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Shot with a pleasant paradigm shift from the found-footage style that 'Cloverfield' so famously helped popularise, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a powerful but wonderfully strange air-tight narrative about looking life in the face. Its transition from a suspense thriller to a balls to the wall science fiction film shows its subversiveness - and flaunts itself proudly as an experiment - something that so many sequels (spiritual or chronological) dare not do.

Despite having plagued with somewhat indolent beginnings, Sicario is beautifully shot, edited, acted, written, and screams with a **** dramatic tension that echoes through the entirety of the latter part of the film.

Having not read the original novel, I cannot judge the faithfulness of the film adaptation to the source material. However, independent of the specified context, 'The Martian' is a spectacular exploration of the admittedly generic but nevertheless magical realm of human perseverance, determination, impartial compassion as well as the fight to exist. Gripping, suspenseful and often surprisingly comical, its character study of Mark Watney is a subterfuge to inspire us, and tell the uplifting story of the will of the human spirit in the face of extreme adversity. The film is oddly light-hearted (for a film that had a person deserted on a planet for years), however, this made for a kind of hunger for a greater range of emotion from our protagonist; one could argue that the uniqueness of the protagonist lies in his ability to withstand the harshest of conditions - yet, this makes for an overall less powerful tale of how bad the conditions really were - how bad things were before they got better. The cinematography of the film often paved the way for many beautiful scenes, but it is trivially easy to take a beautiful shot of outer space, or a planet. The difficult parts of the job lie with mise en scene - the shadows, the frame composition, and the colour palette of the frame. There were few shots that stood out in any of those criteria. In this sense, The Martian lacked a distinct style of its own, which Ridley Scott is often so apt at (refer to 1979's 'Alien'). Furthermore, lightheartedness took the place of gripping, gritty atmosphere, which makes for a less tonally diverse film. The soundtrack is often melodically repetitive and generic, but generally ticks the boxes. These flaws, however, are small relative to the cinematic experience that this polished blockbuster delivers. Scott continues to deliver, even at the seemingly frail age of 77. I applaud the film as one of the best of 2015 thus far, and highly recommend it to anyone who has not had the pleasure of seeing it.

My new least favourite phrase: "Part 1". Pretentious, jarringly hollow and unrelentingly drab, this latest entry in 'The Hunger Games' franchise is a sloppy, clumsy and cloddish exploration of the power of political propaganda and inspiration to alleviate suffering and strengthen the collective human spirit. Devoid of any engaging plot progressions, fleshed-out characters, or captivating narrative, this wafer-thin shell of a movie fails to illustrate the intrigue of the mythos that's drawn minds all over the world.

Boasting charming color palettes, witty writing and polished performances, Woody Allen's 'Midnight in Paris' is a humbly brilliant meta masterwork that whimsically explores the caricature of the dreamy intellectual, and meditates on the necessity of escapism in our quest to give meaning to existence.

This innovatively shot capper to one of the best series of its genre is the top of an upwards-sloping ramp, with each film in the trilogy managing to out-do itself in almost every single aspect by which one judges a film's quality. Featuring dizzyingly energetic sequences, unrelenting suspense, an intellectually stimulating screenplay and polished performances, 'The Bourne Ultimatum' is a spy/thriller masterwork that satisfactorily concludes Robert Ludlum's novel adaptations in spectacular fashion.

Its deft balance between dark and light elements as well as its strikingly original cinematography, grit, and epiphanic insights into identity and individuality distinguishes it as one of the best of the year, if not the very best. Inarritu immaculately chooses bleak colour palettes and a nuanced percussive score to illustrate an atmosphere that teems with energy, electricity and realism, fleshing out vivid characters with great acting and even better dialogue. 'Birdman' is a character study, a deliciously intelligent satire and a dark comedy, all wrapped up in one gorgeous masterwork of true visual art.

