BrianMcCritic

Alexander Payne has created a spectacular coming of age film that will be played for Christmas’s to come. My favorite film on 2023!! A+

Boston Strangler is well made film with an average script. The problem with this film is you have a great cast that deserves a better story and when you have similar films about investigative journalism like Zodiac, Spotlight, and even last years She Said which are incredibly engrossing stories, this just seems like a what might have been. Overall this is not a bad film and the cast does the best they can with a mediocre script this film deserves a mild recommendation. 6/10 a B-

The film has its clever laugh out loud moments but not enough to make this film nothing more than a one watch film that you won’t hate yourself for watching. The cast all do a great job and the writing is good for the most part. The story moves in a predictable way and the film adds little originality to the genre but overall it’s an enjoyable time. 6/10 a low B.

M. Night has shown the ability to make a film that captivates, shocks, keeps us guessing, and in some cases leaves us scratching our heads with how terrible it is. When it comes to Knock at the Cabin he plays it safe and what we get is a solid film that fits somewhere in the middle of his catalog. 7/10 a B

There are many of the same Scream tropes and in the end there are characters that have no business surviving but do. What works however are some of the new story elements that were introduced in this installment that were fresh and exciting for a franchise with five predecessors. 7/10 low B+

M3GAN either succeeds or fails because of the creativity and screen presence of its main character. Thankfully M3GAN stands out based on the design and personality they give to her. The human characters are all fine and do enough to keep the story engaging. 7/10 a low B+

This movie was a pure adrenaline rush from start to finish mixed with a story that for me was the best of the franchise. Keanu Reeves is great as always and all the normal supporting cast crush it as usual. The new cast fit in perfectly especially Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgard, and Shamier Anderson. This film knows what it is and even when you say to yourself John Wick should be dead, the world that has been built and the mythology surrounding John Wick allows one to just go with it. My only negative might be it’s a tad too long but that’s it. 9/10 a high A

Tetris succeeds with its upbeat energy even when the first half of the film becomes bogged down and slightly uneventful, the performance by Taron Edgerton keeps the audience engaged along with a fun electronic score. The second half of the film is a little faster pace and delivers in a satisfying conclusion. I had a lot of fun with Tetris. 8/10 low A-

This movie works because of the sharp writing and dialogue which turns a boring subject matter into the best film of 2023 so far. The performances are all terrific with special recognition to Chris Messina who plays Jordan’s agent and has some of best scenes of the movie with Damon’s character Sonny Vaccaro. Ben Affleck directs this film flawlessly and the soundtrack is top notch. 10/10 A+

A film that was better than I thought it would be. A film about following your dreams that contains strong comedic moments. Overall a low 8 an A-.

A full on fantasy musical that still had some of the problems of Bohemian Rhapsody but as an Elton John fan I was satisfied. Overall a high 7 a B+.

When it comes to the script and story this is my least favorite in the franchise, but when it comes to action it may be the best. Overall a low 8 an A-

Plays like Superbad mixed with the supporting characters of a Richard Linklater film. Not as good as either but still a lot of fun. B+

To paint by numbers to recommend, even as there are moments that are pretty good. I wish this was a film that took more risks but an interesting tale quickly becomes a standard horror film. Overall a high 5 a C+.

There are no redeeming qualities about this movie. The twists and turns are all dumb and the characters motivations made no sense. Overall a 0 an F.

As someone who knows little about the source material I will still say it was a pretty fun movie. Ryan Reynolds is the best part as he adds so much humor and heart to Pikachu. Overall a mid 6 a B-.

This film is my first surprise of the year it is great from start to finish. Not only Rogen and Theron but also the great supporting cast especially O'Shea Jackson were fantastic here. Also like it or not the way they dealt with this current administration and his news network was spot on. Overall a low 9 an A.

Can't think of a better way to wrap up this cinematic journey. This is much more than a superhero film it's also a character study. I loved it!! Overall a mid 9 an A.

The mood and atmosphere that is set up here superceded the flawed use of constant exposition and the several other flaws. I began to appreciate this film as time wore on. Overall a low 7 a B.

Big with super powers is almost perfect. I didn't so much care about the actual fight scenes, but instead the comedy and strong chemistry with the family. Overall a low 8 an A-.

Only Hollywood could take Del Toro's vision scrap it then remake it as a mixture of Underworld and Van Helsing. David Harbour tries to save this but nothing really can. Overall a very low 4 a D+.

Dumbo is adorable and the film has tons of visual flare and amazing costumes. It also has dull almost lifeless characters (minus Danny Devito) and a poor excuse for creative storytelling. Aka Tim Burton the last 20-25 years!! Overall a middle 4 a C-.

A fine horror film that hits on just enough marks to give a mild recommendation. Overall a low 6 a B-.

Maybe the ending could have been left without so much exposition but I had such a blast with this film that I didn't mind. Jordan Peele is becoming a must see director and Lupita Nyong'o is terrific. Overall a low 9 an A.

A fun Marvel movie that never hits the heights of the best in the Universe but never comes close to the bottom. Overall a mid 7 a B+

The newest entry in the museum of all time fun bad films (as it sits next to The Book of Henry)is Serenity. This movie is a blast and never in a good way, Matthew McConaughey is all over this role in more ways than one. Diane Lane I really don't know what you were doing and Anne Hathaway and Jason Clarke must have been drunk when they read this script. All I could think about was Lloyd Braun (from Seinfeld) saying Serenity Now Insanity Later!! Overall a low 1 an F!!

