Fedorko

Ethan Hawke is my man, but he cannot do Shakespeare. Ed Harris, who is one of the best living actors out there, didn't look like a good actor in this movie. The director maimed the story, substituted a lot of action and cut out interesting subplots. The movie didn't focus on story at all. A failure.

What a movie! I laughed, I cried (from laughter), I left the theater after it was all over and I kept laughing. What was with the shot of that dumb elephant? Eddie Redmayne really picked a bad one here, folks. Channing Tatum is good too, in other movies. The editors really just wanted to mess up the whole movie! See this if you want to be disappointed in a movie. The production value just makes the whole experience even sadder.

This movie was just plain awful. The true events make for an interesting film, but the way it was done made me uninterested. I just hoped the format of the film would change to vary the cadence or tone of the film, but it never did. No, wait, it did, but for only a minute. It was the only moment in the movie that popped for me. Strong, but bad, directing choices.

One of Scorsese movies that no one knows is Scorsese's. This movie fires on all cylinders. A film about mentorship, power and how to wield it, and positioning. Helmed by one of the best actors to ever live, every scene pops and offers meaning. Newman's relationship with Mary Mastrantonio is developed masterfully. This movie makes me so excited because it's the only one that gets at the cooperative nature of competition. Great. Frickin. Film.

Other than the kid's acting being shotty until the final moments, this movie was firing on all cylinders. An anecdote that can be easily universalized to America and our need for connection, sacrifice and love. Wish I could have felt that way the whole movie though, didn't really hit me until the end. Willem Dafoe and Bria Vinaite kept me around, engaged and interested until the end. Direction, writing, stakes and message were spot on and timely.

A simple and strong story that you care about. Not only does the movie make you care about the main character, who is (understandably or not) a mess, but it makes you care about the religion and culture that Menashe and his son is a part of. The movie humanizes everyone. Good acting, direction, writing, stakes and subtle message that executes its landing.

I was more impressed with Marshall's achievements stated at the end than I was with what he was doing in this movie. Thurgood Marshall deserves a more sweeping and gritty story than this one. This film came off as sterile and formulaic. I also appreciated the comparison of oppression that Jews and Blacks received in this film, and it can be a good conversation starter. However, it didn't go far enough. Acting was great, direction was serviceable, writing was fine, stakes were good but there was nothing new with the message. Serviceable film.

This is a tricky movie to grade, but it is certainly well done. The stakes of the film seem constantly low, but it's because the film itself takes on the pace of the place. The characters, who were acted very well, are in a place of wandering and self-discovery, which perpetuates the slow-going film. The slow pace made me feel less for the characters. I understand why the movie is important now, but isn't making a choice and doing it even more important? I didn't think the film thought so. The script and acting was great, but I wonder if the direction could have been more precise. If you are an indie theatergoer, I'd recommend the film. This is one that just didn't resonate with me.

One of those fun movies that's smarter than you'd expect. Daniel Craig was really fun. But I walked away forgetting about it, except for the fact that it was clever. It set out what it was intending to accomplish, which was to entertain, but I think a movie should be making you think about something after you walk out. This movie did not do that.

What a letdown - Liam Neeson in a more meaty role than usual. His one note acting really disappointed. Direction lacked dimension, the story was predictable. The script and director had a good message, but they didn't land it well because everything else in the film was lackluster. The most middle of the road movie you'll see this year.

I was thoroughly entertained by this movie. I'm just a **** for movies that play with the idea of time. If you like the movie Groundhog Day or Live, Die, Repeat with Tom Cruise, you'll definitely like this movie. The script was surprisingly strong; it was a shame the director didn't do more with it. The supporting actors were not very good, though. I'd check it out if you want a light movie and don't care about zoning out for a bit. Entertaining, but not a good movie.

