Movies Graded

Director: Christopher Nolan Stars: Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank Runtime:  118 minutes Synopsis:  Two Los Angeles homicide detectives are dispatched to a northern town where the sun doesn't set to investigate the methodical murder of a local teen. Performances: 8/10 Screenplay: 6/10 Editing: 4/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Score/Soundtrack:  6/10 Verdict: When Christopher Nolan's filmography is brought up, most people tend to leave out his first two projects which I've always found odd considering the fact that one of them is a psychological thriller starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Hilary Swank. I cannot speak for his feature debut "Following" yet as it's the only Nolan film I have yet to see as I'm writing this review, but having viewed "Insomnia" twice now I can understand why it's considered to be one of the British director's weakest, or rather least interesting, works. Nolan is widely known for his innovative and unique a...

Director: David Dobkin Stars: Will Ferrell, Rachel McAdams, Pierce Brosnan Runtime:  123 minutes Synopsis:  When aspiring musicians Lars and Sigrit are given the opportunity to represent their country at the world's biggest song competition, they finally have a chance to prove that any dream worth having is a dream worth fighting for. Performances: 6/10 Screenplay: 4/10 Editing: 5/10 Cinematography: 5/10 Score/Soundtrack:  6/10 Entertainment Factor:  4/10 Verdict: To be honest, I'm not a big fan of Will Ferrell's approach to comedy. It always feels recycled and predictable, without any real depth or subtlety to them. And while "Eurovision" (I'm not going to bother with the full title) is not exactly his worst work, it pretty much serves as exactly what you'd expect from yet another comedy of his. The movie tells the story of two musicians with big dreams. Lars and Sigrit have always been the laughing stock of their hometown in Iceland but are given a once ...

Director: Mel Gibson Stars:  Gerardo Taracena, Raoul Max Trujillo, Dalia Hernández Runtime:  139 minutes Synopsis:  As the Mayan kingdom faces its decline, a young man is taken on a perilous journey to a world ruled by fear and oppression. Performances: 6/10 Screenplay: 5/10 Editing: 4/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Score/Soundtrack:  6/10 Verdict: This is it, folks. The movie that scarred me as a kid. I was only about 11 years old when I watched Mel Gibson's "Apocalypto" in theaters, and I remember being horrified from the very first scene in which a group of Mayan hunters dissect an animal they freshly captured and devour its organs raw. Things only get worse as the movie progresses, but something about it kept me hooked despite the gruesome imagery. I may have not slept well in the following days, but I was at the very least fascinated by that movie. Being available on Netflix, I decided to give it a rewatch since I haven't seen it i...

Director: Fernando Frias Stars:  Juan Daniel Garcia Treviño, Xueming Angelina Chen, Coral Puente Runtime:  112 minutes Synopsis:  In Monterrey, Mexico, a young street gang spends their days dancing to slowed-down cumbia and attending parties. After a mix-up with a local cartel, their leader is forced to migrate to the U.S. but quickly longs to return home. Performances: 8/10 Screenplay: 7/10 Editing: 5/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Score/Soundtrack:  9/10 Verdict: "I'm No Longer Here" is a Mexican film that was released on Netflix not too long ago. The acclaim it received earlier this year at the Tribeca Film Festival made me eager to check out what it was all about, but to my surprise, it barely generated any buzz upon its wide release on the streaming service. For that reason, I kept postponing it due to an internal fear that it wasn't going to live up to my initial expectations. These doubts, thankfully, turned out to be very wrong as Fernando Frias' effort wa...

Director: Andrei Tarkovsky Stars:  Margarita Terekhova, Filipp Yankovskiy, Ignat Daniltsev Runtime:  107 minutes Synopsis:  A dying man in his forties remembers his past. His childhood, his mother, the war, personal moments, and things that tell of the recent history of all the Russian nation. Performances: 9/10 Screenplay: ?/10 Editing: ?/10 Cinematography: 9/10 Score/Soundtrack:  ?/10 Verdict: "The Mirror" marks my introduction to Andrei Tarkovsky's work. The Soviet director is considered by many to be one of the best filmmakers of all time, and while I had never seen any of his movies, I had a small idea of the type in which they belong. And that is probably the reason why I postponed them for such a long time. Tarkovsky is known for his slow pacing and usage of spiritual themes to drive his films, and I had a feeling that I'd have a hard time connecting with them. My experience watching "The Mirror" confirmed what I had fea...

