The Amazing Spider-Man 2:  

Andrew Garfield is back as Spidy in this second film in the rebooted series.  Better by far, I think, than the Toby McGuire Spider-Man films, Emma Stone once again plays his girl Gwen Stacey, and another string of villains is trotted out, which isn’t entirely a good thing.  Number one on the street is Electro played by Jamie Foxx, which is just fine … but after the big scenes in which much of Midtown Manhattan is destroyed, the movie should end, but doesn’t.  Feeling like an add-on, we get new villains in the person of The Green Goblin and Paul Giamatti as a dinosaur-riding wrecking crew.  A little too much – by this time we’re numb.  Good movie though! Rated 14A.

The Quiet Ones:   

Based on a true story, this film is set in the ‘70s and follows the research of a university professor (Jared Harris) and three of his students who agree to work through a project with him concerning a woman named Jane Harper (Olivia Cooke of Bates Motel) who may be demon-possessed, or who may have some other paranormal experience at play.  The action moves to a private residence where it is captured, for posterity and for science, on 16 mm film by one of the student. There are some genuinely frightening moments, but the entire experience, based on a weak ending, is negated by the poor outcome. Rated 18A.   

The Sacrament:

A disappointing horror movie in large part because the “found-footage” thing is getting really, really old.  A man looking for his sister is followed by a couple of internet journalists to a location that appears at first to be run by a church group, then appears to be a cult, and finally seems to be something much more insidious.  Predictable, a few make-you-jump moments, but all in all, a contrived, poorly-constructed story that you’ll likely forget 10 minutes after you finish watching.  A relatively no-name cast of horror denizens does little to help the cause.  Rated 18A.

Nebraska (2013):  

Bruce Dern was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of an old man who believes he has won the lottery, needs a ride from Montana to Nebraska, and his estranged son refuses, so the old man decides to walk.  “Okay, okay, I’ll drive you!” Thus begins a road movie in which they touch the lives of many people along the way, all showcased by Dern’s outstanding performance.  Will Forte plays the son in a straight dramatic role, and you can watch for excellent turns by Rance Howard (father of Ron Howard) and Bob Odenkirk (Saul Goodman on “Breaking Bad”).  Rated 14A.

Mercenaries (2012):  

Prison break movies are always a favourite of mine, but this one has a different twist: the commando team going into a penitentiary to free an imprisoned diplomat in an Eastern European war zone is all-female.  Zoe Bell, an experienced stuntwoman (Ironman), takes on the lead role here as Cassandra Clay, leading her team of tough ladies including Brigitte Nielsen (once married to Sylvester Stallone) and Vivica A. Fox.  I suspect that any similarity to “The Expendables” is absolutely intended!  Rated 14A.