Reviews

47 Meters Down is a B-movie plain & simple. From the get-go, it parades personas whose motivations & backdrops were straight up annoyances. Mandy Moore as the central character offer no favors whatsoever, as her method acting and screeches were a challenge to be appreciated by the senses. As for the picture's claustrophobic premise, the interest from the novelty does fizzle out, when the murky visuals became apparent and Johannes Roberts' unimaginative concepts of horror takes center stage. Here, Roberts' over-dependence on randomized shark jump scares was a far-cry from fear-inducing. The sole moment that sends hearts racing, was when the ocean's abyss was featured... for a nanosecond. Ideas anyone? Oh and that finale? AGONIZING!

47 Meters down should have been a straight to video venture, as it was originally intended to be.

Episode VIII - The Last Jedi boasts of the interplanetary adventure the renowned franchise captures perfectly. However, this Rian Johnson adaptation remains a shade under The Force Awakens, due to its propensity to bog down its entertaining feats through head scratching story-arches. For instance, everything Finn & Rose was a distraction from the Luke, Rey & Kylo Ren's fascinating narrative. This zero chemistry, unfortunate pairing, ushers moments that are awkward and cutting-room pointless, depleting Finn of the charisma & perceived importance earned from JJ Abrams' rendition. Apart from this, The Resistance's usual protagonist-struggle has seemingly misplaced its appeal, as the entire predicament feels a facade with The First Order's mind-boggling impotence. The sense of danger and supposed excitement then, were distant memories in The Last Jedi's middle episodes. The absence of anything Snoke was another glaring misfire, as this renders the antagonist as an unimportant, forgettable character whose menace was purely aesthetic. Oh and those brand spanking new Force Powers? Random.

Where The Last Jedi redeems itself, is when its action sequences and space warfare takes center stage. Here, Johnson produces the most scintillating lightsaber standoffs and X-Wing vs Imperial Ships mayhem. The imageries Johnson partakes that showcases exemplary CGI, the pristine sword-fight choreography & John Williams' sound design paves the way. Apart from its technical victories, the aforementioned drama of Kylo's persona and Rey's search for purpose & identity were storyline draws, breaking ground for its definition of heroes and scoundrels through deep-rooted personal conflicts.

Overall, Star Wars: The Last Jedi is an imperfect picture yes, but impresses through its entertaining elements. If only Johnson invested more in its central narrative instead of those unwanted side campaigns, The Last Jedi could've been epic.

Mike White deserves note for Brad's Status' poignant & insightful messages that appeals to audiences for its TRUTH and relevance. In this 2017 surprise, White paints a character consumed with thoughts of comparisons & inferiority, against accomplished acquaintances from his early days. This ushers a chain of entertaining episodes that sees this character embarrassed, constantly lost in his fantasies of what could've been, or go through GREAT lengths for sympathies and affirmation, for his perceived downtrodden existence. With these familiar & grounded themes plus an affecting interplay between his father & son personas, White's narrative then speaks volumes about REAL happiness, contentment & self-worth.

Of course, Ben Stiller's performance as Brad is another worthy addition to the actor's filmography. He conveys exactly the needed distraught and yearning, a persona experiencing this level of personal crisis demands, without losing that sense of warmth his usual tragic-comic roles boasts of. It is then a challenge to despise his bourgeois problems, as Ben draws audiences as a character worthy of ridicule and sympathies. Austin Abrams as Troy was another success, with his on-point portrayal of an idealistic youth, so full of dreams & possibilities that becomes Brad's personal quest for redemption.

Overall, Brad's Status feels a picture that needs to be seen for its contemplations. Sure, it can be criticized for its narration-heavy approach and out-of-touch conflicts dependent on its viewer. However, I feel that Mike White ventures out to remind us of the things we take for granted and fail to appreciate more, and achieves just that.

