Best new movies and videos for week of Oct 20: The Watchlist

In Theatres

St. Vincent  - Bill Murray's newest film is a sentimental and overly manipulative story. So, why did I find myself tearing up at the end? Probably because Bill can find the soul of any character (I mean, this is the man who gave heart to cartoon furball, Garfield.) Here, he stars as Vin, a grumpy sourpuss veteran enlisted to babysit the kid next door. The film is a remarkable and assured beginning for first time director, Theodore Melfi. (full review)

Gone Girl - Sure, you could go watch Brad Pitt blow away Nazis (again) in Fury, but if you want a movie meal that will stick to your ribs (and psyche), Gone Girl is a bro-tastic buffet of outrageous behaviour and carefully observed filmmaking. It's got a plot that ties the audience in knots, plus Tyler Perry plays a criminal lawyer you just can't get enough of. (full review)

The Book of Life - Leave it to producer Guillermo del Toro​ to give us an animated movie where the main characters look like misshapen wooden marionettes. But it's the unusual nature of the characters that is a big part of the story's charm. Set in a Mexican village, the plot centres on Manolo and Joaquin and their fight for the affections of Maria. But the struggle between the singer and soldier gets complicated by some visitors from the afterlife. Awkward musical choices hurt the cultural aesthetic, but the Day of the Dead has never been so lively.

The Guest - Lean mean and packed with thrills to spare, The Guest is a smart scary ride starring Downton Abbey's Dan Stevens. Stevens plays military man David, who befriends the family of fallen soldier Caleb Peterson,  with his Ken doll looks and killer smile. But, as the visitor begins burrowing into the Peterson’s lives, emo girl Anna begins digging into David’s background. Horror director Adam Wingard twists the tension by filling the frame with wide open skies and a pulsing soundtrack​

​The Tale of Princess Kaguya - Isao Takahata, co founder of Studio Ghibli, has delivered an animated movie the looks like a living watercolour in this interpretation of a Japanese folk tale about a bamboo cutter. What begins as a beautiful baby, discovered in a bamboo grove, grows into a young woman with the power to drive princes and emperors mad with envy. In many ways, it's a simple tale about the tension between nature and man's desires — a common theme in Studio Ghibli productions. While the tale takes its time unwinding, it is an absolutely enchanting place to visit. 

On video, Netflix or VOD

The Lunchbox (new to Netflix) - A delicious treat to wash away the taste of overcooked love stories, The Lunchbox is a film to savour but don't watch this one on an empty stomach. Set in Mumbai, the film revolves around the relationship between a neglected housewife and a widowed accountant. The Lunchbox captures the colour and characters of bustling Mumbai but also the ache of two lonely souls in a city of millions. I'll give you my Glasner Guarantee© on this one. Not to be missed. (full review)

Snowpiercer - A sci-fi parable about the class system trapped in a catastrophic super train circling the globe. Snowpiercer is the ultimate movie mash-up: a disaster film and apocalyptic thriller starring an international mix of stars directed by South Korea's Bong Joon-ho. What stops this giant metaphor from spinning off the tracks is inspired art direction and a story that takes no prisoners. Bloody good fun. (full review)

Earth to Echo - At first glance, Earth to Echo may look like a film filled with gimmicks: E.T. for the iPhone generation. But behind the found footage and YouTube references you'll find a carefully observed story about how it feels to be a kid in 2014. The awkward ones. The forgotten ones. Goonies for millennials, Earth to Echo is a film worth discovering.