The Amazing Spider-man 2

Amazingly comic-booky film fully embraces tone of source despite overlong runtime and villainously deceptive advertising.  A fun physics-free farce featuring plenty of in-jokes, and a few electrifying tidbits of emotion.  Ray plugs in as Spidey takes a dip in the deadpool with endless thread of witty asides.  Oh, and Rhino.

The Babadook

Exceptionally clever allegorical horror film whose symbolism is easily translated without having to be shoved down the viewer’s throat like so much black bile.  Masterfully shot, tightly scripted, perfectly performed and sneaky enough to avoid the trap of losing scares once the monster is revealed.  A spectacular small scale Shining.

Fury

Ahab Pitt pursues white-power whale in visually astounding and brilliantly brooding war story.  Percy finally ascends to his co-stars’ godly realm, though Labaeiouf steals show with bible-thumping rabidity.  Incredible moral tale, peppered with palpable suspense, devastating imagery but slightly over-cinematic conclusion.  Ayer kept it fresh, and for that deserves tanks.

The Wind Rises

Miyazaki rises down to Earth in his exceptionally realist rendition of Grave of the Fighter Jets.  Dream sequences justify animated medium, and stunning visuals keep an otherwise slow story from crashing and burning.  Lacks magic of previous ghiblets but presents colorful alternative perspective on oft generalized black and white history.

Into the Woods

Like Streep’s appearance, odd musical fantasy venture oscillates between grotesque Sondheim quasi-horror and flowery Disney kids pic without ever settling on witch it actually wants to be.  Disquieting off-screen deaths and thinly veiled themes of pedophilia and adultery guide this movie into the dark woods between two potentially powerful demographics.

A Most Violent Year

Chandor drapes gravity of All over Margin’s complexity and masterfully molds the gripping moodiness of Call is Lost.  It’s Wall Street meets Drive, if James Grey had directed it, and further cements Isaac and Chastain as two of the most serious actors working today.  Still, definitely a most deceptive title.