Movies Graded

Director: Christopher Nolan Stars: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart Runtime:  152 minutes Synopsis:   When the menace known as the Joker wreaks havoc and chaos on the people of Gotham, Batman must accept one of the greatest psychological and physical tests of his ability to fight injustice. Performances: 9/10 Screenplay: 7/10 Editing: 7/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Score/Soundtrack:  9/10 Entertainment Factor:  9/10 Verdict:  "The Dark Knight" is considered by many to be the greatest superhero movie ever made. Some even go as far as to say that it's one of the best movies ever made (its number 4 spot on IMDb's Top 250 list proves it). And while I think that the second assessment is a little extreme, I can definitely get behind the first one. I had my fair share of issues with "Batman Begins", and as a result was a little nervous revisiting its sequel for the first time in nearly a decade. I was scared that it would be the Heath Ledger show and that the...

Director: Makoto Shinkai Stars:  Kotaro Daigo, Nana Mori, Shun Oguri Runtime:  112 minutes Synopsis:  A high-school boy who has run away to Tokyo befriends a girl who appears to be able to manipulate the weather. Animation: 9/10 Screenplay: 5/10 Editing: 6/10 Score/Soundtrack:  8/10 Verdict:  With "Your Name" being one of my favorite animes of all time, Makoto Shinkai's follow up project became naturally one of my most anticipated films of 2019. I didn't know much about it, but it very much seemed similar to its predecessor in terms of concept with it being a love story between two teenagers brought together by some kind of supernatural connection. This time, it wasn't a body switch that served as the basis of their relationship, but rather a direct link to Tokyo's unnatural and intense rainy weather. I found "Weathering with You" to be a very cute watch overall enhanced by a beautiful score and impressive work in the animation department (the way th...

Director: Youssef Chahine Stars:  Farid Shawqi, Hind Rustum, Youssef Chahine  Runtime:  77 minutes Synopsis:  A newspaper salesman at the train station in Cairo develops an unhealthy obsession with a woman who sells refreshments. Performances: 7/10 Screenplay: 7/10 Editing: 8/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Score/Soundtrack:  8/10 Verdict: (Visiting 23 countries in 23 days from the comfort of your own home sounds like an impossible task. But through the power of film, #TheFreshPotatoesClub found a way to defy physics and plan a trip around the world through the #CrossingTheOneInchBarrier event. So sit back while I serve as your guide to a country with an immensely rich history: Egypt.) Oddly enough, Youssef Chahine's "Cairo Station", also known as "The Iron Gate", serves as my introduction to Egyptian Cinema, and quite frankly, I had no idea what to expect from it. I chose it purely due to the fact that it holds a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes and watched i...

Director: Steve McQueen Stars: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong'o, Michael Fassbender Runtime: 134 minutes Synopsis:   In the antebellum United States,  Solomon Northup , a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Performances: 5/5 Screenplay: 5/5 Costumes/Makeup: 5/5 Editing: 5/5 Cinematography: 5/5 Score/Soundtrack:  5/5 Verdict: "12 Years a Slave" is no easy watch. In fact, it's possibly one of the most depressing movies of the current century. But similarly to "Schindler's List", I'd qualify it as an essential watch that needs to be experienced at least once by everybody. The movie follows the true story of Solomon Northup who, despite being a respected free man, was kidnapped and sold to slavery in the mid-1800s. Directed by Steve McQueen, the film paints this dark era in human history in a brutal, upsetting way that makes the experience of watching it an intense and unsettling one. McQu...

Director:  Abbas Kiarostami Stars:     Babek Ahmed Poor ,  Ahmed Ahmed Poor ,  Khodabakhsh Defaei Runtime:  73 minutes Synopsis:   An 8-year-old boy must return his friend's notebook he took by mistake, lest his friend be punished by expulsion from school. Performances: 8/10 Screenplay: 8/10 Editing: 7/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Score/Soundtrack:  7/10 Verdict: The first installment in the unofficial Koker trilogy directed by legendary Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami proves that a simple premise can sometimes be very rewarding. "Where Is the Friend's House?" follows the journey of young Ahmed who, after noticing that he packed his classmate's notebook by mistake, decides against his mother's will to wander around the streets of a nearby village in order to find that friend's house and save him from being expelled the next day. Shot on location only 3 years before a devastating earthquake hit that same village, the movie...

