Starring: Reese Witherspoon and Colin Firth
Directed by: Atom Egoyan
Not Rated
Running time: 1 hour 54 mins
RLJ/Image Entertainment

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

The easiest way to describe my view of “Devil’s Knot” is that it’s like going to see a cover band of The Cure play for two hours, instead of going to see The Cure play for nine hours; even though they are across the street from each other and are the same ticket price.

“Devil’s Knot” is based on the triple murder of three eight-year-old boys in West Memphis, Arkansas, on May 5th, 1993; and the subsequent arrests, trials, and convictions of three teen-age boys.

The film focuses primarily on two people: Pam Hobbs (Witherspoon), the mother of one of the murdered boys; and Ron Lax (Firth), a private detective who has offered his time and resources to the defense team. What ensues is a hodge-podge of images, characters, lines from court-room transcripts and footage from previous documentaries about the same case. If this film could be rated based just on its ability to approximate the time period or on the actors offering extremely convincing impersonations of their real-life counterparts, then this film would be given an “A” for effort. However, none of the performances were strong enough to merit mentioning. Which is disappointing considering the film does boast two Academy Award winning actors. In fact, throughout most of the film, I felt as if I were watching a dress rehearsal. If anything, the performances are hindered due to the wealth of footage that has been seen in no less than four documentaries featuring the real people. The same can be said for the writing. When I heard dialogue taken from the transcripts – or previous documentaries – most often the lines were not entirely correct – but perhaps slightly paraphrased.

As excited as I was for this movie, I still wondered what the purpose of it could be. Based on Mara Leveritt’s book of the same name from 2002, I didn’t find this to be that accurate of an adaptation. Granted, it’s a non-fiction work and not a novel; but the book only covers 1993 to 2001. The time period of the film spans from the time of the murders in May of 1993 to the sentencing of the accused men during the Summer of 1994; yet it references evidence and accusations that came to light in 2007 and later. I would have rather seen a film called “The West Memphis Three” than “Devil’s Knot”; that way it would allow for information that spans the twenty-year history of this case. That being said, I will concede that “Devil’s Knot” is a much more enticing title.

When one reads the book of “Devil’s Knot” you walk away almost convinced that a particular person is guilty of the murders; since that was the main focus of the defense and the followers of the case at the time of its writing. However, in this dramatized film that person is given little screen time, and barely factors into the story at all. Which would be fine if the film were a general look at the case and not based on this specific source material.

I don’t see how anyone not familiar with this case would be interested in this movie. Even with its ensemble cast of notable actors, it’s not a strong vehicle for any of them. It is an interesting watch for followers of the West Memphis Three case, but I highly doubt even I will watch it as often as I do Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofky’s Paradise Lost Trilogy, or Amy Berg’s West of Memphis.

If this movie accomplishes anything, in my opinion, it will be that it keeps the conversation going about this case. As the film points out, before fading to black, there are too many unanswered questions. “Devil’s Knot” will also serve as a way to honor the memory of Ron Lax, whom sadly passed away in October of 2013. He was a firm believer in the innocence of the three accused men from day one, and worked extremely hard to get them out of jail and exonerated. The latter of which has yet to happen.

Starring: Seth Rogen, Zac Efron and Rose Byrnes
Directed by: Nicholas Stoller
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 36 mins
Universal

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Meet the Radners. Mac (Rogen) and Kelly (Byrnes) and their young baby, Stella. A young couple in the early years of a long life together, they’re world is upset when the brothers (and pledges) of fraternity Delta Psi buy the house next door. Hoping to nip any problems in the bud, the Radners make friends with the frats president, Teddy (Efron). But when things get too loud one night, Mac calls the cops, which begins a long running feud that may never end. Meet the Neighbors!

A mildly funny script made tolerable by a fun cast, “Neighbors” tries to be a cross between “Animal House” and “Old School” but, sadly, is more like a second-rate “Van Wilder” sequel. Rogen is the film’s version of Frank the Tank (Will Ferrell in “Old School”), a man who, despite marital responsibilities, refuses to grow up. Efron is Otter (Tim Matheson in “Animal House”), the smooth talking frat boy. Both are well cast, as is Byrnes, who gets to reveal her Australian accent here. But the stand out actor here is Dave Franco. So good in films like “Now You See Me” and “21 Jump Street” (you’ll also see him in the sequel), Franco gives the best performance as the frat vice president with more going on for him than he lets on. He shares the best scene in the film, which encompasses him and Efron riffing on the various ways that “bros before hos” can be expressed.

If there is a complaint here it’s that the film is not original. Stereotypical fraternity pledges (the fat guy whose shirt is too small, the nerd with the oversized penis) show up frequently as do they’re hijinx. The script, by first time feature writers Andrew J. Cohen and Brendan O’Brien, mixes in some fun sight gags but isn’t consistently funny enough to keep the slow spots from showing up and dragging the film down with them. Director Coller is adequate here, but he’s done better work with other comedies, including “Saving Sarah Marshall” and “Get Him to the Greek.” Of course, he was also working with a much better screenplay.

Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Tilda Swinton, Mia Wasikowska, John Hurt, Anton Yelchin and Jeffrey Wright
Directed By: Jim Jarmusch
Running Time: 123 minutes
Sony Pictures Classics

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

May 2014 – “Only Lovers Left Alive” made its US debut at the New York Film Festival this past autumn, when this review was posted. It’s subsequently been on limited release since April. I can’t recommend this film highly enough and we are reposting the review in light of its nationwide expansion this month. Enjoy!

Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston, already pretty ethereal as they are, are well cast as vampire lovers Adam and Eve in Jim Jarmusch’s wonderful upcoming film, Only Lovers Left Alive. The film finds Adam at a low point in his long existence with wife Eve swooping in to lift him from his disappointment at the state of the modern world. It’s a clever, macabre character study that beneath its too-cool undead protagonists lies a tremendously romantic beating heart.

As Adam, Hiddleston drives away any and all comparison to that other shaggy, dark-haired immortal he has so expertly played recently. Adam is a fascinating creature who displays a wall full of iconic mortals in his den, all the while repeatedly protesting that he has no heroes. Everyone from Edgar Allan Poe and Oscar Wilde to Rodney Dangerfield and Iggy Pop are framed in a shrine to human imagination that at this point in time Adam is lamenting the “zombies” have lost. This admiration for human achievement somewhat undermines Adam’s intentions to kill himself with a wooden bullet obtained from his stoner human buddy Ian (Anton Yelchin in a Renfield-goes-Rock-n-Roll mode). Adam wants to seem the depressive loner, it’s a romantic notion that suits his look and music, but every so often there are cracks in this facade where Hiddleston lets through brilliant moments of enthusiasm. He can be completely enchanted by an unknown singer in a back alley club or excited over a new guitar despite an already huge collection. Adam gives an angry impassioned speech about the world’s dismissal of great scientists–Tesla, Darwin and the like–but that he is able to get so worked up about the fate of humanity weakens his stance that he’s lost all hope in it.

These small embers of optimism are fanned by Adam’s wife Eve and Swinton is perfect at embodying his more mischievous other half. When we meet her, Eve is living apart from Adam in Tangier trying to stir up some controversy in the mortal world by goading her friend, fellow immortal Kit Marlowe (John Hurt), into dusting off the Shakespearian authorship debate just for a bit of entertainment. She’s recalled to her husband in Detroit when she senses Adam’s melancholy over a touching video phone call they share.

Eve having to carefully engineer night flights to make such a journey possible is one of the many vampiric touches Jarmusch cleverly slips in without being explicitly expository about his brand of bloodsucker. Others include Adam’s usage of preternatural speed only when really pushed or their eyes growing paler the more in need of a drink they are. There are references to a larger crisis of contaminated human blood, causing Adam to haunt a complicit doctor (Jeffrey Wright, making a huge impact in just two scenes of bouncing dialogue off a hilariously unresponsive Hiddleston in scrubs) for a healthy supply, but that’s not the focus here.

Rather, Eve is content to share blood popsicles with Adam during a game of chess or bond over their mutual appreciation of Jack White. Such smaller moments are where Hiddleston and Swinton really shine. They have a chemistry that feels lived in without any of the negative connotations so often associated with the “old married couple.” And they really can’t get much older than these two. One gets the sense that Adam’s depression is just part of a larger cycle the two have weathered many times before with the gleeful Eve returning to turn over the hourglass that Adam says is running out of sand. In a particularly joyful scene, Eve finds Adam’s would-be means of suicide and defuses the tension by drawing him into a heartwarming dance to Denise LaSalle’s “Trapped by a Thing Called Love” instead of an argument. This tendency to physical interaction over words in many instances adds to an animalistic dynamic this little clique of vampires share. It becomes more pronounced when Eve’s party-vamp sister Ava (Mia Wasikowska) drops in on the couple. In the only concrete conflict of the film, the sister from LA throws a monkey wrench into Adam and Eve’s chilled out lifestyle, demanding they all go out and over indulge on their “good” blood. Like most bingeing, it doesn’t end well. The sisters together are able to push Adam around rather like the females in a pride of lions, an idea reinforced by Gerd Zeiss’s wild hair designs which incorporated actual animal furs.

Beyond the cool makeup design, Jarmusch creates a fascinating nighttime world for his characters to inhabit. Eve is surrounded by books in her lush Tangier location while Adam’s lair in Detroit is completely wired and filled with all the things he’s engineered himself from decades of technological equipment. Both the cities are richly shot by Yorick Le Saux who finds beauty both in the dark and in locations of complete decay. Jarmusch’s own band SQURL reinforces this dark environment with a hypnotic guitar driven soundtrack that will haunt viewers long after the credits roll. Still, despite its gothic trappings, Only Lovers Left Alive is a surprisingly funny and touching character study of what it is to sustain love and inspiration throughout a very long lifetime.

Starring: Sigurour Hjararson, Pall Arason and Tom Mitchell
Directed By: Jonah Bekhor and Zach Math
Rated: R
Running Time: 75 minutes
Drafthouse Films

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

I literally stared at the computer screen for a couple of minutes not typing and thought to myself, “How do I even begin to describe “The Final Member”?” By the way, I know that’s my job smartasses. I could easily make a couple of penis puns or I could switch things up and talk about how this will be the only documentary you will ever see where male genitalia is on full display in all its severed glory. So let’s just give this the ol’ college try.

Miles from the Arctic Circle in an Icelandic town I can’t pronounce, Husavik, sits an incredibly unique museum. It is the Icelandic Phallological Museum, the world’s only penis museum. I’ll just go ahead and let that sink in for a moment…still with me? Good. Its founder, Sigurour Hjararson, has spent just over 40 years collecting ding dongs from all over the world, from every animal and species. Mounted on the walls are towering animals dongs and in jars lined across the store one can view an assortment of male animal genitals. It is truly the showcase of a lifetime of work. It’s just missing one mammal in particular. It is missing the penis of the most self-conscious creature on the planet, the human. Still with me?

You would think in this day and age of traveling skeleton, human body exhibits and people touting the corpse of King Tut, it wouldn’t be that hard to find an unused penis just lying around somewhere. Not only do you have to deal with some hefty legal work, you also got to deal with some massive egos attached to your future specimens. Hjararson has landed a local legend in terms of sexual promiscuity, Pall Arason. He’s an aging man who has nothing, but the memories of his sexual conquests of hundreds of women and the blushing whispers of women saying that he’s well endowed. Although in one of the most awkward documented moments, a plaster cast of his pecker proves futile as he can’t quite maintain an erection.

Size does matter in Iceland too. Anything below the five inch mark is considered useless. Not only is it a common belief that the recommended length is five inches (or 12.7 centimeters for you folks across the big pond), but it is also a well-known piece of folklore that you might as well just lop off your wing dinger if it’s less than those solid five. With people calling into question Pall’s length, that’s when Tom Mitchell enters the fray. His mindset is, “You don’t have to wait until I die, I’ll gladly snip my monster off now and let you have it.” He even gets the stars and stripes tattooed on the head of his manhood so that future museum goers will know that that’s an American penis. “The Final Member” in just the first couple of minutes instantly becomes a fleshy “mine’s bigger” battle.

While there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, “The Final Member” provides a subtle humility to our genital obsessed gentlemen. The idea of mortality is a big theme even though it faintly hovers in the background. Pall is at death’s door and shows signs of worry. Will he actually be remembered as a living, walking, sex-machine? That’s really all he has left. After a couple of moments with Mitchell, you can tell he has a seriously unhealthy relationship with his own penis. He’s borderline obsessive about having his wiener on display. While both of their reasons seem a bit bizarre, that’s how they’ve lived their lives. They’ve spent years being proud of their dangly parts and want to be immortalized in Hjararson’s museum. It’s like a writer wanting his works publish, a filmmaker wanting their work produced or a soldier crying as his name is etched into a memorial wall. Hjararson himself hopes he can complete the museum before he meets his untimely end so that his life wasn’t wasted on collecting the male anatomy.

“The Final Member” is an immensely engaging documentary that really showcases how vain men can be. It’s one of the few movies that I loved, but I don’t know if I can really recommend it to the average person. I can already see the scrunched up faces of disgust as I lay out the purpose of the documentary. I can hear the laughs, but at the same time I can visualize the waning interest. If you don’t mind constantly seeing penises, I would definitely recommend you watch “The Final Member”.

NOW PLAYING EXCLUSIVELY AT AN ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE THEATRE NEAR YOU

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Colm Feore, Campbell Scott, Paul Giamatti, Sally Field
Directed by: Marc Webb
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Distributed by: Columbia Pictures
Running time: 142 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

After “Spider-Man 3“, which was probably one of the worst films I have ever seen, I really wasn’t screaming for another Spider-Man film. At first I was hesitant but overall I was very impressed with 2012’s “The Amazing Spider-Man” and thought it left great potential for a new rebooted franchise. Well, I was not disappointed at all with “The Amazing Spider-Man 2”, which kicks things into high gear and delivers a very strong sequel for this web-slinging action hero.

“The Amazing Spider-Man 2” dives deep into even more back story for the story of Spider-Man and what happened with his parents. I feel that it connects a lot more dots that the past films have left out. It really fleshes out the story much more and sets this franchise up for much bigger things. There is already a third film set for release in 2016, as well as a fourth for 2018…but wait there is still more, in addition, “Sinister Six” and “Venom” spin-off films have also been announced. So the future is very bright for Spider-Man and I will be first in line!

The story picks up with Peter Parker (Garfield) and his on/off girlfriend Gwen Stacey (Stone) graduating high school and going on to college. Peter finds himself haunted by Gwen’s father (Leary) since he asked him to keep Gwen out of Spider-Man’s life. In the process of figuring out his love life, Spider-Man is called to face-off against the likes of Electro (Foxx), who is transformed into an electric monster during an accident at, guess where, Oscorp. Also following the death of his father Norman Osborn, Harry (DeHann), also old friend of Peter Parker, returns from boarding school to take over the company but ends up falling right into his father’s evil ways. So it is up to Spider-Man, as always, to save the day while also dealing with his personal love situation and old friends.

I was really blown away with the visual effects in this film. This film that costed over $250 million to make and you can literally see where every single penny went in use. A few of the scenes were so epic that literally, I just said “Wow” out loud in the theater. The 3D effects also really add a lot to the film, especially in the many action scenes, which are all eye-popping. When it comes to Sony, they have always been the best when it comes to adding the third dimension to their films. From Spidey swinging through the streets of NYC to the electricity being shot through the air, I even found myself forgetting to blink afraid it miss anything.  I would no question recommend seeing this on the biggest screen possible, preferable IMAX 3D.

When I kept seeing reports of “new villains” popping up for this film, I was hoping this wasn’t going to be like another “Spider-Man 3” with too many villains but this was very well balanced. The main focus is on the character of Electro, which developed very well. Jamie Foxx does a great job of adding a lot of emotion and feeling to this already electric character. Next, Dane DeHann really steps into the shoes of Harry Osbourn’s and goes head first in for a complete transformation. We have definitely not seen the last of him in this role luckily. Eat your heart out James Franco, this guy can actually act. I had the privilege of chatting with this young talent actor a few years ago (click here) and he is going to do big things (obviously, this being one of them). Paul Giamatti also has a fun cameo as the villain Rhino in this film. Didn’t get to see much of him but I hope we will in future films.

Of course, I haven’t forgotten Andrew Garfield who has done things with the character of Spider-Man that Tobey Maguire could have never done.  He is funny and really adds a lot of charm to the character. I think he was meant for this role and in this sequel has he has settled in quite well. Same goes for Emma Stone, who is so sharp and strong in this sequel. The only main downfall for me was that I felt that there was just a little too much focus on their romance throughout. I felt like it broke up the flow a bit but since it does comes together in the end it balances itself out. Overall “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” is fun, action-packed and a great way to kick off the 2014 summer season! Also be sure to stay after the credits for a very surprising crossover (possible mutant of nature) appearance!

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Starring: Tom Hardy
Directed by: Steven Knight
Distributed by: A24
Running time: 85 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Prior to attending the screening of “Locke”, I knew absolutely nothing about the film. All I knew was that it starred Tom Hardy, who stole the show in recent films like “The Dark Knight Rises” as Bane, “Inception” and “Warrior”, and that was enough for me. Personally, I couldn’t get enough of him in those films so I was curious to see what this British drama/thriller was all about.

Tom Hardy plays a family man and construction manager named Ivan Locke, who after receiving a phone call, on the eve of the biggest day of his career, sets in series of events in motion will change and affect the rest of his life. Sounds cool right? But first let me tell you that the film is 85 minutes and only takes place inside the car that Tom Hardy is driving. That’s right, the entire movie takes place in one car with no flashbacks or sub-scenes included. Now if you are wondering if that works at all, let me just say that this is easily one of Hardy’s best roles to date.

From the moment he sets foot in his car the story slowly unfolds but not to quick, and leaves you trying to piece the puzzle together. Hardy is so great in this role that I felt that we were actually watching him makes these decisions for real. His voice is also so mesmerizing. Since the film is him taking phone call after phone call while driving, he is still able to take the audience and have they waiting for each word to come out of his mouth. I found myself getting quite nervous and biting my fingernails. So with not much happening on screen, they were still able to get that reaction and to me that means it is very effective.

This film is playing now in limited release and expands wider in theaters on May 16th. So it is going to be facing very stiff competition up against films like “Godzilla” starring Aaron Johnson, Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Olsen and “Million Dollar Arm” starring Jon Hamm. Hopefully audiences can find time to give this film a look because it is very well shot, perfectly acted and all around excellent film.

Starring: Paul Walker, David Belle and RZA
Directed By: Camille Delamarre
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 91 minutes
Relativity Media

Our Score: 1.5 out of 5 stars

Has Hollywood reached that point where they see Luc Besson’s name and automatically write the check? He has 24 screenwriting credits over the past decade and off the top of my head I can’t come up with one good movie he has penned. His latest is “Brick Mansions”, a remake of “District 13”, which he also wrote. From what I’ve read, he didn’t change much with the story. He’s either getting lazy or he knows studio executives will automatically respond with, “Shut up and take my money.”

“Brick Mansions” has a fairly promising premise. We’re dropped into a crime-ridden, dystopian Detroit in 2018 (not too far off or inaccurate). In this not so bleak future, the powers to be have built a tall thick wall around the problem spot of the city, known as the Brick Mansions. A ruthless drug kingpin, Tremaine (RZA), controls the area under his iron fist, even though he’s only seen cooking and making aimless threats. He has two problem spots in his territory. One is an undercover cop, Damien (Walker), who fights the scum of the street that he incorrectly blames for his father’s death. The other is Lino (Belle), a scrappy fighter who fights for the common good because…who cares because the script certainly doesn’t.

One can surmise that is going to be a rough and tough action movie and while that is true to a certain extent, the fights never evolve beyond mildly amusing. You’ll begin to realize that each battle is actually just one chase after another with Lino pulling off his best Jackie Chan escape moves and Damien following suit. I have to give credit to Belle, who appears to do most of his own stunts besides the insane story high jumps and landings that would shatter anyone’s fibula and tibula. “Brick Mansions” can never quite agree on whether or not it wants to be an insane silly romp through the urban jungle or a serious crime movie and instead settles on cheap action gimmicks and choppy storytelling.

