiersey Clemons), and Jib (Tony Revolori) - are high school geeks in one of the toughest neighborhoods in Inglewood, California.  They have a punk band together, are working to get into college, and spend every day just trying to survive living in The Bottoms ... when a chance invite Malcolm gets to a birthday party sends the trio of friends into an adventure involving the cops, college admission interviews, Bitcoins, guns, public urination, cheesy chili fries, a stoner who looks like Carrot Top, a backpack full of drugs, and more.  The trio heading the cast are absolutely terrific, especially an award-worthy Shameik Moore as Malcolm, and Tony Revolori following up The Grand Budapest Hotel proving he is so not a one-hit wonder.  Fresh, foul-mouthed, and laugh-out-loud funny, Dope is an insane indie comedy that's also one of my favorite films seen so far this year; the kind of film a more "urban" John Hughes would have made, were he coming up today. (rated R)  A

SICARIO (2015)

Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) is a dedicated, idealistic FBI agent who loses a couple of her fellow officers in a Chandler, Arizona raid on a home that uncovers dozens of bodies buried within its walls.  Tough and good at her job, when offered the chance to be part of a special squad out to capture those responsible for what happened, Kate volunteers to help ... only to find she's part of a group comprised of those on both sides of the law who are determined to take down one of the biggest drug lords operating in any way they can.  Sicario is violent and full of scenes so tense you'll watch them without blinking or breathing, as it sickeningly portrays the dangers, destruction, and devastation of Mexico's border towns run by drug dealers (vastly helped in their heinous crimes by the corrupt state police).  While I found Kate a bit too idealistic - naive, even, in some ways - you can almost feel the events she witnesses stripping her of her innocence and naivety before your eyes ... as you may feel, yourself, via this powerful, moving film. (rated R)  A-

TWENTY (2015)

Leave it to the Koreans: even when they do a "raunchy" (raunchy by Korean standards, that is) buddy comedy, they still manage to instill the film with a touch of heart - and your eyes with a tear or two.  Womanizer Chi Ho, comic book artist Dong Woo, and kindhearted Kyung Je are all just twenty years old, suddenly realizing while the world is at their disposal, the time may be coming when they need to start looking at what they really want to do with their lives.  First on the agenda seems to be love - or, for handsome Chi Ho, getting laid; that is, until his rich parents try cracking down on him to get serious by cutting off his money.  Meanwhile, Dong Woo tries to pursue his dream by attending school to be an animation artist, and Kyung Je finds his career track in college changed when he meets a beauty who is also the smartest gal in school.  The film is low on plot, basically the story of three best friends trying to find their way and find love - at times silly and laugh-out-loud funny, but also with moments of heart and soul. (not rated)  B+

CAROL (2015)

Though I've never read Patricia Highsmith, I've become a fan of her themes of secrets, duality, and complexity through filmed versions of her work like The Talented Mr. Ripley and (a personal favorite) Strangers on a Train.  There is this feel, a mood, to the Oscar-nominated Carol as well - the story of a friendship struck up between a New York City department store clerk, Therese (Rooney Mara), and the beautiful, sophisticated Carol (Cate Blanchett) when she sells the older woman a toy train set for her daughter.  Said friendship, from start, is rife with sexual tension (the mutual attraction crackles on-screen), a potentially sticky situation as this is the 1950's and Carol - going through a separation/divorce - is a fiercely devoted mother expecting to retain custody of her beloved daughter.  Carol is a slow burn; a character study of a relationship that may more too slow for some, but for me was fairly fascinating thanks to the lead performances.  An intriguing and lyrical film. (rated R)  A-

SPOTLIGHT (2015)

Opening in 1976 with a short scene filled with dread (a portent of things to come), Spotlight then fast-forwards to 2001, when the tiny "Spotlight" division of the offices of The Boston Globe (a team that does long-term investigative journalism) is given the task of checking into allegations of sexual abuse committed by a priest.  What starts off as a rumble quickly turns to a roar, as the team uncovers more and more victims, survivors of abuse from priests all over the city - the state - even beyond.  Featuring a terrific ensemble cast led by Michael Keaton (including Oscar nominee Mark Ruffalo), Spotlight details the investigation that would come to expose a major cover up by the Catholic Church, as well as open the doors to similar, criminal investigations around the world.  Pretty intense stuff, and more than once in the film I had to cry for what the victims had gone through, not just in the abuse but also in the taking away of their innocence and faith.  Based on the real-life Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation, and deserving of every accolade (and prize) it gets. (rated R)  A

