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+