In the Heat of the Night

This great Sidney Poitier thriller won best picture in 1967. At times it’s old fashioned, and at times it seems more risky and relevant than most contemporary movies. Rod Steiger nails his shape-shifting redneck police chief, never revealing where he truly stands on any issue. This movie must have been a cultural nuclear blast when it came out in the 60’s.

Oblivion

First you take a little dash of Moon, throw in a dollop of Total Recall, add a pinch of Demolition Man, a heaping spoonful of 2001: A Space Odyssey, splash in a little Robocop, a dab of Star Wars, and a hint of Independence Day and you have Oblivion. A familiar recipe, neither delicious nor unpleasant, and just a little overdone.

The Big Lebowski

This was a special screening at a new theater and I think they just popped in a blue ray. Alcohol was served, audience participation was encouraged, and it was less like a movie and more like a party. It’s still amazing to me - the movie’s plot doesn’t make a lick of sense!

Trance

A departure from heady and emotional undertakings like 127 Hours, Slumdog Millioniare, and the London Olympics, Danny Boyle returns to his origins with this nifty little thriller. It’s Rosario Dawson’s movie, which unfolds non-linearly over the course of a few love affairs and an art heist. The familiar dramatic tropes of amnesia and hypnosis are the source of the disjointed timelines, but Boyle’s gift of style can easily overcome thriller clichés. The stakes are low, but it’s a fun, fast-paced and well-acted noir, and a great showcase for Dawson’s A-game.

Evil Dead

What happens when you cut all of the funny stuff out of a famous, old slasher movie? Answer: you still have a slasher movie, but it's a bit like nonfat cottage cheese. It's just not as satisfying. Especially since the filmmakers had Jane Levy as their lead, experienced sitcom ingénue. There are brief moments of pure, blood-splattered horror hilarity, but they don't arrive until the very end. And by then you might find yourself asking, "How many more characters are going to hack off their own arms before this thing is over?" Here's hoping that the remake of Evil Dead 2 manages to cut off a few arms without amputating their funny bones.