CREED (2015)

Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) grew up fighting.  The illegitimate son of boxing legend Apollo Creed, who died before he was even born, Adonis also lost his mother at a young age, and learned to fight coming up via a series of foster homes and juvenile detention centers, until taken in by Apollo's widow and ultimately living a life of privilege in Los Angeles.  He grows up a good man yet still a fighter at heart; so much so, Adonis travels cross-country to Philadelphia to seek out former champion Rocky Balboa (an incredibly moving Sylvester Stallone), his father's friend and most stalwart opponent, to help him channel his anger into making him a first-class boxer in his own right.  Feeling a bit like an update of the original Rocky, Creed takes the similar, essential story, and gives it a fresh spin through the eyes of a complex young man battling demons both in an out of the ring.  An emotional, rousing film whose last ten minutes will have you on the edge of your seat, and make your spirits soar. (rated PG-13)  A

TRUMBO (2015)

I sat down to watch this film with a prejudiced mind; I have loved classic Hollywood movies since childhood, and the witch hunt that was the Hollywood blacklist, the "Red Scare" of the late 1940's through the 1950's, where some of the biggest names in the industry were singled out as potentially threatening members of the Communist party, was the beginning of the end for the careers of some of my all-time favorite actors (John Garfield comes to mind), who never fully recovered from having their reputations soiled.  Trumbo tells the story of famed, eccentric screenwriter Dalton Trumbo (Bryan Cranston), who, along with a number of colleagues eventually labeled The Hollywood Ten, would refuse to name names, and ended up doing jail time for it.  Trumbo, an Oscar-nominated screenwriter, would go on to create a cottage industry, writing scripts under various names (and recruiting fellow writers to do the same) - including the screenplays for Spartacus and Exodus - right under the very noses of Joseph McCarthy and his Republican cronies determined to make the U.S. live in fear.  Cranston is great, but the rest of the cast deserves equal mention, particularly Helen Mirren as the salacious and insatiable Hedda Hopper, and an extraordinary David James Elliott playing John Wayne, a major proponent of the Red Scare.  As someone calling himself a writer, and someone who reveres the days when Hollywood actually had "stars," for me this film was at various times rejuvenating, aggravating, eye-opening, horrific, touching, even amusing ... but always riveting.  While Cranston deserves his nomination, I think the film's strength rests just as much on its incredible cast, in a film everyone should see - particularly with the political climate in America today.  Frightening, the likenesses; more frightening is the realization, watching this, of how close we may be, as a nation, to repeating past mistakes ... if we don't remember the heinous roads they took us down before. (rated R)  A

BROOKLYN (2015)

Saoirse Ronan is beautiful as Ellis Lacey in this Oscar nominee, about a young Irish girl who emigrates to America in the 1950's in search of a better life.  Leaving her mother and older sister Rose behind, after a tough journey by sea Ellis lands in Brooklyn where, thanks to a local priest (Jim Broadbent) she's already set up with a department store job and a room in a strictly-run, all-female boarding house.  Though loneliness and homesickness nearly drive her back home, thanks to Father Flood Ellis she toughs it out, until things change when she meets a handsome Italian boy, Tony (Emory Cohen).  The two become close, Ellis finding happiness in the States at last, when urgent news from home calls her back to Ireland ... and away from the boy she's grown to love.  Ronan leads a fine cast in this wonderful romantic drama; no explosions, dire circumstances or melodrama here, this is simply Ellis's story; the tale of a young woman finding her way, her life, and first love in a whole new world. (rated PG-13)  A-

DUMBO (1941)

Still trying to catch up on the classic Disney animated films I haven't yet seen, I hope it won't sound sacrilegious to say I wasn't 100% into Dumbo.  Nothing to do with the look of the film (still love hand-drawn animation best, to this day), the characters, story, music, etc.; I just couldn't get past that weird pink elephants musical number, and frankly the story felt thin as broth.  Mrs. Jumbo, finally receiving her bundle from the stork, finds she's the mother of an adorable, blue-eyed baby elephant son ... who happens to have humongous ears.  Named Jumbo, the boy is soon re-christened "Dumbo" based on those ears, and when the taunting and teasing prove enough for Mrs. Jumbo, she takes matters into her own ... hooves? ... and is summarily locked up as a rogue elephant.  The film is about accepting yourself for who you are - finding the special gifts you have that only you can give to the world - and in that, the film scores big.  Just having that pink elephant number dropped into the middle of everything like a bad acid trip was ... unsettling, at best. (not rated)  B-

