YOUR GUIDE TO THIS WEEK'S NEW CINEMA RELEASES

It’s been ages, but at last, STEVE JOBS arrives on our screen. More below…

TOP PICK

The top pick this week, by a slim margin, at least with general viewers and critics, is ANOMALISA. A man crippled by the mundanity of his life experiences something out of the ordinary. It’s a stop-motion animated movie but is definitely for adults only. It’s been nominated for the Oscars for best animated feature film of the year. Whether it holds up to that accolade remains to be seen. indieWIRE’s Eric Kohn probably has it right when he says that it is, ‘A disorienting puzzle of a movie with many exhilarating pieces[,] Anomalisa nevertheless maintains a straightforward trajectory involving Michael's internal strife.’ My review coming soon.

OTHERS TO SEE

I’ve been waiting to see STEVE JOBS for ages. The movie takes us behind the scenes of the digital revolution, to paint a portrait of the man at its epicenter. The story unfolds backstage at three iconic product launches, ending in 1998 with the unveiling of the iMac. It’s being met with a good reception. Michael Fassbender and Kate Winslet have both been nominated for Oscars for their roles in this. indieWIRE’s Eric Kohn says that, ‘While at times too over-the-top and operatic for its own good, those same flawed ingredients echo the rough edges that define the movie's iconic subject.’ I’ll be seeing it today and will post my review asap!

TO AVOID

Finally, just one to avoid this week. It’s THE CHOICE in which Travis and Gabby first meet as neighbours in a small coastal town and then wind up in a relationship that is tested by life's most defining events. Well it sounds ok. But Slant Magazine’s Eric Henderson reminds us that ‘Most Nicholas Sparks adaptations say, in cinematic terms, nothing so complicated as "roses are red." This one just points to a garden and shrugs.’ Won’t be on my list!

That's it for this week. See you at the movies!

NOTE Movie summaries are adaptations of movie summary on IMDB. Opinions are mine unless credited. These updates are written from an Australian perspective so openings of the movies in cinemas may vary in other parts of the world.