Movies Graded

Director: Lee Isaac Chung Stars: Steven Yeun, Yeri Han, Alan Kim Runtime: 115  minutes Synopsis: A Korean family starts a farm in 1980s Arkansas. Verdict:  Fuelled by a quest for a better life and the pursuit of the American dream, a couple leaves their home country of South Korea to settle in California, where they make a modest living sexing chicks. A decade and two kids later, Jacob’s had enough of his dull job and decides to move with his family to a remote trailer in Arkansas, where he hopes to build his own business from scratch by starting a farm. Worried about the consequences of such a gamble on her family, his wife, Monica, does not share the same enthusiasm he does in regards to his newest project, leading to tensions between a couple who very clearly have different priorities. The son of South Korean immigrants himself and having lived his childhood on a farm in Arkansas, the film evidently serves as a semi-autobiography of writer/director Lee Isaac Chung. And not only does

Director: Paul Greengrass Stars: Tom Hanks, Helena Zengel, Tom Astor Runtime: 118  minutes Synopsis:  A Civil War veteran agrees to deliver a girl, taken by the Kiowa people years ago, to her aunt and uncle, against her will. They travel hundreds of miles and face grave dangers as they search for a place that either can call home. Verdict:  When a veteran stumbles across a little girl who doesn’t speak a word of English, he makes it his mission to deliver her to a safe place, even if that means traveling hundreds of miles to reach his destination. No, it’s not the plot of “Logan” I’m describing to you, but Paul Greengrass’ latest western “News of the World”. But while it is very clear that the two share many similarities, there is no denying that Hugh Jackman’s last hoorah as Wolverine is the superior road trip set in a western background. Starring Tom Hanks as Tom Hanks with a southern accent and the young Helena Zengel, whose on-screen presence was an impressive one to say the least,

Director: Agnieszka Holland Stars: Ivan Trojan, Josef Trojan, Juraj Loj Runtime: 118  minutes Synopsis:  The breathtaking story of a man gifted with exceptional abilities set against the background of the events of the totalitarian fifties. Verdict:  Czech Republic’s official submission for the 93rd Academy Awards, which made the February shortlist, is a biopic of a rather obscure historical figure. “Charlatan” tells the story of Jan Mikolásek, a famous Czech healer who treated his patients by eyeballing a sample of their urine and then prescribing them plant-based medication. His unorthodox methods ultimately irritated the totalitarian Communist Party that was, at the time, ruling the country, and it didn’t take long for them to seize an opportunity to go after him and his assistant. Agnieszka Holland’s feature does a half-decent job at educating viewers about a character I’m certain most haven’t heard of. It doesn’t offer anything too fancy aside from a realistic depiction of the era

Director: Chloé Zhao Stars: Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Linda May Runtime: 108  minutes Synopsis:  After losing everything in the Great Recession, a woman embarks on a journey through the American West, living as a van-dwelling modern-day nomad. Verdict:  Tattooed on the arm of a co-worker of Frances McDormand’s Fern are lyrics from the song “Home Is a Question Mark” by Morrissey that say: “Home, is it just a word? Or is it something you carry within you?”. This double query sums up perfectly what Chloé Zhao’s third feature “Nomadland” is about. Taking place right after the Great Recession of 2009, it follows a woman as she abandons the capitalistic definition of the term “house”, opting instead to hit the open road in an RV to live her life to the fullest. Considered by many to be one of the best movies of 2020, I’ll be honest and admit that I had my reservations about the dramatic feature. As much as I respect Zhao as a filmmaker and love watching her talk about the art form

Director: Rob Reiner Stars: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher Runtime: 95  minutes Synopsis:  Harry and Sally have known each other for years, and are very good friends, but they fear sex would ruin the friendship. Verdict:  “When Harry Met Sally” is a pillar in the romantic-comedy genre that is still beloved by many over three decades after its release, and for good reason. It’s the quintessential boy-meets-girl story, spawned from the singular question asked to every couple in existence: “How did you two meet?”. As this query is rapidly answered by a multitude of elderly couples, we focus on the evolution of the titular characters’ relationship. Respectively played by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan (of whom this is surprisingly my introduction), we witness Harry and Sally as they go through every step of a relationship that was organically developed over the course of several years. We see them mature together, learning to bring up the best in one another by providing emotional supp

Director: Harry Macqueen Stars: Colin Firth, Stanley Tucci, Pippa Haywood Runtime: 95  minutes Synopsis:  Sam and Tusker are traveling across England in their old RV to visit friends, family and places from their past. Since Tusker was diagnosed with dementia two years ago, their time together is the most important thing they have. Verdict:  I can't think of many situations that are more tragic than being conscious of the burden your illness causes on your loved ones. Harry Macqueen's "Supernova" deals with that very topic as it is centered on a couple's attempt to renew their love after being told that one of them suffers from irreparable dementia. Sounds like a recipe for tears, right? So why did it struggle so much to get its emotions across? I greatly admire the acting chops of both Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci, but a clear lack of chemistry between the couple made the watch a much less impactful one than it should've been. It's certainly not their be

Director: Derek Tsang Stars: Dongyu Zhou, Jackson Yee, Fang Yin Runtime: 135   minutes Synopsis:  A bullied teenage girl forms an unlikely friendship with a mysterious young man who protects her from her assailants, all while she copes with the pressures of her final examinations. Verdict:  Whenever the topic of bullying is brought up in a feature film, I get nervous. It’s certainly an issue that needs to be addressed, especially in the current digital age, but I can’t think of many filmmakers who succeeded in tackling it in an organic way simply due to the fact that they haven’t experienced it themselves recently. Most of them end up taking the issue to an exaggerated extreme that mainly serves the plot more than the actual social-commentary at hand, and that was unfortunately also the case with Hong Kong’s official submission to this year’s Academy Awards. “Better Days” opens with a tragic incident that sees a high schooler take her own life as her classmates’ appalling behavior fina

Director: Wong Kar-Wai Stars: Leon Lai, Michelle Reis, Takeshi Kaneshiro Runtime: 99  minutes Synopsis:  This Hong Kong-set crime drama follows the lives of a hitman, hoping to get out of the business, and his elusive female partner. Verdict:  The similarities between “Fallen Angels” and “Chungking Express” are so evident that you could easily consider it to be a sequel to the 1994 hit that propelled Wong Kar-Wai into stardom. Not only are there numerous references to it, but the two are also structured and shot similarly, to the point where I wasn’t in the least surprised to learn afterward that the initial plan was to merge the two together. Once again, the film follows two largely disconnected love stories taking place simultaneously in Hong Kong. Through visual tricks that only he can pull off so wonderfully and that includes the likes of close-ups, low frame rate sequences, or sped up scenes, Wong Kar-Wai successfully exports the grounded narrative into a unique but appropriate dr

Director: Shaka King Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons Runtime: 126  minutes Synopsis:  The story of Fred Hampton, Chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party, and his fateful betrayal by FBI informant William O'Neal. Verdict:  Months after they happened, the effects of the Black Lives Matter protests are still being felt in Hollywood. Filmmakers are aware that now’s their chance to educated the world about the injustices faced by the African-American community at the hands of law enforcers for decades now, and I applaud them for seizing that eye-opening opportunity. “Judas and the Black Messiah” is the latest addition to a list that includes Aaron Sorkin’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7” or Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe” anthology series, and I personally found it to be the most rewarding experience out of them all. The film follows the fascinating true story of Bill O’Neal, an informant tasked with gaining the trust of revolutionary icon Fred Hampton who, back in

