5/10 - I may have seen this one before. I am not really sure. Bits and pieces seemed familiar, but that could just be because the film is so generic. The Next Three Days is thrilling and entertaining, but far too outlandish and typical to be anything but average. This is quite distressing, given that it was directed by Paul Haggis and starred Russell Crowe and Elisabeth Banks. With two good leads and a talented director, it is correct to hope for a better than average and generic film. It can certainly entertain and it is fun to watch the film unfold, so it delivers that entertainment value for sure, but it never aspires to be more than a run-of-the-mill thriller. Even worse, it is shot like an episode of some bad cop show. The Next Three Days may or may not have been a movie I had seen before today. I cannot really remember. Sadly, however, it is so generic that this feeling of deja vu may simply be due to that.



9/10 - The Big Sleep is an absolute gem. Featuring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, the film has two leads with perfect chemistry. The film is perfectly written with a smart and witty sense of humor that can be found throughout the film. The crime element here is well developed and incredibly engaging. Often times with these older films, they can kind of drag at times. However, The Big Sleep certainly never does. Instead, from beginning to end, it is thoroughly entertaining due to the great blend of comedy with the more straight forward noir plot. It is not hard to see why The Big Sleep is such a classic. Funny, charming, mysterious, and thrilling, The Big Sleep is timeless.



8/10 - Slow burning and purposefully paced, The Ghost Writer is the kind of thriller that is certainly not for everyone. However, it was definitely up my alley. Smart and wisely crafted, The Ghost Writer is yet another impressive entry into Roman Polanski's filmography. Say what you want about the man, but the filmmaker is brilliant. The film is, again, slow but never boring. Instead, it entertains and keeps you on edge waiting to see how the clues will all come together in this politically-based story. Ewan McGregor turns in a very good performance as the unwitting ghostwriter for a former British Prime Minister played by Pierce Brosnan. In that role, Brosnan is cool, calculating, and deeply mysterious, which expertly captures the very essence of this politician shrouded in controversy. Even better, The Ghost Writer is not your typical modern thriller and instead shows Polanski's trademark of despair and deeply unsatisfying conclusions which, to me, is far more realistic. Once more, Roman Polanski showcases why he is such a revered filmmaker inspite of his personal sins. The Ghost Writer is a smart, well crafted thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what twist and turn comes next.



8/10 - Monty Python and the Holy Grail is absolutely hysterical. Off-the-wall, nonsensical, and just downright weird, Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a true classic of comedy. The film is tough to make heads or tails of, due to its sheer randomness and irreverence is really, really, funny. The acting, as always with the group, is solid but certainly not the focus. Instead, the acid-influenced and weird happenings to be found in the writing, as well as the constant visual gags and subtle jokes, off-set by the more straightforward ones, are phenomenal. The film is very well-written and knows what it does well and keeps the jokes coming throughout the film. Overall, King Arthur's quest for the Holy Grail is a riot.



8/10 - The Devil Wears Prada is a chick flick through and through. It is not extraordinary. The story is nothing revolutionary. Yet, I really liked it. The Devil Wears Prada may not be transcendental, but is incredibly well acted and very well-written. Meryl Streep is phenomenal and both Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt are very good alongside her. Stanley Tucci is also great in this film. The writing is very strong with each character not being solely good or bad, instead they are real human beings. Multi-dimensional and hard to put in a single box, the characters here act, walk, and talk like real humans, which is very hard to find nowadays. Additionally, the film just works. An interesting look at the inner workings of the fashion industry, a story of entering the workforce, and a story of trying to find the work/life balance, The Devil Wears Prada is very informative on all of those fronts. Even then, it also manages to be romantic and incredibly funny at times. All of these join together to make The Devil Wears Prada quite girly, sure, but also endlessly watchable and enjoyable.



7/10 - I typically detest films like Kick-Ass. Yet, here I am. I actually quite enjoyed Kick-Ass. It is funny, thrilling, and thoroughly entertaining. It is truly infectiously fun. Chloe Grace Moretz certainly steals the show as the 11-year old assassin Hit Girl who kicks major ass. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is also solid in the lead role and does a fine job, though Moretz certainly hints at her future potential as a great actress in this role. Fun, well paced, and actually quite well written, Kick-Ass may be a little skin deep and may indulge in gratuitous violence and silly, over-the-top moments a little too often, but it is hard to resist its charms. Plus, who does not appreciate a film with Nicolas Cage that can actually be labelled as "good"? Overall, Kick-Ass is just as silly and dumb as you may think, but it works thanks to stylish direction from Matthew Vaughn and a unique approach to the superhero genre.



