Movies Graded

Director: Stephen Chow Stars: Stephen Chow, Wei Zhao, Yat-Fei Wong Runtime: 112   minutes Synopsis:  A young Shaolin follower reunites with his discouraged brothers to form a soccer team using their martial art skills to their advantage. Verdict:  Here's a fun little fact about me: I love football. Not the fake American variant in which neither feet nor balls are used but, in fact, the one in which 22 players kick a ball around for at least 90 minutes. I have been following, playing, and breathing the game for over 15 years, way before my love of movies began, but was never able to connect my two passions due to a severe lack of good films about the sport. I grew up on the Goal trilogy, vaguely remember watching Sylvester Stallone's "Victory" when I was younger, and maybe checked out a couple of indies like "The Damned United" or "Marvellous", but none of them really stuck with me as much as I wanted them too. With Stephen Chow's "Shaolin ...

Director: Pascal Plante Stars: Katerine Savard, Ariane Mainville, Pierre-Yves Cardinal Runtime: 107   minutes Synopsis:  Nadia, an Olympic swimmer in her twenties, faces the challenges of her imminent retirement. Verdict:  Set in an alternate universe in which the pandemic didn’t happen and the Tokyo Olympics went ahead as planned, “Nadia, Butterfly” follows the aftermath of a young Canadian competitive swimmer’s final race before her premature retirement from the sport. It’s a grounded exploration of an athlete’s decision to let go of years of rigorous training to reach the very top of her profession. A journey she started at a very young age, unaware of the extremely competitive and selfish nature of the sporting world which eventually took a toll on her. The fact that our lead character is played by Katherine Savard, a real-life professional swimmer whose specialization and Olympic record are far too similar to Nadia’s, adds a lot of weight to her performance. Being a ...

Director: Riley Stearns Stars: Jesse Einsenberg, Alessandro Nivola, Imogen Poots Runtime:  104 minutes Synopsis:   After being attacked on the street, a young man enlists at a local dojo, led by a charismatic and mysterious sensei, in an effort to learn how to defend himself from future threats. Performances: 8/10 Screenplay: 4/10 Editing: 6/10 Cinematography: 5/10 Score/Soundtrack:  4/10 Verdict: Riley Stearns' "The Art of Self-Defense" has been on my radar for quite a while now. The trailer seemed interesting and the reception it received was mostly encouraging. And while I definitely wouldn't call it a forgettable movie, I thought it was both promising and disappointing simultaneously. I was hooked as soon as we were introduced to Jesse Eisenberg's Casey, a typical loser-type outcast who on a quiet evening is robbed and left in a critical condition. After a few days of recovery, he decides to take Karate classes in order to be better ...

Director: Gavin O'Connor Stars:  Ben Affleck ,  Janina Gavankar ,  Michaela Watkins Runtime:  108 minutes Synopsis:  Jack Cunningham was a HS basketball phenom who walked away from the game, forfeiting his future. Years later, when he reluctantly accepts a coaching job at his alma mater, he may get one last shot at redemption. Performances: 7/10 Screenplay: 5/10 Editing: 6/10 Cinematography: 5/10 Score/Soundtrack:   7 /10 Verdict: I'm not the biggest fan of Gavin O'Connor's work. I wouldn't describe any of the movies I've seen from him as bad, but none of them really stuck with me, even the ones I actually enjoyed such as "Warrior". In his newest project, Ben Affleck's character is a jobless mess who has succumbed to alcoholism after his separation from his wife. He has hit an all time low, but is given a second chance at redemption when offered a modest job as coach of a Basketball high school team. "The Way Back...

Director: Trey Edwards Shults Stars:   Taylor Russell, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Alexa Demie Runtime:  135 minutes Synopsis:   Traces the journey of a suburban family - led by a well-intentioned but domineering father - as they navigate love, forgiveness, and coming together in the aftermath of a loss. Performances: 9/10 Screenplay: 6/10 Editing: 6/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Score/Soundtrack:  8/10 Verdict: As a big fan of Trey Edwards Shults' "It Comes at Night", I was eagerly waiting for his follow up project, once again produced by A24, a studio that never fails to deliver. And one thing the young director proved for sure with "Waves" is that he has range like very few others do, because this particular one's style is vastly different than the one used to create an atmosphere of dread in "It Comes at Night". Fueled by incredible performances all over the board, gorgeous cinematography that played with aspect ratios in a very s...