Get Out could probably be a personal favorite of mine among the decade's horror pictures. It serves as a resounding introduction, to Jordan Peele's filmmaking genius that boasts of pristinely crafted, grounded brand of terror, ushered from relevant, social topics his pictures showcases. His work on this genre, is then unprecedented, from my POV.

From the horror perspective, Get Out absolutely HOMERUNS. It veers away from the usual tropes that comes with fear inducing jump scares & repulsive costume design. In place of these, Peele banks on the masterful, slow-building sense of danger & the unsettling atmosphere Get Out operates on. From the eerily staged, peculiar character mannerisms, to the attention-grabbing, carefully elaborate dialogue that comes with missable clues & suggestions, the disarming creepiness overflows from the opening episodes, until its revelations. In praise-worthy fashion, Peele's mastery of the genre extends to the technical aspects of Get Out. The sound design that pays homage to OG horror movies and the distinctive visual elements attest to this, further cementing Peele's stamp as a creator.

Now, where Get Out elevates itself, is in its underlying thought provoking, social themes. This unique perspective certainly elevates the under the skin dread, through racial tension and added depth. These give new meaning to Chris's survival narrative and entices audiences further as somehow someway, Peele draws hilarious comedy & punchlines from the dynamics of it all.

Overall, Get Out deserves its accolades, as it is boasts of an original perspective that sees its harrowing, sinister themes, speak volumes. Jordan Peele understands how to create an effective, practical horror picture, that doesn't lose sight of its relevance, and entertains without question. 8.5/10 Peele is the MVP.

It is amazing how a superbly written persona & exemplary acting chops can elevate any piece of cinema. Denzel & Dan Gilroy achieves just that in Roman J Israel Esq. Here, audiences are presented with a complex character that is considered a savant, with humane moral convictions, yet deemed a social outlier, lacking in social finesse & interpersonal competence. In episodes where these are showcased, Denzel's performance captivates, as he impresses with his delivery of legal jargon & was an instant draw, when he challenges the legal system obscenities with unfiltered banters. Of course, Denzel's accolade-worthy feat stands to give justice to Gilroy's worthy character-study of sorts, that has the central character weave through familiar hardships, temptations and its' inescapable ramifications. From these, the ensuing persona transformation was then the picture's most affecting tragedy. Note however, that reverence for this picture doesn't quite compare to Gilroy's 2014 pièce de résistance, Nightcrawler. I say this, as there isn't much in terms of magnitude & its has gaps in its narrative, including closing themes that felt unearned and rushed.

Overall, the ideas shared in Roman J Israel Esq is intriguing to say the least, and one that benefits from Denzel and Gilroy's filmmaking combo. It isn't among the year's best in class, but its drama has its moments.

Call Me By Your Name first and foremost, succeeds in teasing & pleasing its audience through its backdrop that oozes with sensual vibes. Luca Guadagnino achieves this through a well-crafted setting that spotlights the sultry summer heat amidst the beautiful country-side location and stylish costume design & gorgeous faces all around. These are of course complimented by intellectual dialogues that feel very European, the use of that oh so sexy Italian lyrics, and praise worthy, observant camerawork that captures the picture's most intimate moments with artistry. With these, the overall atmosphere is then alluring, drawing & captivating its audience to the picture's concepts, themes and fancies to smoke a stick of cigarette.

As for its narrative, CMBYN's gay romance story, that treats the unconventional affair with sincereness rather than as taboo, was a welcome, fresh take. It soughts out to convey the emotionally-stirring fantasy of young love, complete with emotional awakening, intense infatuation and the inevitable heartbreak. It is then a coming of age that brims with honesty, unbiased and reflective of earnest desires.

On the acting piece, Timothee Chalamet was a revelation. He portrays such a magnetic presence, aided by his superb depiction of a cultured central character, muddled by his newfound yearning. From here, he renders a transformation to this submissive, starry-eyed love-bug, immensely vulnerable in his longing. Armie Hammer was just as stellar, leading a commanding presence with subtlety & discreetness, worthy of Elio's overwhelmed disposition. The supporting cast of Michael Stuhlbarg & Esther Garrel deserves praise & mention too, as their personas envelop and explains to Elio, the unfiltered dazzle of pure love.

