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: ***