Reviews by Richard Roeper or Roger Moore, unless otherwise noted.

Heads Up

“Every War Has Two Losers” — The film is based on the journals of William Stafford, a conscientious objector in World War II and National Book Award winner. Despite being told that war is inevitable, Stafford disagreed. He saw war as a choice — a human choice — and only one of the ways nations can respond to conflict. Using Stafford’s eloquent poetry and prose, the film invites the viewer to reflect on their own ideas regarding war and how individal witness can contribute to a more peaceful world. Featuring an outstanding cast of writers/activists including Coleman Barks, Robert Bly, Maxine Hong Kingston, Michael Meade, W.S. Merwin, Naomi Shihab Nye, Kim Stafford and Alice Walker. Narration by Academy Award winner Linda Hunt. Voice of William Stafford by Peter Coyote. Directed by Haydn Reiss. This film screens at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Tin Pan Theater in Bend. Admission is free. (no MPAA rating)

— Synopsis from film’s website

“The Long Bike Back” — A crippling hit-and-run accident can’t crush the spirit of a remarkable bicyclist, nor end his dream of cycling across America. “The Long Bike Back” is a documentary film chronicling Pearson Constantino’s grueling recovery and his inspiring ride across America with his brother advocating for road sharing and improved bicycle infrastructure and legislation. Despite his chronic pain, Pearson starts the trip off strong and powers over the Cascade mountains, but unexpected challenges including record high temperatures, rain, food poisoning, inhospitable drivers, poor road conditions, crashes, extra mileage, flat tires, and new injuries push him to his breaking point and force him to confront his limitations. The film screens at 9 p.m. Thursday at McMenamins Old St. Francis School in Bend. Cost is $5. Proceeds benefit the Central Oregon Trail Alliance. (no MPAA rating)

— Synopsis from film’s website

“Rockshow: Paul McCartney and Wings” — Filmed during the Wings Over America tour at Seattle’s Kingdome, the complete, fully-restored concert can now be seen in its entirety. Features “Jet,” “Live and Let Die,” “Silly Love Songs” and “Band on the Run.” Part of the Rockumentary Film Club series, the film screens at 7 p.m. Monday at the Tower Theatre in Bend. Cost is $12, plus fees. (no MPAA rating)

— Synopsis from Tower Theatre

Backcountry Film Festival — Winter WIldlands Alliance presents its ninth annual Backcountry Film Festival. The lineup includes “Valhalla,” “Bolton Valley” and “Bigger, Braver.” The festival screens at 7 tonight at the Volcanic Theatre Pub in Bend. Cost is $10 in advance, plus fees or $12 at the door. Tickets are on sale at Pine Mountain Sports and www.bendticket.com. (no MPAA rating)

— Synopsis from film’s website

What’s New

“August: Osage County” — The dialogue is sometimes so sharp we wince, and the acting by an ensemble of world-class actors led by Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor and Chris Cooper is for the most part superb. But this adaptation of Tracy Letts’ play ultimately is sour, loud and draining. Nearly everyone in this story would be the most horrific person at your average dinner party. Rating: Two stars. 119 minutes. (R) — Roeper

“The Crash Reel” — A documentary about the American snowboarder Kevin Pearce, his traumatic injury in 2009 and his long road to recovery. Directed by Lucy Walker. A review of this film was not available. 107 minutes. (no MPAA rating) — Los Angeles Times

“Her” — In writer-director Spike Jonze’s lovely and wondrous ultra-modern romance “Her,” a fragile fellow in the not-so-distant future (Joaquin Phoenix) falls in love with the voice of an operating system (Scarlett Johansson). One of the more original, hilarious and even heartbreaking stories of the year. It works both as a love story and as a commentary on the ways technology isolates us from human contact. Rating: Three and a half stars. 119 minutes. (R) — Roeper

“Inside Llewyn Davis” — With this dry comedy about the American folk music scene of the early 1960s, Ethan and Joel Coen have crafted another unique period piece. Oscar Isaac gives a memorable performance as the title character, a thoroughly unlikable, selfish, socially poisonous miscreant. The music is terrific. With Justin Timberlake, Carey Mulligan and John Goodman. Rating: Three and a half stars. 105 minutes. (R) — Roeper

