Whiplash (2014)

Never, ever, have I felt so short of breath during a drama the way I did during Damien Chazelle's "Whiplash". The pacing reminded me more of a taught political thriller than any teacher drama. J.K. Simmons plays a jazz ensemble conductor at a prestigious music conservatory, who has some questionable methods of trying to get the best of his student: screaming horrific insults and hurling chairs to name a few. He is frightening in this roll, and you laugh uncomfortably at many of his racial and homophobic slurs, because you so engrossed by him, that looking away is never an option.

Miles Teller is the new student that he picks apart for being a tad off-beat on the drums. This is Teller's breakout role. His character is socially inept, and relies on his passion for drumming, and his quest for greatness, to be his closest companion. The editing, by Tom Cross, is quick and vibrant, especially during the scenes directly involving the music performances. Sharone Meir's cinematography captures the mood in every way; adding a constant unease, and never letting you flinch when it gets a little too shocking. Writer/director Chazelle has achieved something spectacular with this film. Hopefully, this isn't the last time we hear his name.

Grade: A
3D: N/A
Easter Egg: No

Starring: Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Paul Reiser
Director: Damien Chazelle
Writer(s): Damien Chazelle
RT: 107 min
Rating: R for strong language including some sexual references

Two Sentences:

Dracula Untold (2014): Why does Hollywood continue to think that audiences want to see whiny, misguided retellings of the origins of long beloved literary characters? If the story wasn't bad enough, the dialogue, ham-fisted acting, and poor cinematography certainly didn't help.

Grade: D-

Bad Turn Worse (2013): This isn't necessarily the finest crime drama of the year, but it was well written, finely shot, and stocked with a few wonderful performances. Watching these three long-time friends try to navigate the criminal underworld is both frightening and exhilarating enough to keep interest throughout its brisk run time.

Grade: B+

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)

Fly Like an Eagle

There is so much to love about Alejandro González Iñárritu's "Birdman", that is impossible for me to remember all of them after only one viewing. In fact, I'm sure after repeated viewings, I could find more things to love. The most obvious things might be the best start with. With the help of the man who can only be described as the best living cinematographer, Emmanuel Lubezki, the camera glides scene to scene almost effortlessly in one seemingly long take, with great thanks to Douglas Crise and Stephen Mirrione's perfect editing. The drum heavy score by Antonio Sanchez is driving, sparse, and beautifully effective.

Iñárritu has allowed Michael Keaton to explore, with great fervor, what can possibly be explained as the most interesting character of his career. Riggan Thompson just happens to have a lot in common with Keaton (much like Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler"). Watching him spiral into madness is tragically wonderful, and the understated performance is elegant and madcap in one fell swoop. The rest of this near-perfect ensemble, including Naomi Watts as an insecure actress on Broadway for the first time, Edward Norton playing a method actor with social behavior issues, and Emma Stone as Riggan's daughter/personal assistant who has just finished a stint in rehab, get so much to play with. Watching them have fun with this script makes everything about this film feel genuine from the ground up. This is certainly not a film to miss. It is awesome.

Grade: A-
3D: N/A
Easter Egg: No

Starring: Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Edward Norton
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Writer(s): Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, and Armando Bo
RT: 119 min
Rating: R for language throughout, some sexual content and brief violence

Two Sentences:

The Babadook (2014): This was the freakiest horror film that has been released all year, without exception. Writer/director Jennifer Kent hasn't made the most original piece, but she fills it with enough dread, menace, and Babadook to keep the audiences scooting further to the edge of their seat until the very last frame.

Grade: A-

What If (2013): Daniel Radcliffe is beginning to have a very good post-Potter phase of off-beat films that are, in different ways, very quirky and eccentric. "What If" is a romantic comedy that is refreshingly charming, and filled with great performances from the central cast that compliment the string of jokes that make up the script, instead of hindering it.

