Movies Graded

Director: Zack Snyder Stars: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon Runtime:  143 minutes Synopsis:  An alien child is evacuated from his dying world and sent to Earth to live among humans. His peace is threatened, when other survivors of his home planet invade Earth. Performances: 7/10 Screenplay: 5/10 Editing: 4/10 Cinematography: 6/10 Score/Soundtrack:  9/10 Visual Effects: 5/10 Entertainment Factor:  7/10 Verdict:  I have sort of a love/hate relationship with "Man of Steel", the film that kicked off the DCEU. I'm a person who will always find a way to defend it while still acknowledging its many flaws. I very much appreciate Zack Snyder's approach to the origin of one of the most iconic superheroes of our times. It takes a deeper, more conflict-centric look at the character's journey to becoming Superman by comparing him to a divine figure living amongst mortals while trying to understand his purpose on Earth. It's a much different approach to the Marvel...

Director: Jean Cocteau Stars:  Jean Marais, François Périer, María Casares Runtime:  95 minutes Synopsis:  A poet in love with Death follows his unhappy wife into the underworld. Performances: 8/10 Screenplay: 8/10 Editing: 7/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Score/Soundtrack:  8/10 Verdict: Jean Cocteau's Orphic trilogy is one I only recently learned about. And by recently, I mean after I've viewed the second installment titled "Orphée", released in 1950. But thankfully, the film works on its own and can be experienced without watching its predecessor, which came out 20 years before it. It acts as a modern retelling of the Ancient Greek myth about a poet bearing the titular name who sees his wife taken by Death and decides to go to the Underworld to retrieve her. Powered by ingenious practical effects and an imposing performance by Jean Marais, the film takes a few detours from the original legend that work for its advantage. Its themes of immortality and rebirth al...

Director: Todd Haynes Stars: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson Runtime:  118 minutes Synopsis:   An aspiring photographer develops an intimate relationship with an older woman in 1950s New York. Performances: 9/10 Screenplay: 6/10 Costumes/Makeup: 8/10 Editing: 6/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Score/Soundtrack:  10/10 Verdict: (+) Rooney Mara is great. Cate Blanchett is phenomenal. (+) The emotionally-heavy score by Carter Burwell is one of the best of the decade. (+) Edward Lachman's cinematography feels and looks authentic. (+) The 1950s are beautifully captured. (+) More than just a love story, it's also a journey of self-discovery and sincerity. (+) Efficiently serves as a commentary on the difficulties faced by LGBTQ+ couples during that time (some of which they are still facing today). (+) The ending is perfect. (-) The dialogue can be cheesy at times. (-) It's such a one-note movie that could've easily been enhanced with bet...

Director: Richard Linklater Stars: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy Runtime:  80 minutes Synopsis:  Nine years after Jesse and Celine first met, they encounter each other again on the French leg of Jesse's book tour. Performances: 9/10 Screenplay: 9/10 Editing: 9/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Verdict: Nine long years after their romantic night in Vienna, Jesse, who has now written a novel about the encounter, and Céline meet again in Paris on the former's book tour. The pair haven't talked in nearly a decade but the chemistry they share hasn't faded away, as shown by Jesse's reaction when he first laid out on Céline while answering questions about his work. In a rush, he asks her out for a cup of coffee before his departure from the city in a few hours and she accepts without hesitation. For the next hour or so, we follow our favorite couple in real time as they walk through the streets of Paris, conversing about different topics ranging from philosophy to art, and most important...

Director: Robert Rodriguez Stars:  Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodríguez, Josh Brolin Runtime:  105 minutes Synopsis:  After an experimental bio-weapon is released, turning thousands into zombie-like creatures, it's up to a rag-tag group of survivors to stop the infected and those behind its release. Performances: 8/10 Screenplay: 5/10 Editing: 7/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Score/Soundtrack:  7/10 Entertainment Factor:  7/10 Verdict: Being the second half of the Grindhouse double feature, it's difficult to watch "Planet Terror" without comparing it to "Death Proof". The two share many similarities as they both pay tribute to exploitation films that were popular back in the 1970s and do a more than efficient job at recreating the over-the-top - almost to a ridiculous extent - tone that used to make them loved by so many people. They serve no other purpose than providing a fun experience to the audience and achieve exactly that. However, I did feel that "Planet Ter...

Director: Quentin Tarantino Stars: Kurt Russell, Zoë Bell, Rosario Dawson Runtime:  127 minutes Synopsis:   Two separate sets of voluptuous women are stalked at different times by a scarred stuntman who uses his "death proof" cars to execute his murderous plans. Performances: 9/10 Screenplay: 8/10 Editing: 9/10 Cinematography: 9/10 Score/Soundtrack:  10/10 Entertainment Factor:  10/10 Verdict: Considered by many to be Tarantino's worst work, I kept postponing "Death Proof" for years before I finally gave it a shot. I was in the mood for something fun, that doesn't require a lot of brainpower to take in, and I stumbled upon the first half of the Grindhouse double feature and thought to myself that it was about time to check it off my watchlist. So I sat back, pressed the play button, and... was charmed from beginning to end from what I now consider to be the most entertaining Tarantino flick to date. And if you're familiar with the director's body of ...

Director: Jake Castorena Stars: Troy Baker, Eric Bauza, Darren Criss Runtime: 87 minutes Synopsis:   Batman, Batgirl and Robin forge an alliance with The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to fight against the Turtles' sworn enemy, The Shredder, who has teamed up with Ra's Al Ghul and The League Of Assassins. Animation: 2/5 Performances: 3/5 Screenplay: 2/5 Editing: 3/5 Score/Soundtrack:  2/5 Entertainment Factor: 3/5 Verdict: Granted, this movie may be an easy target that probably was aimed at younger audiences (it's a Nickelodeon movie). But when I saw that Batman and the Turtles were going to be in the same movie, I just had to check it out. And while I wasn't particularly wowed, it's pretty much exactly what you'd expect from a movie with all these ingredients. The animated film is more of an "and" than a "versus", but you probably knew that already. In it, Bruce Wayne teams up with the Turtles, Batgirl, and Robin to ta...