Mad Max — A cult classic that's a bit old now — 6*/10

• Overall: You might not like it (anymore), but it was the beginning of something great.
• Who is it for? Those old enough to remember seeing in the 80s and want a refresher or Mel Gibson fans. Others will find it terribly out of date. Stick with the latest incarnation.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079501/
• Known actors: Mel Gibson. This is what put him on the map.
• Setting: Near apocalypse with a smidge of civilization left.
• Style: High octane asphalt mayhem.
• Story: Rather simple, but it pulls you in.
• Ending: Satisfying.
• Dialogs: Dated.
• Characters: Simple.
• Acting: Pretty solid.
• Visuals: Didn't age too well. It feels really old and it gets in the way of the enjoyment.
• Special Effects: Limited on budget even for the time.
• Camera Work: Excellent work on the chases.

Rocky II — An honest, credible and good sequel — 6*/10

• Scenario: Yes, it does still contain some cheesy elements and it is still a poor example of boxing techniques, but the storyline of this sequel couldn't be more inline with its predecessor to the point of even stealing the whole end scene from the first chapter and make it the intro. It's not as novel in its development as the original and it's more predictable, but it's still interesting and good entertainment.
• Known actors: Sylvester Stallone, Carl Weathers and Burgess Meredith.
• Visual & sound: Slightly better than the first one. Obviously more budget.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079817/
• Who is it for? Stallone fans and those who want to see how the story goes on.

Apocalypse Now — The war is not only fought on the field but also in the shadows — 10*/10

Apocalypse Now is a Vietnam War masterpiece by Francis Ford Coppola.

The good. This is an other one of those movie you could list everything here. Once again, I'll just mention what makes it special. The impeccable photography, the viscerally poignant visuals, and the incredible score perfectly emphasize the dark chilling gloom of the situation, the sense of impending doom. The story is a solid tale that exposes the twisted nature of the conflict. The long and slow scenario really lets you sink into the morass faced by the main character, like feeling a centipede crawl across your skin. Unexpected events popup all the time.

The actors. Martin Sheen shines and quietly shows his talent as the tortured special force soldier sent on a mission of a lifetime. Robert Duvall is the perfect blustery unshakable commander. Marlon Brando displays all his talent as he portrays a genius commander gone mad. An extremely young and unrecognizable Laurence Fishburne already shows us his potential. And finally, Harrison Ford, fresh from Star Wars, plays a small role as a colonel.

The bad. Nothing.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. A difficult movie to watch, but a must for anyone with enough fortitude. The redux version should be seen to really understand the whole story. The shorter original version should only be watched by those who want to be exposed to this masterpiece, but are not certain to like it.

Alien — This is what all space monster movies are based on, but could never match — 9*/10

Alien is a Ridley Scott masterpiece. It shook its audience when it came out several decades ago and it still does the same now. Any aspiring suspense director would do well to study this movie in depth.

The good. What makes this film as close to perfection as possible is the attention to the setup. It starts during the initial credits during which the simple visuals as well as the score puts you in the mood. It's slow and heavy with chills already. Then you get to know the environment. The crew wakes up, and you get to know them...

The pace throughout this flick is perfect. It's a slow climb to an ultimate peak of tension. The dialogs, the characters, the camera work, the editing, the script, the story, the background history... everything is meticulously done. Most special effects still hold the road even now, because they were extremely well done and used correctly.

The actors. Great selection for the cast, each member well adapted to its role. I'll simply mention the excellent work of Sigourney Weaver who's career was launched with this title, and Ian Holm who's performance is truly unforgettable.

The bad. The only reason I didn't give this movie a perfect score was because some of the technology is getting old. The size of the main computer. The many blinking lights. And the text interface, to some extent. Only two special effect sequences are really getting old. The planet-side landing of the ship. The triple explosion with the sheet of fire.

The rest can easily be imagined as some sub-standard rough industrial technology, a bit like what was done in Serenity (review yet to come), the crew having to deal with less than ideal conditions or hardware.

The ugly. Nothing. This is very close to perfection, if somewhat old.

The result. Horror, shivers, and sweats guaranteed. See it.

9*/10