Mortifyingly intense, intelligently scripted, brilliantly acted and beautifully shot, 'Whiplash' is an immaculate meditation on the virtue of perfection, and a sophisticated character study of a rising star; the person who wants to be 'one of the greats', and know it.

Although the writing for the protagonist's surrounding characters fails to portray believable reactions to Lou's obtrusively insane actions, as well as some of James Newton Howard's music (at times) failing to coalesce with the emotional essence of many scenes, 'Nightcrawler' is a provocative, turbulent and disturbing investigation into the sociopathic mind, elevated by a standout heart-stopping performance from Jake Gyllenhaal.

Big Hero 6 is a breathtaking visual spectacle that realises the farthest reaches of our imaginations, and dares to go even further. Featuring vivid, textured and rich characters coupled with a screenplay that teems with wit gives us an animated film that proves that Disney don't need no Pixar.

My stomach sinks a little when I don't see Ebert's film reviews in newspapers and magazines anymore. As I watched the film, I couldn't help but wonder how he would critique this immaculate eulogy. Pretentious and bloated? Down-to-earth and ravishing? Or stylish and rich in character? The film did not shy away from exposing the big picture. His faults. His mistakes. His strengths. His victories. All are shown and illustrated tastefully, on a fresh canvas dotted with over-arching messages about, appropriately titled, life itself, and many other over-arching themes that transcend the impermanence of human consciousness.

What makes a cult classic? Picking up from Fight Club, it's almost like Fincher thought about this novel adaptation and thought, "Okay... how can I make that bigger? How can I make that better?" Being an artist of suspense of Hitchcock-ian proportions, Fincher engages us throughout with fist-balling mystery, moral ambiguity, worldly satires and a psychotically jumpy plot progression that mirrors the portrait of which it aims to be. Gone Girl is a treasure hunt that may have gone too long, and gotten too ahead of itself - but the overwhelming sense of dread and atmosphere is enough to tip me over to the other side. Rosamund Pike's performance is to the film as Ledger was to 'The Dark Knight', delivering the crisp, cold and sinister psychopath that takes a lot of the credit for pushing the story to its limits. Disturbing, engaging, raunchy and provocative, Gone Girl is an impeccable magnifying glass into the minds of the clinically insane.

Life is a crazy thing. It's not something that can be properly represented by words, or even a picture. However, 'Boyhood' is the closest we'll ever get to that hopelessly distant reality. We're talking about a film so encapsulated by reality that ,as a member of the audience, we feel as if we're looking over our shoulders into a life that we once had, like a forgotten dream on the tip of our tongues. We follow the subtly changing life **** boy as he wrestles with the most fundamental questions in life. For every second we watch of the film, we're rewarded with quiet (yet brilliant) wisdom that looms over every frame of the movie. Ferociously philosophical, reflective and unforgettable, 'Boyhood' is a provocative meditation on the nature of life and reality as we know it.

Despite the performances across the board being somewhat inconsistent, some continuity gags being the most enjoyable for the original series' most loyal fans, an admittedly cliched plot, you can't help but smile at the sense of comradery and British mateship comedy that is so perfectly inculcated in this film.

I'm not sure which makes me feel more incomplete - the disbelief that an innocent little boy is destined to suffer and become profoundly evil, or the disappointment involved in watching a movie with the skeleton of a beautiful Shakespearean tragedy without the flesh that makes a film what it is. George Lucas did most of the things wrong in this film. Jar Jar Binks is an annoying, comic piece with no role in the film except frustrating viewers to the point of desperation. Young Anakin Skywalker apparently is not only good at fixing things, flying and being with the force, he's also good at being a bad actor. Combine this with the yawn-inducing main premise of intergalactic trade federation disputes, and you brew the recipe for disappointment. Although many pan this film as being lackluster, I perceive it as simply disappointing seeing the film shine in parts and show its true intention, only to be ruined by small mistakes that don't allow the film to truly express itself. It is clear (to me) that George Lucas had a fantastic vision for the prequel trilogy - darker themes, sombre tones and intense moral philosophy issues. Unfortunately his vision hasn't translated well to the screen. Perhaps J.J. Abrams won't make the same mistake again in 2016.

Godzilla shines like a flickering flame, with a few glorious moments, which are unfortunately not enough to redeem its sub-par dialogue, meaningless plot progression and general predictability. The most frequent thought approaching any individual with a respectable taste in films will be "I've seen this before." It may show off its visual brilliance in parts that mimic the brainless god-size conflicts in Pacific Rim, but in the end it feels cartoonish, fake and ultimately not as awe-inspiring as it could've been.

Devoid of emotional essence, unpredictable plot elements, quality performances and stand-out characters, Pacific Rim is saved by its stunning, visually spectacular colossal fight scenes, its fast, thrilling pace and well-constructed mythology.

Ice Age 3 was horrible... This is abysmal. This 'film' has truly shown the definition of staying past your welcome, generic plots and tired dialogue.

Ridiculously predictable, corny and extremely childish, Ice Age 3 can only be enjoyed by children or the childish. This movie truly **** in as many aspects I can think of.

'Spider-Man 2' is sweet and innocent, with Raimi's portrayal of honest human emotion bringing the warm, throbbing heart to this film that makes it so beloved. The pulchitrudinous dialogue drips with humble tears and emotional depth, provoking audiences to ponder on fundamental morality through the deliverance of messages that transcend the human race. Danny Elfman's score contributes to my bucket of tears with the aid of the serene, harmonious strokes of strings that penetrate your very soul. This film is an uplifting, powerful and masterfully crafted one; it provides the comic-book fantasies that satisfy your inner child while coating it in a **** layer of themes that encourage good deeds to be done. It is a story of a man discovering himself, dealing with inner turbulence and confusion - a story that defines all of us and our struggles in ethically complicated situations. Raimi undoubtedly shows appreciation for rich character texture that elevate the impact of each character's respective catharsis through the course of the storyline, yet leaving one to remain disturbed to overall create a bitter-sweet after-taste and a slightly open ending. Put simply, 'Spider-Man 2' is an absolute delight that improves on the original and goes down as one of the best sequels of all-time, with The Empire Strikes Back, The Dark Knight, Superman II and The Godfather 2. 'With great power comes great responsibility'

This is a film whose very fibers engender truly moving sentiments through what is Williams' best performance to date, an illustrious script and an overall gorgeous portrayal of honest human emotions. 'Dead Poet's Society' is packed with memorable one-liners that are consistently quoted in the film world, and can proudly be called a film classic.

Despite its predictable premise, Jack Reacher is still that lovable vigilante that allows the film to be characteristically prismatic; all the stunning chase scenes, chemistry between Cruise and Pike, rapid pacing and the bad-ass main character combine to make a healthy action flick that succeeds in its purpose to thrill audiences.

The only reason I didn't give this film a pure zilch score is because of the visuals, presence of Rihanna and some humorous moments. The plot is ridiculously predictable, the acting wooden and the script cheesy and clumsy, Battleship resides in the gutter, where you'll find films by Michael Bay along with the Twilight Saga.

"Life of Pi" is a visually resplendent, emotionally prismatic and aptly constructed film that successfully carries the provocative conceptions from the novel it is based on. Brilliantly acted and simply beautiful, "Life of Pi" is the shining example of a successful novel- film adaptation. Richard Parker continues to philosophically challenge us in the most wonderful ways, allowing a film with multiple interpretations, something that one of the greatest directors, Nolan, would have been proud of.

'Donnie Darko' is an indisputable masterpiece, a film that manages to victoriously establish an intricate mythological universe in less than two and a half hours. It expounds an eerie, mystical atmosphere that inculcate fear and evoke philosophical contemplation in audiences, proving its incredible intellectual nature. Jake Gyllenhaal delivers one of his best performances, driving the emotional depth, reinforcing the grim and morose tone to the film. Deep concepts that are quite often, incomprehensible (without repeat viewings) coupled with astonishing plot twists and an incredulously jaw-dropping climax result in the most commemorated indie cult film, and one of the finest films of our time.

Though it packs visual grandeur beyond our greatest imaginations, it is a film whose pace is deathly slow and indolent - it slogs on painfully, resulting in the bloated, overlong film that it is. 'The Hobbit' has its resplendent moments which remind you that Peter Jackson is the director, but these moments are too seldom found in the film. Furthermore, the conflicting forces of a demeanor of innocence (which is derived from the fact the book was written for children) and the epic tone that is attempted to be carried on from the Lord of the Rings trilogy results in an overall effect of inconsistency and general lack of acuity in the tone of the film. "The Hobbit" is satisfying because of the power of the on-screen spectacles and the near-hymnic power of the sound track, despite its obvious inability to even loiter in the same league as the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

Features fast-paced action but manages to be disloyal to the fans who loved the series for its cars (me), the 4th entry in this franchise wreaks of predictability and transparency, and makes for one of the most painfully brainless and mediocre films this year.

An intellectually charged blockbuster that boggles and penetrates the mind at every level, 'Inception' is the epitome of brilliant, modern filmmaking. Christopher Nolan's genius bursts through the seams of this intricately constructed mythology presented in a maze of emotional depth, plot sophistication, heart-throbbing action and a score that immerses you in this world. Strikingly thought-provoking and original, Inception is not only the finest film of the year, but one of the finest films ever crafted. BRAAAM BRAAAM, indeed.

Batman and Robin, with no doubt whatsoever, plunges the Batman franchise into an abyss with the help of one of the worst directors of all time. Complete with a ridiculously predictable plot, cheesy dialogue, homoerotic scenes that expose various superheroes' 'special' parts and deconstruction of intelligent villains to monsters who grunt and roar, Batman and Robin is an utterly abysmal piece of **** that left the Batman franchise in shambles, only leaving Christopher Nolan to stitch it back up again. To say that it is a cretinous affair would be a colossal understatement - for in my eyes, this is not just the worst superhero film of all-time, but the worst film of all-time, period (maybe a close tie with The Last Airbender).

A realistic, powerful and well-acted film that captures the quintessence of ordinary people becoming extraordinary, whilst exposing the journey of sacrifice, loss and the descent to evil.

Shutter Island is an emotional juggernaut that is a long, winding and twisted road that leads to the aftertaste that tickles all the areas of your tongue. Martin Scorcese exhibits his directing mastery as he delivers a shockingly powerful film that is so thought-provoking, it will leave you dazed after hearing the last sentence that changes it all. DiCaprio delivers an incredulously electrifying performance - and coupled with the clashing chords of the score and the raw power of the conceptions portrayed, this film is an utter jaw-dropper.

Though it has its emotionally heightened, strong moments, and visual splendour to spare, these are the last yellow spots on a rotten banana. 'Spider-Man 3' lacks the honest emotion that made the first two so great, as well as developing the too-many-villains disease that makes the plot wear thin before your eyes. A disappointing final chapter to Raimi's otherwise brilliant trilogy.

An absolute filmic disgrace - wooden acting, M. ShamlalamalamaDingDong's horrible directing, and absolutely no faithfulness to the brilliant source material, The Last Airbender is one of the worst films of all-time. I'll be honest - I thought I was watching a cheap soap opera.

Although Cars is packed with visual stunners, it features a formulaic, bored plot that defines the slow death and decline of Pixar from films like 'Toy Story' and 'The Incredibles' to 'Brave' and 'Cars 2'.

Even if "Skyfall" lacking the classic Bond energy is a minor imperfection, it is a blemish on an action film masterpiece that is a fast-paced, emotionally charged and iconic thriller that defines itself proudly as not only one of the best action films ever, but one of the best Bond films ever - and this is appropriate, seeing that Daniel Craig is the (second) best Bond ever.

