In Long Day's Journey Into Night, Mary (Jessica Lange) and her husband, James (Ed Harris), confront their traumatic past and her unhappy married life throughout the course of one day in 1912. Their youngest son, Edmund (Colin Morgan), deals with the aftermath of being diagnosed with consumption while their oldest son, Jamie (Ben Foster), clashes with his father who sees him as a bum and a failure. Director Jonathan Kent and screenwriter David Lindsay-Abaire have made a powerful, engrossing and well-acted portrait of a dysfunctional family based on the 1956 play by Eugene O'Neill. It's stagey and doesn't shy away from lengthy monologues, but it never feels stuffy or melodramatic. A truly great film, according to François Truffaut, has a perfect blend of Truth and Spectacle. There are no villains, no shootings or stabbings, and no chase sequences here to provide visceral Spectacles. Instead, Long Day's Journey Into Night offers something far more rewarding and intrinsic Spectacles: sharp words, profound conversations and introspection, a very important tool within the garden of one's soul. Mary displays introspection because she's willing to look at her emotional pain head-on, but her husband doesn't want to look at the past, so he's less introspective. Even though the film is set back in the early 20th Century, its themes of regret, happiness, unhappiness, success, failure and loneliness are universal and relatable. The

       The set design, use of lighting, and the symbolism of the weather, particularly the fog outside, make the film feel more cinematic and also provide visual poetry. When it comes to the performances by the terrific ensemble, Jessica Lange gives one of the best performances of her career. She deserves an Oscar for sinking her teeth into the role of Mary with utter conviction while finding the emotional truth of her role. She gives a raw, note-perfect, bravura performance that's just as emotionally resonating as Geraldine Page's Oscar-winning performance in The Trip to Bountiful. Ed Harris is also superb and gets the chance to shine, especially in his scenes with Ben Foster and Jessica Lange. The film's greatest triumph, though, is that the filmmakers, with the help of the talented cast, manage to find the Spectacle within the film's many Truths. Be prepared for a roller coaster ride of emotions while peering into the heart, mind and soul of four complex, emotionally wounded human beings. At a running time of 1 hour and 56 minutes, Long Day's Journey Into Night opens in select theaters nationwide via Quiver Distribution.  

      Denny (Kenny Riches), a petty thief, works as a cashier at a supermarket and lives in Salt Lake City with his mother, Nobuko (Hiroko Riches). He gets more than he bargained for when he corresponds with a penpal, Tess (Sarah Coffey), who's conning him with the help of her boyfriend, Maury (Kimball Farley) in Mouse. Writer/director Kenny Riches has woven a taut, unpredictable and gripping psychological thriller that also serves as provocative character study. Denny comes across as lonely and awkward while also being quite cunning when it comes to his skills of stealing from people whether it means breaking into their cars, stealing their bicycle, or skimming the credit cards of customers at work. He lacks remorse for his actions, yet he has enough introspection to be aware that he's not a good son. A lot more happens within the plot described above, but nothing will be spoiled here because there are more than a few twists and turns that will change how you view Denny, Tess and Maury, as well as their relationships. They all seem like villains who have more to them than meets the eye which makes them all the more compelling as characters. With a less sensitive screenplay, Mouse could've taken a nosedive later in the second act, yet it doesn't at any point because it remains character-driven and intriguing while keeping the audience guessing at what will happen next.

      The performances are decent with the highlight being Sarah Coffey as the seductive Tess. The pace moves leisurely without feeling like it's in a hurry and without feeling too slow, either. There's nothing exceptional about the cinematography, but it's worth mentioning that writer/director Kenny Riches doesn't rely on shaky cam to generate tension. Kudos to him for trusting the audience's emotions, intelligence, imagination and patience while having a great handle on exposition and not relying on flashbacks or over-explaining. Maintaining suspense and intrigue while keeping a film grounded in humanism, a truly special effect, is no easy feat, but Mouse manages to accomplish that feat from start to finish. At a running time of 1 hour and 44 minutes, it opens at Regal Union Square, Regal Battery Park, and Regal Concourse in NYC, and Regal LA Live, Regal Paseo, and Regal Edwards South Gatevia in LA via Dualist.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1

