Horse and his Boy by C.S. Lewis

I’m not sure what I thought of this third Narnia story. A boy named Shasta escapes a harsh Calormene adopted father with a talking horse named Bree on a journey to Narnia. They meet up with Aravis, a Calormene girl fleeing a marriage proposal from Ahoshta, and another talking horse named Hwin. They find themselves entwined in a battle, with the Tisrac’s son, Rabadash, leaving to invade his neighbors and conquer Narnia. It has some good moments but is certainly not as satisfying as The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. I will say that it ends well. I just wish the element of adventure was more consistent. Grade: B+

Rush (2013)

I don’t know anything about Formula One racing and until this film came along I could care less if I ever did learn something. But with Peter Morgan writing the script and Ron Howard directing, I’ve been introduced to one of the greatest rivalries in racing history. James Hunt and Niki Lauda are two egotistical racing masters who went head to head during the ‘70s. This is their story and it’s a very entertaining one. James Hunt is the playboy party animal and Niki the over-confident loner. No wonder they clashed. Car racing is kind of boring when you think of it, cars just zipping along a course. But with Ron Howard he made every turn as exciting as it is for those behind the wheel. You really feel how intense and crazy this kind of high-end racing is like. I have a new respect for these guys for sure. Sadly this film didn’t do that well which is a shame. I really enjoyed the fun of not knowing who to root for. Grade: A-

Birdman or [The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance] (2014)

This is my favorite film by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, a backstage look into the making of a Broadway play produced, written, directed and starring Hollywood actor-- wanting some respect and to be taken seriously as an artist--Riggan Thomson, played by the amazing Michael Keaton, who gives his best performance in his career, the kind of performance that attracts Oscar buzz (Let’s cross our fingers). And of course Riggan has superpowers, why? Because he’s famous for playing a superhero named, you guessed it, Birdman. (Think Batman but as bird, which is ironic since Keaton played Batman.) Or maybe he’s losing his mind from all the mounting pressures. His actress-girlfriend says she’s pregnant with his child. His teenage daughter, played by the scene-stealing Emma Stone, from a previous marriage is there working as an assistant so he can keep her out of rehab. He has a brilliant actor with intense method techniques, played by super impressive Ed Norton, giving him a hard time. And on top of all of that, the most important theater critic in town hates him. With drums as a sound track,Iñárritu takes us on a manic ride through the mind of a man wanting immortality and the various characters around him trying to just be on Broadway. It’s a comedy, it’s a trippy drama, it’s a character study and it’s impossible to describe in a review so just see it. I think so far it’s the best film I saw this year. I would be shocked if it doesn’t get nominated for best picture. Grade: A

Top Ten Best Kid-Friendly Halloween Films

Now that I’m a father I’ve been thinking of what kind of films I’m going to watch on this spooky holiday that my son is going to be able to watch (when he’s older of course). Here is a list of films but I can assume more will be made by the time my son starts watching.

10. The Witches – Roald Dahl’s book comes to life with Anjelica Huston as an evil witch.

9. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown – It’s a classic. Maybe not a full-length movie but for a kid it’s a must-see

8. Monster Squad – The classic ‘80s adventure film about a group of kids who must save the neighborhood from the original monsters, Dracula, the Mummy, the Wolf man and Frankenstein. Goodness all around.

7. The Corpse Bride – This is a wonderful after-life love story from the mind of Tim Burton.

6. Beetlejuice – It’s just dark enough to be scary but ultimately a hilarious story of a recently deceased couple trying to scare the new owners from their house. Eventually they turn to a crazy ghost to do the job for them. Of course he goes rogue on them. Michael Keaton is awesome.

5. Spirited Away – While one might not think of this Miyazaki marvel as a Halloween story but it’s pretty eerie. I mean at the beginning Chihiro’s parents become pigs. Plus there are some wonderfully strange spirits to inspire any child.

4. Frankenweenie – Wait, Tim Burton again? A boy brings his pet dog back to life. Maybe watch the original ’31 Frankenstein first but do let them see this wonderful twist on the tale.

3. Coraline – A spooky story of a girl who goes to another world to spend time with her other Mother and other Father. Based on Neil Gaiman’s book and made byHenry Selick. When I saw this I knew I was watching an instant classic.

2. The Nightmare Before Christmas – This is the perfect warm up to prepare for the upcoming holidays.

1. Wallace and Gromit and the Curse of the Were-Rabbit – I love this monster-themed comedy and it’s great for kids. Maybe they’ll eat their vegetables instead of their trick or treat candy afterward.

The Taking of Debora Logan (2014)

There’s a moment in this horror film that really got to me. This is a splendid found footage scare fest, where a documentary crew follows a woman who is suffering from Alzheimer's. Or is she? Like an onion, the story continues to expand into one of occults, snakes and kidnapping. Sure sometimes the technique of found footage gets a bit tedious and you can predict the jumps-scares they’re going to force on you, but I loved how this story unfolded even if it was a tad long. A great Halloween night film for sure. Grade: B+

The Walking Dead (Season 4)

After three seasons of this zombie drama, you might expect things to slow down. Not so. The first episode is actually the only weak part with every episode getting better. Some of the episodes of this season are the best of the series so far. As a whole the producers finally upped their game and gave us something more in line with the first season when Frank Darabont ran the show. Andrew Lincoln has never been better. What I liked about his character here was that he seemed to be more focused and less insane- not that he’s emotionally balanced.  All the characters go through a journey of some kind that brings depth to their interactions and explains their actions. The return of the Governor is so rewarding, the entire span of his rise back on top with another group of survivors could make an entire season but it’s actually the jumping off point that sends the characters we love on a lonely and unknown road to a place called Terminus. The best episode of the season is “The Grove”, a painful and horrifically sad episode from Carol’s point of view that will never leave my mind. “Too Far Gone” is the next best one, the point of change that the series needed if it was going to ever get better. Now I can’t wait for the next season to see what’s going to happen, who is going to live and for those who die, how. It’s not a very forgiving show but it certainly is one of the most entertaining right now on TV. Grade: A-

The Stoker (2013)

Park Chan-wook directs his English debut. Mia Wasikowska stars as India, a strange detached teenager whose father died in a car accident, leaving a mentally unbalanced wife, played by Nicole Kidman. At her father’s funeral her Unclie Charlie arrives and this sends her into a maddening journey of sexual awakening and curious destruction. It’s an eerie story with a main character that is so odd that at times I couldn’t figure out what she wanted, which was great. I wouldn’t say this is Chan-wook’s best work and it could have used some more clarity but it’s a decent little film. Mia is wonderful and the best part of the show. She’s proof she’s an up-and-coming talent. Grade: B