jeudi 28 mai 2015

Welcome to Me — Crazy and completely different — 7*/10

  • Scenario: It's funny, at times even hilarious, if you can stand the embarrassment. It's very well made, imaginative and totally crazy. I went to see it for the antics, which I knew would be great, I waited for the crash, which was realistic, but unfortunately, the ending was too light and anticlimactic. It wasn't good enough. You just can't leave an audience on a low note like this.
  • Dialogs: Imaginative and off the deep end.
  • Characters: Crazy and well built.
  • Actors: Excellent work on the part of everyone. Cast members include Kristen Wiig, James Marsden, Joan Cusack, Loretta Devine, James Marsden, Tim Robbins and Alan Tudyk.
  • Photography: Nice, nothing fancy.
  • Sound: Nice music and score.
  • Special effects: None.
  • Synopsis & informationhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt2788716/
  • Who is it for? Those wanting to see something different.


mardi 26 mai 2015

Tomorrowland — A powerful vision that could have been even better — 8*/10

  • Scenario: Very imaginative on many levels, nice tension, lots of action and a mystery you can't wait to understand. Unfortunately, the build up was so great that the conclusion felt almost too simple. The last 20 minutes or so of the movie feel too light, without substance. Still, great entertainment value.
  • Dialogs: Great, often funny with lots of attitude.
  • Characters: The main characters are very interesting and extremely lovable.
  • Actors: Great work on the part of everyone. Cast members include Britt Robertson, George Clooney and Raffey Cassidy.
  • Photography: Extremely beautiful.
  • Sound: Good music and score.
  • Special effects: Amazing.
  • Synopsis & informationhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt1964418/
  • Who is it for? Sci-fi lovers and those looking for a solid distraction.


mercredi 20 mai 2015

Pitch Perfect 2 — The silliness continues unabated — 6*/10

  • Scenario: It's a silly comedy that unfortunately lost the sparkle of novelty that had the first chapter (read review here). It's still funny, there are many hilarious moments, but it seems it couldn't make anything new.
  • Dialogs: Silly, funny.
  • Characters: Nothing new. The best characters are the two commentators.
  • Actors: Good work overall. Cast members include Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Elizabeth Banks, John Michael Higgins and Snoop Dogg.
  • Photography: Nice.
  • Sound: Great music.
  • Special effects: None.
  • Synopsis & informationhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt2848292/
  • Who is it for? Those who saw the first one and like it.


mardi 19 mai 2015

The Amazing Spider-Man — A welcomed reset of the franchise — 7*/10

  • Scenario: This reset of the Spider-Man franchise did not meet my expectation, the hero inception part strayed too far from its comic book version. However, the rest of the movie is good, if not as good as the previous incarnation or its incredible sequel (read my review of it here: The Amazing Spider-Man 2). That being said, it is a welcomed reset of the franchise because the previous one wasn't producing good movies anymore.
  • Dialogs: Very nice.
  • Characters: Good for the most part.
  • Actors: Good work for the most part, even though I thought that Martin Sheen has done some much better performances and Sally Field just didn't fit as aunt May. Cast members include Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone and Denis Leary.
  • Photography: Nice.
  • Sound: Well done music and score.
  • Special effects: Excellent.
  • Synopsis & informationhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0948470/
  • Who is it for? Spider-Man fans, and those looking for action or super-heroes.


lundi 18 mai 2015

Mad Max: Fury Road — Fucking rocks! — 10*/10

  • Scenario: A very simple story, but what makes it unforgettable and totally incredible is the amazing setting. A post apocalyptic society based on water, gasoline, and cars perfectly rendered. High octane action that starts right away and takes only a few short breather.
  • Dialogs: Solid. Really transport you into their world.
  • Characters: Simple, yet with an incredible depth, probably due to the performance of the actors.
  • Actors: Perfect. Cast members include Charlize Theron, Tom Hardy and Nicholas Hoult.
  • Photography: Mind blowing. It's so beautiful, and the 3D is extremely well done and thought out. Great camera work.
  • Sound: Great music and score that's exactly right for the movie.
  • Special effects: Simply astounding.
  • Synopsis & informationhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt1392190/
  • Who is it for? Anyone should watch, unless you don't want to see action and violence.

