Movies

COURTESY FOCUS FEATURESJude Law plays a submarine explorer on a troubled hunt for gold in the tepid thriller “Black Sea.”

'Black Sea' skims surface

Cramped are the quarters and mutinous are the men. The submarine thriller…

COURTESY FOCUS FEATURESJude Law plays a submarine explorer on a troubled hunt for gold in the tepid thriller “Black Sea.”
COURTESY TRACEY BENNETT/RELATIVITY MEDIAJillian Estell and Kevin Costner appear in “Black or White

Kevin Costner believes in 'Black or White'

After Kevin Costner's fine performance in writer-director Mike Binder's "The Upside of…

COURTESY TRACEY BENNETT/RELATIVITY MEDIAJillian Estell and Kevin Costner appear in “Black or White
COURTESY RICHARD SHOTWELL/INVISION/APNearly 30 years later

Cary Elwes shouts out with ‘Princess Bride’ fans

Though it has some of most iconic lines in film history, acting…

COURTESY RICHARD SHOTWELL/INVISION/APNearly 30 years later
COURTESY IFC FILMSMarion Cotillard

‘Two Days’ a gripping look at working-class life

Belgian brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne have long written and directed quietly…

COURTESY IFC FILMSMarion Cotillard
COURTESY IFC FILMSPatrick Stewart plays a dance teacher who looks back on his life in “Match.”

Patrick Stewart uses myriad skills in 'Match'

Patrick Stewart's new movie "Match" perfectly shows off his great appeal and…

COURTESY IFC FILMSPatrick Stewart plays a dance teacher who looks back on his life in “Match.”
COURTESY CINELOUIn “Cake

Jennifer Aniston calls 'Cake' a ‘dream come true’ role

Hollywood A-lister Jennifer Aniston took 12 minutes on the phone with the…

COURTESY CINELOUIn “Cake
COURTESY A24 FILMSOscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain are excellent as a New York couple facing challenges in “A Most Violent Year.”

‘Most Violent Year’ restrained, gripping

An immigrant entrepreneur chooses an upright path in a corrupt and ruthless…

COURTESY A24 FILMSOscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain are excellent as a New York couple facing challenges in “A Most Violent Year.”
COURTESY WARNER BROS. PICTURESBradley Cooper (pictured with Kyle Gallner

'American Sniper' forceful, subtly balanced

Uncluttered, confident and with no showing off, veteran director Clint Eastwood puts…

COURTESY WARNER BROS. PICTURESBradley Cooper (pictured with Kyle Gallner
COURTESY WILSON WEBB/WARNER BROS.Joaquin Phoenix is quite convincing as a druggie detective trying to solve a case involving his ex in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Inherent Vice.”

‘Inherent Vice’ gets lost in haze

Inhale something strong and perhaps you can ride forever on the stoner-noir…

COURTESY WILSON WEBB/WARNER BROS.Joaquin Phoenix is quite convincing as a druggie detective trying to solve a case involving his ex in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Inherent Vice.”
COURTESY ATSUSHI NISHIJIMA/PARAMOUNT PICTURESTom Wilkinson

'Selma' an intimate portrait of MLK

Despite all the great things you'll hear about "Selma" – an important,…

COURTESY ATSUSHI NISHIJIMA/PARAMOUNT PICTURESTom Wilkinson
COURTESY SONY PICTURESEthan Hawke stars in "Predestination.”

Spierig twins, Hawke ponder time travel in 'Predestination'

Based on a story by Robert A. Heinlein of “Starship Troopers" fame,…

COURTESY SONY PICTURESEthan Hawke stars in "Predestination.”
COURTESY LIA PASQUALINOToni Servillo is good as an Italian politician – and his crazy twin brother – in the ultimately unsatisfying “Viva la Liberta.”

‘Viva la Liberta’ a comedy lacking bite

In “Viva la Liberta,” a madman impersonates a prominent politician and wows…

COURTESY LIA PASQUALINOToni Servillo is good as an Italian politician – and his crazy twin brother – in the ultimately unsatisfying “Viva la Liberta.”
COURTESY IFC FILMSDirected by Richard Linklater and co-starring Patricia Arquette

2014's best films

With the film industry award season in progress – nominees for the…

COURTESY IFC FILMSDirected by Richard Linklater and co-starring Patricia Arquette
COURTESY LEAH GALLO/THE WEINSTEIN COMPANYChristoph Waltz and Amy Adams play Walter and Margaret Keane in “Big Eyes.”

‘Big Eyes’ opens window into Keane’s soul

The current movie season has been riddled with true stories and biographies,…

COURTESY LEAH GALLO/THE WEINSTEIN COMPANYChristoph Waltz and Amy Adams play Walter and Margaret Keane in “Big Eyes.”
COURTESY WALT DISNEY STUDIOSJames Corden and Emily Blunt play the Baker and the Baker’s Wife in the new movie version of “Into the Woods.”

Disney takes a familiar journey in 'Into the Woods’

The promotional trailer for the new Disney film musical “Into the Woods”…

COURTESY WALT DISNEY STUDIOSJames Corden and Emily Blunt play the Baker and the Baker’s Wife in the new movie version of “Into the Woods.”
OURTESY SIMON MEIN/SONY PICTURES CLASSICSTimothy Spall plays the prominent British landscape artist in writer-director Mike Leigh’s “Mr. Turner.”

Leigh, Spall bring famed painter to life in ‘Mr. Turner’

The extraordinary filmmaker Mike Leigh delves into the life, world and art…

OURTESY SIMON MEIN/SONY PICTURES CLASSICSTimothy Spall plays the prominent British landscape artist in writer-director Mike Leigh’s “Mr. Turner.”
COURTESY ZIPPORAH FILMSIn the documentary “National Gallery

Behind the scenes at London’s National Gallery

“National Gallery,” Frederick Wiseman’s three-hour exploration of what’s in the workings and…

COURTESY ZIPPORAH FILMSIn the documentary “National Gallery
COURTESY WARNER BROS. PICTURESFans will find "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" to be a fine conclusion to the film trilogy based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s famed fantasy.

Hard 'Hobbit' to break

Thus it ends, and as the title suggests, Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit:…

COURTESY WARNER BROS. PICTURESFans will find "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" to be a fine conclusion to the film trilogy based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s famed fantasy.
COURTESY KERRY BROWN/20TH CENTURY FOXChristian Bale plays Moses in director Ridley Scott’s would-be Biblical epic “Exodus: Gods and Kings.”

‘Exodus’ plagued with flaws

Ridley Scott's Biblical epic "Exodus: Gods and Kings," which tells the story…

COURTESY KERRY BROWN/20TH CENTURY FOXChristian Bale plays Moses in director Ridley Scott’s would-be Biblical epic “Exodus: Gods and Kings.”
COURTESY JACK ENGLISH/WEINSTEIN COMPANYBenedict Cumberbatch plays mathematician Alan Turing in “The Imitation Game

Code-breaker Alan Turing comes to life in ‘Imitation Game’

“The Imitation Game” tells the story of Alan Turing, the long-unsung British…

COURTESY JACK ENGLISH/WEINSTEIN COMPANYBenedict Cumberbatch plays mathematician Alan Turing in “The Imitation Game