THE CURRENT WAR

THE CURRENT WAR: While some may call it a historical picture, this film portraying the "fued/war" between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse over who would bring electricity to America is still engrossing with Edison touting Direct current and Westinghouse pushing for Alternating Current.  The marvelous Benedict Cumberbatch as Edison and the equally adroit Michael Shannon as Westinghouse along with Nicholas Hoult as Nickola Tesla give a master class in acting. These three guys (speaking of electricity) ignite the screen in this display of cutthroat competition.  Also on board is Tom Holland (the latest Spiderman) playing Edison' secretary and helper.   In this battle of wits the ultimate prize is who will bring electricity to the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.  But there is also the battle over the Electric chair!   A fascinating look as a bygone era and two dynamic gentlemen.

MALEFICENT, MISTRESS OF EVIL

MALEFICENT, MISTRESS OF EVIL:   Angelina Jolie returns in this Disney sequel that takes place 15 years later than the previous film.   When Prince Philip (Harrison Dickinson) proposed to Princess Aurora (Elle Fanning) and she accepts, Philip's  mother, Queen Ingrith (Michelle Pfeiffer) plots to use the wedding to divide the humans and fairies forever, causing Maleficent and Aurora to find themselves on opposite sides of an impending war.  The film may be a bit confusing to those who don't know the backstory, so be forewarned.  But it you are in the loop, it's a wonderful look at where Maleficent came from and a real fairy tale from the Disney folk.   (With some of the most imaginative fairies you'll ever see (including Imelda Staunton).  Others in the cast are Robert Lindsay as the King John and Chiwetel Ejifor as Conall. The CGI is first rate with an all-out war in the last half hour that still makes me question "How did they do that?"  It you're still a kid at heart, here is a fairy tale for you.

THE ADDAMS FAMILY

 THE ADDAMS FAMILY:  I've always been a fan of this Charles Addams creation from its early days as a single panel cartoon in New Yorker magazine, through the TV show with Carolyn Jones and John Astin, as well as the live action movie with Angelica Houston and Raul Julia, so, coming full circle we are basically back to the beginning.  In this delightful animated romp, we begin with the wedding of Morticia and Gomez,  their move to New Jersey and in a quick fast forward, become parents to two frightful children.  All of the characters are here...Lurch, Uncle Fester, Grandma, Pugsly and Wednesday (Spoiler alert. Wednesday pigtails are nooses in this version)  And the real actors voicing these beloved characters are Charlize Theron (Morticia), Oscar Isaac (Gomez), Bette Midler (Grandma) along with Martin Short and Allison Janney in other roles and Snoop Dog as Cousin Itt.  All in all, it is a pleasant enough film, although I was a bit disappointed that it didn't live up to my fond memories of the earlier versions.  So, if it's your cup of tea...……...go for it.

ABOMINABLE

ABOMINABLE:   Well, every now and then, there's not much on the big screen that I want to see so I usually opt for escapism in the realm of animation.  Perhaps it's still the child within me.  At any rate, this was my choice of late and it was fun, educational (Chinese heritage comes into play) and thoroughly enjoyable.  When a teenager (Yi) discovers a Yeti on her apartment rooftop, she and two friends eventually decide to return the creature to his family in this epic adventure.  But they must stay one step ahead of a determined zoologist and a wealthy financier and his henchmen who want the Yeti for there own gain.  That's the plot in a nutshell and it takes us from the streets of Shanghai to ultimately, the breathtaking snowcapped  peaks of the Himalayas.  And along the way we discover that this particular Yeti (who is a teenager himself that they christen "Everest") has magical powers that are a major plus on the trek home. The film has some brilliant animation that makes you smile in amusement (particularly the use of clouds near the end of the film).   So it you want to recapture that child within yourself, this is one to see.

JUDY

JUDY:  In 1969, Judy Garland traveled to London for a series of sold-out concerts at "Talk of the Town" while fighting alcoholism, depression and substance abuse.  This film chronicles that period in her tragic life.  But, the film itself is almost a tribute to her stamina and determination despite the demons.  Renee Zellweger as Garland brings pathos as well as a substantial amount of humor to the role.  Putting her own spin on the Garland songbook is an almost unsurmountable task, but she does admirably most of the time, capturing the waning days of a beloved performer with compassion and sensitivity, as well as a possible Oscar nomination.  Ultimately, the film is an emotional roller-coaster with many highs and lows, (the highs being the musical numbers) and one comes away with a certain sadness from watching an icon dying in slow motion. The ending will bring tears to your eyes (at least it did to mine).

DOWNTON ABBEY

DOWNTON ABBEY:  This highly anticipated movie following the Crawley family and their servants to the big screen was well worth the wait.  It is a splendid piece of work.  With all of the original cast returning, it is an absolute joy to see them  again along with a few new faces, notably Imelda Staunton as Lady Bagshaw.  (In real life, married to Jim Carter who plays Mr. Carson, the head butler) In this outing, there is a bit of an uproar when the Crawleys learn that King Edward V and Queen Mary are about to pay them a visit.  And what fun that is, watching the household prepare for such an auspicious occasion, with the wonderful Maggie Smith offering pertinent remarks along the way.  The fly in the ointment, however, is when the household learns that the Royals travel with their own chef and other assistants (even a housekeeper) which sends the downstairs help into a tizzy with all sorts of schemes and shenanigans  arising.  New love interests also make an appearance and may leave a tiny bit of room for another future film.  (Here's hoping!)  If you were a fan of the wonderful BBC series, (or even if it's new to you) treat yourself to this sumptuous look at Downton Abbey in this excellent film written and directed by Julian Fellowes.

THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN

THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN:   Having loved this book by Garth Stein, I eagerly attended the movie which turned out to be lovely film.   The book was written in the voice of a golden retriever named Enzo and in the film that voice comes to life thanks to the wonderful "voice" acting of Kevin Costner.  Milo Vintimiglia portrays Enzo's owner, Denny, a Formula One race car driver and Amanda Seyfried is Eve, his love interest.  How Enzo reacts to the couples romance, eventual child and the triumphs and heartaches along the way is what makes this movie so charming.  I won't go into the plot so as not to spoil it for you, but I will tell you, bring Kleenex.   The ending is one of the best you'll ever see in a film this year. It will make your heart soar.