When it does try to be serious, you realize there was never an adequate set-up provided to propel the characters forward or enough sound reasoning to suggest that risking life and limb is worth chasing down these common street thugs. RZA is the weakest choice for acting I’ve seen this year. His emotional range is that of an enraged adolescent, constantly thrashing about while blaming other people and never realizing the consequences of his actions. Halfway through the movie RZA randomly picks up a Jamaican accent which he has a hard time verbally articulating if the script calls for him to speak above a whisper. The most frustrating aspect, without giving away the ending, is that Tremaine never meets a suitable punishment, but is instead revered in the most ludicrous way.

“Brick Mansions” is a technically sound movie. The choreographed escapes and fights (when there is one) are solid and the scenery of our future ghetto is more entertaining than the characters inhabiting it. “Brick Mansions” will be a box office draw because it is Paul Walker’s final role after he tragically died. In one aspect, “Brick Mansion” sadly symbolizes what his career was, one forgettable movie after another, but his on-screen time does remind the audience that he had the potential to do so much better.

Starring: Alejandro Jodorowsky and H.R. Giger
Directed by: Frank Pavich
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 30 mins
SONY Pictures Classics

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

You would most likely have to be a true lover of cinema to be interested in watching this documentary. That being said, if you weren’t a fan of movies before viewing it; you definitely will be after.

I absolutely loved “Jodorowky’s Dune.” The film is a retrospective look at Alejandro Jodorowsky’s attempt to adapt Frank Herbert’s science-fiction novel “Dune” for the silver screen as told by all the key players involved: Alejandro Jodorowski, his son Brontis, producer Michel Seydoux, and visionary artists H.R. Giger and Chris Foss.

Regrettably – or fortunately – I have never read the novel “Dune” or seen the film that was eventually made in the 1980’s by David Lynch. However, after seeing this documentary, I feel like I have seen “Dune”, while also still wanting to see it, and concurrently loving it.

Jodorowsky himself carries most of this film, and it is an absolute joy to watch him talk cinema. At a young 85 years of age, he is sharp, extremely passionate, and quite funny. He fully believes, and will make you believe, that his version of “Dune” would have been the greatest science-fiction film of all time while simultaneously changing the world.

Being chock-full of fantastic and funny anecdotes about the collaboration between the artists that created the screenplay, costume designs, and storyboards for “Dune”, what is really interesting is seeing how the work done on the never-to-be-made version would eventually influence every sci-fi film to come out since. The team that Jodorowsky hand-picked would go on to be key players in some of the biggest films within the genre. Very notable for fans: it was the collaboration of Dan O’Bannon and H.R. Giger on this version of “Dune” that later gave O’Bannon the vision to call upon Giger to do designs for “Alien”.

I have always been inspired by watching documentaries about the making of all kinds of movies. Movies that were successful and even some that weren’t. And, on the rare occasion, documentaries on movies that fell apart during production, such as “Lost In La Mancha.” It’s probably all too common for movies to never make it pass the design stage. But how many of them are passed over for being too ahead of their time? Jodorowsky was trying to make “Dune” years before “Star Wars” was produced, using visuals and effects that were far beyond what even that film would achieve.

“Jodorowsky’s Dune” is funny, enlightening, entertaining and, more than anything, just a really great story. Though it’s unfortunate that his version was never made, at least film fans have this film to remind them of what might have been. And who’s to say that his “Dune” won’t ever be made?

I have one criticism to offer on this film: I just wish it were longer. I could watch Alejandro Jodorowsky talk cinema all day. Definitely check this out.

Starring: Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann
Directed by: Nick Cassavetes
Rated: PG
Running time: 1 hour 41 mins
20th Century Fox

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

She’s often been among the best things in films directed or produced by her husband, Judd Apatow. “Knocked Up.” “Funny People.” “This is 40.” But with her performance in “The Other Woman,” Leslie Mann becomes a star.

Carly (Diaz) and Mark (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) meet and immediately hook up. Eight weeks later, things are going good. Good enough for Carly to want to introduce Mark to her dad. Well, ALMOST good enough. Mark begs off from the meeting due to a broken pipe at home. When Carly decides to surprise him she herself is surprised when the door at home is answered by Kate (Mann). Mark’s wife.

A fun, slapstick comedy, “The Other Woman” is not only a showcase for Mann, but the film lets Cameron Diaz do what she does so well, yet not so often…be funny. Here she’s almost a supporting character, but she’s so good it doesn’t matter. This is the Cameron Diaz of “There’s Something About Mary” and “The Sweetest Thing.”

The film is really a series of mishaps, as Kate conflicts with Carly (and herself) as to how to deal with Mark. Things get even more complicated when the girls meet Amber (Kate Upton), who it turns out is the OTHER “other” woman and Mark’s latest honey. The three decide to join forces to teach the wayward hubby a lesson in life and love. “Tough Love” style.