Overall, Call Me By Your Name is simply a beautiful piece of cinema that begs to be SAVORED. There is a sense of enchantment from its imageries & poignant and deeply satisfying messages on openness and romance. It as well pristinely-acted, finely written as any, and boasts of direction that showcases Luca's unpretentious understanding of the sensuality and splendor, of young, requited love. 8/10.

Spiderman: Homecoming was a fantastic second reboot of the beloved web slinger, and that already is something. It is an entertainment gem, with victories from an outstanding cast, characters that boast of fresh personas, and an OG take on Peter Parker's backstory that smells like teen spirit. See what I did there?

This Jon Watts rendition of Spider-man sees Peter's struggle between adolescence angst, and becoming a friendly neighborhood superhero. In quite a shocking turn of events then, Watts and his horde of screenwriters FINALLY veers away from the usual Uncle Ben sob story and the Gwen Staci, Mary Jane overplayed romance. In place of these is a coming of age story where Peter's choices between becoming a regular high-schooler, upping social status, and craving for this heftier place in society, are spotlighted. With these themes, the overall tone is then childish, fun-loving and revved up with teen hormones, yet in amazing fashion, the narrative brims with seriousness.

Apart from its storyline, Homecoming as well home-runs with its cast and characters. Tom Holland was SUPERB as Spider-man, realistic in his portrayal of youth, optimism and unrelenting ambition. Newcomer Jacob Batalon was another welcome addition, terrific as Peter's mate and the comedic, innocent "guy in the chair". Michael Keaton as Vulture however, was the picture's most pleasing surprise, as Keaton takes advantage of the depth given to the scavenging villain, and conveys the needed humanity without fault, drawing audiences to his motivations.

Onto its imperfections, Homecoming does drag in overbearing episodes that focuses on his naivety, far too much. We understand the innocence already; so were those AI dialogues and badass time mishaps worth it?

Nevertheless, with storyline and character concepts that are honest & brand spanking fresh, and heroics that come infused with an assortment of MCU entertainment elements, Homecoming absolutely proves that WE DO need this second reboot. Could Watts & Holland give Sam Raimi & Tobey Maguire a run for their money? Let's wait for the sequels. 7.5/10.

The Big Sick is one endearing comedy-drama, that serves as an introduction to Kumail Nanjiani's chops as an entertainer-slash-movie star. I say this, as Kumail was absolutely magnetic, carrying the SUPERB humor of this picture that takes advantage of his roots in stand-up. As for the romance, it was on the same level of fascinating, thanks to Kumail & co-star Zoe Kazan's amazing chemistry and terrific dialogue, that produces the most attention-grabbing and natural fondness seen in recent years. As a screenwriter, Kumail deserves his flowers as well, as The Big Sick's narrative that touches on cross-cultural themes and conflicts, proves that 21st century rom-coms continue to have fresh ideas to explore and draw sincerity & humor from, as well as appealing, relevant messages to convey. Sure, some episodes with Ray Romano & Holly Hunter (who were both on point in their portrayals) seemed surreal & farfetched. Somehow however, these were never nuisances due to the picture's praise-worthy spontaneity.

Overall, The Big Sick is an entertainment gem, that guarantees a great time at the movies. It boasts of an outstanding cast, an original and never overbearing storyline worthy of our affection, and SERIOUS comedic punch. WATCH THIS!

In Phantom Thread, Paul Thomas Anderson showcases his flair for captivating personas and unconventional relationships once more. Here, his characters come drenched with well realized eccentricity and peculiarities that pushes for must-see tension.

PT's achievements stars foremost with its lead character Reynolds, who channels a passionate creator, absorbed in his artistry, but one who is uncompromising and domineering. He envelops those closest, with a toxic and commanding presence, that deviations to his preferences are slanderous and met with aggressive banters. This domestic oppression of sorts however, isn't repulsive by any means. Rather, it was an intoxicating obscenity due in large part to Daniel Day Lewis' masterful performance. The acclaimed actor disappears in his role as the seemingly warm, charming character with a knack for psychological enslavement. Vicky Kreips who dons the role of Alma, meets DDL's performance head on, accounting for the convincing affection this atypical love story boasts of and builds on. She conveys a worthy receiver of Reynolds' attention-grabbing tirades. She consumes these episodes with subtle revolts, until that jaw-dropping finale. To witness these incremental changes that sees a sense of darkness develop amidst complete devotion, was a character development that was unprecedented and riveting.

Apart from its pristine performances, Jonny Greenwood's score deserves praise. His ingestion of romantic strings and dreamy piano is not only transporting, but invokes magic and this fairytale feeling, reminding the audience that this is a beautiful romantic story made from a bygone era, in spite its misogynistic themes.

FYI. To appreciate this picture however, you've got to be at a certain level of smoked up. Its climactic scenes are bare conversations and can have you reaching for your phones, despite all attempts to resist. BUT the fact that you press rewind to ensure no scene or detail of this relationship or debacle of sorts is overlooked, is testament to its amazing feats.

Overall, Phantom Thread is a piece of cinema that is gorgeous in every sense of the word. PTA continues to deliver time and time again and we cannot wait for the next Reynolds and Alma he ought to treat us with. 7.5/10.

Ghost in the Shell certainly has the quips of an entertaining picture, perhaps only to those unfamiliar with its OG sources. It is a visual wonder first and foremost, with SUPERB world-building that sees a reinvention of Hong Kong's concrete jungle, through holograms and fascinating futuristic pieces & eye popping costume design. This positive extends to its action sequences, where seamless visual effects adds much needed flavor that engages its audience. Where Ghost in the Shell stumbles is when the aesthetic splendor subsides and focus is shifted to its narrative. For instance, Major's struggle with her memories was given the most simplistic conclusions, leading to far from emphatic reactions to its generic revelations. The brushed over character depth was another weak point, as the picture's talking points gravitates to the same themes, casting a shadow on everyone else's motivations.

Ultimately, Ghost In The Shell feels like a generation-forward piece of science fiction, trapped within the confines of safe storytelling, as it unfortunately misses on the existential exploration of Major's identity. Nevertheless, this remains a gorgeous live-action. Rupert Sanders proves his understanding of the essence of an android-infested culture, and translates it perfectly to the big screen. 7/10.

If one can get past the awkward title that gives off pornography vibes, The Babysitter can actually be 2017's biggest surprise. Yes, this picture stumbles into the usual genre tropes that sees absurd gimmicks the central character exploits, and annoying jump scares that could've been brushed over. Yet McG injects energy and a whole lot of FUN that come in most unconventional tenets for slasher pictures.

He embraces the insanity of Brian Duffield's narrative, and drenches it with unabashed attitude through adrenaline-infused score and camerawork, plus visual flavor. He as well succeeds in showcasing Duffield's well-written and realized characters that seemingly references cliched personas at first, but are elevated through realistic spiels and dialogues that spotlights endearing quirks & well placed humor. In the most surprising and amazing fashion, The Babysitter boasts of emotional depth, which was an interesting and welcome boost. Here, Cole's social struggles and his solace with Bee, was affecting, and with charming performances from Judah Lewis & Samara Weaving, everything character-related were attention-grabbers. As for the horror, McG does wonders as the gore is played to as a comedic punchline.

To appreciate this, please DO NOT come in expecting a thought-provoking piece. Rather, expect a ludicrous, over the top narrative and let yourself be consumed by McG's entertaining direction and The Babysitter's one of a kind brand of pleasure.

With a premise we've seen before and Hallmark-movie elements that gives off tearjerker vibes, Gifted is not a piece that leaves you astounded. Nevertheless, it succeeds in showcasing a narrative that brims with heart, a not so frequent achievement considering 2017's offerings.