What the heck was this movie? The unawareness of this movie's tone left me confused but thoroughly entertained. I liked the movie, but don't know if I liked it for the right reasons. The moments the movie wanted me to laugh, I did. But when they wanted me to be serious about the movie, I still laughed. I would give the movie a 6 because of this, but Judy Dench's performance was just so damn good that I have to upgrade it to a 7. Go see this movie, you'll be surprised by it.

One of the better written biopics I've seen. Gritty and realistic because of good direction, writing and acting, Stronger is a worthy dedication. Its message rings true because it doesn't tip-toe around issues. Yes, there are some one-liners that are kind of painful, but otherwise the supporting cast does wonders.

This stylized film gets at the foundation of our uncertainty when science or objectivity can't help us understand our world. It takes the idea of science and makes a joke out of it. These deeper themes, along with puzzling symbols (like the wrist-watch straps and french fries) and subtle acting makes this movie a must-see for the openminded theatergoer. SPOILER: The most interesting part of this film was Martin's threat that all 3 of Colin Farrell's family members would get sick and die. Nicole Kidman had no signs of illness. This movie keeps me guessing and trying to connect dots. I keep asking myself questions about it and that's why I find it so enjoyable.

This is a perfect film for this time in history: a story that not just gets at how to combat institutional homophobia but institutional injustice. It shows how a loving community can come together and make their voices heard. Great acting, direction, writing, stakes and message.

One of the best movies of the year. Great acting, great directing, awesome writing, clever premise and a powerful message that is relevant. Explores mental illness in modern society in a story where many of the character's motivations are simultaneously selfish and selfless. An alarming film about desperate people living in our world. Robert Pattinson's performance leads the way!

A Ben Stiller movie is always refreshing. He chooses movies that deal with wonder, awe and self-awareness. This movie is exactly that. It approaches self-awakening from a perspective of a loving father who will anything he can for his son. A very American, middle class film that almost anyone can enjoy. But that's also it's downfall. It's a safe film- a family friendly think piece. It would have been nice to see it push it's thesis a little stronger.

This movie was predictable. Steve Carell had a mediocre performance, but Emma Stone did pretty well. The script made me laugh out loud at points that were supposed to be serious. I believe that if you make the villain sympathetic, or allow yourself to understand where a character is coming from, you've accomplished the hardest goal as a filmmaker. Bill Pullman was so one-dimensionally evil, it made the movie unrealistic. The movie was sterile, safe and didn't have a message that made people think. It's a movie for the liberal echo-chamber. Don't see this movie, it'd be supporting the wrong kind of Hollywood movie: the bland one.

Mother! is a great film, plain and simple. When I saw it, I had not heard the critiques or reviews and so went in knowing nothing. I think the movie is best if you don't know anything about it going in. It was marketed very differently than what it actual is. It is a film that should be taught in film classes because of the allusions to other works, such as the Bible. However, I disagree with the opinion that one needs to know a lot about the Bible to see the film. Another reason this is a great film is allows for multiple interpretations, as any great piece of art does. Anyone who says differently is limiting this piece of work and its potential. I interpret Javier Bardem to be the ID and Jennifer Lawrence to be the SuperEgo. Only through a compromise of both ID and SuperEgo as well as delving into the dark depths of our past (the boarded up room) are we able to birth meaningful art! Bravo to Aronofsky!

Entertaining, chilling and timely, Ingrid Goes West gets at how people go insane in the age of social media. The message is clear and the film delivers well. Helmed by Audrey Plaza and Elizabeth Olsen, it's a movie that tends to play the mood more often than it should, but is still worth your time.

Here we are with another Spiderman movie. This is arguably the best acted of the 5 S-M movies so far and with some twists (Aunty Em is young, the connection to the villain, etc.) and a message of income inequality and robin hooding, it's the one that has arguably the most teeth. However, the pacing was just really weird. The story the director wanted to tell could have been better produced as a mini-series, especially with the strange development of Peter Parker's school chums. Not bad, not great! I'd give it a 6.5

Definitely entertaining. Had a great soundtrack, nice veteran cast and a creative conceit for the main character. Especially enjoyed Kevin Spacey. However, none of this was enough for me to really get on board with the movie. It was fun watching these villains rolling around, but I really didn't care if they won or lost. So what? A fun escapist movie with no real substance behind the script.