Director: Christopher Nolan Stars: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Ken Watanabe Runtime:  140 minutes Synopsis:  After training with his mentor, Batman begins his fight to free crime-ridden Gotham City from corruption. Performances: 6/10 Screenplay: 5/10 Editing: 4/10 Cinematography: 6/10 Score/Soundtrack:  7/10 Entertainment Factor:  5/10 Verdict: 15 years ago, a young British filmmaker on the rise was trusted with a task no one thought was achievable. Christopher Nolan, who only had 2 hits to his name ("Insomnia" and "Memento"), was successfully handed over the Dark Knight franchise less than a decade after the debacle that was "Batman & Robin". And for many, the first installment not only redefined and legitimized comic book adaptations for years to come but also propelled Nolan's name among the most promising filmmakers in Hollywood. It wasn't until recently that I thought to myself that I hadn't revisited this trilogy since its last ins...

Director: Michael Showalter Stars: Issa Rae, Kumail Nanjiani, Paul Sparks Runtime:  86 minutes Synopsis:  A couple (Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani) experiences a defining moment in their relationship when they are unintentionally embroiled in a murder mystery. Performances: 5/10 Screenplay: 2/10 Editing: 6/10 Cinematography: 4/10 Score/Soundtrack:  5/10 Entertainment Factor:  2/10 Verdict: At one point in the movie, a character called the leading couple "annoying" twice, and it was the only time I even slightly related to anything that was going on in this new Netflix comedy/romance/thriller/crime/mystery. I'm a fan of Kumail Nanjiani and actually really loved "The Big Sick", which was his previous collaboration with director Michael Showalter, but their newest pairing just didn't work at all for me. I don't really have much to say about it, and that's because I feel like I said it a million times before when talking about a million other movies that f...

Director: Elio Petri Stars:  Gian Maria Volontè ,  Florinda Bolkan ,  Gianni Santuccio Runtime:  115 minutes Synopsis:  A chief of detectives, homicide section, kills his mistress and deliberately leaves clues to prove his own responsibility for the crime. Performances: 10/10 Screenplay: 9/10 Editing: 8/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Score/Soundtrack:  7/10 Verdict: I'll be honest, I put on this film solely due to what I thought was a clever synopsis. A highly ranked chief of police committing a murder and then being assigned the case sounds like a recipe for a good time, right? Well, what I wasn't expecting was to come out of it with the same feeling I felt when I watched "Taxi Driver" for the first time, as it was simply one of the most fascinating psychological studies I have ever seen. I know, I'm using big words, and some of you might think that I'm exaggerating. But trust me, I chose my words very carefully and am fully aware of their ...

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn Stars: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston Runtime:  100 minutes Synopsis:   A mysterious Hollywood stuntman and mechanic moonlights as a getaway driver and finds himself in trouble when he helps out his neighbor in this action drama. Performances: 9/10 Screenplay: 7/10 Editing: 8/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Score/Soundtrack:  7/10 Verdict:  "Drive" is considered by many to be Nicolas Winding Refn magnum opus, and it's easy to see why. I mean, how can one not at the very least appreciate the care that was put into the Ryan Gosling-led crime thriller? How can one not gaze at the gorgeous cinematography and cold atmosphere that englobe the mysteriousness of the unnamed protagonist? "Drive" is a treat for the eyes, there's no question there, and proves itself to be very effective when it comes to setting up an appropriately gloomy mood. Gosling's performance is as perfect as always and is supported by many talents that ea...

Director: Erik Poppe Stars:  Andrea Berntzen, Aleksander Holmen, Solveig Koløen Birkeland Runtime:  93 minutes Synopsis:  A teenage girl struggles to survive and to find her younger sister during the July 2011 terrorist mass murder at a political summer camp on the Norwegian island of Utøya. Performances: 9/10 Screenplay: 6/10 Cinematography: 10/10 Verdict: Do you remember when Paul Greengrass, a couple of years go, made a film about the horrible terrorist attack that shocked Norway and the world, but in English? No? Well, I don't blame you, because the film was terribly forgettable and certainly didn't do justice to both the survivors and casualties of the massacre. That same year, another film depicting these events came out, and yet didn't nearly get the same exposure as it's American twin. In fact, it barely got any buzz at all, which is something I can't wrap my head around considering the fact that it's by far the superior retelling of that particular stor...