7/10 - Loud, dumb, and a testosterone fueled excuse to see Arnold Schwarzenegger flex, Predator is a classic in the action sci-fi genre with blends of horror. Exciting, fun, and wholly thrilling, Predator actually works quite well. The character development is, in a word, poor. However, the action more than makes up for it with the quite pacing and sheer watchability overcoming many of the film's technical faults. The look of the creature and the special effects are quite dated by now. However, even those are no match for this classic piece of 1980s action cheese with the picture of masculinity Arnold Schwarzenegger standing tall and flexing to fight this predator. Overall, Predator hunts and kills its prey with ease and entertains with similar ease.



5/10 - Burnt has a few problems that really derail the proceedings. Though Bradley Cooper is a powerhouse in the lead role and the film features an insane supporting cast that includes Daniel Bruhl, Sienna Miller, Matthew Rhys, and Alicia Vikander, the film's writing simply does not meet the talent of its actors. Though Steven Knight is typically a good writer, Burnt's script is not quite there. Overly predictable, you can quite easily guess how things turn out and, even worse, the film never gets us to like the protagonist. An insufferable jerk from beginning to end, our antihero type character is solely anti and never hero. That said, it is well directed by John Wells. With good pacing, good acting, and good timing for dramatic and comedic moments, the film does entertain. Unfortunately, it is far too typical and presents an unappetizing look at the culinary industry.



8/10 - For me, The Bourne Ultimatum is the best film in the original Bourne trilogy. While the shaky cam can certainly be a bit too much at times, the film is just so well done otherwise that it is impossible to ignore. Matt Damon turns in a traditionally top-notch performance in his famed role as CIA assassin Jason Bourne. However, the direction from Paul Greengrass is what takes centerstage. Well paced, thrilling, and well told the film is never hard to follow, which is impressive. For many action spy films, the number of moving parts can become truly overwhelming. Under Greengrass' assured direction, however, this is never a problem. Instead, the story is coherent and truly entertaining. As with the other Bourne films, the action is stylish and well choreographed and firmly establishes Mr. Bourne as a man you do not want to encounter. Overall, The Bourne Ultimatum is a thrilling and brilliantly executed film that improves upon its predecessors in the Bourne trilogy.



8/10 - The Apartment is definitely a classic. Cute, charming, and definitely an honest take on the business world, The Apartment is a touch dated now since it came out in 1960, but its charms are irresistible. Jack Lemmon is great in the lead role and has good chemistry with Shirley MacLaine in this story of a man who lets his bosses use his apartment for trysts to try and advance in the company. As one of those bosses, Fred McMurray is great. This is my first film directed by Billy Wilder and I cannot wait to explore more, because this one was very well done and incredibly well acted. It does slack off at times, but picks right back up and gets back to work. Overall, it is not hard to see why The Apartment is a classic.



7/10 - It is hard to believe that David Lynch actually directed this one. Oddly enough though, it does have the look and feel of a Lynch film, even if it not as odd and flat out disturbing as his films typically are. Decidedly American, The Straight Story is a sweet and sentimental tale of a man who travels 240 miles on a lawn mower to visit his brother who is suffering from a stroke. With a great performance from Richard Farnsworth, The Straight Story is moving and incredibly entertaining, especially as the man visits a nice collection of characters whilst traveling. The cinematography is phenomenal, as are the mise en scene and score. The only problems I have with The Straight Story are the occasionally too slow pacing that bores more than entertains and, even worse, Sissy Spacek. I get that her character has a mental disability, but her performance is awful anyways. She is typically bad, but she outdid herself here with a career-worst performance. Wow is she awful. I could never understand what she said, regardless of her speech impediment. Annoying stuff. Overall, The Straight Story is a good and truly unique film from David Lynch that finds entertainment and beauty in such a simple premise.