Closed Curtain, Lucy

Closed Curtain

Lucy

In 2012, Jafar Panahi, the celebrated Iranian director banned from filmmaking by his government, gave us a peek at life under house arrest in the cinematic art-object "This is Not a Film," one of a trio of films that year (including Joshua Marston's superior "The Forgiveness of Blood" and Marc Simon's four-star documentary "Unraveled") to explore the subject.

Fading Gigolo, Transcendence

Fading Gigolo

Transcendence

For his fifth directorial effort, "Fading Gigolo," John Turturro has given Woody Allen a substantial role, and good thing, too, because Woody and the rest of the supporting cast bring to life a movie that, despite a few grace notes, largely dies on the vine during the scenes of the main plotline.

The LEGO Movie

The only way to enjoy "The LEGO Movie" is stoned (as directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller none-too-subtly suggest).

Last Vegas

There are a few laughs in the sexagenarian WHIVSIV comedy "Last Vegas," flashes of wit among the warmed-over sentiment and tiresome plot machinations.

Now You See Me

The Four Horsemen are three magicians (Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco) and a mentalist (Woody Harrelson) of indeterminate connection who perform a series of stage spectaculars.

The Dark Knight Rises

Christopher Nolan's trilogy-concluding "The Dark Knight Rises" assaults the viewer with the unrelenting bass thump of a Hans Zimmer score (which also marred "Inception"), its queasily violent vision of a downtrodden Gotham held hostage by an unremarkable villain, and endless, nothing-special scenes of hand-to-hand combat, CGI effects, and green-screen projections. At 165 bloated minutes, it's boring beyond belief.