Director: Kaouther Ben Hania Stars: Mariam Al Ferjani, Ghanem Zrelli, Noomen Hamda Runtime:  100 minutes Synopsis:  During a student party, Mariam, a young Tunisian woman, meets the mysterious Youssef and leaves with him. A long night will begin, during which she'll have to fight for her rights and her dignity. But how can Justice be made when it lies on the side of the tormentors? Performances: 8/10 Screenplay: 8/10 Editing: 9/10 Cinematography: 9/10 Verdict:  Beauty refers to Mariam, a 21-year-old Tunisian student who, like many women of the same age, enjoys going out with her friends to party, dance, and let some steam off. Dogs, on the other hand, is, in my opinion, a flattering word alluding to the disgusting policemen who sexually assaulted her, and every single person who attempted to cover them up or looked down on the victim in the traumatic aftermath of the incident. Together, they make up the title of one of the most devastating films I have seen recently. Deva...

Director: Tony Cervone Stars: Will Forte, Mark Wahlberg, Jason Isaacs Runtime:  94 minutes Synopsis:  Scooby and the gang face their most challenging mystery ever: a plot to unleash the ghost dog Cerberus upon the world. As they race to stop this dogpocalypse, the gang discovers that Scooby has an epic destiny greater than anyone imagined. Animation: 5/10 Performances: 5/10 Screenplay: 3/10 Editing: 6/10 Score/Soundtrack:  4/10 Entertainment Factor:  3/10 Verdict:  Like many kids that were born in the 1990s, I grew up with the animated Scooby-Doo series. And even today, I wouldn't mind revisiting a few episodes as I find the chemistry between the members of the Mystery Inc. charming and at the very least entertaining. I'm not going to lie, I was excited to see "Scoob!", the latest attempt from Warner Bros. animation department to bring a beloved show to the big screen (well, that was the plan anyway) as I thought that it would cater to original fans of the show ...

Director: Lucien Bourjeily Stars:  Farah Shaer ,  Jean Paul Hage ,  Jenny Gebara Runtime:  91 minutes Synopsis:  Josephine, the matriarch of a sprawling family, is delighted to gather everyone for Easter lunch for the first time in two years. While they all share a joyful meal, an incident ignites underlying tensions between the family members and leads them gradually into chaos. Performances: 7/10 Screenplay: 6/10 Editing: 7/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Verdict: "Heaven Without People" is a film I was looking forward to seeing when it originally came out a couple of years ago. However, a very limited release in theaters denied me of the joy of experiencing it on the big screen, and I had to wait for its Netflix release this week to finally get hold of it. The movie takes place entirely during a family Easter lunch in which tension grows as more sensitive conversation pieces are brought up. And aside from a few dodgy line deliveries and a couple of decisions I felt w...

Director: Quentin Tarantino Stars: Brad Pitt, Mélanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz Runtime:  minutes Synopsis:   In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a plan to assassinate Nazi leaders by a group of Jewish U.S. soldiers coincides with a theatre owner's vengeful plans for the same. Performances: 9/10 Screenplay: 8/10 Editing: 7/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Score/Soundtrack:  8/10 Entertainment Factor:  8/10 Verdict: (+) Its unique tone and personality make it one of the most entertaining World War 2 I have ever seen. (+) As expected from a Tarantino script, the dialogue is engaging and the characters are all charming and enjoyable. (+) Christoph Waltz' was born to play the charismatic multilingual Nazi Col. Hans Landa. Quite possibly one of the best antagonists in modern history. A bingo indeed! (+) Can one get any cooler than Brad Pitt's Lt. Aldo Raine? (+) While these two performances are the most amusing in the movie, the rest of the cast whi...

Director: Josh Trank Stars: Tom Hardy, Linda Cardellini, Kyle MacLachlan Runtime:  108 minutes Synopsis:  The 47-year old Al Capone, after 10 years in prison, starts suffering from dementia and comes to be haunted by his violent past. Performances: 7/10 Screenplay: 3/10 Editing: 5/10 Cinematography: 5/10 Score/Soundtrack:  4/10 Verdict: After the colossal disaster that was "Fantastic Four", Josh Trank was in a dire need of a new hit to get back on the successful track that was promised to him following his promising directorial debut. "Capone" was his chance to prove the world that he has the talent required to helm projects that go beyond the found footage subgenre but unfortunately for him, I highly doubt that audiences will change their mind on his abilities anytime soon. Tom Hardy's performance couldn't salvage a film that can best be compared to the makeup he was wearing and that somehow made him look like both a 35 and 70-year-ol...