Director: Christopher Nolan Stars: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano Runtime:  113 minutes Synopsis:  A man with short-term memory loss attempts to track down his wife's murderer. Performances: 8/10 Screenplay: 9/10 Editing: 10/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Score/Soundtrack:  8/10 Verdict:  Whenever someone is asked what their favorite Christopher Nolan movie is, the answer provided can rarely be anticipated. The English filmmaker's made many fan favorites over the years, but "Memento" will always have a special place in my heart. To me, it perfectly combines innovative storytelling and indie filmmaking and manages to subvert all expectations without relying on gimmicks or illusions of grandeur. What makes "Memento" such an intriguing watch is the unique way in which the events are presented. The opening scene acts as the story's conclusion and the final one acts as its beginning (or rather middle?), a very fitting way of narrating a revenge tale in...

Director: David Koepp Stars: Kevin Bacon, Amanda Seyfried, Avery Tiiu Essex Runtime:  93 minutes Synopsis:   A former banker, his actress wife, and their spirited daughter book a vacation at an isolated modern home in the Welsh countryside where nothing is quite as it seems. Performances: 4/10 Screenplay: 2/10 Editing: 3/10 Cinematography: 5/10 Score/Soundtrack:  4/10 Verdict: I should have listened to the film's title. FINAL GRADE:  3/10

Director:  Jun'ichi Satô, Tomotaka Shibayama Stars:  Mirai Shida, Natsuki Hanae, Susumu Chiba Runtime:  104 minutes Synopsis:  Miyo Sasaki in love with her classmate Kento Hinode and tries repeatedly to get Kento's attention by transform into a cat, but at some point, the boundary between herself and the cat becomes ambiguous. Animation: 7/10 Screenplay: 6/10 Editing: 6/10 Score/Soundtrack:  7/10 Verdict: Netflix's newest original anime is not without its faults, but serves as an adorable look at a teenage girl's crush on one of her classmates. Miyo is madly in love with Hinode, maybe to an unhealthy extent, but he doesn't return that feeling despite her theatricalities to gain his attention. Miyo, however, has a secret that she uses each evening to get a little closer to Hinode. She owns a mask that, when worn, will turn her into a kitten that her crush has developed a special bond with. "A Whisker Away" is cute, weird, and borderline creepy. At ...

Director: Kevin Smith Stars: Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Harley Quinn Smith Runtime:  105 minutes Synopsis:   Jay and Silent Bob return to Hollywood to stop a reboot of the 'Bluntman and Chronic' movie from getting made. Performances: 4/10 Screenplay: 2/10 Costumes/Makeup: 3/10 Editing: 4/10 Cinematography: 3/10 Score/Soundtrack:  3/10 Entertainment Factor: 3/10 Verdict: Full disclosure: I love Kevin Smith. In a town filled with money-hungry, superficial celebrities, he stands out as being one that comes off as passionate about the things he makes, whether they're good or bad (and boy has he made some bad ones). The original "Jay and Silent Bob", which came out back in 2001, is one of my least favorite movies of his. Despite loving the two titular character, I always felt like they worked better as supporting characters and couldn't really carry a movie by themselves. Which is why I was surprised when a sequel (or reboot) to it was a...

Director: Asghar Farhadi Stars: Bénérice Bejo, Tahar Rahim, Ali Mosaffa Runtime:  130 minutes Synopsis:  An Iranian man deserts his French wife and her two children to return to his homeland. Meanwhile, his wife starts up a new relationship, a reality her husband confronts upon his wife's request for a divorce. Performances: 8/10 Screenplay: 8/10 Editing: 7/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Verdict: One person's past is a prison that no one can escape. As time goes by, people only learn to accept it rather than move on from it. Memories cannot be forgotten with ease and even the most simple of events have consequences that are impossible to fully reverse. This is what Asghar Farhadi's first film that is not in his native Farsi language is mostly about. "Le Passé" sees a man return to France to finalize a divorce with his soon to be ex-wife only to discover that while he was absent, she had already started a relationship with another man. Add to the mix 3 children victimized...

Director: Christopher Nolan Stars: Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson Runtime:  130 minutes Synopsis:  After a tragic accident, two stage magicians engage in a battle to create the ultimate illusion while sacrificing everything they have to outwit each other. Performances: 7/10 Screenplay: 5/10 Editing: 5/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Score/Soundtrack:  7/10 Entertainment Factor:  6/10 Verdict:  "The Prestige" has always been one of my least favorite Nolan films. Nothing about it stuck with me in the long run, and a recent rewatch made me realize how much of it I had forgotten. The movie is essentially about a rivalry between two illusionists, played by Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale, set in the 1890s. It's a story about sacrifice, determination, and grandeur, in which a flawed narrative serves as the biggest illusion of it all. Pointlessly told in a non-linear fashion, it once again solidifies the idea that Nolan thinks that his movies are more profoun...