It's a master piece by George Miller, the writer and director of the original Mad Max and its less successful sequels.

How I Live Now — Very unusual teen romance with well developed backdrop — 8*/10

  • Scenario: Great ideas, unexpected turns, and nice pacing. Some little teen romance thrown in with war front fear gives us a truly unique mix. The scenario is well split between before and after. It almost feels like two movies. The events are kept strictly from the point of view of the main female lead which makes it interesting because we're not dragged in the rest of the events and thus neatly avoid needing to elaborate or trying to compete with potential war scenarios.
  • Dialogs: Solid and pretty realistic.
  • Characters: Well built and easy to relate to.
  • Actors: Good work on the part of everyone. Cast members include Saoirse Ronan.
  • Photography: Well done with some especially beautiful scenes.
  • Sound: Good music and score.
  • Special effects: None.
  • Synopsis & informationhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt1894476/
  • Who is it for? Those looking for unusual teen romance.


samedi 16 mai 2015

Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan — A deep dive into mongol life — 8*/10

  • Scenario: Very slow development, unusual amount of set backs, and very quick passes over achievements. Don't watch it for a sense of victory or for the conquests, there are almost none. It's really just about the rise, the very early parts of it. The way it plunges you in the era, though, is without par, very realistic. Captivating, once you get past the hardships.
  • Dialogs: Solid, even if it's difficult to say since it's in a foreign language.
  • Characters: Well developed for the most part.
  • Actors: Good acting, even though it's not easy to tell in a foreign language.
  • Photography: Solid, often beautiful.
  • Sound: Very good music and score.
  • Special effects: None.
  • Synopsis & informationhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416044/
  • Who is it for? Those wanting to get an understanding of what the early years of Genghis Khan might have been like and life on the steps. Just don't take the events as historical facts.


vendredi 15 mai 2015

Hot Pursuit — Not worth anyone's time — 5*/10

  • Scenario: An odd pair mixed with a witness protection. No effort to make it interesting. Everything is predictable and lamely executed.
  • Dialogs: Boring with a few laughs.
  • Characters: Very shallow and full of clichés.
  • Actors: Reese Witherspoon could have done so much better.
  • Photography: Not much there, unless you count Sofía Vergara's neckline which can be impressive.
  • Sound: Not noticeable enough to remember.
  • Special effects: None.
  • Synopsis & informationhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt2967224/
  • Who is it for? Either hardcore Witherspoon fans or people stranded with nothing else to do but watch this movie.


mercredi 13 mai 2015

Ex Machina — A quiet sci-fi that raises questions about AI — 8*/10

  • Scenario: This an other version of the creation of AI. It doesn't bring any new ideas to the table, but it does throw an interesting spin on it or rather an interesting point of view and it raises interesting ethical and philosophical questions about the endeavor. The development of the story is slow, however it does take you where it wants to bring you at a good pace. There's only one big reveal and a single turn around moment, but I'll give them props for the ending, even though it's nothing big, just out of the ordinary.
  • Dialogs: Interesting.
  • Characters: Simple, lacking depth.
  • Actors: Good work in general.
  • Photography: Very nice.
  • Sound: Nice music and score.
  • Special effects: Perfect.
  • Synopsis & informationhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0470752/
  • Who is it for? Those looking for a quiet or intellectual sci-fi or AI fans.


Martha Marcy May Marlene — A slow psychological drama the captivates — 9*/10

  • Scenario: Heavy but entrancing. It revolves a lot around the psychological state of the main character and slowly gets us to understand where she's at right now and why. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it doesn't really matter. Excellent ending.
  • Dialogs: Excellent.
  • Characters: Very well developed, you can really feel them.
  • Actors: Excellent work on the part of everyone. Cast members include Elizabeth Olsen.
  • Photography: Very still, but it conveys the right sensation. Solid.
  • Sound: Simple but beautiful music and score.
  • Special effects: None.
  • Synopsis & informationhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt1441326/
  • Who is it for? Those who like psychological drama.


