Movies Graded

Director: Simon Stone Stars: Carey Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes, Lily James Runtime: 112  minutes Synopsis:  An archaeologist embarks on the historically important excavation of Sutton Hoo in 1938. Verdict:  Everything about this movie screamed boring British period piece, one of my least favorite subgenres in the world of Cinema. Directed by Simon Stone and starring Carey Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes, and Lily James, “The Dig” tells the true story of an archeological excavation that took place in 1939. Despite using a visual template that has been used far too many times within the subgenre and a script that wasn’t entirely free of cheesy dialogue, my love of archeology was enough to make the first half of the film at the very least intriguing. I wasn’t blown away by it, but I also wasn’t nearly as bored as I was expecting to be. But then the second half of the movie came along and with it a change in focus that worked against the flow of the narrative. The focus shifted from hist...

Director: Jacques Demy Stars: Catherine Deneuve, Françoise Dorléac, George Chakiris Runtime: 125  minutes Synopsis:  Two sisters leave their small seaside town of Rochefort in search of romance. Hired as carnival singers, one falls for an American musician, while the other must search for her ideal partner. Verdict:  Following a vibrant stop at Cherbourg where I was introduced to Jacques Demy’s work, I immediately booked myself a ticket to Rochefort, the little French town in which the events of his following film take place. Starring once again the wonderful Catherine Deneuve alongside her real-life sister Françoise Dorléac (who tragically passed away only a few months after the film’s release), many similarities can be drawn to Demy’s “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg”, most notably in the film’s presentation. “The Young Girls of Cherbourg” is also filled to the brim with colors and music, all of which contributed to turning the setting into a reflection of the film’s ambianc...

Creator: Marti Noxon Stars: Amy Adams, Patricia Clarkson, Chris Messina Synopsis:  A reporter confronts the psychological demons from her past when she returns to her hometown to cover a violent murder. Verdict: In the little obscure town of Wind Gap, the violent murder of a young girl drives a reporter back to the place in which she grew up. But what was waiting for her there was a much bigger challenge than what she had anticipated as she quickly becomes haunted by past traumas related to both events that occurred during her childhood and a reignited difficult relationship with her mother. Based on a novel written by Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl) and helmed by Jean-Marc Vallée (Big Little Lies), this HBO limited series does fall into cliché territory in its world-building. Other than the fact that it takes place in a familiar setting, the majority of characters also do come off as parodies of themselves at times. But what separates "Sharp Objects" from other projects that fall ...

Director: Jacques Demy Stars: Catherine Deneuve, Nino Castelnuovo, Anne Vernon Runtime: 91  minutes Synopsis:  A young woman separated from her lover by war faces a life-altering decision. Verdict:  With "La La Land" being one of my favorite movies of all time, it only made sense for me to check out the French classic that inspired it. And while the similarities between the two films are more than apparent, it was a relief to see that they both stand out on their own two feet. In fact, Jacques Demy's "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" filled me with the same wonder I felt when I watch Damien Chazelle's masterpiece for the first time and it wasn't until the very end that the parallels became clear to me. For approximately an hour and a half, I was transported into a world of music and striking bright colors. A world that for a second made me forget about the one we currently live in and which, more than ever, is devoid of everything that made Demy's univers...

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn Stars: Elle Fanning, Jena Malone, Keanu Reeves Runtime: 117 minutes Synopsis:  An aspiring model, Jesse, is new to Los Angeles. However, her beauty and youth, which generate intense fascination and jealousy within the fashion industry, may prove themselves sinister. Verdict:  The film's tagline, borrowed from a line uttered by Alessandro Nivola's character, couldn't be any clearer: "Beauty isn't everything. It's the only thing". And believe me when I say that if this was truly the case, then Nicolas Winding Refn's "The Neon Demon" would now be considered a cinematic masterpiece. Starring Elle Fanning as an aspiring model whose first steps in the fashion industry lead her down a sinister path, the movie's biggest asset is most definitely its very rich style. I'd even go as far as to say that it's one of the most visually stimulating projects of the current century, achieved using stunning neon imagery...

Director: Francis Ford Coppola Stars: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Robert Duvall Runtime:   202  minutes Synopsis:   The early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York City is portrayed, while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on the family crime syndicate. Verdict: Two years after the release of the phenomenon that was Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather", the world was treated with a delicious sequel (and prequel) that, much like its predecessor, was greeted with universal acclaim from fans and critics alike, snatching the Best Picture award once again along the way. Ever since, moviegoers have been debating which of the two chapters was the best while agreeing that both deserve the praise they collected. For a long time, I argued that the second part was my favorite, but my most recent rewatch proved that opinions can change over time as I found the first to be more rewarding overall. Michael Corleone has now fully veered to the dark side, takin...

Director: Francis Ford Coppola Stars:  Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan Runtime:   175   minutes Synopsis:  The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son. Verdict:  With a remastered version of the third chapter on the horizon, I found the timing to be ideal to revisit one of the most iconic trilogies of all time. That is, of course, Francis Ford Coppola's "Godfather trilogy", considered by many to feature one of the best movies and one of the best sequels ever made. Based on the Mario Puzo best-selling novel of the same name, the 1972 Oscar-winning epic paved the way for a generation of crime films to come. I could spend hours talking about its gorgeous cinematography, exceptional pacing, and timeless score, but many people more qualified than me have already done it in a way I could never replicate. And focusing on the technical aspect of "The Godfather" would be undermining what truly ke...