“The Legend of Hercules” — Betrayed by his stepfather, the mythical Greek hero Hercules is sold into slavery because of a forbidden love and must fight for his life and his kingdom. With Kellan Lutz, Scott Adkins and Liam McIntyre. Written by Sean Hood and Daniel Giat. Directed by Renny Harlin. This film was not screened in advance for critics. It is available locally in 3-D. 98 minutes (PG-13) — Los Angeles Times

“Lone Survivor” — This re-creation of a 2005 Navy SEAL mission builds to one of the most realistic, shocking, gruesome and devastating depictions of war ever put on film. Instead of going for the big-picture perspective, director Peter Berg focuses on the unflinching bravery of soldiers executing their mission and looking out for one another. Mark Wahlberg stars, with Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster and Eric Bana. Rating: Three stars. 121 minutes. (R) — Roeper

“These Birds Walk” — A documentary about a high-spirited boy living in a house for runaways in Karachi and the young ambulance driver trying to help him find a safe haven. Directed by Omar Mullick and Bassam Tariq. In Urdu with English subtitles. A review of this film was unavailalble. 72 minutes (no MPAA rating) — Los Angeles Times

Still showing

“47 Ronin” — A Japanese legend with roots in reality, the tale of the 47 ronin has been adapted into just about every medium imaginable, from ballet to movies to graphic novels. Now Keanu Reeves stars in “47 Ronin,” an Americanized, or perhaps internationalized version, of one of Japan’s most treasured tales. It’s the story of Oishi (Hiroyuki Sanada), leader of a group of samurai living in peace under their master, Lord Asano (Min Tanaka). But when Asano is killed by Lord Kira (Tadanobu Asano) and his nameless Witch (Rinko Kikuchi), the samurai become masterless ronin scattered throughout the countryside. To regain their honor and avenge their master, they must kill Kira, even though it may mean their own death. “47 Ronin” can be a hoot, with some zippy battles staged by director Carl Rinsch, and a script by several writers that works better than expected. But it also feels like a somewhat botched attempt by Hollywood to bridge the cultural gap between the North American and overseas box offices. This film is available locally in 3-D. Rating: Two stars. 119 minutes. (PG-13)

— Rafer Guzmán, Newsday

“American Hustle” — The best time I’ve had at the movies this year. Christian Bale gives a transcendent performance as a con man who falls hard for hard-time gal Amy Adams. Director David O. Russell and his “Silver Linings Playbook” stars Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence went right back to work together on this wild tale about con artists helping the FBI on a sting. They should make 10 more movies together. Rating: Four stars. 138 minutes. (R) — Roeper

“Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” — It’s a marvel the way Will Ferrell flings himself into playing the loathsome idiot for the ages Ron Burgundy, hired in this sequel to anchor on a cable news network in the early 1980s. The gang all returns — Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, David Koechner, Christina Applegate — and they’re great. Funnier than the original, “Anchorman 2” is also, in its own loony way, a sobering look at the television business then — and now. Rating: Three and a half stars. 119 minutes. (PG-13) — Roeper

“The Armstrong Lie” — It would be too easy to dismiss Alex Gibney’s “The Armstrong Lie” as a two-hour-and-three-minute exercise in moral relativism and rationalization, too late to the party about a cheating athlete we’ve already made up our minds about — again. But the Oscar-winning Gibney (“Taxi to the Dark Side”) had access to Lance Armstrong before he was caught cheating, and after. His cameras captured the seeds of Armstrong’s undoing. And while he allows plenty of screen time to condemn the corrupt, arrogant, bullying Tour de France champ, he is just as interested in bringing back the context, the “everybody was doing it” argument that Armstrong has fallen back on himself. Gibney, with footage from 2009 and fresh interviews with Armstrong’s victims, shows the intimidation Armstrong used to keep his myth intact and keep those rumors at bay. Most despicably, Armstrong was never shy about playing the cancer card, suggesting that there was an “ends justify the means” logic to his chicanery and self-righteous pose. Gibney, knowing what to look for in that old footage, plays a wonderful game of catch-up here. This is a real inside-cycling “how they did it” expose. Rating: Three stars. 123 minutes. (R) — Moore

