Pariah ****

"Pariah" is an unflinching, unvarnished look at a teenager, Alike, living at home in Brooklyn, a good student with a talent for poetry, who faces emotional thrills and pains with her friends and her family, as she embraces her identity as a lesbian. The focus of the film is close in and intimate, almost claustrophobic, as we see the differing reactions of those closest to her. The films rings with truth, and the performances, especially that of Adepero Oduye as Alike, are outstanding. Director/Writer Dee Rees, who expanded an earlier short subject into this full-length feature, deserves high praise for her honesty, talent, and skill in bringing us this engaging and moving work.

Joyful Noise **

Fun and bubbly, just like Dolly herself, "Joyful Noise" is a pleasant diversion with some toe-tapping music, burnished with a slick gospel shine. Dolly Parton and Queen Latifa go at it, nicely most of the time, in this souped up "Glee" episode that features competing visions of the which way the church choir should go in the annual competition. Keke Palmer as Latifah's daughter, and Jeremy Jordan as Dolly's grandson add the love interest, spice, and some good singing. Don't expect too much, and you may be converted into a fan.

War Horse ***

Like a painting by an Old Master, "War Horse" is rich in color and detail, exquisitely composed, full of emotion, and although its subject is a horse, keenly observant of the human condition. Steven Spielberg is the master here, of course, drawing on his extraordinary grasp of the medium of film to present a touching story that feels like a classic. All of elements are superbly, beautifully rendered.

This is not to say, alas, that "War Horse" is a great movie. It's a bit too self-consciously constructed and rendered, too referential, derivative, and unoriginal. But it is a perfectly good big screen entertainment with all the trimmings, with great cinematography (by Janusz Kaminski), a stirring, tuneful score (by John Williams), and gritty, repulsive scenes of war. This adaptation of the beloved book by Michael Morpurgo, somewhat incredibly also a hit play on Broadway, faithfully presents the themes of love, friendship, perseverance, honor, courage, duty, and the futility of war. It's a film to enjoy. And take a hankie.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy ****

"Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" (with the commas) is a personal favorite of author John le Carré, a real life Cold War British Intelligence officer turned novelist. In this dense and suspenseful movie (without the commas) set in the '50s when East/West stakes were high, and spying was dangerous and brutal, the Secret Intelligence Service, the "Circus" in insider parlance, has been compromised by a mole. Master spy George Smiley comes out of semi-retirement to ferret out the turncoat.

In this rendition of the book the atmosphere of the time is wonderfully evoked, from dress and decor, to procedures, to the communications ecosystem of the era. Clearly but sparely written, the screenplay keeps track of numerous threads and mysteries as Smiley, coolly played by Gary Oldman in an award-caliber performance, delves into the lives of the suspects and sets his trap. His possible quarry are played by a seasoned and exceptional cast, including Colin Firth, Toby Jones, and Ciaran Hinds, along with standouts Tom Hardy and Benedict Cumberbatch. I daresay a second viewing would be rewarding, but once is enough if you remain alert.

A Dangerous Method ****

In 1906, Karl Jung (an elegant and controlled Michael Fassbender), then 30, was a rising psychiatrist in Switzerland, working at a mental hospital and developing his own theories about the mind and the unconscious. He sent his book "Studies in Word Association" to the famous Viennese psychiatrist Sigmund Freud (a cerebral Viggo Mortensen), which kindled an intense professional relationship for the next six years. "A Dangerous Method," adapted from the book of the same name and the play "The Talking Cure," concentrates on this fertile period in Jung's thinking and development, along with his personal life, principally with a patient who became his mistress and protege, Sabina Spielrein (a beautiful and fiery Keira Knightly).

"A Dangerous Method" is at once a captivating story of love and desire, an immaculate period piece, and a convincing portrayal of the collaboration and final rift of the two leading lights of psychiatry and psychology. It's heady stuff, and works, fittingly, on a number of levels. The screenplay is comprehensive and unflinching, the acting superb, the direction sure footed (by David Cronenberg), the look sumptuous and engrossing. In a sea of insubstantial special-effects popcorn I found it a satisfying full meal.

Shame ****

"Shame" is a misleading title for this story of a sex-addicted businessman and his needy sister. "Obsession" or "Damaged" might be better. Michael Fassbender delivers a perfect portrayal of Brandon Sullivan, consummate sexual player and New York business man whose fixation on sex threatens his job and substitutes for any real relationships. The incredible Carey Mulligan plays sister Sissy, and together we see the product of an upbringing whose horrors we can only imagine. British director/writer Steve McQueen gets it right, and offers a truly unflinching portrait of man spiraling out of control in a city that enables all manner of afflictions.