"Still Allice" cuts to the core of human existence.

"Still Alice" examines the essence of communication."Still Alice" asks: When is Alice still Alice?The film drama, "Still Alice," sensitively examines what happens when the brain no longer functions properly.Alice (Julianne Moore) is a respected Columbia University professor of linguistics and an author. She is married to a successful medical researcher (Alec Baldwin). They live in a beautiful, charming and tastefully decorated Manhattan townhouse.They have three adult children: Lydia (Kristen Stewart), an aspiring actress who is single; Anna (Kate Bosworth), an attorney who is married and expecting a baby; and Tom (Hunter Parrish), a graduate student.Soon after her 50th birthday, Alice becomes forgetful. She gets lost on one of her jogs around Central Park. She has increasing difficulty falling asleep. She sees a neurologist.Alice is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's. Moreover, she has familial Alzheimer's. It's hereditary."Still Alice" is an important film, seemingly made and told with love. It is another step on the journey to understanding persons with Alzheimer's and the disease itself."Still Alice" could be relegated to one of those TV disease of the week movies were it not for the performance of Julianne Moore, the Oscar actress recipient.Moore is in nearly every scene of "Still Alice." She embodies the role in a muted, tightly drawn yet somehow casual performance. She also presents the arc of her character's transition as the disease begins to take hold and worsens.Baldwin (TV's "30 Rock") provides good support as her husband.Stewart ("Twilight Saga") is a surprising standout as a daughter.Directors Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland (TV's "America's Next Top Model," 2012-'13; "The Last Of Robin Hood," 2013; "Quinceañera," 2006) wrote the screenplay based on the 2014 novel, "Still Alice," by Lisa Genova."Still Alice" is a beautiful film, not only in cinematography and performance, but in content."Still Alice" is unforgettable, especially for Julianne Moore's nuanced performance."Still Alice, MPAA Rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some Material May Be Inappropriate For Children Under 13.) for mature thematic material, and brief language including a sexual reference; Genre: Drama; Run Time: 1 hr., 21 mins.; Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics.Credit Readers Anonymous: Maria Shriver, Arnold Schwarzenegger's wife, who has produced documentaries, and Trudie Styler, Sting's wife who has produced several feature films, are among the producers of "Still Alice."Box Office, Feb. 20: "Fifty Shades Of Grey" again dominated, two weeks in a row at No. 1, with $23.2 million, $130.1 million, two weeks, beating back opening movies."Kingsman: The Secret Service" continued at No. 2, $17.5 million, $67.1 million, two weeks, as did "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water" at No. 3, $15.5 million, $125.1 million, three weeks. The Kevin Costner drama, "McFarland, USA," opened at No. 4, with $11.3 million. "The DUFF" opened at No. 5, with $11 million.6. "American Sniper," $9.6 million, $319.6 million, nine weeks; 7. "Hot Tub Time Machine 2," $5.8 million, opening; 8. "Jupiter Ascending," $3.6 million, $39.5 million, three weeks; 9. "The Imitation Game," $2.5 million, $83.9 million, 13 weeks; 10. "Paddington," $2.2 million, $67.6 million, six weeks;Unreel, Feb. 27:"Focus," R: A grifter takes a young woman under his wing. Will Smith and Margo Robbie star in the romantic-comedy."Maps To The Stars," R: It's Hollywood from the perspective of aspiring stars and those whose celebrity is in the past. David Cronenberg directs Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowsa, Robert Pattison and John Cusack in the drama."The Lazarus Effect," PG-13: Medical students discover a way to bring the dead back to life. Evan Peters, Olivia Wilde and Mark Duplass star in the thriller.Read Paul Willistein's movie reviews at the Lehigh Valley Press website, thelehighvalley-press.com; the Times News website, tnonline. com; and hear them on "Lehigh Valley Art Salon," 6-6:30 p.m. Mondays, WDIY 88.1 FM, and wdiy.org, where they're archived. Email Paul Willistein: pwillistein@ tnonline.com. You can follow Paul Willistein on Twitter and friend Paul Willistein on Facebook.Three Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes