Vacation

I didn't expect much from this film, as it seemed like a bizarre and unnecessary sequel that nobody was asking for. And yet, I had a lot of fun with this one! The humor is self-aware and really well done. There are lots of small cameos that are mostly all hilarious, and the family's story arc, while not reinventing any wheels, was entertaining and satisfying.

7.75/10

The Hateful Eight

It's possible that I just love Tarantino's style; his aesthetics, dialogue, casting, camera work, all seem to work to create such fun and engaging films. And this was no different. I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll just say that fans of Tarantino will be right at home with his latest piece.

9/10

The Final Girls

A clever and funny twist on the 80s slasher flick. The quality of the special effects was noticeably bad and the camerawork felt fancy-for-fancy's-sake at times, but the film was intriguing and fun enough that I was able to get past the issues and enjoy it for what it was.

7.5/10

Cartel Land

Cartel Land is a gorgeous documentary about a heinous and terrifying situation. The film ostensibly follows a few of the "good guys", but I found myself horrified with their behavior for most of the film. This is a tough one to get through.

7/10

Concussion

Will Smith is as great and as entertaining as always, and the plot was quite intriguing for me. The film plays out in a "Law & Order meets House" sort of way, for better or for worse. I think the third act leaves a bit to be desired, but it was quite the enjoyable experience overall.

7.75/10

Carol

Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara both deliver phenomenal performances in this touching, raw, heartfelt character story.

9/10

The Danish Girl

A stunningly beautiful film in every sense of the word, headlined by two incredibly touching performances from Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander. I think the plot and pacing could be improved somewhat, but this is an excellent film to be sure.

8.5/10

Joy

As has been the case with David O Russell films lately, this attempt felt decidedly average to me. The problems Joy faced never felt of serious import, somehow always faraway and secondary. The performances are good, as always, but there wasn't a lot of meat for them to chew on.

6/10

The Overnight

The Overnight was an interesting experience. The acting is great, and the short run-time and quick pacing keeps the action moving along. The audience is kept in the dark as much as the two leads, which adds to the quirky and mysterious nature of the plot.

7.5/10

Cooties

Cooties
A goofy comedy-horror film with a fresh take on the zombie idea. Nothing really stood out in this film for me as being exceptional. The casting was okay, the acting fine, the story competent enough, etc. Fans of comedy will probably be let down, as will fans of horror films.

5/10

Call Me Lucky

Call Me Lucky
Ostensibly a documentary about a comedian that most haven't heard of, Call Me Lucky is so much more. It is funny, as one might expect, but it relates a story so deeply unsettling and viscerally told, but manages to be incredibly life-affirming and overwhelmingly positive. It is simply one of the best documentaries I've ever seen.

9.5/10

Minions

Minions
Minions is a solid family film with a great soundtrack. I found the premise to be interesting and clever, and the characters that made up the multitude of background villains were a lot of fun. This isn't anything groundbreaking, but it wasn't bad either, to my surprise.

6.75/10

The Big Short

This film takes a complicated and intricate subject-matter and presents it in a wonderfully entertaining way. The faux-guerilla-documentary camerawork and characters constantly breaking the fourth wall help to keep the audience engaged, which is important when the subject matter is so depressing and scary. The performances are excellent, but Carell steals the show for me again.

9.25/10

Sisters

From a cast so talented and hilarious, this final product was quite the letdown. Despite a few moments that caused a chuckle, most jokes just completely missed the mark for me. While not a total waste of time, this film doesn't deserve anyone's immediate attention.

5.75/10

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

Leading up to the release, I kept my exposure to trailers and news at a minimum, in an attempt to control my excitement a bit, lest I get tricked by a Star Wars film again. But in the final few days, I couldn't contain myself. I was excited. My expectations had been raised to an unrealistically high level. Imagine my surprise when they weren't only met, but surpassed!

This film is capital F-U-N fun. It's humorous, the characters are great, and the performances better. I'd note some of the more exceptional examples, but I'd end up listing most of the cast. The action beats were exhilarating. Essentially, I sat in my chair struck with childlike wonder for the duration of the runtime, and that's one of the best things I can think of to say about a film.

It isn't a perfect film; it isn't the best Star Wars film nor the best movie of the year. But it is really, really damn good, and I couldn't be happier or more excited for the future of the franchise. It truly feels like everyone involved was oozing passion and respect for the original trilogy. This is truly one of the best times I've had in the theater in a long time.

I'm thrilled to be able to do this:

9.25/10

I Smile Back

This film lives and dies with Sarah Silverman's fantastic and surprising, courageous and utterly raw performance. The plot is somewhat rote, but still manages to be crushing and depressing.

7.75/10

Shaun the Sheep

A wonderful and fun animated tale. The story isn't the most original thing in the world, but the film is absolutely gorgeous, and does a lot with basically no dialogue.

8/10

Room

The story is expertly told in a manner that, although the trailer spoils some elements, still evokes significant response. The film is harrowing and hard to watch at parts, and then heartwarming and joyously beautiful. The two lead performances are on another level, especially the young Jacob Tremblay. Awards for everyone and everything in this film.

10/10

Amy

I would say that I knew the average amount about Amy Winehouse; I enjoyed Back to Black, and knew that she was exceptionally talented and troubled. We've seen that story play out a million times.

And yet, this documentary caused feelings of awe at her talent, anger and sadness at the reality of her situation, and disappointment in humanity and our celebrity-obsessed culture.

8.25/10

Bone Tomahawk

A really fun western with excellent characters and dialogue. The pacing is deliberate, which certainly works for the narrative, but may drive some viewers away.

7.75/10