Victor Frankenstein

Are you a fan of the book, or of the movies? If you're a fan of the book, you should know that the writers chose to go with the movie version of Frankenstein. This is pretty immediately obvious, as Daniel Radcliffe plays Igor, who doesn't even appear in the book.

And yet, you should watch this anyway. I'm not sure that old Mary Shelley would be proud of this adaptation, but it certainly explores many of the themes she was getting at. It's Gothic horror as it should be. We explore questions of identity, redemption, purpose, and playing God. And we do it through the eyes of two tortured young men, and against a lovely industrial backdrop of nineteenth-century London.

Ricki and the Flash

Meryl Streep has, in short, done it again. She has used her incredible talent, and the incredible talents of those who are drawn to work with her, to illuminate an otherwise lackluster movie. The plot is simple, the characters are crudely drawn, the philosophical and emotional points are never subtle. But because of the cast, you can't help but be drawn into this painful family drama, and eventually to rejoice at the reconciliation.

Southpaw

Short version: This movie wins on acting, and pretty much acting alone. The script is serviceable but fairly cliched (with a couple important exceptions). The direction, cinematography, visuals, etc. are similarly well done but don't stand out in any way. But the acting; oh my, the acting.

Mr Holmes

Short version: This is a beautiful, superbly acted, bittersweet tale. It is very British, and very indie. It manages to be wonderfully true to the Sherlock Holmes character without simply being another Sherlock Holmes mystery. The big screen is worth it for all the scenery, but if you'd rather wait you won't miss any of the story.

Max

You might have missed the trailers for Max. I can't tell if it was under-marketed, or just heavily targeted away from me. Given the number of "kids" movies I see, I find it odd that never saw a trailer, and only caught one commercial on TV.

Short version: A fairly typical feel good kids movie, but very well done within that genre. The plot felt mostly realistic, the characters were fairly three-dimensional, and the emotions were surprisingly complex. While it's not a movie that anyone needs to see, it's also a movie that you will likely enjoy watching.

Oh, and the important bit: The dog does NOT die. I was a bit worried when the poster said "From the producer of Marly and Me".

Ex Machina

Short version: This is a twisted, tense, multi-layered exploration of what it means to be human. And it turns out, being human is not exactly the laudable goal we assume it to be. I highly recommend seeing this movie, though it is not one that requires a theater viewing. For those worried about it being horror, it is. But it is horror as Ray Bradbury or Rod Serling would write it.

Woman in Gold

Short version: It is exactly the movie you expect from the trailers. It follows the plot, hits the emotional beats, and features some damn fine acting. It does not stray from the formula, but within the formula it does some wonderful things. I highly recommend watching it, but there is no need to rush.