Out of the Furnace (2013)

Out of the Furnace (2013)

[7] In this revenge drama from writer/director Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart, Black Mass), Christian Bale seeks vigilante justice after Woody Harrelson murders his brother over gambling debt. Casey Affleck plays the brother, a young man suffering from post-traumatic stress after…
Greta (2019)

Greta (2019)

[7] Isabelle Huppert (Elle) and Chloë Grace Moretz (Kick Ass) co-star in this satisfying horror-thriller about a naive young woman (Moretz) who returns a lost purse to a lonely widow (Huppert). The two strike up a friendship, but Huppert becomes…
Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)

Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)

[6] Melissa McCarthy shifts gears with a dramatic turn in Can You Ever Forgive Me?, the true story of celebrity biographer Lee Israel, who after decades of success writing best-selling books about the likes of Katharine Hepburn, Estee Lauder, and…
The Favourite (2018)

The Favourite (2018)

[7] Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster, Killing of a Sacred Deer) brings his off-kilter humor to this dark period-piece comedy about a poor but clever scullery maid (Emma Stone) who ingratiates herself to England's ailing Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) with intentions…
The Devil’s Candy (2015)

The Devil’s Candy (2015)

[7] Ethan Embry stars as a husband and father who moves his family to a new home where a mentally ill man (Pruitt Taylor Vince) committed murder. Embry's character is a painter, and through supernatural means, develops a connection to…
Vice (2018)

Vice (2018)

[8] Christian Bale once again transforms himself completely to become former vice-president Dick Cheney in Adam McKay's (The Big Short) new film, Vice. The film is a pastiche of Cheney's political career, driven in large part by his relationship with…
Elle (2016)

Elle (2016)

[8] Isabelle Huppert stars as a woman trying to learn the identity of the man who raped her. Based on that description, I pegged Elle for a revenge story, but it's much more complicated and interesting than that. As the…
Daddy’s Home Two (2017)

Daddy’s Home Two (2017)

[6] I was home sick with bronchitis and in desperate need of a diversion. I flipped onto Hulu and found Daddy's Home Two. I'd never even heard of Daddy's Home One, but I saw that this comedy sequel had John…
The Mule (2018)

The Mule (2018)

[7] Clint Eastwood directs and stars in The Mule, the story of a 90-year-old man who becomes a drug runner for a dangerous Mexican cartel. The money keeps Eastwood's character motivated. Meanwhile, his ex-wife and daughter express disappointment with his…
Foxcatcher (2014)

Foxcatcher (2014)

[8] Steve Carell stars as millionaire John du Pont in the disturbing true story of du Pont's attempt to recruit and train wrestlers for Olympic glory. Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo star as wrestling brothers Mark and Dave Schultz. Mark…