Director: Andrey Konchalovskiy Stars: Yuliya Vysotskaya, Vladislav Komarov, Andrey Gusev Runtime: 121  minutes Synopsis:  When the communist government raises food prices in 1962, the rebellious workers from the small industrial town of Novocherkassk go on strike. The massacre which then ensues is seen through the eyes of a devout party activist. Verdict:  It’s a good movie. Seven out of ten. I might even bump it up to an eight in the future. If you’re here for a quick feedback about Russia’s submission for the next Academy Awards, that’s pretty much all you need to know. I don’t consider the rest of this review to feature any heavy spoilers, but I wouldn’t recommend you to keep on reading if you’re genuinely interested in checking out Andrey Konchalovskiy’s “Dear Comrades”. A black and white feature told using a 4:3 aspect ratio to add authenticity to the times in which the events take place, the film recalls the Novocherkassk massacre that took place in Khrushchev’s Soviet Union when

Director: Jayro Bustamante Stars: Maria Mercedes Coroy, Sabrina De La Hoz, Margarita Kenéfic Runtime: 97  minutes Synopsis:  An aging paranoid war criminal, protected by his faithful wife, faces death while being haunted by the ghosts of his past. Verdict:  Guatemala’s official submission for the Oscars, which snatched a Golden Globes nomination a few days ago, had no right to be this good. Don’t confuse it with Warner Bros’ underwhelming feature about the same Latin American folklore because the two take vastly different approaches in introducing the myth to their respective narratives. While the sixth chapter in the Conjuring Universe was a full-on horror flick, “La Llorona” takes a more dramatic approach, utilizing the legend to provide a thought-provoking commentary on corruption and genocide in Latin America. The Weeping Woman in Jayro Bustamante’s film, wonderfully played by Maria Mercedes Coroy, is a symbol of revenge and justice. She offers her services to a retired war crimina

Director: Sergio Leone Stars: Clint Eastwood, Gian Maria Volontè, Marianne Koch Runtime:  99 minutes Synopsis:  A wandering gunfighter plays two rival families against each other in a town torn apart by greed, pride, and revenge. Performances: 7/10 Screenplay: 5/10 Editing: 6/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Score/Soundtrack:  10/10 Entertainment Factor:  5/10 Verdict: Sergio Leone's biggest contribution to Cinema is the Spaghetti Western subgenre. Birthed in the mid-1960s at a time when Western fatigue was starting to be observed amongst moviegoers, he managed to resuscitate it with his signature genre, mostly associated nowadays with the famous Dollar unofficial trilogy. "A Fistful of Dollars" came out in 1964 and, for the first time, gave us Clint Eastwood's man with no name, a charming gunfighter, and the main antihero of that trilogy. With his blond hair, iconic squint, and laid off attitude, he definitely looks the part assigned to him. His cool factor is beyond the roof

Director: Akira Kurosawa Stars:  Toshirô Mifune, Eijirô Tôno, Tatsuya Nakadai Runtime:  110 minutes Synopsis:  A crafty ronin comes to a town divided by two criminal gangs and decides to play them against each other to free the town. Performances: 9/10 Screenplay: 8/10 Editing: 9/10 Cinematography: 9/10 Score/Soundtrack:  6/10 Entertainment Factor:  8/10 Verdict: A skilled Ronan walks into a town and the first thing he sees is a dog walking towards him while holding a human hand. This can only signify one thing: trouble awaits him there. Soon, he learns that the town is controlled by two gangs whose ongoing war is keeping its residents hostage. Instead of fleeing, he sees a perfect opportunity to take advantage of the situation by pretending to be one of the gang's bodyguard, or Yojimbo in Japanese, in exchange for a reasonable sum of money. I watched this movie right after Sergio Leone's "A Fistful of Dollars" which I learned was a blatant rip-off of Kurosawa's c

