Movies Graded

Director: Danny Boyle Stars: Himesh Patel, Lily James, Kate McKinnon Runtime: 116 minutes Synopsis:   A struggling musician realizes he's the only person on Earth who can remember  The Beatles  after waking up in an alternate timeline where they never existed. Performances: 3/5 Screenplay: 2/5 Editing: 2/5 Cinematography: 3/5 Score/Soundtrack:  3/5 Verdict: A cool concept doesn't automatically guarantee a good movie, and "Yesterday" is here to prove exactly that. The film follows Jack Malik, a struggling musician who, after being hit by a bus during a global blackout, wakes up in an alternate timeline in which he's the only person that remembers The Beatles and naturally starts taking advantage of that to boost his career. Directed by Danny Boyle whose signature style is very much present in the movie, the film stars Himesh Patel in the lead alongside the likes of Lily James, Kate McKinnon, and Ed Sheeran. And while none of them did...

Director: Lars Klevberg Stars: Aubrey Plaza, Mark Hamill, Gabriel Bateman Runtime: 90 minutes Synopsis:   A mother gives her son a toy doll for his birthday, unaware of its more sinister nature. Performances: 3/5 Screenplay: 2/5 Costumes/Makeup: 4/5 Editing: 3/5 Cinematography: 2/5 Score/Soundtrack:  3/5 Entertainment Factor: 3/5 Verdict: After watching Lars Klevberg's first feature film "Polaroid", my excitement for the "Child's Play" reboot quickly turned into skepticism. And while the film definitely wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be, I still walked out of the theater disappointed by its wasted potential. What Klevberg gets completely wrong in his take of the killer doll is its tone. His decision to give what on paper is a rather silly premise the dark and gritty treatment is one that did not sit well with me at all. The original's success is linked to the fact that what is now considered to be a cult classic ...

Director: Gary Dauberman Stars: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Mckenna Grace Runtime: 106 minutes Synopsis:   While babysitting the daughter of Ed and Lorraine Warren, a teenager and her friend unknowingly awaken an evil spirit trapped in a doll. Performances: 4/5 Screenplay: 3/5 Special Effects: 3/5 Costumes/Makeup: 4/5 Editing: 2/5 Cinematography: 4/5 Score/Soundtrack:  3/5 Entertainment Factor: 3/5 Verdict: Before getting into my review of the movie, I need to get something off my chest. I watched the newest entry in the Conjuring Universe on a Thursday afternoon, expecting a relatively not too crowded room. And even though there were slightly more people than I was expecting (about 25-30 moviegoers), I still thought that it was going to be a pleasant watch with not too many distractions. And boy was I wrong. People were taking pictures (with flash), screaming or laughing at every little loud noise in the movie, talking with each other out l...

Director:  Thorbjørn Christoffersen ,  Anders Matthesen Stars:  Anders Matthesen ,  Emma Sehested Høeg ,  Alfred Bjerre Larsen Runtime: 81 minutes Synopsis:   A possessed Ninja doll teams up with a teenage boy to avenge the murder of a poor child factory worker. Animation: 3/5 Performances: 4/5 Screenplay: 3/5 Editing: 5/5 Score/Soundtrack:  4/5 Entertainment Factor: 4/5 Verdict: I really didn't know what to expect from "Checkered Ninja", a Danish animated film about a boy who was gifted a possessed Ninja doll on his birthday. The premise seemed interesting and rather weird but truth be told, I wasn't entirely sold on the film's trailer. Luckily, all my doubts disappeared as soon as what was going to be an incredibly delightful movie started. Director Anders Matthesen, who also wrote the book "Checkered Ninja" was based on, immediately makes it clear that the film was aimed at more mature audiences, a decision I admire...

Director: Elia Kazan Stars: Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb Runtime: 108 minutes Synopsis:   An ex-prize fighter turned longshoreman struggles to stand up to his corrupt union bosses. Performances: 5/5 Screenplay: 5/5 Editing: 5/5 Cinematography: 5/5 Score/Soundtrack:  5/5 Verdict: I finally watched "On the Waterfront", a film I've been postponing for God knows how long. And it was as glorious as I was expecting it to be. Elia Kazan's masterpiece is a masterclass in both acting and screenwriting. Every single line of dialogue is delivered in a way that will give you chills all over you body, reaching their pinnacle in two particular scenes that I believe belong in Cinema's archives. The character arc of Terry Malloy, played by a tremendous Marlon Brando (who infamously despised his performance), is one of the most perfectly handled arcs I have ever seen. His story follows a weirdly anti-symmetric route that is handled with so mu...

Director: Kyle Newacheck Stars: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Luke Evans Runtime: 97 minutes Synopsis:   A New York cop and his wife go on a European vacation to reinvigorate the spark in their marriage, but end up getting framed and on the run for the death of an elderly billionaire. Performances: 3/5 Screenplay: 2/5 Editing: 3/5 Cinematography: 3/5 Score/Soundtrack:  3/5 Entertainment Factor: 4/5 Verdict: I'm a sucker for whodunit movies, but I generally try to stay away from Adam Sandler's work as I find his comedies painfully unfunny. I decided to put on Netflix's "Murder Mystery" at the end of a tiring day where I just wanted to kick back, turn off my brain, and have fun with a silly movie... And the mystery-comedy checked all these boxes pretty efficiently. I could spend an entire day dissecting everything wrong with the film. I mean, a lot of character decisions or plot elements don't make sense, the setting and punchline ...

Director: Josh Cooley Stars: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts Runtime: 100 minutes Synopsis:   When a new toy called "Forky" joins Woody and the gang, a road trip alongside old and new friends reveals how big the world can be for a toy. Animation: 5/5 Performances: 4/5 Screenplay: 2/5 Editing: 4/5 Score/Soundtrack:  4/5 Entertainment Factor: 3/5 Verdict: Like almost every 90s kid out there, I grew up watching Woody and Buzz's adventures. I used to love the Toy Story franchise and considered it to be the Holy Grail of animated films. However, its many flaws (especially in the third installment) started to appear to me when I rewatched the trilogy a couple of years ago for the first time as an adult. And just as fast as I fell in love with it, I started to pull away from the franchise. I wasn't excited when I heard that a fourth entry was in the works, and none of its trailers grabbed my attention and made me rethink my devotion to the series...