Carol Channing: Larger Than Life
(now playing in Los Angeles; wider release begins February 3)
An amiable enough doc that includes several disarming  moments courtesy of its subject, the Broadway legend who just turned 90. For fans of musical theater and those with an interest in showbiz history, Dori Bernstein’s Carol Channing: Larger Than Life is probably a must-see. For others, while making the case for Channing’s engaging personality and mammoth talent (the TV clips from the ‘70s are priceless), the film suffers from a lack of impactful archival footage of her actual stage performances: we never get a firsthand sense of what has made her so special.

Man on a Ledge (opens wide on January 27)
Yes, there are some ludicrous did-they-really-do-that? moments in Man on a Ledge as well as some comedic interludes that tank. But if you’re in the mood for some diverting silliness with an undercurrent of tension—the ledge sequences generally work and sometimes provide quite a jolt—Man on a Ledge is harmless fun. While watching it, you’ll recall a dozen other movies of the past two or three decades, which could either please you or annoy you to no end. Not a spectacular blockbuster, but a likable little cousin to one.

(An Unexpected) Blu-ray Pick: The Double (releases on DVD & digital download, too, on January 31)
Here’s a release that’s perfect for home video because it gives you the chance to re-calibrate your expectations. Richard Gere (currently wowing Sundance auds in Arbitrage) does solid work here, as does co-star Topher Grace, despite being saddled with dialogue and themes that often veer into cliché territory. So if you’re looking for an authentic-feeling cat-and-mouse espionage thriller along the lines of Breach (2007), you’d be out of luck. However, as a fun evening of B-movie entertainment, The Double works. There’s a big twist about half an hour in, then another at the climax that I didn’t see coming—and that’s good enough for me.

The Innkeepers (in theaters February 3)
I like Ti West’s work, I really do (Cabin Fever 2 notwithstanding), and I even like what he seems to be shooting for here. As the title characters, Sara Paxton and Bill Healy are quite, um, likable, too, but overall The Innkeepers seems to lean on their likability a bit too much. Aiming for a tone that combines light comedy, light drama, tragedy, and paranormal creepiness, West unfortunately shortchanges us in terms of that final element—and without genuine scares (I wasn’t frightened for even a second), The Innkeepers lacks the glue that would hold everything else together and give the film the necessary genre underpinning.


(Photo by: Larry D. Horricks/ The Weinstein Company)

Coriolanus (now in theaters)
Riveting and brilliant, Coriolanus would arguably be worth watching simply for the performances of Vanessa Redgrave (electrifying) and Gerard Butler (impressive; more like this, please). But it also features wonderful acting by Brian Cox and director Ralph Fiennes himself, who does a hugely impressive job of melding Shakespeare’s play to contemporary themes and issues. If you’re allergic to the Bard’s work in all forms, then, no, all the contemporary resonance by itself won’t do it for you… but for nearly everyone else Coriolanus will probably land as the most successful adaptation in years. Kenneth Branagh should study this.