When it comes to horror movies, I’ve always been more a fan of the paranormal (such as Poltergeist and Stir of Echoes) than the psychotic killer chasing after a bunch of screaming sorority girls, so I expected a lot from Ouija, a film that revolves around a board game that itself is inherently freaky (and has been used in dozens of other supernatural films, including various films with the same title). Like a lot of kids, I had a Ouija board growing up, and though I don’t remember much about the content of playing the game, the experience of participating was always a bit dicey — whether it was not knowing if one of the other kids was deliberately moving the planchette, the energy of everyone’s thoughts was unconsciously pushing it, or if something more was happening — which lends itself well to creating an extremely creepy atmosphere. But when a movie like Ouija asks you to believe in something greater, the extraordinary must be grounded in some type of logic, a step the filmmakers forgot to include among the unoriginal scares. Don’t Stop — There’s Plenty More

As long as there have been movies, there have been movies on or about war. More to the point, there have been commentaries on the bravery of the men and women who fight for the ideals they have sworn to protect and how the perils of war affects the state of mind of dedicated soldiers. The best war movies don’t revel in or glorify the physical actions of war, nor do they dwell heavily on the mental or physical ramifications of those acts so as to become overly melodramatic. They take care to balance both aspects to understand the mentality of people who choose (or are elected) to participate in such intense, and in some cases unthinkable, situations. That exploration plays a major part in Fury, the new World War II drama that does a terrific job presenting this mindset, even though it can’t seem to find a strong narrative footing to represent its characters. Don’t Stop — There’s Plenty More

Robert Downey Jr. knows a thing or two about second chances. After nearly throwing away a lucrative career to alcohol and drugs that landed him in a rehab prison, his future prospects looked dead in the water. But what he learned from those mistakes allowed him to clean himself up and return to the spotlight with a stronger will and a clearer mind. He started small in some independent films and supporting roles to help rebuild his reputation in hopes of finding a public that would forgive his past sins. And forgive they did as they helped him jump start a new revolution in film with the success of Iron Man and the Marvel cinematic universe. To capitalize on this good fortune, Downey Jr. (and more to the point, his wife and producing partner, Susan Downey) has now turned to producing a film all about forgiveness and second chances in the dreary familial courtroom drama, The Judge. Don’t Stop — There’s Plenty More

After watching Annabelle, the newest horror film from producer James Wan (who directed The Conjuring, from which the film is spun off), the freakiest part was finding out the lead actress’s name is Annabelle. I jest, but in all seriousness, with the series of Saw and Insidious films under his belt, Wan has found his niche when it comes to delivering the same story in different packaging, having gone from provocative innovation (such as the reveal of Jigsaw rising up off the bathroom floor) to tried-and-true generalities. I don’t fault him for going back to the well of good fortune to spin a yarn about something as freaky as Annabelle; the least he could have done was try and give it an ounce of originality. Don’t Stop — There’s Plenty More