Another action film with two big names. Some comedy thrown in there, but nothing too new. If you're going to the movies to escape and don't want to be bothered with the outside world, this movie is for you. Definitely not for me. Also, those long drawn out car chasing scenes are getting really old.

It's the best Thor/Marvel movie to date. Why? Not predictable, funny, and good acting. It was a little self-aware for my taste, especially the aside moments when they just say things to get the audience to laugh, but the film didn't suffer on the whole from it. The message of people being more important than a place was an unexpectedly refreshing thesis. Recommend it.

This is a deceptive film. It has action, it never seems too unrealistic (except for the bear trap), and it's got romance. The big problem is that the writing makes Kate Winslet completely dependent on Idris Elba to live! The film stumbles because one character isn't played to the height of their intelligence, which isn't interesting to watch. There were many one-liners where I rolled my eyes and groaned. If these re forgivable for you or even entertaining, Mountain Between Us is the movie for you. Not for me: I like it when all the characters are smart.

This movie had a lot of things wrong with it, but the things that distracted me most was the expositional dialogue and Andrew Garfield's performance. If you watch "The Theory of Everything", you get better writing and acting. The redeeming qualities were Claire Foy's performance, playing a role that we all know she can do well, and the exposure of how badly people with disabilities were treated not long ago. That does not excuse it's quintessentially Oscar-baity production value and sterility, which diminishes the sting of the message it tries to land. Mediocre.

What a waste of time. This movie was reminiscent of Scorsese's "Hugo" but with less wonder! We don't understand why we should care. The stakes were low. The children were cute, but it takes no work or energy to cast cute kids. I walked out after 70 minutes.

Cleverly written, well performed, and eerily shoot, Lady MacBeth provides the perfect modern prequel to the notorious murderer. The film inventively inserts all the theories of Lady M's past to make it consistent with Shakespeare's original. We see why Lady M becomes so ambitious; she must grow and be nondependent to remain truly herself, even if she needs to lie, or worse, to get there. One of the best movies of the year.

The probing of moral fluidity, coupled with strong performances, led by the indefatigable Melissa Leo, makes Novitiate a timely film about spirituality, love and sacrifice. Indeed, the movie crackles most when we see the cloisters struggle to live their version of a virtuous life, in the face of not only daily temptations but institutional shifts, which ultimately tells them they are viewed the same in the eyes of God as those who sacrifice minimally. Leo's focused performance is masterful. The question of how important physical affection is in loving one another is well navigated as well. Highly recommended.

God's Own Country is a love story that evolves from a need to domesticate and a willingness for one to submit to domestication. It is a perspective that is not often approached in cinema, perhaps because it is usually tackled through a male/female relationship, but because GOC takes on the theme from a male/male relationship, we are able to glimpse into this world without having to regard too heavily our PC culture. A great performance by the lead actor plus a simple, straightforward story and expert use of silence makes God's Own Country a movie for every indie theatergoer to see.

This isn't a bad movie, its story is solid and it doesn't have much gore. It was directed well and had some decent acting. but it's not a good movie. The themes explored in it are nothing new. I will not be changed by this movie. I will not refer this movie to someone looking for a new horror movie. But it was a good Halloween treat. Check out the Saw films instead.

Dunkirk's building of tension is skillful, and Nolan's playing of time from 3 different perspectives is clever. Certainly one of the best movies of the summer, but I expected a finale with more gravitas. It was a weak ending that made me question what the movie was even about, and made me realize that Nolan has never made a movie without a twist ending. However, I cared about his characters and their plights. A solid film.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]