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Despite its myriad of deficiencies, Mirrors ultimately sets itself apart from its underwhelming Asian-horror-remake brethren thanks primarily to Alexandre Aja's stylish visuals and Kiefer Sutherland's engaging central performance. Sutherland stars as Ben Carson, a disgraced police officer who begins noticing (and experiencing) odd occurrences after taking on a job as a security guard for a dilapidated department store. It's a premise that's generally employed to promising effect by Aja, as the filmmaker does a nice job of punctuating the deliberately-paced proceedings with appreciatively gruesome instances of gore. There reaches a point, however, at which the film's inherently derivative mystery becomes increasingly tiresome, with Ben's ongoing investigation into the central villain's origins ensuring that the third act inevitably (and lamentably) progresses at a virtual crawl. The less-than-satisfying explanation behind the demonic apparition's modus operandi cements the needlessness of the almost relentless exposition, while the action-packed climax simply feels out of place compared to the relatively low-key nature of everything that preceded it. Shorn of a good half hour, Mirrors surely would've fared a whole lot better - yet there's little doubt that the movie, anchored by some seriously impressive kill sequences (ie Amy Smart's now-indelible jaw-ripping interlude), is often far more entertaining than it has any right to be.

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An obvious improvement over its amateurish predecessor, The Last House on the Left employs the basic structure of Wes Craven's 1972 debut as a springboard for an uneven yet consistently engaging horror effort. The storyline follows athletic teenager Mari Collingwood (Sara Paxton) as she and a friend (Martha MacIsaac's Paige) are kidnapped, assaulted, and left for dead by a quartet of vicious goons (led by Garret Dillahunt's Krug), with the latter half of the proceedings detailing Mari's parents' (Tony Goldwyn's John and Monica Potter's Emma) efforts at avenging the mistreatment of their only child. It's a set-up that'll seem instantly familiar to those viewers with even a passing familiarity with Craven's creation, yet there's little doubt that screenwriters Adam Alleca and Carl Ellsworth generally do a superb job of infusing the proceedings with bursts of unexpected innovation (ie Krug's backstory, Mari's fate, etc). It's also worth noting that the misguided comedic elements that plagued the first film are entirely absent here, as director Dennis Illiadis emphasizes an atmosphere of dread that pervades throughout much of The Last House on the Left's (admittedly overlong) running time. And while Illiadis and company eschew the torture and sadism featured so prominently in the original (ie the notorious "pee your pants" interlude has been excised), the movie is often quite unflinching in its portrayal of violence and it's certainly not difficult to envision certain viewers having a tough time with the intentionally hard-to-watch rape sequence. The uniformly strong performances cement the picture's place as an above-average horror remake, and though there are admittedly a few lulls within the narrative (ie the film probably should've topped out at 80 minutes), it ultimately goes without saying that The Last House on the Left is superior in every conceivable way to its head-scratchingly lauded predecessor.

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Though it boasts a striking visual sensibility and a number of admittedly thrilling action sequences, Push suffers from an uneven sensibility that essentially holds the viewer at arm's length virtually from start to finish. This is despite an opening half hour that's actually quite promising, as screenwriter David Bourla emphasizes a series of individually-compelling set pieces that prove effective at establishing the movie's off-kilter alternate reality. The film, which follows several paranormally-gifted characters (including Chris Evans' Nick Gant and Dakota Fanning's Cassie Holmes) as they attempt to unravel a sinister government conspiracy, benefits substantially from Peter Sova's kinetic cinematography and François Séguin's future-punk production design, and it's consequently not a stretch to label Push a cinematic cousin to Michael Winterbottom's similarly-themed sci-fi endeavor Code 46. Such comparisons inevitably prove to be unfounded, however, as the middling midsection eventually gives way to a third act that's almost absurdly convoluted - with the increasingly underdeveloped characters preventing the viewer from forming an emotional attachment to the various protagonists. The needlessly frenetic conclusion only cements Push's place as a headache-inducing piece of work, which is certainly a shame give the talent both in front of and behind the camera.

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Sunshine Cleaning follows a pair of squabbling sisters (Amy Adams' Rose and Emily Blunt's Norah) as they attempt to start up (and maintain) a crime-scene cleaning business, with the bulk of the proceedings subsequently following their efforts at dealing with a variety of work-related incidents and personal problems. Director Christine Jeffs has infused Sunshine Cleaning with a low-key, almost unassuming visual style that ideally complements Megan Holley's subtle screenplay, yet there's little doubt that it's the uniformly stellar (and downright captivating) performances that prove instrumental in sustaining the viewer's interest. Adams' ingratiating work as the perpetually sunny Rose is effectively counterbalanced by Blunt's turn as her sullen sibling, while there's certainly no denying the exemplary efforts of the film's periphery performers - with Clifton Collins Jr.'s sympathetic, flat-out engrossing stint as Rose's one-armed benefactor (and potential suitor) Winston standing out amidst a supporting cast that includes Alan Arkin, Steven Zahn, and Mary Lynn Rajskub. The almost episodic nature of Holley's script admittedly does ensure that certain sequences and subplots don't fare as well as others - ie Norah's ongoing encounters with Rajskub's Lynn can't help but come off as fairly needless in the big picture - and it's ultimately clear that the movie could've benefited from some judicious pruning around its edges. The inclusion of several genuinely touching moments within the movie's third act makes it simple enough to overlook such problems, however, and Sunshine Cleaning finally (and firmly) establishes itself as a charming and easy-going indie treat.

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Set in 1987, Adventureland follows bright college graduate James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) as he reluctantly agrees to take on a job at a low-rent amusement park to pay the bills - with the bulk of the proceedings subsequently revolving around his various misadventures within the title locale's sprawling grounds (as well as his attempts at wooing Kristen Stewart's spunky Em Lewin). Director Greg Mottola has infused Adventureland with a laid-back sensibility that inevitably proves an ideal complement to his unapologetically uneventful screenplay, and there's little doubt that the pervasively authentic atmosphere proves instrumental in initially holding the viewer's interest (ie Mottola effectively captures the circa-1980s landscape without resorting to over-the-top tricks or gimmicks). Eisenberg's winning work as the central character certainly perpetuates the low-key yet likeable vibe, with his efforts ably (and agreeably) assisted by a uniformly appealing supporting cast that includes Martin Starr, Ryan Reynolds, and Bill Hader. There comes a point, however, at which the increasingly plotless bent of Mottola's script becomes oppressive, as the filmmaker's relentlessly episodic modus operandi is ultimately hindered by the inclusion of several eye-rollingly predictable plot threads (a fake break-up? Really?) It’s consequently not surprising to note that the positive vibes established by Mottola and his cast are inevitably rendered moot as the movie limps towards its exceedingly anti-climactic conclusion, with the end result a weak coming-of-age story that's simply unable to bring anything new to the well-worn genre.

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