American Gangster - Starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. Directed by Ridley Scott. Adapted from an article by Mark Jacobson
Frank Lucas (Washington) is the driver for a New York crime boss, fiercely loyal and left holding the bag when his employer dies. Lucas picks up and runs with it, turning out one of the most successful drug empires we’ve ever known.
Ritchie Roberts is an outcast among his fellow cops, a real life Boy Scout and all around do-gooder. When a new anti-drug task force is set up, he’s handpicked to head up his division. American Gangster spends most of its time showing how out of the bulls eye Lucas truly was, evading capture mostly by not being flashy. Something to point out here - American Gangster is based on a true story, and truth is better than fiction this time out. Go watch it! A (Joe Allison)

40 Days of Night - Starring Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Danny Huston and Ben Foster. Adapted from the comics by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith
Pretty simple concept – Alaska plunges into darkness for 30 days, and vampires dock close by in a big boat, ravaging and terrorizing the town with blood, gore, and people hiding out in attics. These aren’t your typical Bela Lugosi vampires. These guys are smart, fast and hunt like a pack of wolves.
Eben Oleson (Hartnett) leads the huddled group of hiding townsfolk as far out of harm’s way as possible but, let’s face it, in a movie like this people have to die left and right. Let’s also point out that if you don’t like gore, you probably won’t like this movie. If you don’t have an appreciation for 80’s fare like The Howling, there’s also a really good chance you won’t like it. If, on the other hand, you like seeing people shaking and scared all over the screen, then look no further. B (Joe Allison)

Lars and the Real Girl - Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, Patricia Clarkson
This delightful film just couldn’t be more charming. But first you need to check your analytical mind at the box office and just go with the flow. That’s what the supporting characters do when they meet Bianca. Lars Lindstrom (recent Academy Award nominee Ryan Gosling for Half Nelson) is a twenty-something introverted, recluse, who works in a cubicle during the day and lives in a converted garage behind his childhood home.
His life changes when his order for an anatomically correct doll arrives in a big box. Only, to Lars, she’s real (and a missionary, whom he treats with great respect). He introduces her to his family, friends, church members and co-workers, who are, needless to say, shocked! But they gradually “buy in” to the story and begin asking how Bianca is. “Oh, she’s being a little quiet today, because she has a cold.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. I hope she gets well soon.”
Gosling is wonderful, as are all the supporting actors. Patricia Clarkson is the doctor who’s treating Lars (and Bianca); Paul Schneider is older brother, Gus, who takes a little longer to come around than his wife Karin (Emily Mortimer). The film is hilarious at times, but always respectful of Lars and whatever problems he might have.
One of my favorite films of the year. A (Linda Hollar) At the Magnolia.

Sleuth - Starring Michael Caine and Jude Law. Directed by Kenneth Branagh. Remake of a film adaptation of a Harold Pinter play. Or something like that
Sleuth tells the yarn of writer Andrew Wyke (Caine) and his mental chess with Milo Tindle (Law). Tindle pulls up to Wyke’s well-decorated and secured mansion with one goal in mind - get a divorce out of Wyke. For, you see, Tindle is having an affair with Wyke’s estranged wife.
Both take their turns at giving the other mental conniptions until the conclusion, which I won’t spoil but probably should. Pompous and pointless, the twist in the movie is a sight gag that you don’t buy for two seconds. Sleuth was an hour and a half of torture and quite possibly the worst movie I’ve seen in over a decade. F (Joe Allison)

The Seeker: The Dark is Rising - Starring Alexander Ludwig, Christo-pher Eccleston and Ian McShane
In yet another tale of a kid displaced (this time into a whole other country), Will Stanton is your pretty typical kid. For a while, anyway. He’s the latest “seeker,” a/k/a a young dude who is the only person with the power to save the world. In a relatively short time frame he finds out he’s supposed to be hunting down a whole slew of baubles that increase his power, leaping back and forth through time to do so.
As evil closes in, he has to up his searching efforts or the world is doomed. The Seeker did a lot with what it had, but really falls flat. I think it’s safe to call it a beefed up, after-school special. See it if you must, but you’d be better off renting The Last Mimzy instead. C (Joe Allison)