In this thoroughly entertaining monster movie, produced by J. J. Abrams of Lost fame, a group of friends finds themselves running for their lives from a Godzilla-style monster attacking Manhattan. Brilliantly shot from the viewpoint of one camcorder, the action makes this thrill ride feel like a gritty documentary.

Grade: A.

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The Coen Brothers direct this exceptional crime thriller set in rural West Texas. The acting performances by the principal cast, especially by Javier Bardem, who delivers an unforgettable performance as one of the most interesting and menacing villains in recent memory, are absolutely perfect. The cinematography and script are wonderful.

Grade: A+.

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A compulsive gambler in China squanders his property and has to learn to hustle a living with his puppet shows. Against the backdrop of the Cultural Revolution, this beautiful story of tragedy and redemption is directed by Yimou Zhang, better known in the West for his action-oriented wuxia films.

Grade: A-.

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Internationally-renowned choreographer, Twyla Tharp, gives her readers a roadmap to building a creative habit and crafting that into successful artistic ventures in this astonishing eye-opener. Her insight into habitual creativity is refreshing and her advice extraordinarily useful. Full of illuminating anecdotes, this primer is essential for anyone creative.

Grade: A+.

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Convicted rapist Alex Waters, played by Hill Harper, is dying in prison of AIDS. His father, played by Billy Dee Williams, is a stern authoritarian father, who is finally convinced to visit Alex. This redemption story tells of a family’s coming to terms with the crimes of a family member.

Grade: B-.

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In this Oscar Wilde adaptation, two friends use an identical pseudonym to engage various activities, mostly romantic pursuits of unsuitable or unattainable interests. This period picture features quite a stable of astonishing British acting talent, including multiple Oscar winners, and the acting is everything you’d expect from such a cast.

Grade: B+.

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Josh Waitzkin, former World Junior Chess Champion, tells the story of his love affair with chess, his application of the principles that made him an international master to everyday life, and the acquisition and mastery of martial arts. Most of his advice is practical tips on going from good to great.

Grade: A-.

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This documentary chronicles the development of the Helvetica typeface, how it came about, how it spread everywhere, and the elements that make up good typography and modern visual design. A number of nterviews with designers who embrace Helvetica and those who oppose it for various reasons are interesting and insightful.

Grade: B.

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Clint Eastwood is Inspector Harry Callahan in this iconic and exciting crime thriller that launched an entire genre of hard-nosed cop films. Callahan is investigating homicides in San Francisco and hunting down the psychopathic serial killer. Eastwood’s acting is perfect for this role and his quarry is amazingly creepy.

Grade: A.

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In this suspenseful French fable, a legendary hunter and his partner are called in to save villages in rural 18th century France from a murderous beast that terrorizes the people. Tight scripting, magnificent cinematography, astonishing action sequences, and first-rate acting performances work together to tell a highly entertaining story.

Grade: B+.

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