Arts & Entertainment

The Gambler

In this remake of a 1974 film, James Caan, an English professor who is also a compulsive gambler, finds that the only people who will have anything to do with him are those to whom he owes money. Jim Bennett is a lecturer reeling from the death of his beloved grandfather. His all-or-nothing personality gets him in debt for more than a quarter of a million dollars to the no-nonsense Mr. Lee, who runs an illegal gambling den. Jim attempts to play his way out of the hole by borrowing money from vicious criminal Neville Baraka, but his strategy backfires and leaves him owing the latter as well. His wealthy mother initially refuses to give him any more money, which prompts Jim to make contact with Frank, a loan shark who offers to front him the cash he needs, but promises that failure to repay will lead to the death of his “bloodline.”At the same time, Jim teaches a class of college kids about Shakespeare and Camus. His best student, Amy, openly flirts with him, but he’s also preoccupied with trying to get through to Lamar, a star basketball player whom the university higher-ups want him to pass so he can continue to play. Director: Rupert Wyatt. Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Brie Larson, Jessica Lange, John Goodman, Emory Cohen. Rated: R. Time: 1:51.

Birdman swoops top prize; now in the running for an Oscar

Mexican director Alejandro G. Iñarritu’s film “Birdman” won top prize at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. As many of the members of the guild also vote for the Oscars, the consensus among critics is that the film is now front-runner for the coveted Best Picture award.

Based on the novel by Joe Hill, Horns is a supernatural thriller driven by fantasy, mystery and romance.

The Best of Me

Twenty-one years after being torn apart by forces beyond their control, two lovers who have never forgotten one another get a second chance at happiness in this romantic drama from bestselling author Nicholas Sparks.

Adapted from a short story by Dennis Lehane who also penned the film’s screenplay, this crime drama follows Bob, a bartender at a Brooklyn drinking establishment run by his cousin Marv. On his way home one night, Bob rescues an injured puppy that’s been put in the garbage of a woman, and adopts the dog and begins dating the woman.

Meanwhile, the bar is robbed, causing Bob and Marv possibly lethal grief with the bar’s Chechin owners. As Bob tries to put everything straight, his new girl’s psychotic former boyfriend comes on the scene.

Director: Michael R. Roskam. Cast:Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, James Gandolfini, Matthias Schoenaerts, John Ortiz. Rated: R. Time: 1:47.

Maggie, a single mother, moves into a new home in Brooklyn with her 12-year old son, Oliver. Forced to work long hours, she has no choice but to leave Oliver in the care of their new neighbor, Vincent, a retired curmudgeon with a penchant for alcohol and gambling. An odd friendship soon blossoms between the improbable pair.

Together with a pregnant stripper named, Vincent brings Oliver along on all the stops that make up his daily routine – the race track, a strip club, and the local dive bar. Vincent helps Oliver grow to become a man, while Oliver begins to see in Vincent something that no one else is able to: a misunderstood man with a good heart.

Director: Ted Melfi. Cast: Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts, Chris O’Dowd, Terrence Howard. Rated: PG-13. Time: 1:42.

Birdman

A fading actor best known for his portrayal of a popular superhero attempts to mount a comeback by appearing in a Broadway play. As opening night approaches, his attempts to become more altruistic, rebuild his career, and reconnect with friends and family prove more difficult than expected.

Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu. Cast: Michael Keaton, Lindsay Duncan, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, Andrea Riseborough. Rated: R. Time: 1:59.