THE HEAVENLY BODY (1944)

Classic romantic comedy starring the venerable William Powell (one of my all-time favorites) as Bill Whitley, a world-renowned astronomer who's seemingly putting his work ahead of his beautiful wife of two years, Vicky (the breathtaking Hedy Lamarr).  The two keep opposite schedules, and Vicky's feeling the loneliness; so much so, when her neighbor suggests a trip to see an astrologer, Madame Sibyll, Vicky takes things a bit too much to heart when the woman's predictions start coming true ... and, in the long-term, Sibyll predicts Vicky will meet a hunk of a worldly man she's going to leave Bill for!  When said hunk, Lloyd (James Craig), shows up for real, it becomes astronomy versus astrology as Vicky sinks deeper into her beliefs and the frazzled Bill sets out to prove astrology is the bunk - but his love for his wife is not.  The chemistry between Powell and Lamarr is sweet, Lamarr's character sometimes frustrating in her unshakable beliefs but the comedy just warm and fuzzy and funny enough to enjoy like a fizzy champagne. (not rated)  B

THE HEAVENLY BODY (full movie)

DAAWAT-E-ISHQ (2014)

Gulla (Parineeti Chopra), beautiful and headstrong, knows what she wants and won't settle for less - particularly in terms of a husband or career.  When her heart is broken one time too many, she concocts a scheme in which she and her father will go to another part of the country, pretend to be wealthy, and use a matrimonial site to set Gulla up with a potential husband from a well-off family ... only later to take advantage of a law in India which forbids a family from demanding any form of a dowry, along with a bride, for their son to marry (though it's a law commonly broken).  Enter Taru (Aditya Roy Kapoor), a middle-class chef, running his family's restaurant, whom Gulla and her father decide to ensnare ... if the handsome, kind-hearted, lovable Taru doesn't ensnare Gulla first.  Even if you know where this romantic comedy-drama is going, the joy is in getting there via the very likable cast, energetic music, and an ending that still manages a surprise or two; even this cynic loved it! (not rated)  A-

SPECTRE (2015)

James Bond (Daniel Craig) goes rogue in this, the 24th outing of the unending franchise, when a message from the past sends him on a mission that will lead Bond to a final run-in with an organization powerful enough to - literally - control the world.  The pre-credits chase scene, shot in Mexico City, is a breathtaking thrill ride hearkening back to the older, better Bond films - as are other aspects of Spectre, one of the best being a Jaws-like villain in the form of the larger-than-life Dave Bautista.  As M and the 007 arm of British intelligence are shut down for good to make way for modern technology, Bond must work alone to connect the dots of his past in time to stop SPECTRE, the criminal organization of unlimited power that holds some deeply personal stakes for 007 himself.  Not quite Skyfall (though topping that film would be tough), but an action-packed, thrilling, and quite dark installment of the series that more than satisfies. (rated PG-13)  A

THE DANISH GIRL (2015)

Based on a true story, The Danish Girl is the tale of married couple Einar (Eddie Redmayne) and Gerta (Alicia Vikander) Wegener, both painters enjoying Einar's moderate success and local celebrity in 1926 Copenhagen.  The couple are deeply-in-love young moderns with few boundaries, supporting each other fully; so much so, when Gerta wants the publicity-shy Einar to accompany her to a huge artist's ball, the pair concoct the idea of Einar going in drag, as his own cousin Lili, so they can attend together - which opens a floodgate of emotion when Gerta learns her husband has spent a lifetime suppressing the feeling he's actually a woman inside.  The film, as much about this love story of a marriage as it is about Lili Elba becoming a pioneer of transgender rights, hits all the right notes - but as nuanced/ideal a performance as Redmayne gives, I somehow never felt I really knew Einar/Lili ... in contrast to Vikander, whose Gerta is heartbreaking as the woman who will do anything for love.  Masterfully done, if a bit impersonal in the end. (rated R)  B+

ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM (2015)

Many reading this review might think I was on acid when I wrote it; those used to Asian manga, anime and cinema will understand.  In Assassination Classroom Japan has been invaded by an alien creature resembling a yellow octopus with a smiley face, who has already destroyed most of the moon and threatens the same with earth ... but agrees to take over a class of losers and misfits at the Kunugigaoka Junior High School - the "E-Class" - and teach them not only their lessons but also assassination skills, promising the only way the earth can be saved is if any of the kids can kill him by graduation in March.  The government steps in to help the students, but with each attempt the alien proves harder to destroy, always one step ahead and ALWAYS smiling.  Based on a Japanese manga, this film is nuts but also great fun, with a very likable cast and killer special effects; odd, funny, even hitting a couple of the emotional notes it goes for in the end - and with the way it ends, there'd best be a sequel! (not rated)  B

ANACONDAS: THE HUNT FOR THE BLOOD ORCHID (2004)

Fear of snakes aside, had heard about this film for years plus it stars a few actors I really like and any "monster" movie so bad it can't take itself seriously is often a fun watch.  The problem with this film is, it takes itself way too seriously.  That, combined with some bad acting and special effects nearly as lame as what you find on SyFy Channel make for a disappointing film.  Each character is also a stereotype in this story of a team searching through the Indonesian jungle to find the elusive blood orchid, which contains properties that may or may not help create a fountain of youth-like drug to prolong life; the corporate lackey out of her element, the hot babe assistant, the borderline fanatic science dude determined to persevere, the grumpy but hunky boat captain who develops a conscience, the sharp-tongued tech guy - all and more battling some big-ass, fake-looking snakes when their boat gets destroyed.  And yet the first half of the film, at least, even comes off boring somehow; the rest is just kind of silly.  Gotta love Kong the monkey, though. (rated PG-13)  C-

THE INTERN (2015)

On the surface there's nothing new about The Intern; Anne Hathaway plays a beleaguered young woman, Jules, whose new internet start-up is growing almost too big for her, when her busy life's made busier as she's forced to take on an intern, Ben (Robert De Niro), as part of a program to help senior citizens.  A typical workplace comedy, with a slight twist.  But De Niro is such a marvel - being the oldest out of 220 twenty-something employees, Ben sort of becomes the "uncle" of the office, so affable and sweet and always wanting to help, you can't not fall in love with him ... and, by extension, the film.  Hathaway, in the "straight" guy role, is perfect as well - the film so wonderfully written and funny, with genuine warmth and humor and not a false note in the cast, I couldn't help but enjoy myself immensely watching it (even if I did have to keep reminding myself this was the same dude from Taxi Driver and Raging Bull).  De Niro's never been better, the entire film a sweet surprise. (rated PG-13)  A-

IF THERE BE THORNS (2015)

Wow, didn't realize Lifetime was cranking these out this fast.  The third in the weird, creepy, yet endlessly fascinating saga of the Dollanganger children, If There Be Thorns is where the book series starts to unravel a bit.  Flowers in the Attic was fascinating reading, even if you felt a bit like a perv enjoying it; Petals on the Wind, well, we all wanted to find out what happened to the kids afterward.  After that, the series became lurid and lackluster at the same time; here the story of Chris and Cathy Dollanganger (now Sheffield), living their lives as a married couple even though they're biologically brother and sister (yes, you read that right) and raising their two sons (by Cathy, via two different men, neither of them Chris; things don't go quite that nuts) in an idyllic life ... until a mysterious woman moves in next door who will prove to bring all past sins home.  Meh acting and writing, plus a melodramatic religious zealot storyline, don't help - and yet, as the film goes on, Mason Cook in particular (playing youngest son Bart) helps to make it all sickly fascinating, somehow.  (rated TV-14)  C-

STEVE JOBS (2015)

