Movies Graded

Director: Lasse Hallstrom, Joe Johnston Stars: Mackenzie Foy, Keira Knightley, Morgan Freeman Runtime: 99 minutes Synopsis:  While wandering around at a Christmas party, Clara finds herself transported to a magical world where an adventure awaits her. Performances: 5/10 Why? Keira Knightley, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, Mackenzie Foy... "The Nutcracker" is filled with names any person with basic film knowledge with would instantly recognize. Yet nobody's performance was even close to the talent associated we've grown accustomed to when it comes to these stars. Mirren and Freeman are barely in the movie at all, Foy sleepwalks through the entire thing and was never able to give life to a character that desperately needs some, and Knightley was so over the top that I sort of enjoyed until I didn't. There were some comedic moments, intentional or not, that I found were effectively delivered but other than that, there's nothing much to add here. ...

Director: Richard Donner Stars: Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, Harvey Stephens Runtime: 111 minutes Synopsis:  A high profile politician suspects that his son is the Antichrist.  Performances: 9/10 Why? "The Omen" not only features Gregory Peck in a deeply personal role for him (he felt partly responsible for his son's suicide), but also has one of the best child performances of all time in the person of Harvey Stephens. The at the time 6-year-old was absolutely chilling in the role of Damien but had also an innocence that makes the audience feel bad for the kid. The person most people will remember as the main antagonist and most unlikable character will certainly be Billie Whitelaw's Mrs. Baylock, Damien's nanny and protector. She also gave the performance of her career, even though her role wasn't as emotional as Peck's or Remick's.  Screenplay: 8/10 Why? It's simple. Without "The Omen", modern horror classics such as...

Director: Spike Lee Stars: John David Washington, Adam Driver, Laura Harrier Runtime: 135 minutes Synopsis:  The true story of an African American detective that manages to infiltrate the KKK. Performances: 6/10 Why? Apart from Adam Driver's, who gave one of the bravest performances of his career and solidified his status as one of the best actors working today, I found the rest of the performances to be rather dull. The acting was definitely not bad, just unspecial and not exactly memorable. I didn't entirely buy John David Washington (the son of a certain Denzel Washington) in the lead role, nor his romance with Laura Harrier's character. The actors playing the KKK members worked well most of the time but were still portrayed in an over the top fashion in a lot of scenes. Screenplay: 7/10 Why? Spike Lee does a great job balancing humor and drama in a movie that deals with a very heavy subject. Set in the 1970s and centered around an African American...

Director: Carlos Lopez Estrada Stars: Daveed Diggs, Rafael Casal, Janina Gavankar Runtime: 95 minutes Synopsis:  A man living the last days of his probation period witnesses an incident that will change his views and reevaluate his life choices. Performances: 9/10 Why? Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal deliver what are in my opinion two of the best performances of the year. They managed to give their respective characters the emotional range needed to make them as grounded as possible all the while adding the necessary amount of humor that also made them relatable and likable. They somehow turned two characters that could've easily been seen as over the top and even caricatural into ones I deeply connected with and felt that I have known for years. Screenplay: 9/10 Why? If Shakespeare was alive today and wanted to write something that emphasized the problems our society was facing, I'm pretty certain that he would've written something similar to th...

Director: David Gordon Green Stars: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak Runtime: 106 minutes Synopsis:  Michael Myers returns to haunt Laurie Strode exactly 40 years after their first encounter. Performances: 5/10 Why? None of the performances really grabbed me or elevated the characters portrayed in any way. Jamie Lee Curtis was fine I guess, Judy Greer didn't do much, and the teen actors were genuinely bad in a lot of scenes.  Screenplay: 4/10 Why? I wasn't expecting much from the script going in since, like most people excited to see this sequel (yes, sequel), I was looking forward to watching one of the most iconic horror villains gruesomely kill a bunch of people. And it still managed to disappoint me. "Halloween" had a much serious vibe than the other more ridiculous and self-aware sequels and therefore had to at least present a more cohesive narrative with somewhat interesting characters. But all we got were disposable and forgett...

Director: Sylvain White Stars: Joey King, Julia Goldani Telles, Jaz Sinclair Runtime: 93 minutes Synopsis:  A group of friends is shaken by the disappearance of a friend after watching a creepy online video. Performances: 2/10 Why? Terrifying, but for all the wrong reasons. Granted, the writing did not really help the actresses do their job properly, but they also lacked everything, from charm to delivery, that makes a performance at least decent. In fact, they were so bad in some scenes intended to be suspenseful that I just couldn't take them seriously and even burst out laughing. Screenplay: 1/10 Why? "Slender Man" has got to be one of the worst movies of the year, and the script is the main reason why. I can't think of a single aspect of it that was even sort of acceptable. The dialogue felt written by a middle-aged man who just googled "how do teens talk these days", which eventually led to the characters being your typical high sc...

