Split

CHASE ***
The newest movie from M. Night Shyamalan, "Split," is actually a recall of what makes the famed director so great.  While I thought "The Visit" was a step in the right direction, "Split" is on the same level as the best films in M. Night Shyamalan's library.  Simply put, the story is about a deranged man with multiple personalities who has kidnapped 3 girls.  And one of them might have a chance of escaping.  This is very similar to last year's "10 Cloverfield Lane."  It's a claustrophobic psychological thriller.  The first thing to note is Jame McAvoy's brilliant performance as the main villain.  He's able to sell each personality with a sense of creepiness and without the feeling that he's trying to oversell it.  I thought the main actress was really good, although I find the other two girls a little bit underwhelming.  It is a great psychological movie and it has some good tension throughout.  The movie does have its slow moments, unfortunately, that make the film drag a bit in parts.  The most interesting thing, however, is the ending.  There were a lot of choices made by the filmmakers in the second half of the movie that I wasn't really getting into at the time, but by the final scene, it all clicked.  It made me view the rest of movie in a different light and gave me the itch to watch it a second time with new eyes.  I think that in itself is an accomplishment.  Overall, "Split" is a return to form for M. Night Shyamalan that I think deserves to be seen.

BRYCE **
It looks like I'm the dissenting opinion here.  James McAvoy was indeed brilliant in this movie, convincingly playing multiple characters to the point that they don't need to wear different clothes or announce their arrival for us to tell which one they are.  The rest of the performers were fine, but pale in comparison.  The mystery of the plot unravels slowly in classic Shyamalan fashion, but I felt where it ultimately led betrayed the set-up of the story.  The third act felt jarring, and not in a positive way.  I guess part of the problem for me was my expectations.  I went in expecting something akin to his early work (suspenseful thrillers with ultimately uplifting themes) but ended up getting more of a traditional horror film, which is by far my least favorite genre.  Listen to these guys if you're down for a gory slasher film.  But if you're like me, steer clear.

LANDON ***
LOGAN ***

BANGERANG SCORE: ***

Lion

CHASE ***
After getting a lot of nods from the Academy Awards, we had to check out this story of a young Indian boy who loses his family and gets adopted by other people.  This is a really interesting story that has a lot going for it.  The first third of the movie is absolutely brilliant.  It's super engaging.  The filmmakers tell a lot of the story without a whole lot of dialogue, which is something I commend them for.  However, as soon as we get to the second act, the momentum of the movie seems to take a dip, and while there are elements that are a moderately interesting, it's not able to match the quality of the first act until it reaches the climax of the movie.  It has really good performances and the story is pretty interesting for the most part.  Overall, "Lion" is a really good film that needs to be seen.

BRYCE ***1/2
Well, I liked it a little more than Chase did.  I thought there was only one element in the second act that made the story drag and it was the relationship between Saroo (Dev Patel) and his girlfriend (Rooney Mara).  I felt the film would've been much stronger if that element was eliminated or minimized.  It distracted from the real heart of the film which was Saroo's relationship with his adopted family and his longing to find his biological family.  There are terrific performances throughout the film (especially from Patel and Nicole Kidman, who plays his adopted mom) which culminates in one of the most powerful finales I've seen in a long time.  "Lion" deserves the recognition it's receiving.  It's one of the very best films of the year.

LANDON ***
LOGAN ***

BANGERANG SCORE: ***

Sing Street

BRYCE **1/2
"Sing Street" is not the type of movie I would normally be drawn to, but it's been receiving so much buzz this year that I figured I would give it a go.  After seeing it, I'm not quite sure what all the fuss is about.  It's a moderately charming, music-driven, coming-of-age story set in 1980's Ireland.  Some admittedly catchy, 80's-style original songs add some spunk to the proceedings, but the overall story doesn't do a whole lot to stand out from the litany of similar films.  The relationship between the protagonist and his older brother is pretty compelling, but virtually every other relationship in the film left something to be desired.  Even the love story, the centerpiece of the film, felt a bit juvenile and shallow.  I think the filmmakers were relying on the audience's ability to recall what it was like to be young, bright-eyed and in love, and I didn't (completely) take the bait.  Maybe I'm just a prude, but I don't think the universal praise is justified.  It's a decent movie, just not among the year's best.