“The Book Thief” — The film is a wondrous, richly textured, sometimes heartbreakingly effective movie about good Germans in World War II, including a remarkable little girl and the couple who took her in while sheltering a teenage Jewish boy in their basement. Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson deserve Oscar consideration for their lovely, layered performances. One of the year’s best movies. Rating: Four stars. 131 minutes. (PG-13) — Roeper

“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2” — The Herculean task of any sequel is repeating the experience of the original film, or improving on it. That’s nigh on impossible due to the simple fact that you only get to take the viewing public utterly by surprise once. The out-of-nowhere novelty and delight of Sony Animation’s “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs,” based on Judi and Ron Barrett’s children’s book, is missing in “Meatballs 2.” The design and color palette is as glorious as ever. But the laughs are few and innovations fewer in this generally winded knock-off. It’s all more cynical than silly, the sort of movie you get when the corporate desire for a sequel precedes the creative team’s great idea for a sequel. Which, in this case, they didn’t have. Rating: Two stars. 93 minutes. (PG) — Moore

“Dallas Buyers Club” — Matthew McConaughey plays Ron Woodroof, a grimy, shady, homophobic, substance-abusing horndog in 1985 Texas who learns he’s HIV-positive and procures unapproved means of treatment. McConaughey’s masterful job of portraying one of the more deeply flawed anti-heroes in recent screen history reminds us why he became a movie star in the first place. We start out loathing this guy and learn to love him. Jared Leto disappears into the role of a transgender drug addict and Jennifer Garner is Ron’s empathetic doctor. Rating: Three and a half stars. 117 minutes. (R) — Roeper

“Frozen” — When a queen with icy powers (voice of Idina Menzel) accidentally freezes her kingdom, she runs away and her intrepid sister (Kristen Bell) goes to find her. Sure to delight children and captivate adults, Disney’s musical “Frozen” is the instant favorite for the animated feature Oscar, and deservedly so. Rating: Three and a half stars. 102 minutes. (PG) — Roeper

“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” — There’s far less fussing about in this movie than in its precursor “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” and although “Smaug” moves at a faster pace, it still feels overlong. At least this leg of the quest features giant spiders and a hot elf. Can’t miss with that. Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen and Richard Armitage return to star, and Peter Jackson’s 3-D visuals are as breathtaking as ever. This film is available locally in IMAX 3-D. Rating: Three stars. 161 minutes. (PG-13) — Roeper

“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” — The proceedings in this sequel go over the top, but the actors — Jennifer Lawrence, Woody Harrelson, newcomer Philip Seymour Hoffman — are major talents taking their roles seriously. This is a worthy sequel to the original and a fitting setup to the finale of the series. Even with all the wondrous special effects and futuristic touches, at heart this is the story of a girl thrust (against her wishes) into the forefront of a revolution. Rating: Three and a half stars. 146 minutes. (PG-13) — Roeper

“Last Vegas” — There’s virtually nothing subtle or surprising about this story of old guys at a Las Vegas bachelor party, and yet one can’t but smile throughout, watching Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline and Mary Steenburgen — Academy Award winners all — breeze their way through an obvious but lovely and funny adventure. Rating: Three stars. 104 minutes. (PG-13) — Roeper

“Nebraska” — What a joy it is to watch Bruce Dern playing such a miserable SOB in the best role of his long career. Woody Grant is a crabby, boozy, sometimes delusional old guy on a road trip with his son (Will Forte) to collect a sweepstakes prize. Alexander Payne’s latest film is a modern American classic about the dynamic between a father from the generation that didn’t speak about its feelings and a grown son who’s still trying to get his father to explain himself. Stark, beautiful and memorable. Rating: Four stars. 115 minutes. (R) — Roeper