If I have a quibble with the film, it has to do with some of the story line. My understanding was that this film was planned and filmed as an “R” rated, “Bridesmaids” type of movie. But, somewhere along the line, the filmmakers decided to trust what they had (script and actors). The results are funny without being raunchy. Despite the three leading ladies listed above, a tip of the cap also to Coster-Waldau (“Game of Thrones”), who is not only charming but a really good sport, having to endure some rather embarrassing situations. Director Cassavetes, son of the late, great filmmaker John Cassavetes and his wife, the lovely Gena Rowlands, has done a fine job of crafting together a true “screwball” comedy, one that should keep you still laughing long after the film is over.

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Starring: Jake Lacy, Nikki Reed, Kate Mckinnon, Beck Bennett, Nick Kocher, Brian McElhaney, Jay Pharoah and DC Pierson
Directed By: Andrew Disney
MPAA Rating: Not Yet Rated
Running Time: 98 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

As in actual intramural leagues, there is basically nothing at stake in the film Intramural, Andrew Disney’s hilarious send up of the Inspirational Sports Movie. Not that this stops any of the players from being balls to the wall committed to the game. Complete with underdogs and training montage, Intramural is the sports movie full of characters who have watched their Mighty Ducks and their Karate Kids an unhealthy amount of times.

Caleb (Lacy) has turned his back on his flag football team after rival team the Titans paralyzed best friend and teammate, Grant (Nick Kocher) “from the balls down” as he made a game-winning play. Four years later, facing the LSATS and an accidental engagement to his crazed girlfriend (McKinnon), Caleb is drawn back to the game and the Titans are waiting to avenge their defeat.

Lacy is an amiable everyman lead but it’s when he reassembles the rest of the team that the movie really shines. As in every sports movie, the Panthers require an inspirational coach to whip them into shape. Fortunately, Kocher’s Grant returns to the fold now with a wheelchair and crotchety old man voice. He might be the same age as the players, but he’s got the soul of Rocky’s Paulie and a psychotic dedication to the sports movie formula. Kocher, of internet duo BriTANick, (partner Brian McElhaney here takes the role of illusionist player, Chance) plays Grant with such fevered conviction that you don’t doubt for one second that he’s seen every single installment of Air Bud. For better or worse.

Matching Kocher’s energy on the evil Titans side is Beck Bennett’s team captain, Dick Downs, a screaming man child to whom the game means everything. It’s as though he’s aware of his role in the sports movie universe but wholly oblivious to the fate of his character type.

Even with the predictable formula in place, Disney manages to find new laughs in how he pulls off the traditional sports movie tropes including a hugely crowd pleasing ‘magic’ play. Gifted with a cast of comedians who, like the Panthers, are giving their all. It’s a lot of yelling, a lot of dick jokes and a lot of fun.

Intramural debuted at New York’s Tribeca Film Fest and has remaining public screenings through April 26th. For more information check out their TFF Film Guide page.

Starring: Daniel Wu and Nick Cheung
Directed by: Dante Lam
Not Rated
Running time: 1 hour 52 mins
China Lion Films

In Cantonese with English subtitles

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

During a daring daytime robbery, the police and bad guys are shooting it out in the middle of a busy street packed with bystanders. When one of the bags of money falls open into the street, one of the robbers notices a black velvet bag spilled into the street. Looking down incredulously he asks, “are those diamonds?” Thus begins one of the best action films (and psychological thrillers) I’ve watched in a very long time.

Dave Wong (Wu) is a dutiful cop. As we learn more about him we find that he became a cop in order to give his life an almost calm normalcy. While in the emergency room of a local hospital Dave learns that a badly injured man needs blood. Feeling it is part of his job to protect the people he gladly donates. It is only later, when he finds that the man he helped was the mastermind of the robbery, that things begin to spiral downward, especially after he is chastised for his good deed by his superiors. Dave begins to recede into his old self, often hallucinating that he and the crime boss are the same person. He is self absorbed in his own world, where fiery images dominate his thoughts. As his guilt progresses Dave slides deeper and deeper into an abyss he may not be able to escape.

I am a huge fan of director Dante Lam, especially his 2012 film “The Viral Factor.” He brings to the screen an amazing combination of John Woo’s visual flair and Martin Scorsese’s story detail. This film is no exception. As the film moves along…as we move along in Dave Wong’s world, we begin to put ourselves in his shoes. These moments blend in perfectly with some of the most amazing action sequences I’ve seen on screen in years. While watching this film I kept thinking this would be a great story for Scorsese to tackle, as he did in 2006 when he turned “Infernal Affairs” into the Oscar-winning “The Departed.”

The film is also helped by a strong script and an even stronger cast. As Officer Wong, Wu is mesmerizing. Deep down he’s a good man who wants to do good things. However, the demons that haunt him, from his past and from the present, conspire to knock him down. The film rests solely on his shoulders and he carries the load with seeming ease. If you’re looking for a wild ride during this calm holiday weekend, you can’t do any better than “That Demon Within.”

“That Demon Within” opens today in select North American cities, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto and Washington D.C.