Director: Judd Apatow Stars:  Pete Davidson, Bel Powley, Ricky Velez Runtime:  136 minutes Synopsis:  Scott has been a case of arrested development since his firefighter dad died. He spends his days smoking weed and dreaming of being a tattoo artist until events force him to grapple with his grief and take his first steps forward in life. Performances: 6/10 Screenplay: 5/10 Editing: 5/10 Cinematography: 5/10 Score/Soundtrack:  4/10 Entertainment Factor:  6/10 Verdict: Judd Apatow's films are ones I used to enjoy in my teenage years, about 10 years ago. "The King of Staten Island", which servers as the director's return to the big screen after a 5 year hiatus, is no different. While it's definitely one of his most mature works as it follows Pete Davidson's Scott trying to come to terms with his father's passing which led him into a path of irresponsible and egotistical behavior, it's still a flick I think I would've enjoyed much more had I seen it a...

Director: Kenneth Branagh Stars:   Ferdia Shaw ,  Lara McDonnell ,  Josh Gad Runtime:  95 minutes Synopsis:   Artemis Fowl, a young criminal prodigy, hunts down a secret society of fairies to find his missing father. Performances: 4/10 Screenplay: 2/10 Editing: 3/10 Cinematography: 4/10 Score/Soundtrack:  4/10 Entertainment Factor:  2/10 Verdict: I think it's fair to say that for the past couple of years, I've been a somewhat harsh critic of Disney's approach to the art of filmmaking. Between lazy remakes and safe narratives, I accused the studio of lacking originality on multiple occasions. And for that, I apologize, because "Artemis Fowl" proved that Disney's still a force to be reckoned with. I'm aware that "Artemis Fowl" isn't exactly an original concept as it is based on a popular series of books, but Kenneth Branagh surely knew how to make the story his own. It's difficult to even look at the film as a work of fiction because I was ...

Director: Spike Lee Stars:  Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Clarke Peters Runtime:  154 minutes Synopsis:  Four African-American vets battle the forces of man and nature when they return to Vietnam seeking the remains of their fallen Squad Leader and the gold fortune he helped them hide. Performances: 7/10 Screenplay: 5/10 Editing: 5/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Score/Soundtrack:  7/10 Verdict:  2020 has been a disappointing year for movies. Halfway through the year, I have yet to see one film that would make my "Best of" list yet. However, following the small buzz it gathered and a trailer that quite honestly looked pretty epic, I had faith that Spike Lee's "Da 5 Bloods" was going to be the exception to that unwritten rule. And while I'd still consider it to be one of the year's best so far, I sadly wasn't as blown away as I was expecting to be. The main reason behind that disappointment isn't the cinematography, which effectively recreated the retro ...

Director:  Jonathan Milott, Cary Murnion Stars:  Lulu Wilson, Kevin James, Joel McHale Runtime:  93 minutes Synopsis:  A teenager's weekend at a lake house with her father takes a turn for the worse when a group of convicts wreaks havoc on their lives. Performances: 7/10 Screenplay: 4/10 Editing: 5/10 Cinematography: 4/10 Score/Soundtrack:  4/10 Entertainment Factor:  6/10 Verdict:  (+) Pretty good performances by Lulu Wilson and Kevin James.Refreshing to see the latter in a non-comical role even though I wouldn't call his acting memorable. (+) Bonkers second half that can only be described as a gory version of "Home Alone". Couple of satisfying, very bloody deaths that are probably the highlight of the film for me. (-) The filmmaking aspect of the film is incredibly bland. So much could've been done with the soundtrack, editing or cinematography to give the narrative a more fitting tone but alas none of that was achieved. (-) The first ...

Director: Spike Lee Stars: Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee Runtime:  120 minutes Synopsis:  On the hottest day of the year on a street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, everyone's hate and bigotry smolders and builds until it explodes into violence. Performances: 8/10 Screenplay: 8/10 Editing: 8/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Score/Soundtrack:  8/10 Verdict: Love him or hate him, there is no denial that Spike Lee's contribution to Black Cinema is an inspiration to many. It's when dealing with topics of racial injustices that he shines most because it's clearly a subject he's passionate about. "Do the Right Thing" was met with criticism when it came out a mere 31 years ago, with some critics going as far as calling it irresponsible. And while I can understand why this word was employed, I wouldn't personally use it myself, and would even go as far as to say that in today's tense climate, it may be one of the most relevant films to watch. T...

Director: Christopher Nolan Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page Runtime:  148 minutes Synopsis:  A thief who steals corporate secrets through the use of dream-sharing technology is given the inverse task of planting an idea into the mind of a C.E.O. Performances: 7/10 Screenplay: 7/10 Editing: 5/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Score/Soundtrack:  9/10 Entertainment Factor:  6/10 Verdict:  "Inception" came out 2 years after "The Dark Knight" and solidified Nolan's reputation as being one of the most marketable filmmakers of our times. When it comes to blockbusters, he's one of the best, there's no question about it. His movies are events awaited by millions of people and in terms of spectacle, he always delivers. He's a director that knows how to take advantage of the theater experience to its fullest, and that's probably why I don't enjoy his films as much on a second watch. And "Inception" is no exception to that rule...