Director: Sam Levinson Stars: Zendaya, John David Washington Runtime: 106  minutes Synopsis:  A director and his girlfriend's relationship is tested after they return home from his movie premiere and await critics' responses. Verdict:  I know that at least a few of you are thinking about it so I’ll address it immediately: I promise you that my not-so-secret admiration with Zendaya won’t get in the way of providing you with my honest and unbiased thoughts about this movie.  With that out of the way, I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t at the very least intrigued to see what another collaboration with Sam Levinson (creator of “Euphoria”) would look like. The only worry I had about it was the fact that it was entirely developed and shot in the midst of the global pandemic, a trait that hasn’t proven itself just yet with failed attempts that include “Host”, “Locked Down”, or “Songbird”. But I’m glad to report that “Malcolm & Marie” is by far the best inclusion in that otherwis

Director: Sam Levinson Stars: Odessa Young, Abra, Suki Waterhouse Runtime: 108  minutes Synopsis:  After a malicious data hack exposes the secrets of the perpetually American town of Salem, chaos descends and four girls must fight to survive while coping with the hack themselves. Verdict:  Well, that was… intense. If you know me, you probably know how much I enjoy HBO’s “Euphoria”. And with “Malcolm & Marie” getting a release soon, I found the timing to be perfect to check out Sam Levinson’s “Assassination Nation”, a movie I somehow missed a couple of years ago. What I certainly wasn’t expecting was for it to be a mix between Gaspar Noé’s “Climax” and “The Purge”. Uncoincidentally set in the town of Salem (known for its historical witch trials in the late 1600s), the film is a high-energy, uncomfortable, and gory ride into a few days of madness in which a hacker releases many residents’ personal information to the public. Hysteria settles and the true face of the America of today i

Director: Rose Glass Stars: Morfydd Clark, Jennifer Ehle, Lily Knight Runtime: 84  minutes Synopsis: Follows a pious nurse who becomes dangerously obsessed with saving the soul of her drying patient. Verdict:  I’ve probably played the trailer for Rose Glass’ “Saint Maud” a dozen times on the day of its release. That was about two years ago, and the film was then due to be released a few months later. But unforeseen events that I’m sure you’re all aware of resulted in the closure of cinemas around the world, delaying the release of a number of movies including this one. At the time, I found the situation to be darkly humorous as the scale and timing of the disaster that hit our planet nearly felt like an attempt from God Himself to censor the A24 release. None of that is funny today, but I am thankful that I managed to finally catch what is perhaps one of the best psychological horror films to come out recently. Carried by an extraordinary performance by Morfydd Clark, the story explore

Director: Paul Schrader Stars: Ken Ogata, Masayuki Shionoya, Hiroshi Mikami Runtime: 120  minutes Synopsis:  A fictionalized account in four chapters of the life of celebrated Japanese writer Yukio Mishima. Verdict:  Yukio Mishima’s ghost has been haunting me for quite some time now. Whether it’s his work or Paul Schrader’s celebrated biographical film about his life, rare are the days in which his name doesn’t come up in some shape or form. So I finally caved in and put on Schrader’s “Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters”, released in 1985 and still growing in popularity to this day. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect out of it, but I knew that it was one of those movies that I had to check off my watchlist. And boy am I glad that I did. Starting with the obvious, Schrader describes this film as being the best he ever directed. And not only do I agree with him, but I’ll take this statement a step further and say that it’s one of the best biographies ever made. Everything about it is ma

Director: Jean-Pierre Melville Stars: Alain Delon, François Périer, Nathalie Delon Runtime: 101  minutes Synopsis:  After professional hitman Jef Costello is seen by witnesses his efforts to provide himself an alibi drive him further into a corner. Verdict:  An obvious influence to Nicolas Winding Refn's "Drive", this French neo-noir crime film doesn't waste any time in establishing the stakes at hand. It may not have the tightest of scripts, but these leaks are easily overturned by the gloomy atmosphere it builds around the mysterious but riveting protagonist, brilliantly portrayed by Alain Delon. Story-wise, it never pretends to be more complex than it needs to be, making the watch a relatively pleasant one. FINAL GRADE: 8 /10