Grade: B+

Dumb and Dumber To (2014)

"Dumb and Dumber To" is the "Godfather Part III" of comedy. It came from a well-loved film made twenty years prior, and it failed to live up to even the least of the expectations surrounding it. This movie is completely awful. Jokes are thrown about at rapid speeds, and hardly a one of them lands with the slightest amusement. Gags from the first movie are copied or tweaked, and not a single one brings any laughs. The level of stupid the title characters seems to have been ratcheted up by such an astounding amount, that it makes it impossible to think of these two as worthy protagonists in any form. The performances range from grating to middling, and never quite get above that range. Did I mention that this film is simply awful? Awful!

Grade: F
3D: N/A
Easter Egg: Yes.

Starring: Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, Rob Riggle
Director: Bobby & Peter Farrelly
Writer(s): 6 Writing Credits
RT: 110 min
Rating: PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, partial nudity, language and some drug references

Two Sentences:

Ouija (2014): A weak concept, bad acting, and and a group of weakly written central characters make this horror film a complete drag to watch. The conclusion brings a silly twist that doesn't feel genuine or interesting.

Grade: D-

Annabelle (2014):

At no point does the eponymous killer doll ever feel like a real threat, and I think that is the underlying problem with this thrill-less horror film. Despite the failures of the script, a couple of decent performances help bring this up from an unsalvageable mess of a movie.

Grade: D

Jessabelle (2014)

Some half decent scares, and an intriguing concept, give way to run-of-the-mill plotting, and some half-baked twists and turns. Sarah Snook carries the story as well as she could, and should be a welcome addition to a new crop of young actresses.

Grade: C+

Beyond the Lights (2014)

There is a very specific reason I continuously watch movies with horribly edited trailers and awful marketing campaigns. Every now and then a gem slips through the cracks of the studio system, and surprises me more than I would assume. Gina Prince-Bythewood wrote a perfectly serviceable story, that follows a lot of tropes, but manages to rise above them with the help of a few great performances, and Bythewood's elegant direction. What really makes this a film worthy of seeing, however, is the (hopefully) star-making performance of actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw playing rising star Noni. She is broken, lost, and waiting for someone to see her for who she is, and not for what she is. I did not expect to enjoy "Beyond the Lights" nearly as much as I did, and it is a wonder that this got so mishandled..

Grade: B
3D: N/A
Easter Egg: No. Though I was hoping for a set up for "Even Further Beyond the Lights".

Starring: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Nate Parker, Minnie Driver
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Writer(s): Gina Prince-Bythewood
RT: 116 min
Rating: PG-13 for sexual content including suggestive gestures, partial nudity, language and thematic elements

Two Sentences:

The Judge (2014): David Dobkin has made a self-important dramedy that never rises above a mediocre, melodramatic pitch. Robert Downey Jr. plays an over-intelligent smartass (like always), Rober Duvall is forced to say a fistful of horrendous and silly dialogue, and Vincent D'Onofrio and Vera Farmiga are completely wasted as filler characters.

Grade: C-

St. Vincent (2014): Though it is packed with tremendous flaws, mostly due to the film's unfortunate attempts at humor, this movie is packed with a lot of heart. The moments that it shifts from wannabe comedy to full on drama are the moments where this film really shines.

Grade: C+

Big Hero 6 (2014)

There is a good chance that "Big Hero 6" is the best film that Disney Animation (not Pixar) has ever produced. Hyperbole? Maybe. Is the film really good enough for that title? Absolutely. It is a film about unimaginable loss, and the way it effects those closest to it. It is about the memories of those we lose, and the difference between justice and revenge. The story sounds like the same origin story we have heard multiple times, but the way the young Hiro, a 14 year-old robotics genius, is forced to deal with it, and the way he continuously rises to meet his expectations, and inspires those around him, the more you want to be inspired by him.

Hiro's relationship with his brother's creation, a medical robot name Baymax, is touching, and beautiful. Especially for what it comes to represent. The supporting characters are all very well written. They are a lot fun, and have very distinct personalities, but they are never once annoying in the way many family films treat their supporting casts. Though they seem to take to their new suits a little fast, this gets forgiven by the two major action sequences that they use them in. They are fast, fun, and well animated, without losing the tone of the film. The eponymous fictional super hero team may be in the foreground of the film, but the very real emotions are what really put you into the story.

