Multiple story lines converge in this short-lived series about a marine biologist who discovers a dangerous new species of aquatic life, a young teenager who finds an egg, and a group of government agents trying to keep it all quiet. This engaging well-written series is worth a look.

Grade: B.

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Viggo Mortensen garners an Oscar nomination in this highly entertaining thriller about a powerful Russian mafia family in London. Naomi Watts co-stars as a midwife who finds the diary of a dead teenaged girl and vows to find her rapist. This extraordinary thriller delivers a great story and phenomenal acting.

Grade: A.

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In this gorgeous fantasy, Tommy (Hugh Jackman) is trying to save his wife, Izzi (Rachel Weisz), from cancer. The drama splits into three time periods — 16th century Spain, present day, and 500 years in the future. With a beautiful story and stunning cinematography, this other worldly romance is completely unforgettable.

Grade: A.

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Daniel Craig leads a talented cast in this gripping historical drama about the exploits of the Bielski brothers, who led a band of Jewish partisans in a fight against the Nazis in Belarus. While based on an extraordinary true story, the script takes a few entertaining liberties with historical accuracy.

Grade: A-.

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With lots of spunk drawn from her own personal setbacks, Karen Salmansohn’s quirky self-improvement book presents 70 examples and exercises to help the reader recover from adversity. With a bubbly style, this interesting little gem provides a number of practical hands-on assignments for getting back in the game.

Grade: A-.

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Daniel Coyle illustrates the importance of myelin-building deep practice in this inspirational book about unlocking the secret of building potential into world-class performance. He uses anecdotes and stories from respected coaches, business professionals, musicians, and teachers to show how fine-tuning and other techniques lead to advanced proficiency.

Grade: A+.

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Liam Neeson leads an all-star cast in this outstanding historical drama, set in 18th century Scotland, as Robert Roy MacGregor, a farmer and de facto village mayor, who borrows money from a local noble and is forced to fight for his honor and name when the money is stolen.

Grade: A.

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In a twist on the boy-meets-girl romance, this boy, Clarence (Christian Slater), meets and falls in love with a hooker, Alabama (Patricia Arquette), eliminates her pimp, and runs away with her and a suitcase of cocaine. Good acting, a thrilling story, and hilarious moments make this amazingly entertaining.

Grade: A-.

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Pam Grier stars in this superb caper picture opposite the likes of Samuel L Jackson, Robert DeNiro, Michael Keaton, and Bridget Fonda, scripted and directed by Quentin Tarantino. She plays Jackie Brown, a flight attendant caught smuggling cocaine who is forced to help the police take down an arms dealer.

Grade: A.

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The forces of light and darkness face off in this Russian vampire fantasy, with eye-popping special effects and unbelievable writing, set in the dirtiest, grungiest corners of Moscow. Anton, our troubled protagonist, is trying to find “The Great Other” before the Forces of Darkness succeed in winning him over.

Grade: A-.

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