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Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week!

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Starring: Steve Carell, Jennifer Garner, and Ed Oxenbould
Synopsis: This film, based on a popular children's book, tells the story of two days. The first is a terrible day had by Alexander (Oxenbould). The second is the horrible day had by the rest of his family, possibly because of Alexander's birthday wish, that brings the family closer. It's a cute little family film filled with PG hijinks and plenty of lessons learned. It's just 81 minutes, though at times that feels too long. But, basically, this is a film that does what you'd expect. It's aimed at kids, and meant to offer a family-friendly option at the Box Office, something that's been in short supply in 2014. It's not an animated film, but it has that kind of feel. The performances are all fine and the adult stars — Carell and Garner — do most of the heavy lifting here. This is a light, enjoyable film that will provide a little distraction and entertainment for kids and adults.
Rating: PG for rude humor including some reckless behavior and language
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

The Judge
Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Robert Duvall, Vincent D'Onofrio, Vera Farmiga, and Billy Bob Thornton
Synopsis: Robert Downey, Jr. was born to play Iron Man. What he’s done with those movies — and with “The Avengers” — in that role has been incredible. He has the right style of performance and personality to make that character pop on screen, and it’s helped build Marvels’ empire. But before he was Tony Stark, Downey was an incredible character actor. It’s not hard, when scanning his resume, to find incredible characters. Though he’s spent the better part of a decade playing Tony Stark and Sherlock Holmes, Downey can do a lot more than that. “The Judge” is a happy return to exploring a different kind of character. Sure, he still talks fast and uses his wit to best people in the role, but he can’t slip into a superhero guise to escape the deeper issues here. There are moments that are real, raw and emotional, and that’s what makes this movie so compelling. On the surface “The Judge” appears to be a courtroom drama. But it’s not. This isn’t a John Grisham story, it’s a story of fathers and sons, family dysfunction and the difficulty in coming home again. And that’s what makes is so compelling. The courtroom stuff is fine, too. Billy Bob Thornton takes the role of the prosecutor opposite Downey, and he brings a fierce foil to Downey’s charms in the courtroom. The case matters in terms of the plot of the film, and one some of the most emotional moments come in the courtroom. But they’re earned elsewhere. This movie is about Hank, the Judge and how outside events colored their view of the past, their actions in the past and where they’ve ended up. Hank grew up with a certain impression of his father based on his limited scope. Throughout the film, that scope is opened up, and Hank begins to see his life — and the things he thought defined his life — in a different way. Director David Dobkin, best known for comedies like “Wedding Crashers,” shows a deft hand with family drama. There are comedic and light-hearted moments here, too, but this is a different kind of film than his previous offerings. He does a lot to capture the intimate family moments, the drama and the emotion of this story. Dobkin gets a story credit here, too, for his work with Nick Schenk, who shares the screenplay credit with Bill Dubuque. The script packs in a lot, but it never drags in a film that runs almost two and a half hours. There is a lot to mine here — both narratively and emotionally. A lot of the success of the film, however, comes down to its performances. “The Judge” has a strong supporting cast, but mostly it’s about the work of Duvall and Downey. They play well off each other, with their clashing styles helping to define their characters and the drama. For Downey, too, it’s a chance to see him stretch himself and explore different facets of his acting. “The Judge” is a beautifully told story that does a lot of things, explores a lot of issues and offers rich characters. In other words, it’s what fall at the movies is all about.
Rating: R for language including some sexual references. Enter with caution.
Verdict: Four stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:

Friday, October 17 — "Fury," "Book of Life," "Men, Women, and Children," "Birdman"

Friday, October 24 — "Ouija," "John Wick," "St. Vincent"

Friday, October 31 — "Nightcrawler"