Grade: A
3D: Not necessary
Easter Egg: Yes. Oh yes!

Starring: Scott Adsit, Ryan Potter, Daniel Henney

Director: Don Hall & Chris Williams

Writer(s): 8 writing credits

RT: 108 min

Rating: PG for action and peril, some rude humor, and thematic element

Two Sentences:

Feast: This short film about a puppy found in an alleyway, given a home, and fed beyond his wildest dreams, is adorable and touching, with adorable and touching to spare. It runs the gamut of gut busting laughs to gripping despair, all within a handful of feeding times.

Grade: A

John Wick: To be honest, their is absolutely nothing special about John Wick. It is a serviceable action movie, with a few really excellent scenes, a couple of good performances, and it was well shot, but it was a lot of fun.

Grade: B- 

Interstellar (2014)

The latest offering from Christopher Nolan gets so many things right. So many things. The script may not be perfect, but it is exciting in the right parts, and emotional in many others. The cast brings some of their best performances to some very well rounded characters. Nolan's decision to use practical effects instead of constant CGI, is absolutely commendable for a myriad of reasons, but tops among those its keeping the actors' reactions genuine and believable. The biggest problem is that the third act drags on a little long, thus leaving all of the heightened emotions to fizzle out. This is a completely solid film that should be experienced in the theatre, but just know it is flawed.

Grade: B+
3D: N/A
Easter Egg: No

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain
Director: Christopher Nolan
Writer(s): Jonathan Nolan & Christopher Nolan
RT: 168 min
Rating: PG-13 for some intense perilous action and brief strong language.

Two Scentences:

Horns - Sometimes this film feels a little sillier than it needs to be, but that never really keeps it form being enjoyable. Radcliffe brings a lot charisma to his role, and Alexandre Aja keeps the film just the right amount of dark to not disrupt the tongue-in-cheek humor of the script.


Grade: B+

Nightcrawler (2014)

There are so many things to enjoy about Dan Gilroy's debut. It is shot with complete care around Los Angeles, highlighting the city's darkest corners. He has cast Jake Gyllenhaal (in the best role of his career) as his anti-hero, Lou Bloom, a loner sociopath who spends his time stealing to make a few dollars, and studying many facets of the world in order to make a place for himself. The story takes him to the career of gathering footage for stories for local news affiliates. The events that transpire in his new career become increasingly more disturbing the deeper he gets into the world around him. Gilroy's script is a sharp allegory of the shape of media in America, and a nihilisticly stark view of the current economic landscape. The more I think about this film, the more I love it!

Grade: A
3D: N/A
Easter Egg: No

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Bill Paxton
Director: Dan Gilroy
Writer(s): Dan Gilroy
RT: 117 min
Rating: R for violence including graphic images, and for language

Two Scentences:

The Boxtrolls - Laika Studios has created another gem of a film, and though it doesn't carry the same punch as their last two projects, it does have some genuinely beautiful moments. The story is fun, the cast is spot on, and the characters are rich and vibrant in so many ways.

Grade: B+

The Town That Dreaded Sundown - This was a silly, and mostly forgettable, quasi-remake/sequel of a film which was loosely based on actual events in a town on the Arkansas/Texas border terrorized by a killer who was never caught. It is physical proof that certain films should remain in the library of cult classics.

Grade: C-

Dear White People (2014)

Justin Simien's feature length debut is such an intelligent take on race relations in the U.S. that it will easily go over the head of defensive white people everywhere. This is the kind of thoughtful, purposeful meditation we need on this subject, and it will probably be dismissed in the national conversation as race-baiting. Simien sets up a well-rounded cast of characters who never fall into stereotypes, and constantly evolve throughout the film. His script is poignant and clever, and the film is beautifully shot. I want to call this a do not miss, but only if you actually listen to what it has to say, and don't make up your mind what it says before you go in.

Grade: A-
3D: N/A
Easter Egg: Sort of

Starring: Tyler James Williams, Tessa Thompson, Kyle Gallner
Director: Justin Simien
Writer(s): Justin Simien
RT: 108 min
Rating: Rated R for language, sexual content and drug use