      Airi (Moeka Hoshi), a psychic medium, gets more than she bargained for travels to a countryside hotel to investigate paranormal activity for the hotel's new owner, Teiko (Tae Kimura), and her son, Gunji (Kento Kaku), in Never After Dark. Writer/director Dave Boyle has made a palpably chilling, suspenseful and atmospheric psychological horror film. He sets the spooky tone from the very beginning as Airi drives with a girl in the backseat who, a few minutes later, turns out to be the ghost of her late older sister. The plot does have some clichés found in most horror films, e.g. an isolated building, a character who's skeptical about the paranormal, and the fact that things go bump in the night as soon as Airi visits the hotel. Eventually, there are flashbacks that provide some exposition about what's actually going on, just as expected. Kudos to Boyle for trusting the audience's imagination, a very powerful tool. Please keep in mind that there are a few graphic and shocking scenes involving teeth that will make some audiences squeamish much like the "teeth porn" scenes in Bring Her Back and No Other Choice.

      On a purely aesthetic note, Never After Dark boasts visually stylish production design with great use of lighting, lighting and set design which enhances the creepiness. Fortunately, Boyle doesn't use shaky-cam to generate tension nor does he rely on jumpscares like too many modern horror films. Never After Dark doesn't earn any points for originality because many other films like Insidious, Poltergeist, The Amityville Horror and Paranormal Activity cover similar ground. However, to be fair, there's nothing wrong with a formulaic film as long as it follows that formula effectively. That's what Never After Dark manages to accomplish quite well which elevates it slightly above a run-of-the-mill B horror movie. At a running time of 1 hour and 44 minutes, Never After Dark opens at Angelika Film Center via Magnolia Pictures.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1

      No Limbs No Limits: The NickV Story is an inspirational, unflinching and moving documentary about Nick Vujicic (a.k.a. NickV), a man born with no arms or legs because of a genetic defect called tetra-amelia syndrome. Director Matthew Thayer blends archival footage and interviews with NickV and his family members to provide the audience with what NickV's childhood was like growing up with his birth defect. He suffered from depression, suicidal thoughts and bullying from classmates, so he's clearly been through a lot emotionally and psychologically. The fact that has managed to conquer his adversities, to heal from his emotional pain, to not let his disability define him feels genuinely heartwarming. Throughout his interviews, he comes across as emotionally mature, intelligent, witty and compassionate---both toward others as well as for himself. It's also uplifting to hear how NickV has turned to Christianity to find purpose and healing.

      No Limbs No Limits: The NickV Story isn't fundamentally about faith, though, nor does it become preachy or cheesy. Throughout the years, NickV has learned valuable lessons like how to love himself and to realize that he's a complete human being despite not having arms and legs. There are many people around the world with arms and legs who don't feel complete, so his story might help anyone who's been through trauma. As Pablo Neruda once wisely observed in a poem, "They can cut all of the flowers, but they can't stop the spring from coming." No Limbs No Limits: The NickV Story effectively highlights NickV's perseverance, emotional generosity, sense of humor, wisdom and, above all, his inner strength which makes him a great role model and a wonderful gardener of his soul. At a running time of 1 hour and 42 minutes, No Limbs No Limits: The NickV Story opens in select theaters nationwide via Fathom Entertainment.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1

      Chris Hansen (Robert Pattinson), the host of the show "To Catch a Predator," and his producer, Andie Bender (Merritt Wever), take their show to primetime and hire a new actor, Dan Plumb (Skyler Gisondo), as bait to catch pedophiles in Primetime. Director Lance Oppenheim and screenwriter Ajon Singh have made a gripping psychological thriller and a fascinating character study of a narcissist. Hansen comes across as self-centered, cold and lacking empathy as well as introspection. He has a wife, Mary (Anna Faris), and two young sons whom he neglects. All he cares about is himself and his show. When someone threatens to expose his infidelity to the media, he reacts like a true narcissist would without acknowledging his actions nor the consequences of his actions. So, he appears to be confident and arrogant with a huge ego, but beneath the surface, he's insecure, unhappy and has low self worth. The screenplay doesn't delve deeply beneath that surface, but there are more than a few scenes where his flaws and vulnerabilities are evident. Oppenheim could've easily just made the film a dry procedural about Hansen and "To Catch a Predator. Instead, he goes beyond that by turning it into an intense and even somewhat atmospheric thriller with just the right amount of dark humor to provide levity while making it far from dry.

