Best new movies and videos for week of Jan. 26: The Watchlist
In Theatres
Paddington - 95 minutes of pure joy. A bear bumbles his way into London and looks at life with fresh eyes. Any more charming and it would be toxic.
- On mobile? Watch full review of Paddington here.
Selma - Ava DuVernay's directing style can cut two ways. It may seem a little affected at times but there's also an impressive sense of stillness for a film about the historic civil right's march. Yes, David Oyelowo was left out of the Oscar conversation but that doesn't take away from his powerful telling of how Dr. King found his voice.
- On mobile? Watch the full review of Selma here.
Still Alice - Astory about a woman struggling with a true-life identity crisis. The movie about a linguist battling Alzheimer's disease lifts itself above movie of the week status with Julianne Moore's harrowing and yet clear-eyed performance.
- On mobile? Watch the full review of Still Alice here.
Leviathan - Director Andrey Zvyagintsev has tried to frame this tale of small-town corruption as a universal story, but the shadows of Putin's Russia are all over this slow-paced story that is nominated for a best foreign language Oscar.
- On mobile? Watch the Leviathan trailer here.
On video, Netflix or VOD
The Humbling - Available on VOD, The Humbling is in many ways Al Pacino's Birdman, except better. Pacino strips down to his soul in this film about an actor in the midst of a mental breakdown. Bonus points for the inclusion of Greta Gerwig as the free radical that helps Pacino's character find his second wind.
- On mobile? Watch the full review of The Humbling here.
A Walk Among the Tombstones - Forget Taken 3. If you want to remember when Liam Neeson was more than an aging action figure, check out this surprisingly thoughtful detective story set in New York at the brink of the new millennium.
- On mobile? Watch the full review of A Walk Among the Tombstones here.
Get On Up - Speaking of overlooked performances, Chadwick Boseman channels the Godfather of Funk in all his gaudy glory in this impressionistic look at James Brown. The nonlinear storytelling nicely compliments the frenetic performances.
- On mobile? Watch the Get On Up trailer here.
Tracks - Think of Tracks as a desert version of Wild. Mia Wasikowska plays Robyn, the ultimate introvert who embarks on a 3,200 km hike through the Australian outback with the help of four camels. It's a film about solitude, strength and the occasional comic interruption courtesy of Adam Driver.
- On mobile? Watch the Tracks trailer here.
The Book of Life - Certainly the most unusual looking animated film of 2014, The Book of Life brings a series of Mexican fables to life with a tale of spirits, gods and battling balladeers. While some of the song selections ruin the spell, there's a lot to love in these clunky characters.
- On mobile? Watch The Book of Life trailer here.