Starring: Greg Kinnear, Kelly Reilly and Thomas Haden Church
Directed by: Randall Wallace
Rated: PG
Running time: 1 hour 40 mins
Sony Pictures

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

“Heaven Is For Real” is a film that absolutely knows its audience. And while I am not part of that particular audience, I can acknowledge how easy it is to like this movie. Based on the novel of the same name, this film is the story of the Burpos; a middle-class family from a small town in Nebraska. Todd Burpo (Kinnear) is the patriarch of the family and the main character. He is your genuine, Midwestern, all-American father; Pastor of his church, a volunteer firefighter, he works a full-time job and plays on the softball team. Yet, despite his busy life, his family is struggling financially. Those financial troubles are made worse when Todd’s youngest son, Colton (Connor Corum) is suddenly taken to the hospital. While being operated upon he claims to have visited Heaven. As if to prove his claim, he recalls seeing his parents doing things he was not around to see and visiting relatives of his that he had never met nor heard of.

Based on a real life event, I will say that I do believe that the Burpo family believes Colton’s story. However, if I only had this film to go on I don’t think I would be as convinced. The story is told in such a ham-fisted way that, to me, the storytelling ruins the story. The first act is comprised of almost nothing but scenes that set-up the next scene, only to have the following scene mirror the previous one. All of the actors are likable enough – as are their characters – although I noticed a lack of chemistry between Kinnear and Kelly Reilly, who plays his wife, Sonja. Not only did I not find them a convincing married couple, I actually found it hard to accept Reilly as a Midwestern housewife. The cast does a credible job but I just found the story too contrived. The one performance I did enjoy was delivered by young Connor Corum. He’s cute and funny and does not come across like a typical child actor. His performance kept me watching, along with the beautiful Midwestern scenery.

The film suffers from being overly melodramatic. So much is thrown at this family in the first half that it weighs the story down. The trials that this family goes through, when added to some clichéd characters, gives the film the appearance of a fictional, scripted story, not a film dealing with real events. A main flaw is the constant highlighting of the family’s financial situation. No doubt it was part of the story, but the film never does resolve the situation. As far as the audience knows, when the film is over, the Burpos are still deep in debt with no way out.

It’s also worth noting that the film is heavily steeped with religious overtones and images; primarily those of the Christian faith. While that may be perfect for the people who purchased and enjoyed the book or for a sponsored Christian audience, it may be off-putting to those with either a different belief or none at all. On the positive side, I commend the filmmakers for not toning down the religious themes to reach a wider audience. This film will reach its intended audience and they should receive it well.

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy McWilliams and Lynsey Taylor Mackay
Directed By: Jonathan Glazer
Rated: R
Running Time: 108 minutes
A24 Studios

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Jonathan Glazer must have taken a course on Kubrick and fallen in love with his haunting style. That’s the only way I can describe the bizarre first couple of minutes of “Under the Skin” with its foreboding soundtrack and look straight out of “2001: A Space Odyssey”. Just like “2001”, it may take years for people to appreciate the visually eerie and unsettling feast that “Under the Skin” is. While it may seem like a simplistic tale of an alien luring men for nefarious reasons, there is a sense of fondness that slowly creeps in as the movie progresses.

The unnamed alien assumes the skin of an attractive female (Johannson). She drives across the murky land of Scotland in a full sized white van, constantly stopping to ask for directions to men walking on the street, hoping that maybe they’re heading the same way. That’s so she can offer a ride and seduce them into coming back to her place. From the outside, her “home” appears like any other shabby flat, but on the inside it’s a glassy room devoid of color. Pitch black liquid allowing us to only see the lioness and her victim, her articles of clothing slowly being peeled off while the man can’t get his off quick enough. She lures them across the vast emptiness while the nude men slowly sink into the floor and into their demise.

“Under the Skin” never touches upon the existential questions that surround our alien. Why is this thing here? What exactly does it do with the victims? While these are interesting questions, the movie focuses more on the alien living in the human skin. Suddenly our alien from another planet is fascinated by its skin, possibly absorbing the thoughts and feelings of the predecessor that lived and breathed in its flesh. Those stale eyes that stared blankly at everything earlier in the movie now show fear, concern and sympathy. She goes from stalking prey to looking in scared wonder at the human experience.

Our alien rarely talks and only shifts from sexual visual cues to facial twitches of emotions. Despite the vast amounts of graphic nudity, it never feels or looks sexual in nature. The vibes radiating around the alien or the victims appear to be predatorial. Even later in the movie, bare in front of a mirror, it appears to be entranced by the muscle and tissue it stretched over itself. Johannson’s abilities as an actress really shine here as she remains mute while conveying the inner workings of our creature. Oddly enough no one ever becomes suspicious during the 108 minutes that something might be off with this girl.

It’s a fascinating movie to watch because we never feel comfortable enough to relax throughout the first half and in the second half we’re constantly questioning along with this being. There’s a key turning point that I don’t want to give away and it’s definitely one of the more awkward, unsettling moments. What makes the scene so important is that we go from an unnerving first act to a curious second half. Plot points are told through scenes that constantly perturb the audience. Accompany that with the fact there’s little dialogue, it can be a very alienating film for general audiences. Don’t listen to any dissenters; this is definitely the most visually striking sci-fi movie of the year.

