Fill the Void (2013)

The teenage sister of an Orthodox Jew who died during childbirth is pressured by her family to marry the widower. This is told quietly and beautifully -- I had no idea where it was going to end up, but I felt extremely invested.

B+

One False Move (1992)

Second viewing. I saw this probably more than 15 years ago and remembered it as tight and shocking. While it’s not quite as awesome as I remembered, it is still quite good in a high-quality TV movie kind of way.

Billy Bob Thornton and Bill Paxton are so young!

B

This Is Where I Leave You (2014)

A big bundle of cliches without the support of a strong central plot, sure-handed directing, or even capable acting (Fey was so out of her league it was painful). There wasn’t even consistency with the pronunciation of one of the longtime neighbor’s names, being referred to as both Horry and Hahry by a couple of characters and, before you ask, it obviously wasn’t supposed to be funny -- I just think the production hadn’t yet made up its mind about the pronunciation and no one bothered to do a postdub on the “wrong” scenes once the decision was made.  The whole thing was a huge mess with plot twists you could see coming because they were featured in some sitcom or miniseries a decade or more ago.

Two exceptions to the general crapping all over this: 1) Adam Driver is magnetic -- even when forced by the script into doing eye-rollingly movie things like turning up the baby monitor so everyone in the house can hear a couple unwittingly having sex next to the transmitter upstairs and 2) Connie Britton showed quiet vulnerability in a short scene. I actually think her scene should've been cut as it only served to reveal the falseness in most of the other performances. Next to her, almost the other actors looked to be pulling faces in what were supposed to be their emotional scenes.

D+

Ender's Game (2013)

Not a bad movie on its own terms, but it lacks the subtlety of the book. It’s also in desperate need of some relief from the soul-crushing mood -- a little levity wouldn’t have been out of place. Ford is just calling it in.

B-

Rush (2013)

I’m not interested in racing at all, but that didn’t stop me from being into this look at a true-life rivalry between two drivers: one a devil-may-care British playboy and the other a humorless German interested in “solving” racing.

The lack of an Oscar nomination for Daniel Bruhl is flat-out ridiculous.

B

The Intouchables (2012)

An ex-con with no references or experience shows up to interview for the position of caregiver to a wealthy quadriplegic. He only wants the signature saying he applied, not the actual job, but the patient is sick to death of the other earnest candidates so he's hired anyway.

It could’ve been so sappy, but instead it was an almost perfect movie. I laughed, cried, and had all the feelings.

A

Slap Shot (1977)

Though there are some guffaw moments (the Hanson brothers’ first time on the ice certainly qualifies), it moved at a much slower pace than I’d remembered. Still fun, but I’m seeing a few cracks I didn’t the first time through, which was probably 20 years ago.

B-

Fish Tank (2010)

A tough tenement girl on the outs with her friends and perpetually at odds with her single mother softens a bit when her mom brings home a new boyfriend. He takes a real interest in her and she responds to his encouragement and generosity, even though she can’t drop her guard completely. I was let down a bit by the ending, but the fault lies completely with what I was hoping for and didn't get. I was genuinely disappointed, which just proves how real the characters felt to me.

B+

Killing Them Softly (2012)

Small time crooks wind up the target of a small time hit man, but first we have to sit through a bunch of talk and even more style. It was pretty dull.

C-