A Richard Linklater type film directed by Jonah Hill and done well. Overall a low 8 an A-.

There is much of this film to like but the director struggles to take this material and be able to cover it without over simplifying it. Overall a high 7 a B+ (could have been so much more).

I've thought a lot about this film and while there were some problems I had with pacing and a character that was central to the story that I really didn't like, this is still an idea movie that goes for it. M. Night deserves credit for this trilogy and while to me Glass is the worst of the three I still appreciated it. Overall a low 7 a B.

A hauntingly romantic film with magnificent performances and a phenomenal score. I really fell in love with this film. Overall a solid 9 an A.

Blindspotting is funny and emotional and one of the best films of 2018. The script is tight and the end scene will have you holding your breath I loved this film. Overall a high 9 an A.

For me this is better than the original. The family dynamic in the film and how they portray Jack Jack is great. Overall a low 9 an A.

Disney takes on the near impossible and delivers a joyous love letter to the original. Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda lead a fantastic cast and except for one small part and musical number this is near perfect. Overall a mid 9 an A.

Bumblebee is the best Transformer movie ever made and while that's not saying much, director Travis Knight simplifies the story humanizes the Bumblebee just right and makes you care for the human characters. Not everything works in this film, but from the great 80's soundtrack to that terrific beginning scene, this is a solid piece of entertainment and sends a signal to keep Bay's hands away in the future. Overall a high 7 a B+.

A terrific heist film that is also a coming of age tale. I found myself becoming more and more invested throughout the film. Overall a solid 8 an A-.

A film that does a masterful job of delving into the mind of Dick Cheney his motivations and fears. We see all his warts and triumphs. The supporting cast are all good from Sam Rockwell as GWB to Steve Carrell as Rummy and even Tyler Perry as Colin Powell, but this film belongs to Bale. Overall a low 9 an A.

This is a film that knows it's silly and goes full blown cheesy from start to finish, a decision I respect but the dialogue is cringe worthy throughout and you can easily get lost in mission after mission and eventually just have to let the silliness take over. Overall a high to middle 6 a B-.

Roma is undoubtedly one of the best looking movies of the year and does a remarkable job at conveying a message through long shots of the world going on around our main characters. The thing that holds me back is I never could become invested in the lead character and towards the end when the emotional pull of the film hits I still felt somewhat hollow. Overall a high to middle 7 a B+.

I can't say everything worked for me but it clearly succeeds because of Yorgo's different style and the film's incredible performances. A low 8 an A-.

Exciting, fun, treats the character of Spiderman like it should be. I can't say I loved it because some elements of the animation didn't quite work for me, but still this was a fun time at the movies. Overall a low 8 an A-.

Not nearly Peter Berg's best effort but I was still entertained. Overall a low to solid 6 a B-.

While it doesn't live up to the spirit charm of the first film it does have its moments of excitement. At its core Ralph breaks the Internet is about the relationship between Ralph and Vanellope which is a success even when the trip to the internet is just okay. Overall a solid to high 7 a B+.

A slow psychological film that I became more and more immersed in. The performances are all strong but shout out to Ruth Wilson who I feel was the heart beat of the film. Director Lenny Abrahamson sets the tone and it worked with me. Overall a low 8 an A-.

This are plenty of moments of glamorous grandeur that you would hope to see from a film about the great Freddie Mercury. Those moments have the tendency to sweep you up and overwhelm you making you momentarily forget that the overall film lacks the depth or script to be great. Overall a low to solid 7 a B.

The best thing I can say about The Meg is that it knows it's a cheesy shark movie and for that it deserves credit. The problem is you don't really care about any of the characters and there were some boring parts. Overall a high 5 a C+.

A film that tended to by to glossy on some of its subject matters, but because of the phenomenal chemistry and performances by Viggo and Mahershala you can't help but laugh and cry. Definitely the feel good film of the year. Overall a low 9 an A.

Boy Erased is one of the scariest horror films of the year. The performances are all strong and Joel Edgerton follows up The Gift with another well directed film. I found myself getting more and more angry as this film went on and that is a compliment to everyone involved. Overall a solid 8 an A-.

Sure it's formulaic but Creed 2 is a worthy successor to the first and an awesome piece in the Rocky franchise. While it is easy to predict a lot of the film the characters are what makes this movie a success. All of the characters story's are handled well and surprisingly even the Drago's who are not just plain bad guys they actually have a decent amount of emotion and you get their motivations. Bottom line it's not as good as the first which I gave an A+ but this isn't that far behind. Overall a solid 9 an A.

Some good visuals with little else. There is an idea here mixed with a lot of poor acting and pointless story telling. The actors emotional level is on 100 throughout this film and there is scene after scene of the same concepts but the plot never moves forward. Overall a low 4 a D+.

Widows is a fabulous heist movie with terrific performances. Steve McQueen directs this film with great detail and while there were a couple of moments that had me puzzled but overall there is a lot to appreciate here. Overall a middle 8 an A-.