Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Amy Nicholson and Wade Major review this weekend’s new movie releases.

• "Escape Room" in wide release
• "Communion" at Laemmle's Playhouse & Laemmle's Monica Film Center (January 5th only) & Laemmle's Glendale (through January 10th)
• "The Vanishing" at AMC universal CityWalk
• "The Distant Barking of Dogs" at Laemmle's Royal Theater (January 5th & 6th and January 12th & 13th) & AMC Sunset (January 5th and January 8th) 
• "State Like Sleep" at Laemmle's Music Hall
• "Mojinn:The Worm Valley" at AMC Atlantic Times Square & AMC Puente Hills
• "American Hangman" at Galaxy Mission Grove

CRITICS' HITS:

Amy: "Escape Room" & "The Distant Barking of Dogs"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dSKUoV0SNI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dsnRsybtXM

Wade: "Communion"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daNmTaJc6sw

MIXED FEELINGS

Amy: "The Vanishing"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyFlfN4dD14

Wade: "American Hangman"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jhMTs7RDxg

MISSES

Amy: "State Like Sleep"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwzwmc2AZYg&t=

Wade: "Mojin: The Worm Valley"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rgmj92dAyoQ

Guests:

Amy Nicholson, film critic for KPCC, film writer for The Guardian and host of the podcasts ‘The Canon’ and ‘Unspooled’; she tweets

Wade Major, film critic for KPCC and CineGods.com