Zipster

Not sure if the Wachowskis have outgrown sci-fi or Hollywood's carriage of it. Perhaps their next project should revisit Bound territory and lead organically into their next great fantasyland.

80 _50%

The Interview (2014) - Rated 31 Jan 2015

75 _30%

Chef (2014) - Rated 31 Jan 2015

100 _99%

Foxcatcher (2014) - Rated 30 Jan 2015

65 _8%

Inherent Vice (2014) - Rated 18 Jan 2015

Incoherent Vice is more like it. It's not hackneyed or obvious like American Hustle, but shows another gifted filmmaker sullying an otherwise immaculate filmography by taking a self-indulgent trip back to the '70s crime scene, pretending to mine some profound pertinence from it when all that remains from the rambling and unnecessarily overlong head trip is an ultimately silly and irrelevant work of admittedly unparalleled stylistic technique. God, nobody wanted to love this movie as much as me.

99 _96%

Birdman (2014) - Rated 27 Dec 2014

A profound solar system of high-voltage talent at work, from every single member of the cast at the very top of their game to the seamlessly flowing visual magic by Emmanuel Lubezki. This is a mountainous leap forward in Inarritu's work, but like his previous masterpieces, it throws down the gauntlet, leaves us aghast and stupefies at the outreaches of a frayed consciousness. It may pass up the perfect ending point by about 15 minutes, but however long it goes, it never lets up its grip on you.

99 _96%

The Virgin Spring (1960) - Rated 26 Dec 2014

So graceful, subtle and omniscient that when we experience powerfully emotional moments, we haven't even expected them, and when we have, it's already hit us. With every detail, the result is utter simplicity, no fluctuation in the face of whatever brutality or emotional quakes, making them all that much more profoundly moving.

90 _81%

Deliver Us from Evil (2006) - Rated 26 Dec 2014

Amy Berg's interview cases betray to the camera virtually insufferable stratums of grief, and its audience goes home feeling both bewilderment and anger.

85 _68%

Protagonist (2007) - Rated 26 Dec 2014

A meditation on the idea of a story's central character. It takes us awhile to put together all the pieces of a given one of them, and once that happens, we don't have to like what we see. So why do we continue to look? Because we hope for a change, whether for them or their situation. It is not their responsibility to make sure we like them, but to be honest with themselves about who they are and what they want, so that we can fully understand why we like them, or why we don't.

80 _50%

Paranormal Activity (2009) - Rated 26 Dec 2014

For long durations here, not a thing is going on, and trust me, you'll be paying strict attention.