A tremendous gut-punch of a film, headlined by two phenomenal performances from Idris Elba and Abraham Attah. It felt as if I were watching Full Metal Jacket, only through the eyes of a literal child instead of a young man.
9.5/10
Circle
A mix between Cube and Saw, with a large helping of game-theory, Circle was an interesting film. The characters are less developed and more archetypal, but there are 50 of them in a 90-minute film, so I get it. My score is a bit propped up because I just love the premise of the film. It was hokey at times, but I admired the attempt. Streaming on Netflix, so check it out!
7/10
7/10
Steve Jobs
The performances are all top-notch, and the distinct styles of director Danny Boyle and writer Aaron Sorkin mesh well, and together shine brightly.
9/10
9/10
Crimson Peak
Crimson Peak was visually impressive, but the narrative left a lot to be desired. I had issues with the pacing, and the character development (specifically between Hiddleston and Wasikowska) could've been much better.
7/10
7/10
Bridge of Spies
This was an odd experience. It's obviously expertly crafted and Hanks delivers a top-notch performance. The plot didn't really do anything for me, though. The events weren't particularly interesting, nor did they feel particularly important.
7.5/10
7.5/10
Grandma
The two lead performances are fantastic, especially Lily Tomlin. The story was touching and genuine, and the journey the characters take is complicated and produces some incredibly heartfelt moments.
9/10
9/10
Goodnight Mommy
Altogether beautiful, chilling, and disturbing. This film gets the highest praise I can offer, in that at its conclusion, I found myself stunned, in awe of what I had just been a part of. I needed a minute before I could leave the theater, and as I sit outside typing this now, I'm still wholly unsettled.
9.25/10
9.25/10
Not Cool
It is clear that this is a very young filmmaker with a juvenile sense of humor. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but those kinds of jokes tend to stand out more when they don't work, and often feel cheap and/or forced.
That being said, there were some things to like here. Whenever characters weren't acting like absurd, cartoon versions of people, for starters. Shane Dawson was fine in the lead role, but shouldn't have played any of the ancillary characters that he did. He and his female costar shared a few really great moments, and I really enjoyed how he incorporated social media. It helped to ground his film, which, thanks to his YouTube tendencies, was sorely needed.
6.25/10
That being said, there were some things to like here. Whenever characters weren't acting like absurd, cartoon versions of people, for starters. Shane Dawson was fine in the lead role, but shouldn't have played any of the ancillary characters that he did. He and his female costar shared a few really great moments, and I really enjoyed how he incorporated social media. It helped to ground his film, which, thanks to his YouTube tendencies, was sorely needed.
6.25/10
Hollidaysburg
The story is told competently, but I wasn't made to care about any of the characters, or what was happening in their lives. There wasn't anything memorable or interesting in this film.
5/10
5/10
Sicario
Sicario
Sicario is one of the best-looking films I've ever seen. Roger Deakins, the cinematographer, is a genius, and Villeneuve's direction complimented that brilliance wonderfully.
Blunt and Del Toro both deliver incredible performances, and this cold, unrelentingly disturbing trip into darkness begins early in the film and never lets up, not for one second.
9/10
Sicario is one of the best-looking films I've ever seen. Roger Deakins, the cinematographer, is a genius, and Villeneuve's direction complimented that brilliance wonderfully.
Blunt and Del Toro both deliver incredible performances, and this cold, unrelentingly disturbing trip into darkness begins early in the film and never lets up, not for one second.
9/10
The Walk
The Walk
Joseph Gordon-Levitt delivers a beautiful performance as an incredibly driven and charismatic wire-walker. I really enjoyed the structure and visual choices made with this film, and the final act is gorgeous in so many different ways, it's worth your time even if the film takes a little while to get going.
8.75/10
Joseph Gordon-Levitt delivers a beautiful performance as an incredibly driven and charismatic wire-walker. I really enjoyed the structure and visual choices made with this film, and the final act is gorgeous in so many different ways, it's worth your time even if the film takes a little while to get going.
8.75/10
The Martian
The Martian
A tremendous adaptation of an excellent book, filled to the brim with great performances and beautiful cinematography. Oh, and it has a fantastic, life-affirming message as well.
9/10
A tremendous adaptation of an excellent book, filled to the brim with great performances and beautiful cinematography. Oh, and it has a fantastic, life-affirming message as well.
9/10
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