Director: Gareth Evans Stars: Dan Stevens, Richard Elfyn, Paul Higgins Runtime: 130 minutes Synopsis:  A man travels to an island to rescue his kidnapped sister from a dangerous religious cult. Performances: 8/10 Why? Dan Stevens like you've never seen him before. The actor showed an entirely different face that mixed rage and fear in this movie that had me excited for future projects of his. The rest of the cast was also exceptional. They all played a huge part in making the movie as realistic as it was. Screenplay: 6/10 Why? While there are lots of aspects I loved about the story, especially in its third act, I can't really say that it had me interested the entire time. I felt that it took quite a bit of time to really take off and start to get interesting. Some decisions made by the characters didn't make a whole lot of sense as well. However, the dialogue was extremely well written and beautifully mirrored the time at which the story takes place, a...

Director: Dario Argento Stars: Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini, Flavio Bucci Runtime: 92 minutes Synopsis:  A young dancer joins a German ballet academy where sinister things start happening. Performances: 8/10 Why? From Jessica Parker's naive portrayal to Alida Valli's threatening and menacing portrayal, every single performance was memorable and unique for different reasons. The only problem I had with them, and I don't think  the actors are to blame for it, was the kind of obvious and at times distracting Italian dubbing.  Screenplay: 8/10 Why? "Suspiria" had all the ingredients of a well-written horror movie. From interesting characters to unsettling and even disturbing events, the classic will leave you on the edge of your seat for its entire runtime. Argento does a great job setting the atmosphere and emerging the audience into his story, despite some minor flaws here and there that affected my enjoyment of a few scenes, but not the ...

Director: Drew Goddard Stars: Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson Runtime: 141 minutes Synopsis:  A bunch of strangers' stay at the El Royale goes awfully wrong when their secrets start to surface. Performances: 6/10 Why? All the performances were good but no one truly had a chance to stand out. I didn't particularly find myself attached or caring about any of the characters, and part of the problem was because I couldn't relate to any of them. Screenplay: 5/10 Why? After the surprise hit that was "The Cabin in the Woods", I was really looking forward to what Drew Goddard was going to bring next to the table. And I was let down. On paper, the idea seemed perfect for the writer/director also responsible for popular TV shows like "Lost" and "Daredevil" and sure, "Bad Times" definitely had its moments, but it's tainted by characters I simply couldn't care about, a questionable logic, and unengaging d...

Director: Jacques Tourneur Stars: Frances Dee, Tom Conway, James Ellison Runtime: 69 minutes Synopsis:  A nurse is sent to the Caribbeans to take care of the wife of a wealthy plantation owner.  Performances: 6/10 Why? Good without being memorable. There were neither weak links nor stand out performances. Screenplay: 6/10 Why? The only thing I really loved about the story was its ending. The rest is just uneventful and even at times... boring. Too bad since I personally really liked the way the zombie was presented, which is very different from the modern image we have of the undead monster. Costumes/Makeup: 6/10 Why? Nothing mindblowing. Though I did quite enjoy the design of the African community. Editing: 8/10 Why? Even though I found the movie to have some pacing issues, I don't believe it's the editing department's fault. In fact, I believe they did an excellent job cutting down the runtime of the film to minimize its dragging...

Director: Brian De Palma Stars: Sassy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Amy Irving Runtime: 98 minutes Synopsis:  A shy high school student raised by an extremely religious mother discovers she has telekinetic powers. Performances: 9/10 Why? Both Sassy Spacek and Piper Laurie give the performances of their lifetimes in this movie as the title character and her menacing mother. They were rewarded with deserving Academy Awards nominations for their efforts, a rare achievement when it comes to the horror genre. The supporting cast (which includes a young John Travolta) was also really good but didn't have the impact the two leads had on the film. Screenplay: 8/10 Why? Another example where simplicity is proven to be an effective tool when it comes to making great horror movies. The story is pretty straightforward and it becomes quickly clear that the focus is to develop interesting characters the audience will feel attached to. Carrie's character is one of the most fasc...

Director: Boots Riley Stars: Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler Runtime: 111 minutes Synopsis: A young telemarketer discovers the recipe for a successful career. But is it really worth it?  Performances: 7/10 Why? Good performances all around without being really memorable. A great balance of comedy and drama and some hilarious short appearances by stars like Terry Crews and Danny Glover definitely made the movie a lot more fun.  Screenplay: 6/10 Why? What a frustrating third act. Apart from the last 30 minutes which honestly belong in a trash can, the film was both funny and fresh. It all went to shit when Armie Hammer's character is introduced and sort of tainted the fun I had in the first two acts. I was still impressed with Boots Riley's first showing as a director, however, and can't wait to see what he does next. Costumes/Makeup: 5/10 Why? Again, the last act completely ruins the efforts put into the design of the characters...

Director: Paul Greengrass Stars: Anders Danielsen Lie, Jonas Strand Gravli, Jon Oigarden Runtime: 143 minutes Synopsis:  The story of one of the darkest days in Norway's history. Performances: 5/10 Why? The actors cruelly lacked the emotion needed to bring life to their characters, which is a problem when the movie heavily depends on their vulnerabilities and strengths. The decision to shoot the film in English despite it featuring Norwegian actors is one I just couldn't get behind as well. It made their characters less believable and just didn't make sense to me.   Screenplay: 5/10 Why? Frustrating. Unlike Greengrass' other films that fall in the same category ("United 93" and "Captain Phillips"), "22 July" told the story of the events of Anders Breivik's terrorist attack in a very mediocre way. All the characters lacked development and are just thrown in without any real depth, the dialogue was cheesy on more tha...

Director: Aaron Horvath, Peter Rida Michail Stars: Greg Cipes, Scott Menville, Khary Payton Runtime: 84   minutes Synopsis:  A group of superheroes make it their mission to star in their own Hollywood film. Animation: 4/10 Why? Based on a TV show called "Teen Titans Go!", the movie's animation looked exactly like it, which honestly doesn't really work on the big screen. It felt more like a TV production that belongs on Cartoon Network, and maybe should've been that. Performances: 5/10 Why? They were okay, I guess. There wasn't a standout voice performance, but some worked more than others.  Screenplay: 1/10 Why? "Teen Titans Go! To the Movies" is by far my least favorite superhero movie of the year. The narrative was incredibly flawed, and the jokes didn't land at all. I don't even see kids enjoying the film, as it's far too dependent on references to films they may not be familiar with (like "Back to the ...

Director: Bradley Cooper Stars: Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper, Sam Elliott Runtime: 136 minutes Synopsis:  A famous musician helps a shy songwriter gain the confidence needed to make it big. Performances: 7/10 Why? It's no secret that Lady Gaga is an amazing singer. And yes, she nails every single song she performed in the movie. The surprise for me was Bradley Cooper's voice. He somehow managed to be Gaga's equal without stealing the spotlight. I did have some issues with their performances however. I didn't truly buy their characters as Cooper basically spent two and a half hours acting drunk and doing a Sam Elliott impression (who was also in the movie, appearing here and there without adding anything to the story). Gaga was good, but her performance didn't make me particularly excited for eventual future projects of  hers. I thought she played herself for most of the movie, but have to admit that she did it  pretty well.  Screenplay: 6/10 W...

Director: Katsuhiro Otomo Stars: Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama Runtime:  124 minutes Animation: 10/10 Performances: 8/10 Screenplay: 6/10 Editing: 7/10 Cinematography: 9/10 Score/Soundtrack:  8/10 Verdict:  Taking place in a ravaged Neo-Tokyo, thirty-one years after the end of a hypothetical World War Three, "Akira" tells the story of bikers, telekinetic powers and a psychopath on the loose. One thing I loved about the movie was the design of the city of Neo-Tokyo, which was clearly inspired by the Los Angeles depicted in 1982's science-fiction masterpiece "Blade Runner". And this is where the movie differentiates itself from other animes, and why I would recommend it to everybody, even people not really into the Japanese form of art. "Akira" didn't feel like a traditional anime, but rather a mix of eastern and western animated films. The story was based on a Manga, but the way it was shot reminded me of movies like ...

Director: William Friedkin Stars: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair Runtime: 122 minutes Synopsis:  The daughter of a famous actress gets possessed by a demon. Performances: 10/10 Why? The performances in this movie are definitely one of the reasons "The Exorcist" is still considered to this day as one of the scariest horror films ever made. Ellen Burstyn beautifully portrays a mother scared out of her mind of her daughter's behavior. Linda Blair plays the role of Regan, the daughter in question possessed by a mysterious entity and gives what is, in my opinion, the best child performance ever featured in a horror movie. She sold both her sweet and terrifying sides, and singlehandedly made her character one of the most iconic characters in cinema history. A special mention goes to both Jason Miller and Max von Sydow who played the roles of the two priests in charge of the exorcism. Even though their characters weren't as interesting as the ones...

