Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

Jack Ryan, Tom Clancy's hero in his series of books, returns to show how he began his climb to the top. As a CIA financial analyst recruit he discovers very large sums of money tied to a Russian plot to destabilize the US dollar. He is sent to Russia to seek out the mysterious movement of money and becomes involved in mayhem and intrigue. Fast paced and enjoyable. 3 bananas

Lone Survivor

Drama based on actual events. Navy Seals are inserted into mountainous area of Afganistan to take out Afgan leader. Mission goes awry when team captures and releases goat herders who in turn report whereabouts of the Seals. Story is one of brotherhood and courage as the team undergoes brutal fighting conditions on the rocky slopes of a mountain. First movie I've seen where there is a standing ovation at the end. Not to be missed. 3 1/2 bananas

The Wolf of Wall street

Leonardo DiCaprio is highly entertaining as a novice stockbroker who figures out very early in his career that there is tons of money to made from the gullible public. As he rises from grunt to Broker owner drugs, booze and prositution become an everyday affair. Money starts pouring in from mostly illegal transactions the problem becomes what to do with it  as well as setting the FBI onto his trail. 3 hours of mostly light hearted comedy with just one last scene that makes the audience gasp. 3 1/2 bananas

American Hustle

Somewhat based on the 70's Abscam affair, this drama/comedy is one of those  movies that you've got to be paying attention to. Low level FBI officer recruits two scam artists to set up 4 minor sting operations. Things get a bit dicey when an operation all of a sudden involves both major politicans and the Mob. Who's scamming who turns this into a really fun movie to see. Great cast makes this a winner. Multiple awards possible! 3 1/2 bananas

Hobbit:Desolation of Smaug

2nd in the trilogy of the hobbit films. The dwarfs and Bilbo are still trying to get to the mountain filled with gold guarded by a dragon. Along the way many unexpected battles with creatures take place making this a fun but long in tooth movie. Much like the first it's filmed with the beautiful New Zealand backdrops but the 2 1/2 hours feels like 5. The first movie left you wanting more, this one wants the plot to be over with. 2 1/2 bananas

Philomena

May be the best movie of the year. Judy Dench gives a super performance as the Irish lass who 50 years ago had a boy out of wedlock and now wants to find her son. Dench teams up with a journalist who has been recently fired from the BBC to find the son and to publish a human interest book of their travails. Many twists and turns in this true story of how the Catholic church  imprisoned young unwed mothers and sold their children. Don't miss this.  4 bananas

Out of the Furnace

Two brothers striving to survive by different means in a beyond its prime Pa steel town. One(Christian Bale) works at the local steel while his younger brother turns to backwoods bare knuckle fighting  with disasterous results. Woody Harrelson plays the red neck drug dealing SOB that comes between the brothers. At times a bit slow but extremely well done. 3 bananas

Nebraska

Bruce Dern was made for this movie as an elderly alcoholic who is convinced that he has won a million dollars from a magazine contest. He sets off on foot from Billings Montana to Lincoln Nebraska to collect his money. His son decides to play along and give him a ride with stops along the way to visit the ole homestead. Dark comedy filmed in black/white shows the stark depressing midlands and its people. Well done movie, could win an Oscar for Dern.   3 1/2 bananas

Oldboy

Very bizzare but highly intriguing psycho drama about a good for nothing dad(James Brolin) who is kidnapped and imprisoned for 20 years and then set free and given a certain amount of time to figure out why all this happened or his grown daughter will die. Action, suspense lead you on a wild ride in this 70's remake by Spike Lee. Samuel L Jackson also stars as one really weird dude. Multiple twists at the end you don't see coming. 3 bananas

The Book Thief

World War 2 period piece starring young girl given up my her communist mother to a loving German couple who scrape by to take of her but also hide a Jewish adult from certain death. The girl learns to read by 'borrowing books' from a very high society German family. Wonderful story. 3 1/2 bananas