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Following an outbreak of a zombie virus, R (Nicholas Hoult), a zombie with a strange and dapper sense of chic falls in love with Julie (Teresa Palmer), daughter of the crazed and zombie hating Grigio (John Malkovich). Confused and disturbed by the prospect, Julie doesn’t quite know what to make of the situation. Still, with the help of best friend, M (Rob Corddry), R eventually wins the heart of Julie, but who knew zombie love could be so complicated? How to convince Grigio to accept the fact that zombies have feelings too, and what about love in the hearts of the undead? Great things could come from all of this. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliette takes on a new twist in this cleverly written romantic comedy from Director and Co-writer Jonathan Levine (50/50). Wry wit and just the right amount quirk make for plenty of playful pokes in the eye for zombie lovers. Hoult and Palmer carry their parts aptly, and of course, setting up John Malkovich to be a bit “unhinged” never fails, Corddry for further comedic relief is also appreciated. CGI involved isn’t anything to rave about but is easy enough to overlook. And, not to overstay its welcome, at 97 minutes of runtime we’re given just enough to be satiated. Warm Bodies is rated PG-13.

Retirement homes don’t have to be ordinary, and in the case of one special home outside London it’s all about music– in fact the home is specifically for retried musicians. All seasoned and versed in the classics the residents are a special bunch, and, once a year they put on a fundraiser gala to support the home. This year finances are particularly low and extra funds must be raised; to sell tickets a renowned quartet featuring residents Wilf, Regi, Cissy and a reluctant Jean (Billy Connolly, Tom Courtenay, Pauline Collins, and Maggie Smith) are slated to perform for the first time in nearly 40 years. But interpersonal conflict between the members and the directing hand of Cedric (Michael Gambon) might be the undoing of the group all together. Directed by Dustin Hoffman, the amount of acting talent featured in this light hearted feel good film about growing old is certainly impressive. And, when left to do what they do best, this ensemble sings beautifully…so to speak. Sure the plot is predictable, and some of the counterpoint between a few characters feels underdeveloped, but this is easily overlooked when the overall piece is taken into consideration. More impressive yet, in most instances, the musicians featured throughout are actually playing their own instruments. That is to say, we’re not watching actors pretend to play instruments, these folks are the real deal….with the exception of the principal actors. Fun abounds in this who’s who of British acting and musical royalty. Quartet is rated PG-13…and yes, Billy Connolly IS that awesome!

Retired music teachers Anne (Emmanuelle Riva) and Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) are a couple who appear to be living out their twilight years together peacefully; but, on one particular morning Anne appears to suffer from a stroke, a frightening sight for anyone familiar with the repercussions. Now a matter of time before her body rebels and another stroke steals away more of her personality and function the couple’s love is stretched to new capacities. Meanwhile, daughter Eva (Isabelle Huppert) is forced to face her parents mortality from a distance, a challenge in itself. Examining selfless and selfish behaviours and the spectrum of love, how will each family member cope? From Writer/Director Michael Haneke (The White Ribbon) comes this real, tortuous, and drawn out work. Shot with minimalist camera work and editing Haneke turns his storytelling knife in the gut of the viewer arduously, methodically, and painfully slow. From an acting standpoint, the ensemble does a fine job in their portrayals, and some scenes are quite telling and beautiful, but, ultimately the lugubrious European tempo of this film may be too much for some. Amour is rated PG-13.