In Gifted, Marc Webb stamps his penchant for engaging drama, fizzling out the supposed nuisances of predictable premises. The well executed storyline pieces see to this, from Mary's classwork exploits that ushered the discovery of her genius, to the ensuing conflict over her suitable disposition, the progression of these episodes are fantastically paced and delivered with genuine details. These details were instant draws, such as the absence of cinematic defaults which includes villainous antagonists, perfect central characters, and annoying display of precocious talents. In its place are story-benefitting, competently written personas whose motivations are grounded and a breeze to go along with. Of course, the performances accentuates the superb screenwriting of Tom Flynn, through on point delivery from Chris Evans, Jenny Slater and the awe-inspiring Lindsay Duncan. Mckenna Grace deserves her own mention, as hers was a deeply captivating, breakthrough showing, with amazing co-star chemistry to boot.

Overall, Gifted is a certified charmer with its straightforward style of storytelling, well realized and remarkably acted characters and clever dialogues. 7/10.

Coming in, I was pretty psyched for Matthew Vauhn's latest picture Argylle, considering his knack for entertaining, high octane action-comedies from Kickass, to the Kingsman franchise. It was then a MASSIVE disappointment, that Argylle was a dismal shade of Vaughn's previous successes. This comes from its mishmash of disengaging nuisances, starting with its convoluted narrative that feels jammed with 738 plot twists, reaching levels of hysterical. The end product is then absolutely long-drawn-out, because of its hollow attempts to be overly-smart. Apart from its unnecessary complex story, Vaughn has seemingly misplaced his touch for visual appeal, as Argylle is bogged down distracting green screen pop-ups and CGI that stick out like a sore thumb. The choreography was just as depressing, with insanely absurd stunts that sees Vaughn over-delivering, to compensate for the film's serious lack of interesting facets. Now, on a slightly positive note, Sam Rockwell accounts for the needed oomph, with his usual charm-infused portrayal, this time of a witty, suave secret agent. Unfortunately, even Rockwell's charisma fizzles out, when the role of romantic lead is demanded from out of nowhere.

Overall, Argylle's opening act that seemed a parody of the genre, feels more its central theme. It's ludicrousness, stretched out to unwatchable lengths, is a challenge to accept.

PS: The re-casting of Kingsman's winning characters, is head-scratching, as theirs are simply blank, dispensable roles. It reeks of desperation.

Truth be told, The Foreigner isn't anything groundbreaking. In fact, its revenge driven narrative amidst political drama is as formulaic and often times disconnected as it sounds, with the latter's convoluted beats a challenge to follow. However, this 2017 sleeper remains a solid, engrossing action-thriller, as Martin Campbell paces the storyline & stages the suspense competently. He as well captures the action sequences flawlessly, rendering its martial arts spectacle as never out of place. As for this picture's acting chops, Jackie Chan & Pierce Brosnan's committed, far from the usual performances were welcome feats. For instance, JC sheds his comical persona and conveys a tragedy-stricken character, showcasing dramatic talent that was convincing. He as well embraces his mileage, ushering grounded toe-to-toe standoffs where danger feels genuine. As for PB, he dons the political aspirant, terrorized by his travesties role without fault. He is then intense, troubled, and with meaty dialogues to boot, he steals his scenes with gusto.

Overall, The Foreigner deserves a watch. It banks on the showdown of two legends, amidst a thrilling political conflict worthy of our attention (and confusion). Seeing JC as a broken, fragile central character however, does bring a tear to my eye. Nevertheless, he remains a strong cinematic draw, even today. Long live Jackie Chan!

Sony Pictures Animation is fast becoming a nuisance studio, responsible for the most needless and abhorrent animated features known to man. In 2017 alone, The Star and now The Emoji Movie headlines this studio's filmography, succumbing to new levels of BOGUS per offering. TSK.