“Out of the Furnace” — One of the best movies I’ve seen this year is a stark, bleak, intense drama set in a dying corner of the Rust Belt. As a solid guy recently released from prison and looking out for his tinderbox brother, Christian Bale strikes many different notes and hits each with the same precision. Rating: Four stars. 116 minutes. (R) — Roeper

“Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones” — With “Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones,” this found-footage franchise abandons the lull-you-to-sleep creepiness of found surveillance footage for full-on shaky cam and an altogether more conventional horror movie plot. But as exhausted as this series and the genre it comes from are, it still manages a few decent jolts thanks to that new approach and a pretty good cast’s reactions to what they, and we, see through the video camera’s viewfinder. The bottom line of any horror picture matches your neckline — as in, “Does it make the hairs of your neck stand up?” The answer here, as silly and weary as these movies are, is “Yes, a few times.” But the jokes, intentional and unintentional, give away why “The Marked Ones” was dumped on the first weekend of January. It was never going to be much better than mediocre. Rating: Two stars. 84 minutes. (R) — Moore

“Philomena” — “Philomena” is a standard issue little-old-lady tour de force for Oscar winner Judi Dench, but it’s a delicious change of pace for snarky funnyman Steve Coogan. It’s a true story about one of the many horrors of Ireland’s infamous “Magdalene laundries”: asylums for “fallen women” mandated by the government, at the Catholic Church’s urging, where pregnant women had their babies and worked in convent laundries. Director Stephen Frears (“The Queen”), working from a script co-written by Coogan, never lets the story lapse into sentiment. The third-act surprises are human-scaled “shocks,” nothing deeply out of the ordinary, but affecting nevertheless. Rating: Three and a half stars. 98 minutes. (PG-13) — Moore

“Saving Mr. Banks” —Emma Thompson is a perfect choice to play prissy P.L. Travers, who wrote the Mary Poppins books and resists the efforts of Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) to give the magical nanny the Hollywood musical treatment. A lovingly rendered, sweet film, set in a stylized and gorgeous rendition of 1961 Los Angeles. Rating: Three stars. 125 minutes. (PG-12) — Roeper

“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” — The latest adaptation of James Thurber’s short story about an imaginative daydreamer is an ambitious and sometimes effective, but wildly uneven adventure that plays like one extended ego trip for director and star Ben Stiller. He goes for big, predictable, easy and obvious too often here. Rating: Two stars. 125 minutes. (PG) — Roeper

“Thor: The Dark World” — Fires on all cylinders at times, with fine work from returning stars Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman, a handful of hilarious sight gags and some cool action sequences. But it’s also more than a little bit silly and quite ponderous and overly reliant on special effects that are more confusing than exhilarating. Let’s face it, Thor’s kind of a bore and not nearly as intriguing as his deeply conflicted adopted bro, Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Rating: Two and a half stars. 112 minutes. (PG-13) — Roeper

“Walking With Dinosaurs” — The BBC series “Walking With Dinosaurs” gets a kid-friendly big-screen treatment, complete with cutesy story and dino-poop jokes, in “Walking With Dinosaurs 3D.” Aimed squarely at that dino-crazy demographic (ages 7 to 12), it pumps a few IQ points into a kid film genre sorely in need of them. “Walking” takes care to ID each new dinosaur species introduced, including factoids about what they ate and any special skills they might have had. It’s downright educational. Just don’t tell your kids that. The story they package all this in might be too childish for anybody over 12, but the research behind it and effort to pass that knowledge on to young dinosaur fans make “Walking With Dinosaurs 3D” as at home in the classroom as it is in theaters. Rating: Two and a half stars. 86 minutes. (PG) — Moore

“The Wolf of Wall Street” — Martin Scorsese directs the story of an amoral Wall Street hustler (the ever-charismatic Leonardo DiCaprio) — a user, a taker, a rat and a scoundrel. Though the little bleep sometimes wears out his welcome, we stick around to see if he gets his comeuppance and to marvel at Scorsese’s continuing mastery. Jonah Hill overdoes it as DiCaprio’s right-hand man, and Matthew McConaughey is mesmerizing as his first mentor. Rating: Three and a half stars. 180 minutes. (R) — Roeper