X-Men: Apocalypse

I was listening to a review of this film in which the reviewer claimed that this was more of a 'greatest hits' compilation than standalone film, and that rang very true for me. Many of the set-pieces felt like something we'd seen many times before. I think there are real motivation problems from the antagonist, the dialogue is laughably bad at times, the CGI is incredibly uneven, the plot is bloated, and the action feels very unspectacular.

Even with all of that, I wouldn't say that this film was bad. There were lots of awesome characters present; characters that I grew up with, and this movie did a good job with almost all of them. The film, despite its flaws, was still enjoyable and very fun at times. I didn't walk away disappointed, but I didn't walk away thrilled either.

6.5/10

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising

The leads in this film do a great job with truly funny and savvy material. Chloe Grace Moretz felt largely outclassed, and given her pivotal role, the film was hurt somewhat. Not every joke landed for me, but plenty did and there is a wealth of attempts, so even when something missed, something else had me laughing shortly afterwards.

7.75/10

The Nice Guys

Shane Black delivers with this spiritual successor to Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang. In fact, the only bad things I have to say about this film are that it so closely mirrors his previous work. Of course, that previous work was hilarious and tremendously fun, as is The Nice Guys. Crowe and Gosling are perfectly cast, and a joy to watch in these roles. The plot is a great noir story, and I was loudly laughing throughout most of the film.

9.75/10

The Lobster

Colin Farrell stars in a very odd film that straddles the line between a dark comedy and a romance film. The world presented is very interesting and fun to live in for a bit, and the performances are tremendous. I think the film drags a bit, and would be improved with a bit more judicious cutting, but overall a great experience.

8/10

High Rise

While beautifully shot, I found the narrative fairly difficult to follow. The opening act is incredibly engaging, but the second and third dropped off quite a bit for me. It's a weird film, and it may work better for you, but I wanted something more.

5.5/10

Captain America: Civil War

This film is tremendous. So many characters, some new to the MCU, all of whom are handled so wonderfully. So many great action scenes, full of fun and novel beats. The central plot is engaging, and I love how they handle the villain role. The small breaks for genuinely funny moments. It's all just so damn good.

And the best part? Now maybe people will believe me when I tell them we haven't had a good Spider-Man movie yet. Because this movie finally nails the character, completely and perfectly. Just amazing.

I tried to find things I didn't like about this film, because comic book films still feel somehow lesser-than traditional films. But I couldn't.

10/10

Green Room

Incredibly gritty, tense, and exciting "fish-bowl" thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat for most of the movie. Be warned, there are some extremely graphic depictions of violent acts that will stay with you for a while.

8/10

Keanu

Keanu was a solid first outing for the comedy duo Key and Peele. While nothing was earth-shattering or particularly innovative, the film was funny and entertaining throughout. Despite some issues with the third act, it was mostly a positive experience.

7/10