Movies Graded

Director: Michael Dougherty Stars: Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown Runtime: 131 minutes Synopsis:   The crypto-zoological agency Monarch faces off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. Performances: 3/5 Screenplay: 2/5 Special Effects: 4/5 Costumes/Makeup: 3/5 Editing: 2/5 Cinematography: 4/5 Score/Soundtrack:  3/5 Entertainment Factor: 2/5 Verdict: The trailers promised us a poetic epic. We got none of that. The sequel to 2014's "Godzilla" and newest entry in the now established MonsterVerse was in a lot of people's most anticipated movies of the year list despite the universe's mixed reception up to this point. The main criticism people, including me, had about the first "Godzilla" as well as "Kong" was the fact that the human characters, which the films throw their main foc...

Director: Ernst Lubitsch Stars: Carole Lombard, Jack Benny, Robert Stack Runtime: 99 minutes Synopsis:   During the Nazi occupation of Poland, an acting troupe becomes embroiled in a Polish soldier's efforts to track down a German spy. Performances: 4/5 Screenplay: 4/5 Editing: 5/5 Cinematography: 5/5 Score/Soundtrack:  4/5 Verdict: Released in 1942 only a few month after the attack on Pearl Harbor that led the United States to take part in World War 2, "To Be or Not to Be" follows an acting troupe that gets involved in the tracking of a German spy in occupied Poland. Directed by the legendary Ernst Lubitsch (who funnily enough comes from a German family and was born in Berlin), the film's main attribute is the fact that it  juggles between genres and can be enjoyed by almost anyone. It's a satire, drama, romance, war and spy movie all at once, and never feels overwhelming tonally, mainly because the focus is thrown on the comedy more t...

Director: Ciro Guerra Stars: Nilbio Torres, Jan Bijvoet, Antonio Bolivar Runtime: 125 minutes Synopsis:   The story of the relationship between Karamakate, an Amazonian shaman and last survivor of his people, and two scientists who work together over the course of forty years to search the Amazon for a sacred healing plant. Performances: 5/5 Screenplay: 5/5 Costumes/Makeup: 5/5 Editing: 4/5 Cinematography: 5/5 Verdict: "Embrace of the Serpent" is much more than a movie, it's a spiritual journey. Entirely shot in black and white, the first Colombian film to be nominated for an Academy Award is breathtaking to look at and truly immerses you into its Amazonian setting, which feels incredibly real. Told through two different timelines that feature the same Amazonian shaman Karamakate, the film sees the healer guide two westerners in search for a sacred plant hidden deep in the jungle. "Embrace of the Serpent" is masterfully shot, acted...

Director: Olivia Wilde Stars: Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein, Jessica Williams Runtime: 102 minutes Synopsis:   On the eve of their high school graduation, two academic superstars and best friends realize they should have worked less and played more. Determined not to fall short of their peers, the girls try to cram four years of fun into one night. Performances: 4/5 Screenplay: 3/5 Costumes/Makeup: 3/5 Editing: 3/5 Cinematography: 4/5 Score/Soundtrack:  3/5 Verdict: One of the best-reviewed films of 2019 on Rotten Tomatoes, "Booksmart" is also the directorial debut of actress Olivia Wilde. And while she does a more than decent job helming this project, I can't really say that I was wowed by it, and that is for many reasons. About Amy and Molly, two best friends on the verge of graduating high school and dedicated to experiencing their very first party, the film's biggest liability was quite honestly its script, written by the same peop...

Director: Henri-Georges Clouzot Stars: Brigitte Bardot, Paul Meurisse, Charles Vanel Runtime: 127 minutes Synopsis:   A liberated small-town girl and the family's black sheep moves to Paris with her sister, only to find herself standing trial for the shocking murder of her young lover. Was his killing premeditated or was this a crime of passion? Performances:  5/5 Screenplay: 4/5 Editing: 4/5 Cinematography: 5/5 Score/Soundtrack:  5/5 Verdict: Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot and starring French icon Brigitte Bardot, "La Vérité" sees protagonist Dominique Marceau stand trial for the murder of her lover Gilbert. When you watch "La Vérité", you're actually treated to two movies for the price of one. Half of the film acts as a riveting courtroom drama in which the fragile human condition is evaluated, making it much more profound and in a way philosophical than the average movie in that genre. The other half, told through flashbacks...

Director: Lars Klevberg Stars: Kathryn Prescott, Tyler Young, Samantha Logan Runtime: 88 minutes Synopsis:   High school loner Bird Fitcher has no idea what dark secrets are tied to the mysterious Polaroid vintage camera she stumbles upon, but it doesn't take long to discover that those who have their picture taken meet a tragic end. Performances: 2/5 Screenplay: 1/5 Special Effects: 2/5 Editing: 2/5 Cinematography: 2/5 Score/Soundtrack:  2/5 Entertainment Factor: 1/5 Verdict: Seriously though, why are movies like these still being made? Directed by Lars Klevberg, "Polaroid" is the story of a teenager who stumbles upon a vintage camera that kills anyone who has their picture taken with it. If the story seems dumb and not in the least scary to you, you're absolutely correct. Similarly to "Slender Man" or "Rings", it's yet another shallow film that only relies on a couple of loud, cheap jump scares to call itself a ...

Director: David Yarovesky Stars: Elizabeth Banks, Jackson A. Dunn, David Denman Runtime: 90 minutes Synopsis:   What if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he proved to be something far more sinister? Performances: 3/5 Screenplay: 2/5 Special Effects: 3/5 Costumes/Makeup: 4/5 Editing: 2/5 Cinematography: 3/5 Score/Soundtrack:  3/5 Entertainment Factor: 3/5 Verdict: "What if Superman was evil?" From producer James Gunn and director David Yarovesky, "Brightburn" attempts to answer that question by telling the story of Brandon, a super-powered child that was found by a couple when his spaceship crashed on their farm. Sadly, the only answer I got from the movie was for the question "What if Man of Steel was laughably bad?". Written by two other members of the Gunn family, Brian and Mark, the film is filled with wasted potential from a story I'm sure a lot of people, i...