12 Years A Slave (2013)

This is gruelling viewing based upon the memoir of Solomon Northup, an African American of New York State who really was kidnapped in 1841 and enslaved on Louisiana cotton plantations for 12 years, and his story, presented with rich period detail, will make you shake your head in dismay.

★★★★☆

CINECAL: ONE SENTENCE REVIEWS

Annabelle (2014)

Doll possession remains a daft science unadvanced since Chucky but there are enough innovative scares in this The Conjuring prequel to counter the movie's many tired horror cliches, and effective use is made of the fact that anything with a frozen stare is pretty chilling - in this respect, Annabelle, one of the ugliest porcelain dolls ever to grace a doll collection, joins the likes of oil portraits and Disney-on-Ice characters.

★★★☆☆

CINECAL: ONE SENTENCE REVIEWS