Short Takes: Condensed movie reviews

SHORT

TAKES

Condensed from Daily News movie critic Gary Thompson's reviews, unless noted otherwise.

NIGHTCRAWLER. Jake Gyllenhaal plays memorable creep in hair-raising horror movie about man who sells crime-scene footage to TV news. (R) A-

THE GUEST. In moody horror movie, Dan Stevens stars as mysterious Afghan War vet offering to help a grieving family. A gloriously cheesy Halloween funhouse. (R) B+

BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP. Nicole Kidman wakes up each day with no memory in movie that's completely forgettable. With Colin Firth, Mark Strong. (R) C

THE TALE OF PRINCESS KAGUYA. First work in 14 years by Isao Takahata, who co-founded Studio Ghibli with Hayao Miyazaki. Worth the wait. (PG) A+ Reviewed by Daily News wire services.

CITIZENFOUR. In documentary, Edward Snowden provides chilling account of surveillence. Did you know that many hotel and business phones can be converted remotely into "hot mics" to record conversations? (R) B+

LISTEN UP PHILIP. Jason Schwartzman is a talented writer and lousy boyfriend in Alex Ross Perry's literate literary satire. (R) B

WHITE BIRD IN A BLIZZARD. Shailene Woodley finally makes a misstep, in overwrought and embarrassing coming-of-age mystery drama. (R) D Reviewed by Daily News wire services.

ART AND CRAFT. Documentary profiles serial art forger Mark Landis, who fooled museums for strange reasons that had nothing to do with money. (Not rated) B

JOHN WICK. Keanu Reeves stars as hitman who kills the mobsters who killed his dog in action movie with a sense of humor and a stuntman's heart: real fights, no robots, muscle cars. (R) B

DEAR WHITE PEOPLE. Writer-director Justin Simie takes his popular Youtube video and Twitter feed and turns it into a canny, complex, funny campus comedy about racial identity. (R) B

BIRDMAN. Michael Keaton plays a washed up movie star trying to prove himself on Broadway, alongside Ed Norton. (R) B+

WHIPLASH. J.K. Simmons and Miles Teller are terrific as abusive teacher and suffering pupil in jazz-driven drama. (R) A-

OUIJA. Duller-than-dull dead-teenager flick. (PG-13) F Reviewed by Daily News wire services.

FURY. Violent, literally visceral story of World War II tank crew (led by Brad Pitt) on what amounts to a suicide mission. (R) B+

ST. VINCENT. Winning comedy stars Bill Murray as disreputable old man put in charge of innocent kid, nicely played by local actor Jaedon Lieberher. (PG-13) B

THE BOOK OF LIFE. Dazzling, Mexican-accented kids' cartoon is so colorful it almost reinvents the art form. (PG) A- Reviewed by Daily News wire services.

THE BEST OF ME. High school lovers reunited by fate - actually, by Nicholas Sparks - in soapy romance. (PG-13) C

ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY. In wholesome comedy, family slapsticks together through thick and thin. (PG) B

THE JUDGE. Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall lead fine cast stuck with bad script. (R) C+

DRACULA UNTOLD. Origin story has decent special effects, anemic scares. (PG-13) C Reviewed by Daily News wire services.

PRIDE. Wifty comedy tells true story of solidarity among rural miners, urban gays in Margaret Thatcher's Britain. (R) B

GONE GIRL. Intricate thriller about husband (Ben Affleck) suspected of killing his wife. (R) B

ANNABELLE. Silly prequel involves demon doll. (R) D Reviewed by Daily News wire services.

THE EQUALIZER. Hardware store vigilante Denzel Washington puts the hammer down on villains. Also, the pruning shears. (R) B