Black Mass (2015)

Director: Scott Cooper. Cast: Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dakota Johnson, Rory Cochrane, Kevin Bacon, Peter Sarsgaard, Corey Stoll, Juno Temple. 122 min. Rated R. Biography/Crime.

If David O. Russell made a Scorsese movie, this is what it would have looked like. It's another Departed rendition of Boston gangsters and FBI informants, told with a slow-paced flair of the 70s. The problem is that Scorsese has already defined these components so well, it's tough to enjoy the movie without being repeatedly reminded of the style's true origins. But the film's greatest asset is the Nosferatu-like Depp as James "Whitey" Bulger; he's so immersed in the role, at times I forgot it was Johnny Depp. The film is worth watching, if only to savor his presence.

Mo says:

The Visit (2015)

Director: M. Night Shyamalan. Cast: Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Deanna Dunagan. 94 min. Rated PG-13. Horror/Thriller.

Admit it: no matter how crappy Shyamalan's movies get, we still watch his next one, hoping for another breath-taking ending shock. And while The Visit's shock isn't as tremendous as The Sixth Sense or Unbreakable, I didn't see it coming. Told in the hand-held camera format and borrowing too much from both The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity, Shyamalan is able to maintain and build the film's tension up to the shock, but then holds on to the moment for too long, and creates viewer fatigue. He's a good director, but maybe not as sensible a storyteller.

Mo says:

The Gift (2015)

Director: Joel Edgerton. Cast: Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall, Joel Edgerton. 108 min. Rated R. Australia/USA. Mystery/Thriller.

A creepy guy approaches a young couple who have just moved to California, and you know from the very beginning things will eventually get violent. The familiar Fatal Attraction/Cape Fear psychological thriller setting makes most of the plot twists predictable, which is why the few shattering surprises are very welcome. Since the main subject is so notoriously important these days, Joel Edgerton should be applauded for such a captivating directorial debut. And the homages aren't limited to the above: there's a hospital "Room 237" from The Shining, and a final separation scene perfectly inspired by The Godfather.

PS: Thank you, Mohi. This almost went under the radar.

PPS: This is almost (but not quite) another movie from the Oozaini genre, explained here.

Mo says:

Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine (2015)

 Director: Alex Gibney. 128 min. Rated R. Documentary.

On one hand, yes, the iPhone changed my life, and Apple products have changed the world. On the other, we have Steve Jobs, a deceitful, cunning, cruel businessman, who used any means necessary to achieve that change - and probably destroyed a few lives along the way. So while Jobs (with the help of small people who wait for hours in line for the next Apple product) compares himself to Lennon, MLK and Einstein as one of the "great changers" of our time, Alex Gibney's newest documentary exposes that hypocrisy; albeit unilaterally. You'll never look at your iPhone the same way.

Mo says:

The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz (2014)

Director: Brian Knappenberger. 105 min. Documentary.

The number of documentaries I say "you owe it to yourself to watch this" are becoming too many, and this is another. Of course, you don't expect a genius like Aaron Swartz, who decided to single-handedly change the world and make the internet as free and available as possible, to live very long - but the concept of being powerless against a "democratic" government who decides to destroy you, is quite disturbing. Would've appreciated more about Swartz's personal life rather than his biography. But the film makes its mark, and compels one to support another Snowden/Assange/Manning/Swartz, whenever they rise.

Mo says:

Z for Zachariah (2015)

Director: Craig Zobel. Cast: Margot Robbie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Chris Pine. 95 min. Rated PG-13. Iceland/Switzerland/New Zealand. Drama/Sci-fi.

In a not-too-apocalyptic post-nuclear future, surviving religious girl living in the mountains befriends two drifters: one black, and one white. So it's not too hard to predict a gloomy ending, and the story makes a good point at illustrating that religious and racial tensions will never die - even after possibly causing nuclear armageddon. But then it was difficult to imagine how such a girl could have survived with all her naivete, and the motivations that led to the film's ending didn't make much sense. Maybe prior films have made me too pessimistic of such a story possibly happening.

Mo says: