Oculus (2014) - 9 stars out of 10

Oculus (2014) - 9 stars out of 10

“Oculus” is a psychological horror film that will have your mind spinning and your eyes second-guessing what you see in the mirror.  I hesitate to call this a horror film because it is more of a thriller with a few moments of horrific imagery, but I suppose that the ghosts with glowing eyes are enough for most to consider it horror.  And the staple remover and the lightbulb!  But a label isn’t important when you have well-paced surprises that pump your adrenaline at calculated moments from start to finish.  Prepare to be disturbed and on the edge of your seat when you watch this one.  The use of dual storylines is an excellent device to give this story depth and display the hallucinations caused by the mirror.  When the two storylines merge, the film becomes a disorienting nightmare that mixes past with present and delusion with reality.  I read that the final twenty minutes of the movie became so complex that the writers had to italicize the text of past events to keep everything straight.  I cannot imagine the intricacy of filming and editing these sequences, but the final result is stunning.  The script is brought to life by amazing acting performances.  Karen Gillan’s performance is far beyond what I typically expect from a horror film and I cannot wait to see her in more roles.  Brenton Thwaites captures the blend of disturbed child and rational adult that so perfectly contrasts his confident older sister.  I was really amazed by Annalise Basso and Garrett Ryan, the child versions of the aforementioned characters.  They bring a continuity to the characters (as they act alongside the adult versions of each other) that is convincing and realistic.  The film relies on a constant sense of dread of what might happen next instead of cheap scares that fade quickly.  The film flies by because the anticipation never loses steam.  It doesn’t need to rationalize what is happening because we just accept the circumstances and hope for a happy ending.  I would love to see a sequel, but I said the same thing about “The Ring” so I’m grateful that this standalone story keeps us wondering “what if.”  In this case, it is best to just leave your jaw dropped to the floor.  “Oculus” is a true sleeper hit that will force you to look away from the screen a few times but keep you looking back to find out what happens next.

[Pictured: Gillan and Thwaites bring the intensity that drives this entire film]

Escape to Witch Mountain (1975) - 6 stars out of 10

Escape to Witch Mountain (1975) - 6 stars out of 10

“Escape to Witch Mountain” is Disney’s take on the sci-fi novel of the same name.  Like many of Disney’s classic live-action films, it is family-friendly but less impressive than the studio’s animated output.  The studio obviously believes in this story because it spawned a sequel and two remakes.  It is interesting but lacks the energy of a Disney musical, so don’t expect “Mary Poppins.”  The special effects are a bit underwhelming when compared to today’s standard (or even “Star Wars,” which was released two years later), but it gets the point across.  The film actually might be too scary for its target audience if it were any more realistic.  It also has a good nostalgia factor so parents who enjoyed the film as children will likely enjoy it more than new viewers.  The film is well-cast with a few Oscar-caliber actors (Eddie Albert, Ray Milland) and two strong child actors (Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann).  Their dialogue successfully creates curiosity about the mysterious background of the kids from start to finish.  “Escape to Witch Mountain” is a humorous sci-fi film that can still entertain kids today, but it probably isn’t a film that will hold the attention of an adult watching without their family.

[Pictured: Eddie Albert's chemistry with the kids is probably my favorite part of the film]

Stir of Echoes (1999) - 7 stars out of 10

Stir of Echoes (1999) - 7 stars out of 10

“Stir of Echoes” has always lived in the shadow of other 1999 supernatural blockbusters (“The Sixth Sense,” “The Mummy”), but it is a surprisingly good ghost story.  Kevin Bacon is underrated as an actor and drives this entire story with strong acting and intense facial expressions.  He receives decent support from the rest of the cast, particularly Kevin Dunn, but the majority of the film falls on Bacon.  With films like “A Few Good Men,” “Mystic River,” and “Apollo 13” under his belt, it is amazing that he isn’t more commonly recognized as a great actor.  While the premise of the story has less real-world believability than other supernatural films, it is still enjoyable for what it is.  Just don’t be misled by the film’s synopsis, which paints it out to be more of a thriller.  Many of the creepy elements of this story and the way in which they are presented could give you nightmares if watched right before bed!  The entire digging sequence is awesome and emphasizes Bacon's desire to move on from the unfortunate events of this story.  “Stir of Echoes” wasn’t the best supernatural film of 1999 but it is absolutely worth watching for its interesting premise, relentless suspense, and a few really good twists at the end.

[Pictured: You can't dismiss the scare factor of this film]

