BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 3D (USA 1991/2011) *****
Directed by Kirk Wise and Gary Troudsdale

The last Disney animated 3D re-issue of THE LION KING garnered the Studios over $100 million.  Hot on the heals of that success, the magical classic BEAUTY AND THE BEAST gets its makeover and should likely make a tidy profit for Disney Studios.

PARIAH (USA 2011) **
Directed by Dee Rees

The film begins with the dictionary definition of the word PARIAH.  We get it already.  The film’s protagonist, Alike is one and director Dee Rees is dead serious about her subject.

CONTRABAND (USA/UK/France 2011) ***
Directed by Baltasar Kormakur

(The review contains one spoiler.  Spoiler will be in italics.)

A remake of the big budgeted Icelandic success REYKJAVIK-ROTTERDAM which starred and was produced by Kormakur, CONTRABAND is the type of action thriller that Hollywood loves to spin out – the actioner that audiences can just sit back and enjoy with hardly any need of thinking.

THE DEVIL INSIDE (USA 2011) *
Directed by William Brent Bell

At the close of promo screenings, there is always applause no matter how bad the movie is.  For the case of THE DEVIL INSIDE, the new devil possession film, there was unanimous booing.

EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE (USA 2011) ***
Directed by Stephen Daldry

EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE is more of an art than commercial film, based on the recent 2005 novel by well renowned New York writer John Updike.