Director:  Pablo Larraín Stars:  Mariana Di Girolamo ,  Gael García Bernal ,  Santiago Cabrera Runtime:  107 minutes Synopsis:  A couple deals with the aftermath of an adoption that goes awry as their household falls apart. Performances: 8/10 Screenplay: 4/10 Editing: 6/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Score/Soundtrack:  7/10 Verdict: Pablo  Larraín's "Ema" has been met with critical acclaim. Originally intended to get a wide theatrical release, the film instead was made available to the public through VOD due to the sanitary crisis that has abruptly closed cinemas around the world. And that's truly a shame because even though I couldn't connect to it as much as most people did, I would've loved to experience it on a larger screen as it can at least pride itself in its aesthetic and soundtrack. "Ema" follows a young mother's struggle to deal with the loss of her adopted child, which in turn resulted in growing tensions with her husb...

Director: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne Stars:  Thomas Doret ,  Cécile de France ,  Jérémie Renier Runtime:  87 minutes Synopsis:  Abandoned by his father, a young boy is left in a state-run youth farm. In a random act of kindness, the town hair-dresser agrees to foster him on weekends. Performances: 9/10 Screenplay: 8/10 Editing: 7/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Verdict: I'm starting to notice a pattern with the films written and directed by the Dardennes. They shine most when dealing with scripts revolving around character growth as they deal with very personal hardships. The French brothers have a way of making the audience care and relate to their characters, even when they haven't personally experienced what they're going through. "The Kid with a Bike" is about a young boy trying to come to terms with the hard reality that his father abandoned him in a youth farm. As his struggles grow bigger, the town's hairdresser surprises him with ...

Creator: Jack Thorne Stars:  André Holland ,  Leïla Bekhti ,  Randy Kerber Synopsis:  A French club owner deals with the everyday chaos of running a live music venue in the heart of Paris. Performances: 8/10 Screenplay: 5/10 Editing: 7/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Score/Soundtrack:  8/10 Verdict: Damien Chazelle hasn't been around for long but has already proven himself in such a way that I'll watch anything he's involved in, even if it's an eight-episode long limited series that garnered mixed reactions. His involvement in "The Eddy", which is the name of a small bar in Paris in which the events take place, isn't immense as he only directed the first two episodes and executive produced the rest but his signature jazzy approach to filmmaking is felt throughout each segment, and that's what makes it a recommendable watch. I'll be honest, the Netflix show is probably my least favorite project he's been involved in, but that doesn...

Director:  Hirokazu Koreeda Stars:  Masaharu Fukuyama ,  Machiko Ono ,  Yôko Maki Runtime:  121 minutes Synopsis:  Ryota is a successful workaholic businessman. When he learns that his biological son was switched with another boy after birth, he faces the difficult decision to choose his true son or the boy he and his wife have raised as their own. Performances: 9/10 Screenplay: 8/10 Editing: 7/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Score/Soundtrack:  7/10 Verdict: What if, 6 years after being blessed with your first child, you received a call from the hospital telling you that there has been a mistake and that your child was actually another couple's offspring? And what if you were given the chance to discuss with that other couple what should be done? Would you abide by nature's law and switch the children to raise your own blood, or keep things as they are, and continue what you have been building for the past 6 years? And if the latter opti...

Director: Christopher Nolan Stars:    Fionn Whitehead, Barry Keoghan, Mark Rylance Runtime:  106 minutes Synopsis:  Allied soldiers from Belgium, the British Empire, and France are surrounded by the German Army, and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II. Performances: 7/10 Screenplay: 7/10 Editing: 8/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Score/Soundtrack:  9/10 Verdict: "Dunkirk" is not a conventional war movie. Aside from being impressive from a technical level as you'd expect from a Christopher Nolan project, it sets itself apart from other films in the same genre by choosing to focus on an entirely different enemy: Time. Based on a real operation that occurred during the Second World War, the movie is told through a non-linear structure that follows three storylines, each taking place during a different amount of time. This choice, alongside Hans Zimmer's mesmerizing score that features a ticking clock suggesting a sensation ...

Director: The Spierig Brothers Stars:  Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook, Noah Taylor Runtime:  97 minutes Synopsis:  For his final assignment, a top temporal agent must pursue the one criminal that has eluded him throughout time. The chase turns into a unique, surprising, and mind-bending exploration of love, fate, identity, and time travel taboos. Performances: 6/10 Screenplay: 3/10 Editing: 6/10 Cinematography: 5/10 Score/Soundtrack:  4/10 Verdict: It wasn't long ago that I stumbled onto a list of "the most cleverly written movies ever made". And pretty high on that list was the Spierig Brothers' "Predestination", a film I had heard of in the past but never really had any interest in. Its inclusion in that list alongside gems like "Primer" or "Pi" did, however, sparkle my interest and I ended up checking it out despite my initial drawbacks. 97 minutes later, I completely understand why the movie is labeled as one of ...

