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German performer and dance choreographer Pina Bausch died in 2009 at the age of 68. Before her untimely death Bausch designed and directed countless modern dance pieces ranging from sheer beauty, to deep psychological distress, to sophistication, to sensuality, to the absurd. And, just days before director Wim Wenders was scheduled to begin shooting this very documentary; Pina was overtaken by cancer. What remains now is a tribute to the dance luminary featuring footage of some of her more notable works and individual performances from her dance troupe. Cleverly assembled and almost dreamlike at times Wenders captures the essence of what made Pina so notable as a dancer and choreographer. Drawing from old file footage, set design models, recordings of Pina, and interviews with a number of her dancers we’re given a unique look into the creative mind of quite possibly the only choreographer to work a hippopotamus into a dance piece. Fans of the fine arts will enjoy this one, others may be a little confused, high marks from this untrained but appreciative eye in dance. Pina is rated PG.

Andrew (Dane DeHaan), Matt (Alex Russell), and Steve (Michael B. Jordan) are an unlikely trio of friends in High School. Unlikely until the three share an experience that will change their lives forever. Through what might be considered misadventure, the three acquire superhuman skills of telekinesis, the ability to move objects with their mind. At first it’s all fun and games with their new abilities; but, as the boys discover their new skills growing stronger, the potential to do harm (intentionally or not) becomes an issue. Before long, teenage rage gnashes its ugly teeth and the very powers that unite the boys now seems to be tearing them apart. Will they be able to settle their differences before it’s too late, and oh yeah, girls, what about girls? Shot with a low budget and no name actors you might not expect much from this one, especially considering the January release date on Super Bowl Weekend. I’m here to tell you otherwise. First time feature director Josh Trank has put together a gem of a film with more pathos than that of countless superhero-esque films we’ve seen in the last 10 years. And, even though the 1st person found footage perspective might be considered a bit played out, this still feels fresh and engages the viewer from multiple angles, making for clever cinematography given the materials being used. From the acting perspective I expect to see all three leads with decent careers ahead, nothing felt forced or out of place, and considering the material, that’s saying something. Finally, the special effects were fantastic. We’ve seen bigger films, longer films, more expensive films, but again, big thumbs up to Trank and his team, they sell the visuals, and dare I say, give the big boys something to aspire to. Great action and adventure. And oh, by the way it’s supposed to take place in Seattle, which they actually sort of capture accurately, sort of. Chronicle is rated PG-13.

Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe), a young lawyer and recently widowed father is tasked with tidying up and legal affairs and selling the estate of a wealthy family in a remote English village. Upon his arrival, leery townsfolk seem eager to usher Kipps out of town as quickly as possible. Faced with the prospect of losing his job, Kipps insists on completing the task he was assigned; but not if a vengeful spirit has anything to say about the matter. Now caught in the middle of a supernatural family drama Kipps must do what he thinks is right to appease the spirit and hopefully spare the lives of children in the village, but is it already too late? So horror in January, could be a hit, could be a miss. Here’s a general observation about horror, in order for it to really be effective, you kind of have to believe in what you’re seeing, i.e. to be scared by a ghost story, first you have to believe in ghosts, right? Well, here’s a perfect example of that. If ghosts aren’t your thing, this pseudo-psychological thriller/whodunit will probably just ring a little stale. Then again, maybe it’s that the script feels like a direct rip off and mix of El Orfanato and Ringu, and no matter what you believe in creativity is still key. Shure you’ll get a few mild scares here and there, but let’s just say this isn’t the darkest of dark rides. Set design, costuming, and production value all feel and look good, but sadly it really does come down to a flat storyline. Bummer. Maybe a rental later. The Woman in Black is rated PG-13.