Director: James Mangold Stars: Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal Runtime:  152 minutes Synopsis:   American car designer Carroll Shelby and driver Ken Miles battle corporate interference, the laws of physics and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford and challenge Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966. Performances: 8/10 Screenplay: 6/10 Special Effects: 5/10 Costumes/Makeup: 7/10 Editing: 7/10 Cinematography: 6/10 Score/Soundtrack:  5/10 Verdict: Fresh off Logan's resounding success a couple of years ago, James Mangold is back behind the camera for what is considered by many to be a front-runner at next year's Academy Awards. "Ford v Ferrari", also known as "Le Mans '66" in some parts of the world, tells the true story of the legendary rivalry between the two titans of the automobile industry on the car racing field during the 1960s with a focus on the two men at the center of it: Ca...

Director: Martin Scorsese Stars: Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci Runtime:  129   minutes Synopsis:   The life of boxer  Jake LaMotta , whose violence and temper that led him to the top in the ring destroyed his life outside of it. Performances: 10/10 Screenplay: 9/10 Costumes/Makeup: 8/10 Editing: 10/10 Cinematography: 9/10 Score/Soundtrack:  8/10 Verdict: Whenever someone asks me what my favorite Scorsese picture is, I freeze for a couple of seconds. The director has such a versatile and rich filmography that it's nearly impossible to pick a single movie that separates itself from the others. But every single time, the same 4 or 5 projects immediately come to mind when asked this question, and "Raging Bull" is one of them. Marty has proven himself to be a master in the art of dissecting despicable men with films such as "Taxi Driver" or "The King of Comedy". "Raging Bull" on the surface looks like a boxi...

Director: Tyler Nilson, Michael Schwartz Stars: Shia LaBeouf, Dakota Johnson, Zack Gottsagen Runtime: 97 minutes Synopsis:   Zak runs away from his care home to make his dream of becoming a wrestler come true. Performances: 4/5 Screenplay: 3/5 Editing: 3/5 Cinematography: 3/5 Score/Soundtrack:  3/5 Entertainment Factor: 4/5 Verdict: Is "The Peanut Butter Falcon" a cinematic masterpiece? No. But is it one of the best feel-good movies of the year? Absolutely, yes. The film, which is a road-trip adventure led by a runaway 22-year-old with down syndrome and a fisherman he meets on his way to a wrestling school, radiates so much heart that you can't help but keep a smile on your face for its entire runtime despite it not really taking any risks and following a formula we've seen countless times before that does fall into cheese territory at times. It also never quite offers anything new in its technical aspects, mostly in its score and cinemato...

Director: Steven Soderbergh Stars: André Holland, Melvin Gregg, Eddie Tavares Runtime: 90 minutes Synopsis:   A sports agent pitches a rookie basketball client on an intriguing and controversial business opportunity during a lockout. Performances: 4/5 Screenplay: 3/5 Editing: 4/5 Cinematography: 2/5 Score/Soundtrack:  3/5 Verdict: Steven Soderbergh is an ambitious filmmaker to say the least. In his latest movie "High Flying Bird", available on Netflix, he delves into the world of professional Basketball and manages to make a sport movie without any sports in it. Instead, Soderbergh focuses on the behind the scenes of the game, making its business side the centre of attention. While I do enjoy the occasional Basketball game, I don't really consider myself a fan of the sport. I don't follow the NBA at all, and know nothing about agents or transfers. And this is probably why I couldn't enjoy "High Flying Bird" that much. Starring...

Director: Kunihiko Yuyama, Michael Haigney Stars: Veronica Taylor, Rachael Lillis, Eric Stuart Runtime: 75 minutes Synopsis:   Scientists genetically create a new Pokémon, Mewtwo, but the results are horrific and disastrous. Verdict: Since "Detective Pikachu" was postponed to early June here and I won't get a chance to watch it until then, I thought it'd be fun to revisit a movie that defined my childhood, and probably the first one to actually make me cry. Released in 1998, I watched the first "Pokémon" movie about 6 or 7 years later, when I was about 9 years old and obsessed with the franchise. I used to collect the cards, play the games, watch the show, learn all the names (hey it rhymes!)... Ash, Misty, Brock, along with all the original 151 Pokémons had a special place in my heart and still do to this day (I still play Pokémon Red on Game Boy Advance from time to time). "Mewtwo Strikes Back" feels more like a long episo...

Directors: Jimmy Chin,  Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi Runtime: 100 minutes Synopsis:   Follow Alex Honnold as he becomes the first person to ever free solo climb Yosemite's 3,000 ft high El Capitan wall. With no ropes or safety gear, he completed arguably the greatest feat in rock climbing history. Verdict: When "Free Solo" was announced as the winner of the Oscar for best documentary at this year's ceremony, and upon looking up what the subject tackled was, I knew that I had to check it out. And boy am I glad I did. Following Alex Honnold's insane challenge of climbing the famous El Capitan wall without any ropes, "Free Solo" not only was thrilling to watch, but also was surprisingly multilayered. The build-up to the climb was as exciting as the climb itself, which is the main reason why I found this documentary fascinating. In fact, "Free Solo" throws its focus first of all on Alex himself, beautifully developing him and dis...

