InvaderJimz

Hard for me to rate a movie that I feel is one that intentionally subverts a conventional narrative. Characters deliver very little (& shocking) dialogue, the line between realism & surrealism is crossed many times, and the characters seem like they're not meant to be sympathetic. Promoting this as a "martial-arts film" is a mistake IMO. This is a crime drama. Despite its divisive visual/psychological narrative, the cinematography is gorgeous and the musical score is incredible. Give it a try.

68 _53%

Paddington (2014) - Rated 17 Oct 2015

2 _6%

Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie (2014) - Rated 17 Oct 2015

As an AVGN fan, this was one of the unfunniest comedies I've seen in a long time. It's kind of embarrassing to see how long it took and how much money was involved for something that turned out so bad on a technical level. While I wasn't expecting a terrific film from an indie low-budget filmmaker like James Rolfe, I definitely didn't expect such an awful experience. The acting is terrible, the jokes are so low-hanging-fruit lazy, and the story manages to be both predictable & incoherent. Skip.

60 _47%

Thor: The Dark World (2013) - Rated 17 Oct 2015

A by-the-numbers sci-fi/action movie that gets a little too crazy for its own good by the end. While Asgaard, its technology, and alien enemies are beautiful to see, there's isn't anything of substance whenever there are fight scenes. Honestly, Tom Hiddleston as Loki is a real saving grace for something that seems like such a safe, non-factor entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Hopefully, Thor: Ragnarok has better writers and Alan Taylor is kept as far away from it as possible.

74 _62%

The Gift (2015) - Rated 17 Oct 2015

A decent effort from newcomer director Joel Edgerton that didn't resound as much with me than it did as many other people. It''s a good movie with some good tension throughout, but I honestly felt Jason Bateman was miscast and that Rebecca Hall's character should have caught onto her him a lot sooner. I was underwhelmed by the big reveals and felt as though the 2nd half lost a lot of tension that the 1st half built. Far better than its trailer, though not as fantastic as its online hype IMO.

87 _81%

Aladdin (1992) - Rated 17 Oct 2015

An incredible achievement out of the Disney Animated canon, Aladdin explores issues of identity, autonomy, and social hierarchy with memorable characters, iconic musical numbers, and energetic voice acting performances. Aladdin also represents one of Disney's first forays into CGI that, while unfortunately dating the film visually, adds context to how much effort was put into giving the story a grander scope. While the CGI effects and references are dated, the heart of Aladdin is timeless.

85 _78%

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) - Rated 16 Oct 2015