Movies Graded

Director: Denis Villeneuve Stars: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya Runtime:  155  minutes Synopsis:   Feature adaptation of Frank Herbert's science fiction novel, about the son of a noble family entrusted with the protection of the most valuable asset and most vital element in the galaxy. Verdict:  A few months ago, I took it upon myself to read Frank Herbert’s timeless masterpiece “Dune”. Written in 1965, the novel played a monumental part in redefining the modern science-fiction genre, paving the way for space operas such as Star Wars or Star Trek to reach new heights in the blockbuster business. It’s an important but also impressive piece of media that tells a captivating tale set in a meticulously crafted universe filled with various planets, a rich history, multiple characters, and a technology foreign to us. It benefits from a lore so dense that it was labeled for a while as being unadaptable for the big screen, a theory that was proven in 1984 when...

Director: Jane Campion Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons Runtime:  126  minutes Synopsis:  Charismatic rancher Phil Burbank inspires fear and awe in those around him. When his brother brings home a new wife and her son, Phil torments them until he finds himself exposed to the possibility of love.   Verdict:  Applauded at every film festival it’s been screened at, Jane Campion’s first directorial effort since 2009’s “Bright Star” has proven that the Kiwi filmmaker has not lost her artistic touch despite her 12-year long hiatus. A western drenched in a sensual touch only she holds the secret to, it’s a period piece aimed at defying gender norms by exploring the relationship between an experienced, rugged cowboy and the softer son of his brother’s wife. Starring a menacing Benedict Cumberbatch and a convincing Kodi Smit-McPhee as well as one of Hollywood’s most overlooked couples in Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst, one of the film’s stronges...

Director: Ingmar Bergman Stars: Liv Ullman, Erland Josephson, Bibi Andersson Runtime:  169  minutes Synopsis:  Scenes from a Marriage chronicles the many years of love and turmoil that bind Marianne (Liv Ullmann) and Johan (Erland Josephson) through matrimony, infidelity, divorce, and subsequent partners. Verdict:  I never fully understood the reasoning behind marriages. They’re sold as being celebrations of love but they’re nothing more than legally binding contracts between two individuals that nearly always end in failure and heartbreak. Ingmar Bergman’s miniseries turned movie “Scenes from a Marriage” is an exploration of the relationship between Marianne and Johan over the course of a decade. More than being about the characters themselves, it serves as an honest study of the different stages of marriage and argues that it’s a legal document that tends to asphyxiate the romance within a relationship rather than allowing it to freely blossom, as exemplified by th...

Director: James Wan Stars: Annabelle Wallis, Maddie Hasson, George Young Runtime:  111  minutes Synopsis:  Madison is paralyzed by shocking visions of grisly murders, and her torment worsens as she discovers that these waking dreams are in fact terrifying realities. Verdict:  Back in 2004, a young filmmaker with a funky hairdo was given a budget of a little over one million dollars to make his feature-length debut. With that money, James Wan not only turned a profit of 100 times that amount but also changed the face of horror by directing the first chapter in one of the most iconic franchises of all time, “Saw”. He went on to become one of Hollywood’s hottest filmmakers and one I deeply admire due to the dedication and passion he pours into every one of his projects, no matter the genre in which they fall under. This is still very much the case with “Malignant”, the first original horror film he directs since 2013’s “The Conjuring”. Starring Annabelle Wallis as a dom...

Director: Paul Schrader Stars: Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan Runtime:  109   minutes Synopsis:  Redemption is the long game in Paul Schrader's THE CARD COUNTER. Told with Schrader's trademark cinematic intensity, the revenge thriller tells the story of an ex-military interrogator turned gambler haunted by the ghosts of his past. Verdict:  Once recognized as one of Hollywood’s most gifted screenwriters, Paul Schrader has since not only established himself as quite the witty Facebook troll, but also proven that he’s as talented behind the camera as he is behind his typewriter. One thing audiences must keep in mind when booking a ticket to his latest project is that they’re setting themselves up for disappointment if they’re longing for a riveting, fast-paced, poker-centric thrill ride a la “Casino Royale” or “Molly’s Game”. Because “The Card Counter” very much ticks the boxes of a traditional Schrader character study of a complex individual haunted by demo...

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson Stars: Adam Sandler, Emily Watson, Philip Seymour Hoffman Runtime:  95 minutes Synopsis:   A psychologically troubled novelty supplier is nudged towards a romance with an English woman, all the while being extorted by a phone-sex line run by a crooked mattress salesman, and purchasing stunning amounts of pudding. Performances: 5/5 Screenplay: 4/5 Editing: 5/5 Cinematography: 5/5 Score/Soundtrack:  5/5 Verdict: Dirk Diggler, Daniel Plainview, Reynolds Woodcock,... Paul Thomas Anderson truly has blessed us with so many iconic characters throughout his career. In "Punch-Drunk Love", he introduces us to yet another member of that gallery with Barry Egan, played by an unrecognizable and quite honestly scene-stealer Adam Sandler, who without a doubt delivers one of the best performances of his career by a clear mile, only matched by his recent outings in the Safdie's "Uncut Gems" and Noah Baumbach's dramedy ...

Director: Satoshi Kon Stars: Junko Iwao, Rica Matsumoto, Shinpachi Tsuji Runtime:  81  minutes Synopsis: A pop singer gives up her career to become an actress, but she slowly goes insane when she starts being stalked by an obsessed fan and what seems to be a ghost of her past. Verdict:  On the internet, anyone can become anything. We’re entirely in control of what aspects of ourselves we want to show the rest of the world and which ones we want to keep hidden. It’s a scary place where reality and fiction are one and the same, and where any user can easily lose track of what’s genuine and what’s not. This, to me, shapes Satoshi Kon’s directorial debut’s unsettling atmosphere. “Perfect Blue” follows Mima, a pop star turned actress whose career change turns out to be much harsher than initially anticipated. In order to complete her transition, she is asked to perform a vastly explicit scene in a TV show that will forever alter the public image she had built for herself in h...