Emma Stone and Viola Davis star in this historical drama set in the 1960s. Stone is Skeeter, a white writer who decides to interview all the African-American maids in Jackson, Mississippi, against the social mores of the day. This absolutely stunning work is full of incredible writing and acting.

Grade: A+.

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As aliens invade and destroy Los Angeles, Marine staff sergeant Nantz (Aaron Eckhart) is assigned to help lead a motley group to rescue civilians. This clunky action film is full of gunfights, explosions, and ruthless evil aliens. The lack of realism makes the film fall drastically short of its potential.

Grade: C.

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This powerful Oscar-winning documentary examines the 2008 financial crisis, how a small cadre of Wall Street investment bankers pillaged the global economy, and the way a few people nearly destroyed the world’s financial system just for personal gain. This well-researched piece indicts numerous culprits, leaving the audience furious.

Grade: A+.

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This low-budget independent character study brings us into the lives of a group of friends at the end of a summer in a small rural town. Harper, the tortured hell-raiser of the group, has to report to jail soon and starts a relationship with his best friend’s girlfriend.

Grade: B-.

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Zoe Kazan stars as Ivy, a twenty-something college student spending the summer at home in New York City, in this quiet, contemplative coming-of-age picture. Her best friend, Al, moves in with her temporarily, while she tries to maintain a new relationship and keep her epilepsy at bay.

Grade: B.

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You’ve seen it before — a small, independent buddy drama about two friends having a quarter-life crisis, one straight-laced failed writer, one rebellious Wall Street type, who take a road trip across the country to escape their troubles. While earnest, this trudging picture doesn’t make us care about them.

Grade: C-.

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Bolivia’s former president, Gonzalo Sénchez de Lozada, hires an American political consulting firm to help him win the election against contentious two rivals. Here, we get an insider’s view of the political marketing machine and how fluently it can influence an entire nation. The picture is eye-opening and educational.

Grade: B+.

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In this historical drama based on wars during the Three Kingdoms Period in Ancient China, we follow the exploits of Zhao Zilong, a legendary general who fights into old age for his king. The battle sequences here are epic in scale and the spectacular duels are brutal and superbly choreographed.

Grade: B.

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When his company offshores its call center to India, Todd is sent over to train his replacement and get the rudimentary operations and facility up to speed. This hilarious comedy tells the story of a clueless American completely lost in an ancient culture and the locals trying to understand him.

Grade: A-.

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Alison and Wes are two platonic friends whose relationship might, in other circumstances, have been more. In this picturesque friendship romance, they rekindle their close bond on the evening before she moves to Japan for her boyfriend. This beautiful well-written character study takes place against a gorgeous desert backdrop.

Grade: B+.

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