CHRONICLE (USA 2012) ****
Directed by Josh Trank

Out of nowhere comes this solid debut of a movie called CHRONICLE.  The film earned an impressive 90% rating on rotten tomatoes (at the time of this writing) and has taken critics and audiences alike by storm.

MOON POINT (USA 2011) **
Directed by Sean Cisterna

MOON POINT (the name of a place) is an extremely low budget feature made for the paltry sum of $1.25 million that begins a one-week special engagement run at the AMC, Toronto.

LE VENDEUR (Canada 2011) ****
Directed by Sebastien Pilote

LE VENDEUR (THE SALESMAN) begins with a slowly shot montage of a dead moose removed from a snow bordered road.  The scene, an important one in the film’s plot development is re-visited half way through the film.

THE WOMAN IN BLACK (UK 2011) ***
Directed by James Watkins

THE WOMAN IN BLACK is best known as London West End’s second longest play in history after MOUSETRAP.  The ghost story is based on the book written in 1983 by Susan Hill and had already been adapted into a TV movie.  I had seen the original play some 15 years ago in London but hardly remember anything of it except at how difficult it is to stage a scary ghost story without it being laughable.  The play succeeded.

THE INNKEEPERS (USA 2011) *
Directed by Ty West

Though touted as a ghost haunted house film or rather haunted hotel film, THE INNKEEPERS is more light comedy or unfunny light comedy that turns horrific at the end.