This Emoji Movie is bogged down by concepts that are absolutely pointless and even reaches levels of depressing. The universe the picture pushes for is DEJECTING, with lore that's centered around product placement over adventure, and character motivations that are excruciatingly shallow. Imagine a grand finale centered on Dropbox, consequential exploits around Candy Crush and Just Dance and character incentive to be Meh. MEH?! Also, its narrative that attempts at connecting real world drama to its fantastical beats comes off insanely weak and out of place, with coming of age messages that screams fakery. Its brand of humor is as well uninventive & bland, and with the absence of interesting characters, entertainment value isn't even this blunder's saving grace.

Overall, The Emoji Movie has NO REASON TO EXIST. We do not need gimmicks around phones as it is impossible to create a captivating universe, centered on money-grabbing platforms. With this premise, it as well a challenge to believe storylines that boasts of upsides to real world connections. BOGUS!

In cast not known, Margot Robbie is one hell of an actress, and her performance in 2017's I, Tonya is evidence. As Tonya Harding, Robbie embraces with grace, her most unglamorous role and nails it to perfection. She conveys the much needed physicality, enduring hardness and charm, that when the class conscious tears her down, it is a breeze to sympathize with her narrative. The rest of the supporting cast were just as memorable, spearheaded by the foul-mouthed Allison Janey, donning the Terence Fletcher-esque persona of LaVona Golden without fault. Here, Janey conveys the necessary and affecting complexities of her character's twisted sense of upbringing. Of course, these magnetic performances ushers from Steven Rogers' emotionally resonant screenplay, that focuses on Harding's tragedies that includes being victimized by class resentment and dysfunctional, abusive relationships.

As for I, Tonya's filmmaking, it deserves praise for veering away from being a familiar sob story, as it entertains flawlessly with its snappy and jovial tone. Craig Gillespie's clever and energetic touch that exploits its unreliable narrators see to this, with its hilarious faux interviews of attention-grabbing characters, and the occasional breaking of the fourth wall. These of course, are weaved together brilliantly by Tatiana Riegel. In amazing fashion, these entertaining tenets were never over bearing to the point of diverting us, from its heavy handed themes of domestic violence and class warfare.

I, Tonya is then a result of a successful marriage between praiseworthy cinematic craft, Oscar worthy acting, and a pop-culture narrative drenched with commentaries on a whole lot of societal ugliness.

I have nothing but admiration for Gary Oldman's masterful performance as Winston Churchill in 2017's Darkest Hour. He was unrecognizable through the prosthetics, and completely disappears into the character, as he conveys force in Joe Wright's staged intense discourses, and showcases warmth in episodes where Churchill is humanized. It is then unfortunate, that Wright's screenplay bogs down the stellar acting prowess, through out of place, artificial moments that screams Hollywood drama. For instance, Churchill's focus group discussion during his commute was an off-putting embellishment, that disengages its audience from its supposed climactic final act. Also, Lily James' character and her scenes seemed cinematic add ons for the sake of unneeded weepy drama.

Overall, Darkest Hour is survived by Gary Oldman's Oscar winning performance; a feat that brings the character that is Winston Churchill to life, even when Wright's narrative crashes down. If only his camerawork and script shared the same level of flair, this picture could've transcended being good enough.

As the credits roll, there is a sense of satisfaction with Alien: Covenant's offerings, that deems this picture a worthy prequel to the renowned Alien franchise. However, this latest entry is undoubtedly dwarfed by its 2012 predecessor, as it succumbs to typical nuisances Prometheus steered clear of.

Of course, Covenant's success starts from Ridley Scott's unparalleled visual flavor, that entices its audience to its interplanetary adventure, and horror. Scott's vision of everything space was picturesque and absolutely gorgeous. His masterful visual effects on the other hand, produced harrowing standoffs against Scott's wretched life-forms, with its hyper-real renders. Great soundtrack too, that pays respects to its originals. As for its narrative, Covenant's storyline progression from Prometheus and approach towards Aliens, though incremental, remains captivating through David's motives. Happily, this once in a blue moon, riveting antagonist is portrayed flawlessly by the genuinely-striking and terror-inducing Michael Fassbender.

