Lucy,
directed by Luc Besson
(R, 89 minutes)
If you can get over the absurd metaphysical plot manipulations that string this hyperactive, violent and visceral thriller together, you will likely get a kick out of Scarlett Johansson's performance in Lucy.
She plays the title character, a casual, unexceptionally cute American student in Taipei whose stupid boyfriend doesn't last long as a drug mule, a position that, after some unpalatable and squirmy dealings with a predictably brutal Korean gangster, she unwillingly inherits.
The highly vaunted and extremely expensive super drug she's hauling gets inside her, bringing with it superpowers that escalate at an alarming rate -- creating a fantastic, undefinable being that is far beyond human. With Min-sik Choi, Morgan Freeman; written and directed by Luc Besson (Taken, Taken 2, Taken 3).
Fury (R, 135 minutes) Gritty and unrelentingly brutal, this intense World War II drama is set in April 1945 as a lumbering Sherman tank under the command of a tough, charismatic Army sergeant known as Wardaddy (Brad Pitt) and his close-knit five-man crew push into enemy territory on a mission that has little chance of success. With Michael Pena, Shia LaBeouf, Scott Eastwood, Jason Isaacs; directed by David Ayer.
The Boxtrolls (PG, 97 minutes) A stylish, rather dark stop-motion animated adventure for kids in which a Victorian-era orphan named Eggs (voice of Isaac Hempstead-Wright) is being raised by uniquely eccentric creatures known as Boxtrolls, who battle an enemy in pest exterminator Archibald Snatcher (voice of Ben Kingsley). With voices of Elle Fanning, Simon Pegg, Toni Collette, Tracy Morgan; directed by Anthony Stacchi and Graham Annable.
The Drop (R, 106 minutes) A quietly forceful, well-acted crime drama in which Brooklyn bartender Bob Saginowski (always watchable Tom Hardy), who helps his powerful boss and cousin Marv (James Gandolfini) launder money, gets mixed up in a robbery that goes very wrong. With Noomi Rapace, Ann Dowd; directed by Michael R. Roskam.
The Zero Theorem (R, 107 minutes) Typically Terry Gilliam in its chaos and complexity, this rather baffling fantasy concerns reclusive computer hacker Qohen Leth (Christoph Waltz), who intends to use his considerable skills to determine the reason for human existence. But there are those who don't want him to pursue his quest, and have prepared a series of distractions to make him stop. David Thewlis, Matt Damon, Ben Whishaw, Tilda Swinton, Rupert Friend; directed by Gilliam.
White Bird in a Blizzard (R, 91 minutes) This meandering coming-of-age suburban mystery (adapted from Laura Kasischke's 1999 novel) follows the initial denial and eventual emotional upheaval and confusion that 17-year-old Kat Connors (Shailene Woodley) experiences when her beautiful, seemingly perfect yet secretive mother, Eve (Eva Green), disappears. With Gabourey Sidibe, Thomas Jane, Angela Bassett; directed by Gregg Araki.
Rudderless (R, 105 minutes) A fitfully paced yet emotional and entertaining journey, Rudderless concerns Sam (Billy Crudup), a former hotshot advertising executive whose life is in shambles following the sudden death of his son. Tormented by his feelings of guilt for not being the sort of dad he should have been, Sam spends his time miserably drinking on a docked sailboat, where he discovers his son's musical talent by finding a box filled with demo tapes and lyric sheets. An effort at redemption motivates him to perform the songs at a local bar, where he meets up with a young musician (Anton Yelchin), with whom he forms an unlikely duo. With Felicity Huffman, Laurence Fishburne, Selena Gomez; the directorial debut of actor William H. Macy.
MovieStyle on 01/23/2015