      Robert Pattinson gives an effectively creepy performance as Hansen while capturing his looks and mannerisms. The real stand-out here, though, is Skyler Gisondo who brings charisma, warmth and great comedic timing to his role which contrasts very well with Pattinson's cold performance. Gisondo has always been an actor who deserves meatier roles, so it's very fortunate that he has been given that opportunity in Primetime. The pace moves briskly while the cinematography and editing provide the film with style that becomes a part of its substance. At a running time of 1 hour and 50 minutes, Primetime opens nationwide via A24.

Number of times I checked my watch: 2

      The Stunt Driver is a mildly engaging and amusing, but often bland, slight and forgettable underdog story about Ken Carter (Jay Baruchel), a daredevil who wants to drive a rocket-powered car across the St. Lawrence River on 90-foot tall ramp. Dan Bakkedahl plays Bill, Ken's manager/promoter, Ed Helms plays Dick, the engineer who designs Ken's unique car, Laurence Leboeuf plays Ken's girlfriend, Gloria, and Ben Foster plays Evel Knievel. Based on a true story, the screenplay writer/director Michael Dowse skims through Ken's childhood trauma within the first few minutes as Ken briefly talks about his childhood on the radio before the film shifts its focus onto his preparations to drive across the St. Lawrence River in the rocket-powered car.

      Jay Baruchel gives a decent albeit unremarkable performance that captures Ken's quirky personality, but, beyond that, he's undermined by a vapid and sugar-coated screenplay that barely scratches Ken's surface. Everyone including Ken's girlfriend seem more like plot devices rather than fleshed-out, complex human beings. In turn, none of the emotional beats land strongly enough to make much of a palpable impact, especially during the third act. Nothing about the cinematography, set designs, music or any of the performances manage to help The Stunt Driver rise above mediocrity or to make it a must-see on the big screen for that matter. At a running time of 1 hour and 39 minutes, The Stunt Driver opens in select theaters nationwide via Independent Film Company.

Number of times I checked my watch: 3

      In Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, Latif (Mahershala Ali), a religious lives with his teenage daughter Fatiha (Adia), 10-year-old son, Qadir (Jahleel Kamara), and a newborn baby girl, Aziza. He desperately struggles to find breast milk for Aziza while battling a Pastor Hwan Yoon (John Cho) and his cult-like cronies to protect his new client, Haddy (Abubakr Ali). Giancarlo Esposito plays Abdul, Latif's father-in-law. Writer/director Bassam Tariq has made an atmospheric, suspenseful and gritty action thriller with shades of Jim Jarmusch. Comparisons to Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai would be fair because both of them are action thrillers with the kind of plot you'd find in a B-movie, but done with plenty of visual style and imagination with dark comedy and fantastic lead performance. There's some unflinching violence, but nothing that's too shocking or that pushes the envelope because this isn't the kind of film that relies on violence or shock value to engage the audience. Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother always stays focused on Latif's love of his children and how he tries his best to protect them from harm, a task that's easier said than done for him given his profession.

      Even when Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother becomes slightly uneven in terms of tone when it veers toward absurdity at times, especially when it comes to the over-the-top pastor who seems like a caricature, Mahershala Ali anchors the film with his raw, convincingly moving performance that adds emotional depth from start to finish. The film's stylish cinematography, production design, use of color and lighting often becomes a part of its substance. Much like Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother is ultimately more than the sum of its parts. At a running time of 1 hour and 52 minutes, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother opens in select theaters nationwide via Orion Pictures.

Number of times I checked my watch: 2