Beautiful Creatures

It had an ignoble opening weekend—the kind that threatens the existence of a franchise—but Beautiful Creatures is smarter, more fun and flat-out better than the Twilight movies it hoped to cash in on. Though it may not get that chance since studios pull wide releases out of theaters quickly once they tank, this film presents very similar circumstances—the awkwardness of teenage love wrapped into a conflict between supernatural families and a small-minded small town—but does so with more flair. Ethan (Alden Ehrenreich) hates his hick town of Gatlin, S.C. Then Lena (Alice Englert) shows up. She’s different … because she’s a witch (or “caster”). And there are powerful sects fighting for Lena’s soul, a war that will be settled for good on her upcoming 16th birthday. Jeremy Irons steals the show as Lena’s dandy uncle, with a drawl so showy it belongs in Django Unchained.