While the film focus locally is on the Sundance Film Festival this weekend, a few new releases are sneaking into multiplexes—and are mostly best avoided.

Scott Renshaw had no problem with Jennifer Aniston's performance as a woman suffering from chronic pain in Cake (pictured), but the movie surrounding her is a phony bunch of contrivances. But it's still not as stupid and tedious as The Boy Next Door, with Jennifer Lopez playing a teacher stalked by her teenage neighbor after a one-night-stand.

MaryAnn Johanson noted the stench rising off of Mortdecai, a would-be caper with Johnny Depp as a foppish art dealer searching for a stolen painting.

Not screened for press: the George Lucas-produced Strange Magic, an animated musical fantasy set to classic rock tunes.

In this week's City Weekly cinema feature, our film contributors weigh in on the pleasant surprises and eye-rolling decisions in the 2015 Academy Award nominations announced last week.