Director: Jeremy Saulnier Stars: Jeffrey Wright, Alexander Skarsgard, James Badge Dale Runtime: 125 minutes Synopsis:  A writer is called to hunt down wolves suspected to be responsible for the deaths of the three children in Alaska. Performances: 5/10 Why? Too dull. They cruelly lacked the energy the movie desperately needed. I didn't care about any of the characters featured and while it's completely the actors' fault, they still are to blame a little. Screenplay: 3/10 Why? Needlessly complicated, filled with boring characters and cheesy dialogue. I couldn't care less about the plot and finishing the film felt more like a chore than anything else.   Costumes/Makeup: 9/10 Why? The practical effects used were terrific. The cuts and injuries looked real, and there's quite a lot of them.  Editing: 4/10 Why? The movie's pacing was insufferable. And while it's mostly the script's fault, its editing didn't do much to help. A...

Director: Ruben Fleischer Stars: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed Runtime: 112 minutes Synopsis:  A mysterious symbiote called Venom takes journalist Eddie Brock as his host. Performances: 5/10 Why? I've never been a fan of Tom Hardy's acting. For me, he always plays the same character and has the emotional range of a bar of soap. In Venom, this statement is once again proven to be true, but kind of played in his favor. His performance as Eddie Brock was so ridiculous and over the top that I actually enjoyed it more than any of the other more serious performances. Michelle Williams' take on Anne was safe and forgettable, and Riz Ahmed's performance as the main villain Carlton Drake (who I'm convinced was inspired by Elon Musk) was over the top without being nearly as funny as Hardy's.  Screenplay: 5/10 Why? The first and third acts were boring. However, I actually enjoyed everything that happened in between. The part where Eddie and...

Director: Stephen Susco Stars: Rebecca Rittenhouse, Colin Woodell, Betty Gabriel Runtime: 92 minutes Synopsis:  The owner of a stolen laptop will go to extreme lengths to get it back. Performances: 2/10 Why? Even worse than in its predecessor. I couldn't take seriously any of the characters' reactions and emotional outbursts. The bad acting did result in a few laughs, however. Screenplay: 1/10 Why? A strong contender for the dumbest movie of the year award. The story made absolutely no sense whatsoever, the characters were all typical disposable horror clichés that always appear to lack the ability to think using logic, the ending was so ridiculous that it actually made me laugh out loud, and the list goes on. The only decision I sort of liked was the riddance of the cheap paranormal factor which played an integral part in the first film.  Costumes/Makeup: 4/10 Why? Not a lot to say since we can barely even see the characters' clothes in the film, ...

Director: Justin MacGregor Stars: Greg Sestero, Tommy Wiseau, Kristen StephensonPino Runtime: 93 minutes Synopsis:  A man befriends a mortician and starts a shady business with him. Performances: 3/10 Why? One of the many reasons why "The Room" has gained its cult following is the performances featured in it, mostly by Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero, who join forces once again in the first volume of "Best F(r)iends". I was excited to see what the pair was going to deliver 15 years after the release of what is still to this day their most successful project, and was incredibly disappointed. The two actors lacked the charm needed to make their characters enjoyable and fun to watch. Wiseau's Harvey was painfully annoying to watch despite a couple of funny line deliveries here and there. Sestero felt in an entirely different movie than his costar which resulted in conflicting tones. The supporting cast was just plain bad and forgettable.  Screenpla...

Director: Tim Wardle Runtime: 96 minutes Synopsis:  Three young men discover that they are triplets separated at birth in 1980s New York. Verdict: The premise of this extremely well-received documentary pushed me to watch it even though I don't consider myself a big fan of this particular genre. And while the story of the three brothers is one I found fascinating, it's with the way it was presented that I had my issues. I couldn't help but feel that a lot of what was said in it was exaggerated for dramatic purposes, which is a thing that can't be forgiven in a documentary whose main goal is to tell a story in the most real way possible. I also didn't really find effective the way some revelations were made, which is a shame since some of the twists featured could've been worthy of a Hitchcockian gasp had they been presented as well as in other more realistically made documentaries. "Three Identical Strangers" was not bad overall, but was u...

Director: Debra Granik Stars: Thomasin McKenzie, Ben Foster, Jeffrey Rifflard Runtime: 109 minutes Synopsis:  A war veteran suffering from PTSD and his daughter must face the consequences of living in a public park. Performances: 7/10 Why? Despite feeling sometimes off, I thoroughly enjoyed both McKenzie and Foster's very realistic performances. I do wish, however, that they showed a little more emotional range that would've made their characters more interesting in my opinion. Screenplay: 6/10 Why? "Leave No Trace" holds a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, which is something only a handful of movies were able to achieve. And while there is no denying that the film is masterfully done, I just couldn't bring myself to care about the story told. I'd describe it as being more of a character study centered around the themes of PTSD and man's true place in the world than an actual narrative, but I felt that it suffered a lot in its pacing. I ...