A Ghost Story

Spoilers: Casper Affleck dies. Also: Kissing. Furniture removal. Backwards smoke. Cars. Hospital. Halloween costume. Light door. Walking. Pie. More pie. Watching. Kissing. Ghost next door. Music flashback. Leaving. Watching. Hispanic family. College philosophy. Demolition. Construction. Office building. Settlers. Arrows. Empty house. Back again. Piano payoff. Ghostception. Frame story. Fortune Cookie.

Lion

Slumdog Expatriate is a simple story, beautifully told. Boldly basic in its straightforward narrative style, Lion leans heavily on the outstanding performance of its sunny leading lad. Patel brilliantly lives up to his past life, while Kidman interacts marvelously with both kid and man. Gut-wrenching and satisfying, Lion quietly roars.

Kubo and the Two Strings

Far-eastern inspired Harry Potter substitutes eye for scar and sitar for wand, but everything else remains unchanged, especially Voldemort. Impressive animation folds practical and digital together while all-star vocal cast prompts white-washing worries. Impressively adult themes and a steady string of fantastical forays fizzle out in an underwhelming final feud.