Quite simply Pixar's best film to date. The emotional journey coupled with the eye-popping visuals makes for a film that deals with themes of tragedy, grief and loss encapsulated in such a sweet package - you won't be able to resist. This bravura film leaps beyond the apparent restrictions of an animated film with mature themes whilst still maintaining the innocent sentiments at heart.

Bursting with eye-popping visuals, fast=paced action, a viscerally clever plot, a satirical twist flavoured with old-school comics and witty humour, The Incredibles is the shining example of Pixar's storytelling mastery.

'The Amazing Spider-Man' fails to match the original Spider-Man, and deems itself to be ultimately pointless - revisiting original plot points, a predictable premise and a mediocre villain all are contributing factors. It seems that the film industry is spawning less and less original films, and more re-boots, re-hashes and sequels - and this is a shining example of that. TASM is a good film, but we were only just getting used to Sam Raimi's Spidey Trilogy - and even though Spider-Man 3 was horrid, this still seems too similar to the original whilst not quite introducing anything new or fresh that might drive this new trilogy.

Christopher Nolan's directing mastery is exemplified in this brilliant interpretation of one of the most beloved DC Comics' characters, completing its legacy by intertwining the brooding and dark tone defined by the sadistic and unbelievably electrifying performance by Heath Ledger with plot complexity that only Nolan could deliver. The Dark Knight is that rare one-timer that strides and devastates any apparent boundaries of its genre that has been long-avoided by film junkies because of the immaturity and previous filmic failures such as 'Batman and Robin'. Nolan has created not only the best superhero film ever, one of the best films in existence. Get ready for a rollercoaster ride into the true roots of Batman by exploring themes of tragedy, bitter loss, chaos and the horrrifying descent into the realm of madness. The Dark Knight succeeds in all levels, and is the shining example of Christopher Nolan's unprecedented storytelling prowess.

Avatar, along with James Cameron, is a classic example of overrated media. Even though Avatar has its strong moments, and the undeniable visual candy that is omnipresent within the movie, its plot is tired, predictable and cliched. The raconteur of gunfire, obvious native America references, disappointing dialogue and bitter aftertaste combine to form one of the most mediocre films by James Cameron, only being supported by the visuals.

For movies that are adapted from books to be successful, the book itself must be of respectable quality. However, the Twilight Saga book series is such a disgrace - such a literary piece of trash that the target audience is limited to the dramatically decreasing number of loyal fangirls who drool over shirtless guys, but overlook the equivalence of the franchise to goat **** Complete with emotionless, wooden acting delivered by Kristen Stewart, gaping plot holes and practically no element of intelligence or originality in the film, Breaking Dawn Part 2 shamelessly steals from audiences by splitting the final film into two parts (one part is already stretching it). This successfully classifies as one of the worst films in existence. Get ready to see the spectacle that should never have started in the first place!

A fantastic combination of special effects and acting beyond even The Dark Knight's pathetic "Joker" portrayed by Heath Ledger so famously. The movie leaps beyond its humble apparent origins with the help of true spectacle in the eyes of a visionary director ahead of his time.

Dizzyingly energetic and jazzy, Ocean's Eleven is a spicy action film that is elevated to the heights by its jaw-dropping cast, fast-paced action and clever storytelling.

Hilarious moments that bring back classic American Pie chewing-gum slapstick comedy that curdles a fuzzy nostalgia of previous American Pie films. And right there is the problem - the dialogue is too similar (over used) and the story arc is over familiar.

'Rises' doesn't quite live up to the legacy of the film by which all superhero films are compared to (TDK) but delivers enough spectacle, emotional depth, epic scope to Nolan's Universe and brooding tone to define itself proudly as the operatic final chapter to a trilogy which masterfully leaped beyond the apparent boudaries of a comic-book film. Nolan's changed things - forever.

Textbook example of a mindless blockbuster which fails to excite, breathe ANY new life in terms of its formulaic plot and avoid clichés. One of the worst films of the year!