As for its shortcomings, Covenant is hampered down by a serious lack of interesting characters, which is a far cry from Prometheus. It was an annoyance as well, that these disposable supporting cast followed the cliched, horror movie route of idiotic decisions left and right, leading to their MOST obvious demise.

Overall, Alien: Covenant deserves praise for its superb continuation of Prometheus' thrilling narrative & technical brilliance. Its imperfections only become apparent, when it transitions to the Aliens tone of horror.

Lynne Ramsay needs to be appreciated more. The esteemed filmmaker behind We Need To Talk About Kevin, once again delivers her brand of uncompromising cinema. In You Were Never Really Here, Ramsey conveys a character portrait drenched with inner torment, one that navigates around a backdrop of crime and violence. In amazing fashion, Ramsey weaves between the trauma & her narrative seamlessly, exploiting the former as a riveting character construct. She captures her protagonist's brokenness with modesty and craft, incremental in approach & patterns the unraveling intensity of her storyline. Also, Ramsey's ingenuity as a filmmaker extends to how this picture projects violence. Here, the savagery is spared from the limelight in seemingly poetic ways. However, a sense of gross inhumanity seeps through from her chosen imagery and facets, such as the sound design.

On the acting piece, Joaquin Phoenix's committed portrayal of Joe, was remarkable. Phoenix evokes this damaged anti-hero or escapist of sorts, rendering Ramsay's persona-focused appeal, as captivating as it is unsettling.

You Were Never Really Here is a product of filmmaking ownage. It defines Ramsay's artistry for psychological thrillers, that renders her filmography as a guaranteed watch-out for aficionados of disturbed, tension-filled subjects.

In The Fade is Diane Kruger's tour de force, as she puts forth a jaw dropping, masterful performance, worthy of its accolades. Here, Kruger portrays devastation and intensity without any sense of overplaying. Her experience of tragedy is authenticated by sheer acting prowess, as she defines her gut-wrenching ordeal with well- portrayed confusion, shock and eventual despair. She dominates her scenes as she captivates with each and every reaction, to nuisances Fatih Aki confronts her with. Speaking of, the political notes in Aki's narrative is another positive, as his fictionalized backdrop was emotionally stirring.

Where the picture stumbles is in the second act, that featured a court drama whose failure to deliver justice was angering not only because of its turnout, but in its staged incompetence & strangely written players. Head scratching.

Overall, In The Fade remains more than a revenge picture, with its aspirations to showcase an affecting character story, that delves into contemporary issues & extreme dispositions to the unthinkable. Diane Kruger needs to don MORE lead roles!

70s grindhouse is back with a vengeance! Brawl in Cell Block 99 is a welcome, modern take on this always entertaining genre, as it relishes on its tenets without apologies, and it was GLORIOUS to witness. Its strongest feat for example, is its salivating violence that comes devoid of fantastical, contemporary choreography. In its place is a gut wrenching brand of street level mano-a-mano, complemented by well intentioned use of practical effects that spotlights its brutality. As for its backdrops, S Craig Zahler masterfully stages the grime and horrors of prison existence, immersing his audience to Bradley Thomas' harrowing ordeal. Zahler's drama is as well praise worthy, as he establishes his characters with utmost care, through screenplay that surprises with authenticity, and unobvious exploits. With Vince Vaughn's stellar performance as the sympathetic brute, Bradley's narrative comes as one satisfying rationale, for its gross & sensational violence.

Overall, Brawl in Cell Block 99 is sincere and vicious in all the right ways. It boasts of purposeful tenets that renders this picture, more than its hyper-stylized bone shattering.

