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

Homefront

Jason Statham does what he does best, kick ass in this high octane action drama. Recently retired from the DEA and living a peaceful existence in the deep south, Jason and his daughter come under attack from the local red necks and meth dealers. They mess with the wrong person and pay a pretty price. Great fun as only Statham can deliver. 3 bananas

Hunger Games: Catching Fire

The annual Hunger Games death elimination tournament is once again on and this time, the President has decreed that all past winners must participate thus throwing our heroine, Katness, back into the fire. With the odds stacked against her and her fellow survivors of past battles, Katness battles on only to leave you waiting for the last in this trilogy--2014.  If you haven't seen the first movie it's a must before watching this. Great entertainment. 3 1/2 bananas

All is Lost

Robert Redford stars in this almost completely silent movie. Sailing alone in the Indian Ocean his boat is rammed by a cargo container. The movie centers around his survival as the boat continues to sink due to bad weather and his stupidity. Movie was sunk from the beginning. 1 1/2 bananas

Dallas Buyers Club

A macho, cocaine snorting, homophobic rodeo bull rider finds that he has HIV and 30 days to live with no hope of medical help. He resorts to smuggling in drugs not approved by the FDA and sets up a corporation that you join as a member thus getting around having to pay for drugs. This true story is one not to miss as Matthew McConaghy not only gives maybe the best performance of the year, he also loses 70+ pounds to fill the role. 30 days became 7+ years before his battle ended not only with AIDS but the FDA. A must see movie! 4 bananas

Enders Game

Teenage computer elites are recruited and trained to fight off an enemy that many years before invaded the earth and left little other than the necessity to be prepared for a future attack. Great special effects and an ending that you don't see coming make this a fun movie to see. 2 1/2 bananas