Not everyone will like Steve Jobs.  A complicated and controversial man, if you're looking for a complete, documentary-style portrait of his life or thought processes, this isn't it.  That said, Steve Jobs is one of my favorite films of the year.  Michael Fassbender and Kate Winslet are both Oscar-worthy as Jobs and his long-suffering assistant Joanna Hoffman (although, in a terrific surprise, Seth Rogen also shines as Steve Wozniak), and while some may find the film "talky" and with little action, I was glued to the screen from start to finish.  Starting with Jobs' introduction of the Macintosh computer in 1984, the film chronicles his rise and fall until the introduction of the iMac in 1998; a time in which Jobs changed the world and became both savior and villain of Apple.  It's an intense, amazing character study, Fassbender getting completely lost in Jobs' persona (truly, you forget he's Michael Fassbender) and heading a brilliant cast, in a film that gives you a glimpse into the genius - and deep flaws - of a man who would change the world. (rated R)  A

LOVE ACTUALLY (2003)

For the four weeks leading up to Christmas, Love Actually tells the loosely-related stories of eight different couples, whether it be finding or losing or regaining love.  Beautifully written, funny and poignant in all the right places, and often bordering on over-sentimentality (what else would you expect, from a Christmas-themed film?) but never falling over that edge, the film benefits as well from a stupendous cast; Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Bill Nighy, Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, Andrew Lincoln, Keira Knightley, Laura Linney, Rodrigo Santoro, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Liam Neeson, Martin Freeman, and Kris Marshall are only the tip of this iceberg of talent.  What sets this film apart, though, is the way it tracks so many characters, yet manages to make you feel for all of them; as if you know them, or would love to, by the end of the film.  Funny, sweet, enchanting, and everything a Christmas (or any good film) should be.  Just can't believe it took me this long to see it. (rated R)  A

ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL (2015)

Even with a title that doesn't scream "happy ending," I was drawn in by all the praise heaped on this film ... and the fact it co-stars Olivia Cooke, one of the best young actors working today.  Greg (a terrific Thomas Mann) is a high school senior who's managed to coast through life without making a single enemy - or a single friend, with the exception of his "co-worker" (Greg hates the term "friend") Earl (RJ Cyler, also terrific).  That is, until Greg's mom forces him to hang out for a day with Rachel (Cooke), the daughter of a friend (and classmate of Greg's) who's just been diagnosed with leukemia.  From here the film goes in both expected and surprising directions, but what's wonderful is it all feels authentic - so genuine to the story, the characters, and the flawed real world we live in.  Laughter and tears both in store, but one thing I didn't expect was for the film to be this touching - this real (thanks in large part to the three leads) - and this affecting, making me reflect on my own life and world.  Lovely stuff. (rated PG-13)  A

THE PEANUTS MOVIE (2015)

No doubt, Blue Sky was the studio to make this; the film is pitch-perfect in appearance, lovingly made and full of nostalgia, like the comics and cartoon specials made over in a three dimension.  They even got the voices right, as well as nearly every sight gag and recognizable line any Peanuts fan could think of; in fact, the first ten minutes of the movie are virtually crammed with them, as if the filmmakers are trying to reassure us: "Hey, we got this; we're not going to let you fans down."  The plot, such as it is, involves Charlie Brown's attempts to impress the little red-haired girl who's new to town (and whom he's crushing on, bad), intertwined a bit with Snoopy's World War I Flying Ace and his ongoing battle with the Red Baron, this time to save the beautiful Fifi.  A wonderful, beautiful walk down memory lane ... that, somehow, doesn't warm the heart as much as you'd expect, even coming off a bit cold/sterile - as if they got the mechanics right, but came up a wee bit short on the emotions. (rated G)  B+

PAN (2015)

Wow, so much hate for this film!  I get it - it was ballsy, maybe stupid, of the filmmakers to make up a back-story for the boy-who-never-grew-up for this prequel.  But to make Peter and Hook start off friends, AND bring in Blackbeard the pirate as the bad guy, THEN cast paler-than-white Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily?  I get it.  But other than a fairy land that resembles a cheap backdrop from a 1970's "Doctor Who" episode for the finale, and a "wtf" all-over-the-place performance by Garrett Hedlund as Hook, the film is actually fun - mostly due to newcomer Levi Miller, who's brilliant as Peter.  The story's paper-thin: Peter's a headstrong boy living in an orphanage, sure his mother will someday come for him when he (along with a bunch of others) is kidnapped by pirates and taken, by ship, to the island of Neverland, where boys are forced to mine for pixie dust for Blackbeard the pirate (Hugh Jackman), who has his own agenda.  Adventure, swordfights, and much CGI follows - but no, it doesn't suck. (rated PG)  C+