A breathless entertainment, as simple and as straightforward as it is austere and ephemeral, Certain Women is a tale of life, of how that life is lived and of the connections that are made as one travels down its mysterious road.

Based on the 18th book in Childs’ seemingly never-ending series revolving around the character, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back has much to admire. Sadly, it has maybe even more to be disappointed with, the film living up to its title for all the wrong reasons.

There is no single decent reason to spend good money to see Keeping Up with the Joneses at the multiplex. In fact, I’m not even sure there’s one to warrant spending money on a rental when it ends up on VOD or at the local Red Box, and I sure as heck don’t think anyone should pick up the Blu-ray when it’s in the bargain bin at the neighborhood Wal-Mart.

With Ouija: Origin of Evil Flanagan cements his status as a rising directorial talent, especially as it concerns genre fair like this. Not only can I not wait to see what he has in store for us all next, I just as assuredly cannot wait to get a look at this nifty little piece of supernatural terror again for a second time.

As thrillers go, The Accountant is incontestably absurd. Funny thing is, as insane as things are, the film is so expertly mounted by director Gavin O’Connor (Tumbleweeds) and scrupulously scripted by Bill Dubuque (The Judge) all of the inanities and laughably convenient coincidences aren’t as big a problem as they should be.

There are so many striking moments, and Tiran’s performance is just so gosh darn terrific, that any hiccups that do arise are few and far between. Best of all, Wrona builds things to the type of shattering, emotionally catastrophic climax that lingers in the mind long after the curtain has closed, making Demon a paranormal descent into madness and mayhem that’s hauntingly good.

Unlike The Da Vinci Code, my opinion of Angels & Demons has actually improved over the years. The film is fluff, but it can be enjoyable fluff, and I do find lots to love about the first two-thirds. But the climax is an abomination, that hasn’t changed, and as such any goodwill that has developed in 2009 still hasn’t grown enough to make get the bad taste out of my mouth of those final 20 minutes.

My opinion of The Da Vinci Code has not improved over the last decade. If anything, watching it again I realized I was much too kind back in 2006, this movie a badly paced misfire that’s almost impossible to sit through start to finish. It just isn’t very good, and the fact it has now spawned two sequels over a ten year period is kind of astonishing if you ask me.

Blood Father really is pretty darn good. It just works, especially the second time around, Richet guiding Gibson to deliver one of his most soulful, knowingly raw performances of his entire career.