Movies Graded

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: Peter Farrelly Stars: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini Runtime: 129 minutes Synopsis:  An Italian-American bouncer is hired to be the chauffeur of a pianist who comes from a very different background. Based on true events. Performances: 10/10 Why? Hands down two of the best performances of the year. Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali, who respectively play the vulgar Italian-American Tony and the piano virtuoso Dr. Shirley not only deliver performances filled with heart, emotion, and humor, but also have undeniable chemistry that made their relationship such an interesting one to watch. From Mortensen's perfect Italian accent to Ali's chilling speech under the rain, the pair proved once more that they're two of the best actors working today, and I think it's safe to assume that we're going to see both of them competing for the golden statue come award season.  Screenplay: 9/10 Why? When Peter Farrelly was announced a...

Director: Desiree Akhavan Stars: Chloe Grace Moretz, Steven Hauck, Quinn Shephard Runtime: 91 minutes Synopsis:  A teenager is admitted into a gay conversion therapy center. Performances: 7/10 Why? Pretty good, even though I felt at times that they sacrificed emotion for the sake of realism. This is not necessarily a bad thing, especially considering the fact that Akhavan chose to present the story in a very sincere way, but I can't help but feel that showing a little bit more emotion could've helped better depict the characters' struggles.   Screenplay: 7/10 Why? Making a film about sensitive subjects such as the one tackled in this production is never easy to do. "The Miseducation of Cameron Post", however, manages to present and depict the social issues at stake in a beautifully raw and realistic way. The message is delivered in a very subtle way, which is rare to witness in movies dealing with heavy themes such as this one. Having said...

Director: Corin Hardy Stars: Demian Bichir, Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet Runtime: 96 minutes Synopsis:  A priest is sent to Romania by the Vatican to investigate the mysterious suicide of a nun. Performances: 4/10 Why? Apart from Taissa Farmiga who was fine as Sister Irene, the cast never seemed even interested in delivering solid performances. Bichir and Bloquet sleepwalked through most of the movie, while Bonnie Aarons, who played the Nun, appeared to be under the impression that the film was a parody centered around the character made famous in the second installment of the Conjuring franchise (and she wouldn't be very wrong, if I'm being honest).  Screenplay: 2/10 Why? In a year described as being golden for horror movies with notable releases such as "Hereditary", "A Quiet Place", or "Suspiria", "The Nun" came to remind us that Hollywood still produces bad horror flicks only made to generate a lot of revenues ...

Director: Phil Johnston, Rich Moore Stars: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Gal Gadot Runtime: 112 minutes Synopsis:  Following an incident that resulted in the breaking of a crucial piece in Vanellope's game, Ralph takes her to the Internet to find a replacement and save the game.  Animation: 9/10 Why? I mean, it's a Disney animated movie. It shouldn't come as a surprise that the animation's going to look gorgeous.  Performances: 9/10 Why? Again, no complaints here. Veterans and newcomers alike perfectly voiced their characters. Numerous cameo appearances were also very much welcome and left me with a smile on my face. Screenplay: 6/10 Why? I watched the prequel to that installment about two years ago, and still consider it to be one of the best Disney films, animated or otherwise, to come out in the past decade. It perfectly blended nostalgia, humor, and heart and left me wanting more. When the sequel was announced, I was beyond excited t...

Director: Steve McQueen Stars: Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki Runtime: 129 minutes Synopsis:  A group of women plan a heist to pay a debt their dead husbands left behind. Performances: 9/10 Why? Even though the film had a lot of characters in it, each actor fully committed to their role. There wasn't one single bad performance, and I'd even go as far as saying that Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Daniel Kaluuya, and Robert Duvall may all get a couple of nominations and why not wins come awards season. Screenplay: 7/10 Why? If you watch the movie expecting the big action heist ride promised in the trailer, you'll be disappointed. If you go in expecting another Steve McQueen film similar to his previous work ("12 Years a Slave", "Shame", or "Hunger"), you'll also be disappointed. "Widows" falls somewhere in between those two categories, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. The charact...

Director: David Mackenzie Stars: Chris Pine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Florence Pugh Runtime: 121 minutes Synopsis:  Based on a true story, follows Robert the Bruce as he leads an army to claim the Scottish throne.  Performances: 6/10 Why? I honestly couldn't look at Robert the Bruce without seeing Chris Pine doing an accent. I'm not sure if the problem comes from his casting rather than his performance, but I do know that it's one of the reasons why the movie, unfortunately, didn't satisfy me as much as I wanted it to. The rest of the cast, despite not delivering performances I'd consider to be layered and memorable, did a decent job with what they were given.  Screenplay: 4/10 Why? Finishing the movie was a struggle, and its script was the main reason why. The film felt like a rushed miniseries where all the episode were cut together and as a result, featured way too many story arcs and characters. And not one of them was properly and carefully ...