Director: Satoshi Kon Stars:  Megumi Hayashibara, Tôru Emori, Katsunosuke Hori Runtime:  90 minutes Synopsis:  When a machine that allows therapists to enter their patients' dreams is stolen, all Hell breaks loose. Only a young female therapist, Paprika, can stop it. Animation: 9/10 Screenplay: 8/10 Editing: 7/10 Score/Soundtrack:  8/10 Entertainment Factor:  8/10 Verdict: Being on a small Nolan rewatch marathon and as I've been longing to check out the late Satoshi Kon's work, I found the timing to be perfect to watch the film known to have served as an inspiration for "Inception". "Paprika" is Kon's final film before his untimely death in 2010, and is itself inspired by a novel of the same name by Yasutaka Tsutsui. And while the similarities with Nolan's blockbusters are more than obvious, I can say with confidence that they're pretty much limited to the concept of infiltrating dreams in addition to a few visual parallels. The latter can be...

Director: Josephine Decker Stars: Elisabeth Moss, Odessa Young, Michael Stuhlbarg Runtime:  107 minutes Synopsis:  A famous horror writer finds inspiration for her next book after she and her husband take in a young couple. Performances: 7/10 Screenplay: 4/10 Editing: 5/10 Cinematography: 5/10 Score/Soundtrack:  6/10 Verdict: Whenever I'm done watching a biopic or a film inspired by real events, the first thing I ask myself is whether the watch was worth it or if I would have rathered read the Wikipedia article on the same subject. In "Shirley"'s case, I would've sadly opted for the second option. The story of Shirley Jackson's search for inspiration for a new book as her husband takes in a couple to help her with household chores is not bad. But it's not good either. It's pretty much exactly what you expected it to be when you read the synopsis, and that's its biggest issue. No risks were taken to make it as thrilling as it tries to be, and it end...

Director: Christopher Nolan Stars: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway Runtime:  164 minutes Synopsis:  Eight years after the Joker's reign of anarchy, Batman, with the help of the enigmatic Catwoman, is forced from his exile to save Gotham City from the brutal guerrilla terrorist Bane. Performances: 7/10 Screenplay: 6/10 Editing: 6/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Score/Soundtrack:  8/10 Entertainment Factor:  7/10 Verdict: The final installment in Chris Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy is possibly the one that aged the least well with audiences. Most fans nowadays even consider it to be one of the British filmmaker's worst efforts to date. And yes, the film does have its issues, but my problems are fairly similar to the problems I had with "Batman Begins", except that this one's slightly more entertaining overall. Right off the bat (hehe), Bane was a worthy adversary of the iconic superhero, and Tom Hardy killed it in the role. There was no way that he wo...

Director: Barry Jenkins Stars: Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Trevante Rhodes Runtime:  111 minutes Synopsis:  A young African-American man grapples with his identity and sexuality while experiencing the everyday struggles of childhood, adolescence, and burgeoning adulthood. Performances: 10/10 Screenplay: 9/10 Editing: 9/10 Cinematography: 9/10 Score/Soundtrack:  10/10 Verdict:  February 27th, around 6AM. I still remember that date like it was yesterday. I was sleepy, tired as I stayed up all night to watch the Oscars, but it was worth it. "La La Land", my favorite movie of 2016, won the big award and I couldn't be happier. That is until the plot twist of the century was revealed. "There's a mistake. Moonlight, you guys won Best Picture" announced Jordan Horowitz to a very confused room. And I couldn't help but crack a smile because deep down, I knew that this was the movie that deserved the win most. And today, as millions of people are marching the st...

Director:  Gillo Pontecorvo Stars:  Brahim Hadjadj, Jean Martin, Yacef Saadi Runtime:  121 minutes Synopsis:   In the 1950s, fear and violence escalate as the people of Algiers fight for independence from the French government. Performances: 8/10 Screenplay: 8/10 Editing: 7/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Score/Soundtrack:  7/10 Verdict: "The Battle of Algiers" holds a peculiar record. It's one of the only films to be nominated for Academy Awards in two non-consecutive years. It first got recognition at the 1967 edition with a nomination in the Best Foreign Film category before getting another two, a couple of years later, for Best Director and Best Screenplay. It's an interesting piece of trivia but certainly not why the film is remembered as a classic. Gillo Pontecorvo's work, which was shot on location and mostly stars a bunch of unknowns, documents what happened during the final years of the French colonialism in Algeria. It shows t...