Reel advice: Humanity and horror

Belle (Fox Searchlight), which on the surface looks like it might be another stuffy 18^th century Brit period piece, based on a true story, turns out to be one of the most delightful, entertaining and informative films of 2014. With England's prosperous slave trade and the Zong ship slave massacre as the backdrop, Belle sensitively tells the story of Dido Elizabeth Belle, the illegitimate daughter of a British admiral and a slave.

Following her mother's death, at her father's insistence, the young Dido is given "a good life, one that she was born to," raised at Kenwood House in Hampstead Village, alongside her cousin Elizabeth, by aunt and uncle, Lady (Emily Watson) and Lord (Tom Wilkerson) Mansfield. The cousins grow up together, their unique relationship captured for posterity in a groundbreaking work of portraiture.

Before long, suitors start calling on Elizabeth (Sarah Gradon) and Dido (Gugu Mbatha-Raw). The depiction of the way Dido's relatives deal with her station in life, moving from adhering to the dictates of society to becoming unexpectedly progressive, is eye-opening and refreshing.

Equally poignant is the portrayal of the dueling men in Dido's life. The upper-class Oliver (James Norton) and ambitious vicar's son John (Sam Reid), both of whom have authentic feelings for the young woman, in spite of the societal pressures of the time.

Director/actress Amma Assante gives the film an appealing Merchant/Ivory quality. She also makes unexpected use of humor throughout the film, raising it to another level, allowing it to ring with humanity.

Construction director Ivan Locke (Tom Hardy) is in the process of resolving as many "fuck-ups" as he's creating in the one-man show Locke (IM Global). On the eve of the biggest concrete pour ever in Europe, Locke is in his BMW SUV, driving away, almost two hours to London, to be with Bethan (voiced by Olivia Colman), a woman who became pregnant with his baby after a one-night fling.

The fact that it was the only time that he ever strayed in his 15 year marriage to Katrina (voiced by Ruth Wilson) makes no difference to his wife. Through a series of car-phone calls, we get to know these two women almost as well as Ivan knows them. For example, when Bethan asks Ivan if he hates her for going through with pregnancy, he tells her he doesn't really know her well enough to have those kinds of feelings. Meanwhile, it's perfectly clear how much Ivan loves Katrina (as well as his sons Sean and Eddie) through their phone conversations and the tears he sheds.

Ivan also converses with others. There's his boss, Gareth (Ben Daniels), who, in spite of Ivan's track record of excellence, may not be able to save his job. There is the medical staff at the hospital, to whom Ivan constantly makes the distinction between being the baby's father and Bethan's partner, keeping him abreast of the delivery situation. He also carries on an imaginary conversation with his father, a man he despises and one he doesn't want to be anything like. But it is Ivan's calls with Donal (Andrew Scott), his right hand man at the construction site, which provide necessary tension-breaking humor and offer more insight into Ivan.

Locke is especially notable for giving viewers another side of Hardy to admire. Bearded, beaten down by life and a head cold (he's constantly blowing his nose and chugging meds), Hardy's Locke is the only face we see on-screen for 85 minutes. It's to Hardy's credit that we never look away.

Part homage, part parody, Jerome Sable's Stage Fright (Magnet), contains references to Camp, Phantom of the Opera, Friday the 13^th, Carrie, Phantom of the Paradise, Scream and countless other pop culture faves in the horror/slasher/fame genres. Stage Fright opens with the familiar horror device of a gory death – the brutal murder of Broadway musical diva Kylie (Minnie Driver in a sly nod to her role in the movie version of Phantom of the Opera), then fast-forwards 10 years to the Center Stage Performing Arts Camp run by her former manager/boyfriend Roger (politically conservative rocker Meat Loaf).

Kylie's grown-up twin children Camilla (Allie McDonald) and Buddy (Douglas Smith) are the kitchen staff at the camp. But Allie has ambitions to be on the stage, and in spite of the rules prohibiting her from doing so, she auditions for the lead in the camp's Kabuki-ized production of Haunting of the Opera. It just so happens that that was the role Kylie was playing at the time of her murder.

As you might have guessed, Camilla is one of two campers, along with Liz (Melanie Leishman), cast as Sophia. Both Camilla and Liz are at the mercy of libidinous director Artie (Brandon Uranowitz), who, of course expects his actresses to put out before he decides who will perform on opening night when Broadway producer Victor (James McGowan) will be in attendance.

There is plenty of behind-the-scenes backstabbing as well as your run-of-the-mill killer-on-the-campground types of stabbings. Plus, there's a whole gay subplot involving here-and-queer stage manager David (Thomas Alderson) and insistently straight leading man Sam (Ephraim Ellis) that (high) kicks things up a notch.

So here's what sets Stage Fright apart from the movies it parrots. First and foremost, it's a musical, with songs containing witty lyrics and catchy melodies. Add to that the musical-within-a-musical element, and Stage Fright has more going for it than you might expect. The acting is of the over-the-top horror level, but it is balanced by the humor and respect it has for its subject matter. [Opening 5/16 in Chicago at the Music Box.]

Neither cheerleaders nor witches have the best reputations. So you can imagine what kind of messages All Cheerleaders Die (RLJ), a movie about high school cheerleaders who become zombies because of a spell cast by a teen witch with lesbian tendencies might be sending.

Head cheerleader Alexis (Felisha Cooper) puts the head back into head cheerleader via her interactions with football stud Terry (Tom Williamson). When she declares cheerleading to be the most dangerous high school sport, she's not kidding. Lexi breaks her neck and dies in a cheerleading accident.

Now Tracy (Brooke Butler) and Martha (Reannin Johannink), must find a replacement for the squad. It doesn't take long for them to select Maddy (Caitlin Stasey), whose queer rep – she was in a relationship with Wiccan classmate Leena (Sianoa Smit-McPhee) – is overlooked for her cheering skills. But Leena isn't just going to stand by and let her gal pal become one of the mean girls.

This is where the movie's moral – the consequences that come with getting what you wish for -- comes into play. Following a particularly excessive night of partying in a cemetery, things get violent and there are suddenly four dead girls. But after a little magic, a full moon and some stone throwing, they rise from the dead to cheer, strike fear and generally turn their suburban town upside down.

Co-written/co-directed by Lucky McKee (May) and Chris Sivertson, All Cheerleaders Die is identified as the first part of a series (that's wishful thinking!) and the cemetery finale (with its Carrie homage) would indicate there's more to come. [Spoiler alert: Let's hope they revive Terry and forget to give him a shirt.] [Currently available on VOD and opening in theaters on June 13.]