White House Down

White House Down and this year's other action film set in our nation's capital, Olympus Has Fallen, were both pitched as "Die Hard in the White House." But while Olympus took that premise and put its own hyper-violent jingoistic spin on it, this movie seems content to operate in John McClane's shadow without bringing the same freshness that made John McTiernan's 1988 film an action masterpiece. Roland Emmerich, the filmmaker who already obliterated the President's residence on film in Independence Day, returns behind the camera here and crafts a goofy and lighthearted throwback to 90s action flicks that works as totally dumb summer fun.

White House Down
Director: Roland Emmerich
Starring: Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx, James Woods, Jason Clarke, Maggie Gyllenhaal

The Conjuring (L.A. Film Fest 2013)

Inspired by films like Poltergeist, The Amityville Horror, and The Exorcist, James Wan's The Conjuring is an old school horror ensemble period piece that proves it's still possible to make a truly terrifying movie in 2013 without relying too heavily on CG. This film is horrifying in all the right ways, led by terrific lead performances and Wan's true understanding of how to make his audience squirm. Though the premise seems played out, Wan's technical mastery and a great script from Chad and Carey Hayes make The Conjuring already feel like a classic for the modern era.

The Conjuring
Director: James Wan
Starring: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Ron Livingston, Lili Taylor

You're Next (L.A. Film Fest 2013)

When you break it down, there are really only two types of horror movies: those that embrace conventions of the genre, and those that attempt to subvert them. Director Adam Wingard (V/H/S, A Horrible Way to Die) and writer Simon Barrett have opted for the latter with You're Next, a crowd-pleasing twist on the home invasion thriller that almost makes you feel sorry for the bad guys. Debuting on the film festival circuit back in 2011, the film sat on a shelf for years while Lionsgate acquired Summit and planned for a theatrical release. But unlike the godawful All The Boys Love Mandy Lane (which has received an even lengthier delay and will be released this fall), You're Next is absolutely worth the wait.

You're Next
Director: Adam Wingard
Starring: Sharni Vinson, AJ Bowen, Nicholas Tucci, Joe Swanberg

Only God Forgives (L.A. Film Fest 2013)

When Nicolas Winding Refn and Ryan Gosling teamed up to create 2011's Drive, that film's basic premise sounded as if it could have been that of a Jason Statham film: a stunt driver by day works as a getaway driver by night. In their second collaboration, Only God Forgives, the premise sounds like something Jean-Claude Van Damme might have made: an American who runs a boxing club in Bangkok tries to avenge his brother's murder. In both cases, Refn's vision elevates the material beyond the superficial and results in fascinating character studies, but audiences hoping Only God Forgives is a spiritual sequel to Drive will likely be left as dazed as Gosling's OGF character after taking a punch.

Only God Forgives
Writer/Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas, Vithaya Pansringarm