Doctor Strange (Disney, PG-13)
There’s a superhero blockbuster, from the Marvel Cinematic Universe no less, for people who usually hate superhero films. That would be Doctor Strange.
Benedict Cumberbatch
Black Mass (Warner Bros., R)
At best the result is a generic crime thriller that comes nowhere near its potential.
2014 in Review
A Godard film on opening night in 3-D with a sold-out, like-minded crowd who responded to the film how they were supposed to? It was a memorable experience indeed.
The Imitation Game (The Weinstein Company, PG-13)
There’s a high degree of forced and borderline silly conflict here, which doesn’t sit well given the dramatic reality of the story.
Penguins of Madagascar (Twentieth Century Fox, PG)
This will not be the CG comedy of the year, but it did manage to keep me entertained for its 92-minute running length.
August: Osage County (The Weinstein Company, R)
Despite the film having some merit, you’re better off seeing a stage production.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (Warner Bros., PG-13)
Thankfully, The Desolation of Smaug is a better film than An Unexpected Journey, though perhaps unsurprisingly it isn’t as good as any of the three original LotR movies.
12 Years a Slave (Fox Searchlight, R)
While the potential for violence is an undercurrent for the way every character in the film behaves, this isn’t a movie that dwells on it unduly, nor fetishizes it.
The Fifth Estate (R, Touchstone)
All brilliant people are complicated and a movie acting without the input of its main character, who is still very much part of the mix, is bound to make some biased decisions.
Sherlock Season 2 (BBC Worldwide)
I cannot recommend this series enough. If you have not seen the first season, it is available on Netflix streaming. I promise you will be hooked immediately—and it only gets better from there.