Alice Through the Looking Glass

Bobin mirrors Burton to admirable effect. Alice navigates a visually astounding narrative maze on foolhardy Adventure through Underland, finding herself lost in the machines and machinations of a monarchy of Miserables. Depp phones it in, but it’s still a call worth answering, especially as writers sing Carrols of frabjous wordplay.

Eye in the Sky

Excellently executed real-time quasi-chamber-drama. International equivalent of 12 Angry Men tackles complex questions while filling well-rounded roles with exceptionally diverse cast. Crackles like House of Cards, but never falls as it interweaves political correctness with military morality, dashing in occasional action and comic moments without ever sacrificing maturity as collateral.

Lee Daniels' The Butler

Interesting civil rights history lesson lacks drive as it meanders through a string of oddly cast presidential cameos.  Whitaker winds his through a compelling family drama with a winning Winfrey and outstanding Oyelowo but Gumps his way into the wrong Forrest and gets lost in a dense thicket of history.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Happy Potter and the Octilogy ending battle. Final chapter is far-cry from blue-balled predecessor. Kill Voldemort vol. 2 leaves all the apparating behind and focuses instead on hurling digital fire back and forth. Brief stop by the Matrix weapons room precedes Aslan Potter saving the day. Then poof, aging spell.

Sense and Sensibility

Trelawney gets a Grant with self-scripted role while she sticks Winslet with Snape, who finally gets to be a good guy. Meanwhile House makes a home with Umbrage, and everyone struggles to express themselves through bookish British dialogue. Released in China under alternative title: Crouching Sense, Hidden Sensibility. Jolly good.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I

A half-satisfying half-movie featuring veritable cameos from the costars of its predecessors. Accurate collection of scene re-enactments strung together by semblance of plot and endless apparations. Hermione’s hotness completely skews the book’s character and Ron Weasley goes Sam Gamgee. Nearly naked aging teens with lack of Hogwarts distinguish this half-film.

Love Actually

Sprawling romantic comedy set on the corner of Magnolia and Notting Hill. Basically a fictionalized account of every single person in England on and around Christmas. Beautiful editing and writing create sublime mix of sincere sadness and hilarity. Easier to name British actors excluded rather than included. Uh… John Cleese?

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

‘Alice in Narnia’ marks Disney’s third failure to shoot a compelling epic and proves that digital effects haven’t evolved far enough to fix bad writing. Depp’s schizophrenic performance oscillates from Pee Wee to Braveheart while Burton’s creepiness drowns in a shallow effects orgy. Highlights are big-headed Bellatrix and floating Puss-in-Boots.