lundi 11 mai 2015

The Factory — An interesting murder investigation with a nice low level suspense — 7*/10

  • Scenario: Great ideas, nice suspense, good investigation and very surprising ending. However, it feels like it's not a full meal.
  • Dialogs: Acceptable.
  • Characters: One of them just doesn't make sense and it's the key to the movie.
  • Actors: Nice work, but sometimes it feels off a bit. Cast members include John Cusack which gives us the best performance and Jennifer Carpenter.
  • Photography: Acceptable.
  • Sound: Unremarkable music and score.
  • Special effects: None.
  • Synopsis & informationhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt1132285/
  • Who is it for? Those looking for a nice murder investigation with some suspense and a bit of action.


samedi 9 mai 2015

Rudderless — Touching with lots of beautiful songs and a few smiles — 9*/10

  • Scenario: A story that is rarely told. Yes, it is about grief and moving on with all its usual plot elements, but the perspective takes a 180° two thirds of the way in. Very touching, captivating and full of emotions that can be easily understood. There are a few laughs, but in counter point to the sad parts. Great ending.
  • Dialogs: Excellent.
  • Characters: Well done with nice depth.
  • Actors: Excellent work on the part of everyone. Cast members include Billy Crudup, Anton Yelchin, William H. Macy and Laurence Fishburne.
  • Photography: Nice.
  • Sound: Great music and score.
  • Special effects: None.
  • Synopsis & informationhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt1798243/
  • Who is it for? Those looking for a touching tale.

William H. Macy directed a great piece. Well done.

vendredi 8 mai 2015

White Bird in a Blizzard — A must try for anyone who doesn't mind low key — 9*/10

  • Scenario: Very interesting intrigue that goes thin and then thick. The effect is great. It is from the perspective of the daughter and it is mounted incredibly well in that sense. Nice twists and captivating ideas. Love the ending.
  • Dialogs: Great.
  • Characters: Extremely well developed with nice depth.
  • Actors: Excellent work on the part of everyone. Cast members include Shailene Woodley, Eva Green and Angela Bassett.
  • Photography: Nice.
  • Sound: Good music and score, low key with an entrancing effect.
  • Special effects: The snow is incredibly fake.
  • Synopsis & informationhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt2238050/
  • Who is it for? Those looking for a nice mystery. It's a must try for anyone who doesn't mind something low key. I find this movie incredibly underrated by the general public, a real gem in the rough.


The Shipping News — A simple setting with an interesting tale — 8*/10

  • Scenario: With a very humble setting this story captures our attention, but only once you get passed the shock of the pathetic initial situation. It is very entertaining with many interesting ideas and plot elements. It is much better than the synopsis can lead us to believe.
  • Dialogs: Nice and realistic.
  • Characters: Well built and with nice depth, except for the mother and her boyfriends.
  • Actors: Great acting. Cast members include Kevin Spacey, Julianne Moore, Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett, Pete Postlethwaite and Rhys Ifans.
  • Photography: Beautiful if simple.
  • Sound: Nice music and score.
  • Special effects: None.
  • Synopsis & informationhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120824/
  • Who is it for? Those wanting a nice story with little or no laughter and don't mind such humble settings or the lack of action.


jeudi 7 mai 2015

Avengers: Age of Ultron — A kick-ass super hero film — 10*/10

  • Scenario: An extremely well rounded scenario and a worthy sequel to the first chapter as well as a nice overarching film for Marvel. Incredible fight scenes, an interesting intrigue and a captivating story. You can clearly see the same mastermind behind this incredible work: Joss Whedon.
  • Dialogs: A bit of philosophy, some psychology and a lot of funny one liners.
  • Characters: The usual. Well made.
  • Actors: Great work on the part of everyone. Cast members include Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, James Spader, Samuel L. Jackson, Don Cheadle, Anthony Mackie, Andy Serkis and Julie Delpy.
  • Photography: Excellent
  • Sound: Nice music and score.
  • Special effects: Astounding.
  • Synopsis & informationhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt2395427/
  • Who is it for? Anyone looking for action and, of course, super hero fans.