Director: Stephen Merchant Stars: Florence Pugh, Jack Lowden, Vince Vaughn Runtime: 108 minutes Synopsis:   A former wrestler and his family make a living performing at small venues around the country while his kids dream of joining World Wrestling Entertainment. Performances: 7/10 Screenplay: 6/10 Costumes/Makeup: 7/10 Editing: 5/10 Cinematography: 5/10 Score/Soundtrack:  4/10 Verdict: Directed by Stephen Merchant and produced by none other than Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, "Fighting with My Family" tells the true story of Saraya Knight, an ambitious wrestler who started her career in a modest family-owned ring in Norwich, only to become today the WWE superstar known as Paige. I found the film to be a surprisingly charming one. Held together by mostly great performances, especially by lead Florence Pugh and Vince Vaughn (whose role is similar to the one he had in "Hacksaw Ridge"), it does a great job at depicting Paige's roa...

Director: Steven Caple Jr. Stars: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson Runtime: 130 minutes Synopsis:  Adonis Creed returns to the ring to face Viktor Drago around 30 years after their fathers' famous fight.  Performances: 8/10 Why? No real complaints here. Stallone proved that his excellent take on the most famous boxer in cinema history - which earned him an Oscar nomination 2 years ago - was not a fluke as he once again delivered an emotional, down to earth performance that served as a beautiful send off for the character (he announced yesterday on Instagram that he was retiring from the role). Thompson was great as usual and the return of Dolph Lundgren as Ivan Drago, who in my opinion is the greatest opponent Rocky ever faced, gave me chills. Florian Munteanu, who played his son and main antagonist Viktor, was also phenomenal in the role, capturing the coldness and determination his father showed before him. Finally, Michael B....

Director: John G. Avildsen Stars: Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue Runtime: 126 minutes Synopsis: A young kid decides to learn karate in order to stand up to his bullies. Performances: 8/10 Screenplay: 9/10 Special Effects: N.A. Costumes/Makeup: 8/10 Editing: 8/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Score/Soundtrack:  9/10  Verdict:  More than just a movie, "The Karate Kid" is a life lesson. Led by some of the most iconic characters in movie history, it still holds up to this day and can be enjoyed by pretty much anyone. A must. Final Grade:  9/10

Director:  Craig Gillespie Stars:  Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney Runtime: 120 minutes Performances: 9/10 Screenplay:  8/10 Special Effects: N.A. Costumes/Makeup: 8/10 Editing: 9/10 Cinematography: 6/10 Score/Soundtrack:  5/10 Verdict:   “I, Tonya” is the true story of Tonya Harding, a figure skater who was involved in an incident that shocked the world during the 1990s. However, the movie doesn’t take the easy road by focusing solely on that incident which, let’s face it, is the reason a big majority of moviegoers went to see it in the first place. Instead, it serves as a study of Harding’s character, and studies her relationship with her abusive mother and spiteful husband. The title character was played by Margot Robbie, while Allison Janney portrayed her abusive mother LaVona, and they were both incredible in their respective roles (and rewarded with Oscar nominations and a win for Janney along the way). The rest of the ...

Director: Janus Metz Stars: Sverrir Gudnason, Shia LaBeouf, Stellan Skarsg å rd Runtime:  107 minutes Performances: 8/10 Screenplay:  6/10 Special Effects: N.A. Costumes/Makeup: 8/10 Editing: 7/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Score/Soundtrack:  6/10  Verdict:  Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have been dominating the tennis courts for years now, but during the late 1970s and early 1980s, it was two other giants of the sport that were destroying everything and everyone who stood in their way: Bj ö rn Borg and John McEnroe. "Bjorn McEnroe" is the story of the historic Wimbledon final that opposed the two players back in 1980, and serves also as a character study of the ice cold Swede and the fiery American. One thing I really liked about this movie was the general atmosphere. I really felt like I was watching something that was taking place in 1980, and this is mostly thanks to great costume and set designs. Sverrir Gudnason and Stellan Skarsg å rd b...

Director: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris Stars: Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Andrea Riseborough Runtime: 121 minutes Performances: 7/10 Screenplay: 5/10 Special Effects: N.A. Costumes/Makeup: 8/10 Editing: 6/10 Casting: 9/10 Cinematography: 6/10 Score/Soundtrack:  5/10 Verdict:  Greatly acted and well designed, the true story of the tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs deals with a lot of themes still relevant today. However, the movie is also sloppily written, did feel a tad too long and was cheesy at times.   Final Grade: 6/10