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) - 8 stars out of 10

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) - 8 stars out of 10

"Mad Max: Fury Road" is completely unique. Its visual appeal and creativity can't be denied, but it is also one of the strangest films that you will ever experience.  In a market where every genre is saturated with films that recycle the same concepts and ideas, it is rare to find a film as unique as this one.  It even feels unique when compared with the “Mad Max” films of the 80’s.  George Miller is no stranger to the film industry and "Fury Road" may be his masterpiece.  I think that it is really cool that Miller wrote a new chapter into his series 30 years after the last film.  Most of this story is told without dialogue.  The action is constant and the imagery drives the story for better or for worse (we will never forget the brief milking scene or the idea of a “blood bag”).  Immortan Joe’s mask is terrifying and the production team convincingly transformed all of the actors into nuclear holocaust survivors.  I appreciated the performances by Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron, though any sort of emotion seems to be overshadowed by the previous and next action sequence.  This one won't be winning any Oscars in acting categories, but it will certainly make a run in categories like Production Design, Film Editing, and Sound Editing.  To be honest, I was a little bit disappointed with the film.  It had so much hype for its entire theatrical run, augmented by a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 97%, and I just did not receive the amount of character development as I expect from a critically acclaimed film.  Still, I will be the first to admit that I need to see it again to process everything that happened and may adjust my rating afterward.  My wife and I are still scratching our heads about the electric guitar guy (who we have discovered is named “The Doof Warrior”).  We assumed that he was symbolic or sort of reference to the original films, but apparently he is exactly what he appears to be: a flame-spewing guitarist who pumps up the rest of the troops.  I suppose that he left a big enough impression that he is the only character that I have discussed.  The most well-written character in the film is Nux and we grow attached to him because he undergoes the greatest transformation.  I look forward to watching this film again and believe that the sequels will be even better if they deliver the same amount of action while including a greater transformation of their characters.  There are a lot of cheesy sci-fi films from the 70's and 80's that involve vehicles ("Death Race 2000" is the first one that comes to mind), but the vehicles are perfectly incorporated into this film's creative atmosphere and they are just cool.  Everybody loves “Mad Max: Fury Road” for its creative post-apocalyptic story and constant stream of action.  I believe that the Academy Awards will acknowledge its effort and remind the film industry that action films can blow our minds with more than just the action. 

[Pictured: 'Mad Max: Fury Road" is action on top of action on top of action]

Dinosaur 13 - 7 stars out of 10

Dinosaur 13 - 7 stars out of 10

“Sue” was the thirteenth Tyrannosaurus rex ever unearthed.  You may wonder how a feature-length documentary about Sue could hold your attention; however, the fight for her custody after she was discovered is something that you have to see to believe.  The synopsis of “Dinosaur 13” gives the impression that it chronicles a paleontological dig but the focus of this documentary is actually on a ten-year battle with the FBI.  The film is very one-sided in its argument against the legal protection of fossils on public land but its narrow perspective will strongly engage your emotions, especially when Maurice Williams lays claim to Sue.  One great part of this film is that its main character can easily be visited at the Field Museum in Chicago.  Documentaries often tackle events or artifacts of the past that have faded into history, but this one chronicles the journey of something that we can still see today.  It follows in the present-a-documentary-as-a-crime-thriller technique that is in vogue and it succeeds.  “Dinosaur 13” is as gripping as most action films while presenting historical fact and persuasive arguments.  Definitely add this to your list of must-see documentaries, even if you don’t have an interest in science and paleontology.

[Pictured: A little insight into dinosaur excavation and a lot of insight into fossil law]

Spy (2015) - 5 stars out of 10

Spy (2015) - 5 stars out of 10

“Spy” delivers everything that you expect from a Melissa McCarthy movie.  Many of its slapstick moments will have you laughing out loud… but you will have to endure a barrage of 100 f-words to get to the end.  It is a shame because this story is very clever but the writers obviously don’t have enough confidence in their ability to write clever dialogue; instead, they defer to shock-value profanity as their main comedic device.  Probably the biggest travesty is the talent that they had to work with, including Jude Law, Jason Statham, Allison Janney, and Rose Byrne.  McCarthy’s oft-self-shaming-but-hilarious comedic delivery is enjoyable in the first hour as we tolerate the film’s 17 f-words, but everything goes out of control during the second half when the film becomes an all-out swearfest that completely overshadows a great twist and an action-packed final battle.  If I wanted to hear an hour of multiple f-words per minute, I would have watched “The Wolf of Wall Street.”  Actually, I wouldn’t have because that much profanity is entirely unnecessary.  In spite of the script, I think that this film really embraced the idea of a spy film.  It has the intrigue, exotic locations, car chase, epic shootout, and gadgets that we love in a Bond film, all permeated by McCarthy’s brand of slapstick comedy.  This aspect of the film is incredibly well done and I wish that I could have fully enjoyed it for what it is.  My rating of “Spy” seems like it would indicate that the film is average but it is actually the opposite.  My rating is meant to indicate that the cast and story are on par with the best comedy films out there but the script’s reliance on unnecessary profanity drags the entire film down.

[Pictures: The disguises.  Oh, the disguises.  So many great moments in this film.]

Cake (2014) - 4 stars out of 10

Cake (2014) - 4 stars out of 10

The ingredients of “Cake” sound like a delicious treat but something went wrong with this recipe.  You would expect big name actors, a few amazing performances, a mysterious situation, and an impressive character transformation to add up to a great film but instead, it just drags on.  I fell asleep twice because there is basically no action and the pacing puts the story into slow motion.  Even with this low rating, I still recommend watching this film because it is the best performance of Jennifer Aniston's career.  She taps into a dark place for this refined performance that earned her nominations from the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild.  We don’t understand why she is so low (until it is vaguely implied much later in the movie), but her pitiful state of depression and chronic pain create a strong connection to the character.  Her final scene is subtle yet powerful.  Meanwhile, Adriana Barraza shines in her moment to really showcase her acting skills and then spends the rest of the film supporting Aniston’s character in a very real way.  To keep the focus on Aniston’s journey, the other characters are each only present for one or two short scenes.  This includes well-known actors like William H. Macy (who was definitely underutilized but it makes sense for his character), Britt Robertson, Sam Worthington, Chris Messina, and of course Anna Kendrick.  It could almost be considered an “ensemble cast” if they all didn’t disappear from the screen so quickly.  This film is a total downer so be prepared for that at the onset.  If you are expecting a typical Aniston role, think again.  “Cake” is a snail-paced drama but is worth a watch if you appreciate subtle acting and realism.

[Pictured: It is rare to see Aniston without a smile, but these sad emotions really shine]