Year: 2014

“Lucy” (2014). Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Min-sik Choi, Amr Waked, Pilou Asbæk, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Jan Oliver Schroeder, Luca Angeletti, Analeigh Tipton, Paul Chan. Director: Luc Besson. Screenplay: Luc Besson. Web site. Trailer. A heightened sense of self-awareness is often accompanied by the realization that we each have a destiny in life. Even if we can’t always pinpoint what we’re supposed to accomplish, many of us nevertheless have an undeniable sense that we’re supposed to achieve something during our terrestrial visit. But, once we begin to understand what we’re meant to do, it’s up to us to carry through on our objectives, even if we don’t know precisely how. That’s particularly crucial when our time runs short, a concern not unlike that faced by a supremely gifted but seriously challenged protagonist in director Luc Besson’s new metaphysically themed action-adventure, “Lucy.” When Lucy (Scarlett Johansson), a carefree American student living in Taiwan, is tricked by her shady new boyfriend (Pilou Asbæk) into delivering a locked briefcase to a mysterious recipient, Mr. Jang (Min-sik Choi), she can’t begin to fathom what she’s gotten herself into. Before she knows it, Lucy is seized and drugged. Upon waking, she discovers something has been surgically ...

What a weekend at the movies it was! This past weekend marked the release of three titles — “Lucy,” “I Origins” and “Magic in the Moonlight” — all dealing with topics of a metaphysical/spiritual nature. And, even though their quality levels varied, it was very interesting to see such a bumper crop (relatively speaking) of films come out all at once with subject matter of this nature. Is this a trend? I would certainly like to hope so! Given the seemingly endless plethora of mindless comedies and explosion-ridden action-adventure flicks being released these days, it’s truly encouraging to see movies with more thoughtful, more substantive material making their way into theaters. And, while these thought-provoking pictures may represent only a fraction of new offerings, at least they’re getting out there, and, based on this trio of simultaneous releases, such films would appear to be on their way to occupying a more prominent position in the movie marketplace. But are viewers buying it? Considering the alternative subject matter of such pictures (and the seemingly inherent financial risk associated with them), it’s easy to understand why studios and distributors might want to take an arm’s-length — or even hands-off — approach to ...

“Boyhood” (2014). Cast: Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Lorelei Linklater, Libby Villari, Marco Perella, Jamie Howard, Andrew Villarreal, Barbara Chisholm, Brad Hawkins, Angela Rawna, Jenni Tooley, Tom McTigue, Zoe Graham, Richard Robichaux, Roland Ruiz, Charlie Sexton, Maximillian McNamara, Jessi Mechler. Director: Richard Linklater. Screenplay: Richard Linklater. Web site. Trailer. Figuring out what makes life work occupies much of our time and attention in our formative years. Coming to understand the world around us and how it emerges into being is a formidable task for our young minds, especially when it doesn’t seem to make sense. A noble attempt at broaching that subject provides the focus of one of the summer’s most anticipated new releases, director Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood.” Growing up is quite an experience, to say the least. It’s a time for learning about the world in all its magic, mystery and wonder. And observing how that process unfolds before us is something we each go through in our own unique way. For six-year-old Mason (Ellar Coltrane) and his older sister Samantha (Lorelei Linklater), that odyssey begins in a household headed by their divorced single mother, Olivia (Patricia Arquette), who struggles to provide for them. But caring for them ...

“Snowpiercer” (2014). Cast: Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Ed Harris, John Hurt, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, Ewen Bremner, Ko Ah-sung, Alison Pill, Vlad Ivanov, Adnan Haskovic, Stephen Park, Marcanthonee Jon Reis, Emma Levie. Director: Bong Joon-ho. Screenplay: Bong Joon-ho and Kelly Masterson. Screen Story: Bong Joon-ho. Graphic Novel: La Transperceneige, Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand and Jean-Marc Rochette. Web site. Trailer. It’s been said that there’s no stopping a train. The forward momentum generated by such a potent force is hard to contain, especially when fueled by the power of belief. And it’s even more ironic that a new film drives home this point by way of one of those namesake vehicles. Such is the focus of the thrilling new futurist adventure, “Snowpiercer,” now showing in theaters and on video on demand. When an atmospheric spraying program aimed at curtailing global warming goes terribly awry, the Earth is plunged into an ice age in which everything freezes over, making life on the planet’s surface impossible. In fact, the only survivors of this calamity are the inhabitants of a massive, specially equipped train known as the Snowpiercer, a kind of Noah’s Ark on rails that endlessly circles the globe powered by ...

Got a question about one of my books or my other writing projects? Well, if you’re a GoodReads member, you can now get answers straight from the author’s mouth. Visit my GoodReads.com profile page and check out the new “Ask the Author” feature. I’ve already answered a few sample questions, but, if there’s something specific you’d like to know, fire me a query and I’ll get back to you. Happy reading! ...

“Life Itself” (2014). Cast: Roger Ebert, Chaz Ebert, Gene Siskel (archive footage), Martin Scorsese, Errol Morris, Werner Herzog, Ramin Bahrani, Greg Nava, Ava Duvernay, A.O. Scott, Richard Corliss, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Marlene Iglitzen, Thea Flaum, Nancy De Los Santos, Roger Simon, John McHugh, Stephen Stanton (voice). Director: Steve James. Book: Life Itself: A Memoir, Roger Ebert. Web site. Trailer. It’s a rare occasion when someone comes along who ends up being a genuine game changer in his or her particular field of endeavor. But, when such individuals make their presence felt, they leave an indelible mark on their craft, changing it forever. In the field of film criticism, that distinction belongs to Roger Ebert (1942-2013), who almost single-handedly altered the way we look at movies and whose storied life is now the subject of the engaging new documentary, “Life Itself.” Based on Ebert’s autobiography, director Steve James’s documentary chronicles his subject’s life story from his teenage years as neighborhood reporter for a self-published newspaper to his acclaimed career as America’s top movie critic to his heartbreaking yet ever-hopeful battle against terminal cancer. In presenting Roger’s story, James serves up a wealth of archival material, coupled with narrated segments from Ebert’s memoir, ...