Starring: Johnny Depp, Morgan Freeman and Rebecca Hall
Directed By: Wally Pfister
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 119 minutes
Warner Bros. Pictures

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Transcendence” is a clever “What if?” that lacks the necessary ingredients to keep it thoroughly crisp. In our rapidly changing society and even faster technological advances, “Transcendence” presents it’s take on the infinite possibilities that are constantly being worked on. While on the outside, it may simply seem like artificial intelligence gone mad, “Transcendence” has a gooey philosophical core about our culture’s godly acceptance of robotic machinery.

Dr. Will Caster (Depp) is one of the leading minds behind the creation of A.I. Along with his wife, Evelyn (Hall); they are constantly working hard on a sentient program called PINN. The machine requires an entire room filled with processors to operate and has a kind female voice. A terrorist-like organization by the name of RIFT (Revolutionary Independence From Technology) opposes these ideas and executes a singular one-day attack on the A.I. scientist community, which includes Will. Will is pierced with a radioactive bullet that will slowly kill him and Evelyn has a drastic decision to make: Let Will live out the rest of his days at home or transfer his mind into a computer?

So obviously, Evelyn, along with Will’s friend Max (Paul Bettany), begins the process of taking his mind and uploading it onto the PINN endoskeleton. Ironically Max is philosopher of sorts when it comes to society’s willingness to embrace the high-tech Gods, so it’s a bit odd that he would help Evelyn in her quest to turn Will into a digital Frankenstein. To no one’s surprise, the transfer of human thoughts and emotions into a massive data file is a sweeping success. A digitized face of Will appears on screen and in seconds begins to talk and respond. That’s when Will finally realizes, “Maybe we shouldn’t have…”

This is when the movie kicks into the “computer self-awareness” sci-fi cliché. While most take the trope and ride into a more action driven direction, “Transcendence” seems content with letting the plot simmer until the final few moments. During that time you’re only left to wonder if Will actually is inside that machine or if the programming has become a singular entity using thoughts and feelings as a ruse to obtain more power. Sure he finds a way to use nanobots to restore human limbs and repair tissue in split seconds, but once those miniature robots are inside its human, he’s able to remotely control their actions.

The director, Wally Pfister, is a cinematographer by trade and it definitely shows. While Johnny Depp may be the main drive of this movie, Rebecca Hall turns in one of her best performances since “The Prestige”. Morgan Freeman appears to be a miscast as the generic comic relief that feels unnecessary. The film has a lot of ideas, but it never can really settle on one and excel. The notion that Will’s mind has exceeded human intelligence and become a CPU deity is an interesting one, but the script is constantly juggling clichés that distract from this promising concept. Our character’s plight is one that could change the face of the planet, but never feels like it’s on the world stage. In light of my complaints, I had a blast watching the metaphysical material pop up, sometimes blatantly and sometimes lightly. Not a bad first outing for Pfister, but definitely some room for improvement.

Starring: Karen Gillan and Katee Sackhoff
Directed by: Mike Flanagan
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 45 mins
Relativity Media

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

If the new film “Oculus” were a drug, it would be dope; because that’s what this movie is. I entered into watching it knowing almost nothing about it. All I knew was that it was a horror film put out by WWE Studios which, for whatever reason, was always said in the past with negative connotations. This film, I believe, should give the production company a little more respect. I’ve never been a fan of MTV, but if it weren’t for that station’s book and film division we wouldn’t have gotten the novel “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” or the film it inspired.

“Oculus” isn’t a haunted-house story as much as it is a haunted ITEM story with said haunted item leading to a myriad of phenomena within a house. The story finds the Russell family coming into possession of a mirror known as the Lasser Glass. This glass comes with a history of either harming its owners or causing the owners to harm themselves. The film does a terrific job within the first fifteen minutes of imbuing the Lasser Glass with a sense of supernatural power. By the time you reach the twenty-minute mark you fully believe, as much as Kaylie Russell (Gillan) does, that this mirror absolutely has the ability to do harm.

Kaylie’s brother, Tim, (Brenton Thwaites) is released from an institution, a place he has been since he was a young child after being held responsible for the shooting death of his father. Upon his release Kaylie recruits Tim to follow through on a promise they made as children: destroy the Lasser Glass.

This film is so saturated in nuance and subtlety that multiple viewings are definitely needed to appreciate the care put into the crafting of the film by director Mike Flannagan, who also co-wrote the script. With repeated flashbacks going from the present day to a period labled “11 Years Earlier, it could be very easy to lose the thread of the story. The flashback scenes are saved in part by the fact that 2002 doesn’t look too much different than 2013. Hair and clothing styles are relatively the same.

Credit director Flannagan with being very meticulous and ensuring a dozen instances of continuity while taking the story from one time to another. All of the scares are solid and come from within the story; none of the scares feel forced. Even the ones you could see coming were still executed in a way that it was unnerving. The special effects are well done and not overused, blending perfectly with the special make up effects.

What really holds this film together are the performances, which lend an air of believability to the story. Most notable are young actors Annalise Basso and Garret Ryan. Both youngsters deliver performances that belie their youth. Again, this is a haunted item story that feels like a haunted-house story. And as a haunted-house story it is the best I have seen since 1980’s “The Changeling.” Simply put: it’s a great ride!