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Chicago – The second major film about the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing (after last year’s “Patriots Day”) is “Stronger,” and it wisely focuses on one individual rather than the bigger event. Jake Gyllenhaal portrays Jeff Bauman, a spectator near the explosion that lost both his legs.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

There are two elements that position this film above Lifetime-Movie-of-the-Week territory… the unflinching look at a man recovering from losing both his legs while not having the resources that other people might have, and Jake Gyllenhaal’s interpretation of that situation. Gyllenhaal is an actor’s actor, using his instrument as a means to communicate beyond the dialogue. I don’t know how Jeff Bauman is in real life, but if I had to guess based on Gyllenhaal’s portrayal, it would be accurate to the real guy. Gyllenhaal’s Jeff never panders, capitulates to false heroism or steps away from the negative parts of recovery,...

For the last few years, it has almost felt like a waiting game with Jake Gyllenhaal and the Academy. He has an Oscar nomination, but has been snubbed a few times since then, most notably for Nightcrawler. On Friday, Gyllenhaal turns in one of his very best and most awards friendly performances yet with Stronger, a biopic that manages to subvert the expectations of the genre. Films too often become standard issue when dealing with this sort of subject, but that’s not the case here. It’s damn near perfect and, at least in this writer’s humble opinion, 2017’s best movie to date. It’s a triumph. The movie is a biopic of Jeff Bauman (Gyllenhaal), one of the many affected by the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. He’s a lovable schlub, someone who his on again off again girlfriend Erin Hurley (Tatiana Maslany) adores but can’t rely on.

"Can you please look at me for a second, Pete?" The Orchard has released a trailer for a wacky, dark comedy titled Donald Cried, from writer/director/star Kris Avedisian. The film is presented by David Gordon Green, Jody Hill, Danny McBride and Brandon James, which is a powerhouse comedy team-up. Avedisian stars as the titular Donald, a childhood friend of a man who returns to his hometown after his grandmother passes away. Awkwardness ensues, and things get a little fun. The cast includes Jesse Wakeman, Louisa Krause, Ted Arcidi, Shawn Contois, and Kate Fitzgerald. This played at festivals all over the world throughout 2016, so even though it may seem a bit weird, it's definitely a quality film worth your attention. Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Kris Avedisian's Donald Cried, direct from YouTube: With sudden passing of his grandmother, Peter Latang (Jesse Wakeman) returns to his hometown and encounters his long lost,...