Good Time

Patsy proves he’s best at his worst as he endures a horrible time trying to rescue his director from the results of bad crime. Impressively gritty dialog and aesthetics brother up well with bold music choices to successfully transform a simultaneously petty and convoluted plot into a surreal urban nightmare.

Maps to the Stars

If Robert Altman and David Lynch had an abortion.  Several stars fell to Earth then took tragic wrong turns to end up lost in Losmopolis.  Julianne gives moore than this film deserves while a terrible child actor, tedious cinematography and hilarious fake fire distract from Cronenberg’s poorly plotted cartographic nightmare.

The Rover

Michod’s McCarthy-esque Mad Max is a brooding and beautiful character study of an ambiguously good and/or bad Guy who goes on a brutal and brutally simple journey, pausing only to adopt a mentally handicapped vampire.  Intense performances, precise pacing and a well-crafted world lead to a doggone interesting title-pertinent ending.

Water for Elephants

Pattinson exceeds expectations alongside poorly-paced Waltz and withering Reese. Holbrook lends appropriately elderly narration to an exceptionally bland story methodically enhanced by beautiful music and well-designed sets. Overall, aside from the elephant, one of the most forgettable films in recent history. Less a circus spectacule than a big bottom sideshow.