Anyone But You sucks for reasons you probably would not expect. Yes, it follows the formulaic approach that features gorgeous couples & insanely campy storylines reminiscent of 2000s rom-coms. What drags this throwback however, is its atrocious screenwriting and amateur-level editing that produces charm-fizzling gimmicks and cringe-worthy episodes. For instance, its character feats are purely aesthetic, as each on screen face is devoid of interesting backstories & personalities. Its comedic sequences are bland AF, either because these play out in absurd lengths, are repetitive without remorse, or the stints don't bode well for its characters, not known for goofball humor. It reaches levels of needlessly smutty as well, with its showcase of bosoms and penises in random, awkward fashion. Its dialogues are unexciting & its sequences & elements such as its score, are weaved together im the most obviously disjointed & off-putting manner possible.

At the end of the day, the undesirables of Anyone But You renders this romantic comedy, a failed comeback of sorts. It is ridiculously shallow, and its lack of substance is impossible to be redeemed by half naked nobodies and Sydney Sweeney juggernauts, and that's saying a lot. Anything But This.

A Fantastic Woman discomforts, as it portrays the insurmountable ordeal faced by Daniela Vega's Marina Vidal, whose tragedy ushers episodes where she is consistently shunned & mistreated for being a trans-woman. Sebastián Lelio conveys these harsh messages with subtlety, as he veers away from over the top and weepy embellishments. In its place is a backdrop that sees Marina in constant suspicion and deprivation, where she is never regarded with normalcy and worst, a backdrop that refuses to acknowledge her identity. This isn't the usual sob story however, as A Fantastic Woman showcases Marina's defiance amidst the prejudices. Lelio conveys this with the same tenderness, through Marina's persistence on her identity and desire to express her grief and love. Lelio treats us further, with motifs that resemble Marina's affecting resistance, and craft that sees cinematic genres, from mystery to musicals, elevate its already resounding story.

Overall, A Fantastic Woman is one powerful piece of cinema, with timely, thought-provoking themes. Here, Daniela Vega & Sebastián Lelio shares a deeply personal narrative, that comments on the struggle against societal tendencies on nonconformity. It is as well wonderfully acted, with gazing imageries to boot.

With its exhilarating brand of toe-to-toe action & expanded lore that never ceases to peak interest, John Wick Chapter 2 is a bona fide entertainment gem, cementing John Wick as a must see franchise.

This second chapter in the Boogeyman spectacle, builds upon its predecessor through its action extravaganza & storyline that features new underground, criminal world gimmicks. The former alone renders this picture worthy, through improved choreography and eye popping backdrops that adds bonus points in style. Happily, Chadel Stahelski & screenwriter Derek Kolstad treats us further, through novel discoveries around the dark, polished society of gangsters & assassins the 2014 original touched on. Here, underworld concepts, governing rules & codes amongst un-gentlemen, reveal rich, investing tenets of the John Wick universe that boasts of mystery, intrigue and refined chaos.

As for this picture's weak points, its storyline was a step down from its predecessor, as it bids farewell from its intimate & sincere character motivations. This sequel as well features decorative antagonists, such as Ruby Rose & Common's personas, whose quirks & angst were mere facades to their underwhelming showdowns.

Overall, John Wick Chapter 2's offerings of gobsmacking action & lore, guarantees an entertaining time at the movies. Sit back, relax, and enjoy Keanu's ass-kicking, violence porn.

Dang, Sony has a knack of pushing unwanted mediums down our throats, no? 2017's The Star is another unfortunate mess that misses WIDE left in terms of entertainment feats, despite its outstanding voice cast. Its cringe worthy script sees to this, with its off putting sequences & miserable attempts to be humorous through poorly executed, re-hashed jokes. Its target audience is then question mark, as it zeroes on visual charm, misfires on comedic offerings & lacks engaging messages intended to keep things interesting. It simply banks on an overly familiar adventure story that features critters singing & twerking, which seemingly has NO PLACE in its brushed aside nativity story. The result is then one head scratching, generic picture.

In case not clear, The Star is a mishmash of shortcomings that lands on one repulsive product guaranteed to earn jeers, even in class viewing sessions. Sony, please stop this madness!