Saturday, December 27, 2014

Friday, December 26, 2014

Selma




Airless, flat and squirmy, Ava DuVernay’s “Selma” is the epitome of what I call the “broccoli movie”: you’re supposed to see it because it’s good for you.

Into the Woods





Rob Marshall, who directed the Oscar-winning adaptation of “Chicago” (2002), again gives moviegoers a Christmas gift with the disproportionately enjoyable “Into the Woods,” with book by James Lapine and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Annie





If you want to know what’s wrong with Hollywood, look no further than the Golden Globe nomination for young Quvenzhane Wallis for “Annie.”

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

She's Beautiful When She's Angry, Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles

Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles
She's Beautiful When She's Angry




Quick capsules on two of the week’s new documentaries:

Inherent Vice, Maps to the Stars, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks

Inherent Vice
Maps to the Stars



Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks


Capsule reviews on the rest of the week's new features:

Top Five





Chris Rock's aggressively unfunny "Top Five" proves that he can make a picture as unenjoyable as Woody Allen's "Stardust Memories." Now all he needs to give us are thirty or forty classic films and he'll be right up there. 

Monday, December 8, 2014

Wild, Comet, Still Alice, Elsa & Fred, Voice of the King

Wild
Comet



Still Alice


Elsa & Fred
Voice of the King






Reese Witherspoon gives an appealingly relatable and unfussy performance - one worthy of an Oscar nom - as Cheryl Strayed in Jean-Marc Vallée's "Wild," which overcomes an occasionally on-the-nose script by Nick Hornby to provide a moving and highly sensory experience.