Oz the Great and Poerwerful

Updated version of the Wizard of Oz. Carnival magician/con man is swept away in a tornado to the land of Oz where he is acclaimed a Wizzard and is tasked with purging the Wicked Witch from The Emerald City. Along the way he picks up not the usual traveling companions. Special effects and beautiful color make this a fun movie to view. 2 bananas

Disconnect

3 different stories all centered around the different types of damage that can be done by the Internet. Stolen Identity, Video bullying and underage porn sites lead the characters in the 3 episodes down treacherous paths. Ripped from newspaper headlines, these stories would do well to serve everyone as to the dangers lurking on the Internet. Well done drama. 3 bananas

The Place Beyond the Pines

Have no idea where the title comes from but this is one really good movie. 3 different venues over 15 years come together at the end. Ryan Gossling is a motorcycle performer who turns to crime; Bradley Cooper a law officer is involved in a shooting and the sons of both Gossling/Cooper meet and mix in their senior year of high school. Almost 2 1/2 hours fly bye as this drama plays out. One of the best this year. 3 1/2 bananas

Oblivion

Bizzare Sci-Fi flick centers around future earth being destroyed by an Alien invasion. What's left of earth, the oceans, are being transported to some distant planet by unknown forces who employ drones and robots on earth to keep what's left of humans under control. Tom Cruise, an alien?, job is to keep everything running. Great special effects but unbelievably hard plot to follow. See if you want to get out but don't expect to understand what the hell is going on. 2 bananas

42

One heck of a great movie based on Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in baseball. This is actually two movies in one, Robinson enduring the racism as the first black ball player; Harrison Ford steals the show with his portrayal of Branch Rickey the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, supporting, encouraging, pushing and shoving Robinson through his journey to stardom. Of note also is the black sports writer who takes Robinson under his wing, Wendell Smith, a great sports journalist who also suffered bigotry while creating his legacy. A must see for everyone. 4 bananas

Quartet

Delightful English comedy set in a Manor house filled with retired musicians, songsters and actors. The home has a yearly variety show to raise funds for the yearly expenses. This year is to include, providing a certain new arrival agrees to perform, a song by 4 aging opera stars. An old time romance is rekindled helping the cause. Many of the cast are actors, singers and musicians from bye gone days. Fun and entertaining as only the Brits can do!! 3 1/2 bananas

GI JOE Retaliation

Based on the Marvel comic book hero, The 'Rock' and his fellow GI Joes escape the Presidents order to kill them; then return to take on the transformed president and his evil band of nuclear extremists. A great rainy day movie if you like to see things blow up. 1 1/2 bananas

The Company you Keep

Robert Redford, a 70's radical Weatherman groupie, now an establish lawyer in a small New England town finds his world turned upside down when one of his past Weatherman pals is caught which sets not only the FBI but a young journalist on his tail. Redford sets out to find the only person who can help clear his name. Movie plods along to its ending at Drummond Island in the UP of Michigan. Some big time actors can't help this movie. 2 bananas

Trance

Sometimes difficult to follow but overall interesting psychological crime drama that centers on an art heist. Value painting is stolen but the person who has taken it incurs a head injury and can't remember what he did with it. His gang of thieves enlist a hypnotist in order to recall information. Hypnotist in turn has her own agenda. If you can stay with this movie, the ending is bizarre but clever. I like it, critics don't. 2 1/2 bananas

Evil Dead

Group of young adults take one of their own to a cabin in the woods for a drug rehab session. An old ritual book is found and from it is released the"evil dead" who proceeds to dismember the group. Just another blood spouting gore fest. Miss this one!! 1/2 banana

Olympus is Down

Action, thriller fantasy at its best. Rogue North Korean terrorists engine the take over and capture of the President in the White house. Garrard Butler, a secret service agent who until recently was on the presidents detail saves the day as he alone fights for every inch of the White House taking no prisoners along the way. Great supporting cast makes this a fun movie to see. Movie was panned by the so called critics, I loved it. 3 Bananas