mercredi 6 mai 2015

Side Effects — An intrigue that will keep you guessing — 7*/10

  • Scenario: Excellent intrigue which is the core of this flick. Good background, nice tension as well as some interesting investigation and double-crossing. The pacing was off from time to time, dropping the spectator into a bit of a void or an uncomfortable spot. However, the entertainment value is still there.
  • Dialogs: Good.
  • Characters: Good, sometimes lacking depth.
  • Actors: Good work on the part of everyone. Cast members include Channing Tatum, Jude Law and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
  • Photography: Nice.
  • Sound: Nice music and score.
  • Special effects: None.
  • Synopsis & informationhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt2053463/
  • Who is it for? Those who like a solid intrigue.


mardi 5 mai 2015

The Imitation Game — Solid film based on real events — 8*/10

  • Scenario: It's very interesting, but as any movies based on real events, even though this is definitively one of the better ones, it lacks a special something to make it sparkle.
  • Dialogs: Solid and realistic.
  • Characters: Well developed.
  • Actors: Excellent work on the part of everyone. Cast members include Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Charles Dance and Mark Strong.
  • Photography: Nice.
  • Sound: Nice music and score.
  • Special effects: None.
  • Synopsis & informationhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt2084970/
  • Who is it for? Those who like movies based on real events.


The Baytown Outlaws — Violence and mayhem in a nice package — 8*/10

  • Scenario: I loved the mood of the flick. Tight novel action scenes with a real yet unrealistic approach. A little intrigue to tease us, nothing complicated. High entertainment value all around. The real negative points comes from the themed gangs, that was pushing it. The last gang fight was the lousy by all kinds of standards. Fortunately, it didn't end right there. The flick did pick up its vibe once again and we were able to ride it out nicely.
  • Dialogs: Loved them. Funny, simple, straight to the point.
  • Characters: The brothers are priceless. The rest are a bit weaker to the exception of the sheriff.
  • Actors: Nice work from most cast members. They include Billy Bob Thornton, Eva Longoria, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Andre Braugher, Michael Rapaport and Zoë Bell.
  • Photography: Great sets, decors and costumes.
  • Sound: Nice music and score.
  • Special effects: None.
  • Synopsis & informationhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt1836944/
  • Who is it for? Anyone looking for some violent action with a few laughs.


dimanche 3 mai 2015

Watchmen — An amazing twist on the super hero theme — 10*/10

  • Scenario: Totally different from your average super hero movie. Nice intrigue, great action, captivating from one end to the other, lots of details and a solid background story as well as a surprising alternate reality.
  • Dialogs: Very interesting, at times complexe, with a nice ring of realism to them.
  • Characters: Deep and extremely well built.
  • Actors: Excellent work on the part of everyone. Cast members include Malin Akerman, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Goode and Carla Gugino.
  • Photography: Solid.
  • Sound: Amazingly good music and score.
  • Special effects: Superb. You have to seek out imperfections to see them.
  • Synopsis & informationhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0409459/
  • Who is it for?  Anyone. Warning: this is a gritty sarcastic dark view of the world.


samedi 2 mai 2015

End of Watch — Solid action flick with realistic setting — 8*/10

  • Scenario: Very interesting, captivating. It's made from the beat cops' personal point of view, and you really get in there with them. It's not about what is happening, but what is happening to them. Great action, close to realistic. Superb tension with lots of different situations. Not easily predictable, except on a few occasions. It's not your standard script, because even though the usual trappings build its fabric the leading thread is almost secondary to their story.
  • Dialogs: Realistic.
  • Characters: They're not complicated, but well developed. The main ones have a lot of depth to them. You can really feel them. The gang members are a bit too stereotyped, but maybe it's just a reflection on how the cops see them.
  • Actors: Excellent work on the part of everyone. Cast members include Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Peña and Anna Kendrick.
  • Photography: With all the well made hand held shots, the camera work really takes you in.
  • Sound: Solid music and score.
  • Special effects: None visible.
  • Synopsis & informationhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt1855199/
  • Who is it for? Those looking for action setup in a more realistic fashion and a gritty setting.