Side Effects (2013)

A young woman's world unravels when a drug prescribed by her psychiatrist has unexpected side effects.

A highly convoluted mystery with multiple twists somehow works with its excellent performances and intelligent direction.

On rewatching: Still good for a second viewing, well-made in all departments.

Maltin***: "Intriguing film noir-type story...with modern pharmaceutical twist keeps you guessing right to the end, although its characters are not especially fun to spend time with."

A Ghost Story (2017)

In this singular exploration of legacy, love, loss, and the enormity of existence, a recently deceased, white-sheeted ghost returns to his suburban home to try to reconnect with his bereft wife.

A seemingly ridiculous, but bold premise (presenting a ghost in a cloth) is masterfully pulled off in an intense, touching and thought-provoking tale with great performances and some excellent cinematography; a minor masterpiece.

Rooney Mara

Bio:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooney_Mara

Side Effects (2013)

A young woman's world unravels when a drug prescribed by her psychiatrist has unexpected side effects.

A highly convoluted mystery with multiple twists some hows works with its excellent performances and intelligent direction.

Maltin***: "Intriguing film noir-type story...with modern pharmaceutical twist keeps you guessing right to the end, although its characters are not especially fun to spend time with."

The Discovery (2017)

Two years after the afterlife is scientifically proven, a man attempts to help a young woman break away from her dark past.

An intriguing premise is muddled by a half-hearted treatment and a disappointing ending, and the central romance between Mara and Segel is simply mismatched.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)

The spectre of a dead child rapist haunts the children of the parents who murdered him, stalking and killing them in their dreams.

Superfluous remake is well-made and adds a few details to the original story, but the question remains why start the franchise all over again?

Maltin**1/2: "Surprisingly well-crafted remake...Haley does a possible job...and the scriptwriters a few genuinely clever touches while updating the plot."

New acquisition: Carol (2015)

I liked the movie so much I had to get the Blu-ray.

Carol (2015)

An aspiring photographer develops an intimate relationship with an older woman.

Highly exquisite adapation of Patricia Highsmith's lesbian love story achieves an intimate perspective from within a fragile relationship and awes with some Saul Leiter-inspired cinematography.