Director: Jason Lei Howden Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Samara Weaving, Rhys Darby Runtime:  98 minutes Synopsis:  A guy relies on his newly-acquired gladiator skills to save his ex-girlfriend from kidnappers. Performances: 6/10 Screenplay: 5/10 Editing: 6/10 Cinematography: 6/10 Score/Soundtrack:   7 /10 Entertainment Factor:  6/10 Verdict: "Guns Akimbo" is dumb. And that's the point. So if you're looking for a thought-provoking film that serves a purpose other than just being bonkers and high on adrenaline, I'd recommend looking elsewhere because it certainly doesn't check that description. I put the movie on while I was on the treadmill, and I gotta say, the rush it emits perfectly fits that very setting. It's pretty much a mix between "Death Race", "Edward Scissorhands",  and "Scott Pilgrim vs the World", with a straightforward story that sees the protagonists go on a gory televised mission to save...

Director: Asghar Farhadi Stars:   Golshifteh Farahani, Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti Runtime:  119 minutes Synopsis:  The mysterious disappearance of a kindergarten teacher during a picnic in the north of Iran is followed by a series of misadventures for her fellow travelers. Performances: 9/10 Screenplay: 8/10 Editing: 7/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Verdict: If you're not familiar with Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi's work, know that you're missing out on top-tier Cinema. Because not only do I consider him to be one of the best directors working today, but also one of the best writers. "About Elly" is the third movie of his filmography that I've seen after "A Separation" and "The Salesman", and I've yet to be disappointed by any of them. The film follows a group of married couples as they book a villa by the beach to enjoy a few days together with their children. Joining them are Ahmad, a friend visiting fr...

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn Stars:  Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas, Vithaya Pansringarm Runtime:  90 minutes Synopsis:  Julian, a drug-smuggler thriving in Bangkok's criminal underworld, sees his life get even more complicated when his mother compels him to find and kill whoever is responsible for his brother's recent death. Performances: 9/10 Screenplay: 8/10 Editing: 8/10 Cinematography: 9/10 Score/Soundtrack:  8/10 Verdict: Fresh off his success with "Drive", Nicolas Winding Refn reunited with Ryan Gosling to deliver what is perhaps one of the most divisive movies to come out in the past 10 years. Mostly criticized for its structure, extreme use of violence, and empty narrative, it sits with an abominable Metascore of 37, making it by far the director's worst received project. And while I do concur that "Only God Forgives" is not exactly an accessible movie, I have to say that I was impressed with what it delivered. ...

Director: Alice Wu Stars:  Leah Lewis, Enrique Murciano, Becky Ann Baker Runtime:  104 minutes Synopsis:  When smart but cash-strapped teen Ellie Chu agrees to write a love letter for a jock, she doesn't expect to become his friend - or fall for his crush. Performances: 6/10 Screenplay: 4/10 Editing: 7/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Score/Soundtrack:  4/10 Verdict: Netflix's had a fair share of teen dramas, most of which have been critical flops. Aside from the "To All the Boys" dilogy, which had its qualities but never really stuck with me, and the god-awful "Tall Girl", I managed to stay away from most of the others. When I first heard about "The Half of It", my initial thought was that it was going to be yet another title thrown into that evergrowing list, but the generally positive reactions it received made me reconsider my position, and eventually led me to check it out despite my doubts. Now I'm not going to lie, I d...

Director: Todd Haynes Stars:  Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, Tim Robbins Runtime: 126 minutes Synopsis:  A corporate defense attorney takes on an environmental lawsuit against a chemical company that exposes a lengthy history of pollution. Performances: 7/10 Screenplay: 7/10 Editing: 5/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Score/Soundtrack:  6/10 Verdict: When an ambitious lawyer finds out about a chemical that's been poisoning the water of a man's farm in West Virginia, he makes it his mission to bring down the corporation responsible for it. No, I'm not reciting the synopsis of Julia Roberts' "Erin Brockovich", but I'm indeed talking about Todd Haynes' latest directorial effort starring Mark Ruffalo and Anne Hathaway. I've been postponing watching "Dark Waters" for a while now. Despite the positive reviews it received, I was nervous that the 2-hour long drama, which is based on a real story, would come off as a little dull. ...