Faults (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3021360/

An okay film about a girl in a cult and the attempt to deprogram her. The tense dance between the leads is good (excellent performances) but too often gets disconnected by the external factors in the life of the deprogrammer. The conclusion is also not very satisfying - an attempt at a twist that both unsatisfactory and unconvincing. 

Also check Holy Smoke http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0144715/, Harvey Kietel and Kate Winslet. 

Let Us Pray (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3148348/

An interesting version of the "you're all going to die tonight" movies. Good performances lift this one above the average, although the sidebar story of the evangelist but evil police captain keeps it a bit too weird for mainstream. 

Similar to Devil (2010) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1314655/

Focus (2015)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2381941/

Only made it through the first 30 minutes - completely uncaptivating. 

Northmen: A Saga (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2290553/

A lame amalgam of Scottish and Norse and a bunch of other stories and accents. 

The Cobbler (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3203616/

A pleasant surprise, this fable in modern day works almost all around. I event didn't mind Adam Sandler, so that's high praise. Ellen Barkin is the only outlier, barely believable as the evil gangster. Otherwise, well worth watching. 

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1307068/

This was quite a sweet story, fairly well told. It felt a bit short, but it touched on many romantic elements and came together well at the end, with surprising chemistry. 

Cut Bank (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1661820/

Rather lame ripoff of Fargo and several other much better stories. It's hard to understand how such an exceptional cast can be involved in such schlock (I'm looking at you, Billy Bob). 

9 (2009)

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/9_(2009_animated_film)

Incredibly well done film, with a great story and fantastic animation. Not really a kids story, but well worth watching. 

Penguins of Madagascar (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1911658/

A hilarious little tale, made even better by the funny and self-deprecating appearance of Werner Herzog at the beginning. Clever, cute, funny. 

Still Alice (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3316960/

Incredibly powerful - if you're not crying several times through this, there's something wrong with you. Julianne Moore as Alice is so moving and affecting - strong and suffering, struggling to understand and stay connected. Her terrific journey is agonizing to watch, as is the impact on her family. So surprising was the strength of the performance by Kristen Stewart - such a long way from Snow White, very impressive. The only flaws for me were 1) Alec Baldwin was unbelievable as the loving, supportive husband and medical researcher - I kept expecting him to tell her that he was leaving her for a younger woman - and 2) the things that they changed from the novel (why move the story to New York?). But watch this films for the scenes with Moore by herself, and with Stewart. Masterful and moving.

Two Days, One Night (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2737050/

A affecting little film about a large drama in small lives. Marion Cottilard is brilliant as the woman at the centre of a difficult choice for her company and her co-workers - choose between her and their annual bonus. Throughout the story, she visits each person in turn, trying to convince them to vote to save her job. Over that weekend, revelations take place about the characters and human nature - self-preservation and altruism, and the struggle to preserve dignity. The ending is not a surprise, but is a delightful affirmation that people can and still do the right thing, sometimes.

American Sniper (2014)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2179136/

I was looking forward to this film, but was disappointed by the lack of likability or empathy from either of the leads. I wanted to like Bradley Cooper in this role, but he seemed to be channelling Billy Bob Thornton's Slingblade style of speech, and forgetting sometimes that he was from Texas. Overall, he was just generally unlikeable - insular, stern, impassive - the very traits needed for an elite sniper, but so then who cares? Similarly, Sienna Miller as Taya fails to be likeable, clingy and bossy and shrill. And there is zero chemistry between them to account for either their instant or their long-standing romance. While the war-time situations are (most likely) based in fact (but are also lacklustre), the at-home stories feel contrived and lame, especially the closing scenes of Chris' departure, which could hardly have had more melodrama. A sad presentation of what could have been an inspiring story of a heroic life.