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Cindy and Jim Green (Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton) are two would be parents with hopes of adoption. But, when the perfect but odd boy just for them, Timothy (CJ Adams), miraculously appears in their life, the life lessons and parenting skills they’ve been looking to hone come to a polished edge. But how long will Timothy stay? Magical and fresh this Disney film has it’s moments of sappiness, and while I’m not entirely impressed with the adults, the kids manage to carry this one…mostly. Overall, it’s the modern myth, fairy tale quality to the whole thing that keeps this interesting and heartwarming. Fun for the family. The Odd Life of Timothy Green is rated PG.

28 year old Eric Packer (Robert Pattinson) is a billionaire asset manager detached from his own emotions, conscious, and sense of right or wrong. On a limo ride across Manhattan to get a haircut a whole cast of characters file in and out of the car to peel back more of Packer’s psyche and perhaps his downfall. Directed by David Cronenberg, this will not be everyone’s cup of tea. Stylized and presented with a glib and soulless affectation Pattinson doesn’t feel stretched here. Dialogue and script feel pretentious and self important, when really what it feels like is that we’re seeing another social commentary on the financial system and it’s ugliness, been there done that. The upside is that the cinematography and use of space is particularly interesting and noteworthy. Maybe a rental when you’re up for a challenge. Rated R.

It’s all about Motown and the girl group that never was as singer songwriter Sparkle (Jordin Sparks) and her two sisters (Carmen Ejogo and Tika Sumpter) gain the attention of a major record label. But drugs, men, and family drama could be the downfall off them all. Meanwhile, the girl’s mother, Emma (Whitney Houston), does her best to steer her girls towards success, but some kinds of help are the kind of help we all can do without. In what feels almost autobiographical for Houston, a number of her lines, now posthumous, ring as downright eerie or ironic, or both. Meanwhile, the rest of the script is so drab and boring it barely carries us to the songs we’re all hoping to hear. And, at that, the music doesn’t exactly stay in the period, odd since this is really supposed to be a period piece. But then, the musical performances were pretty good, so….go figure. Lesser cinematography rounds out the rest. A sad final note for Houston to go out on.