The Avengers — The best superhero movie ever made — 10*/10

• Overall: Incredible action, great story, excellent characters, full of jokes and spectacular special effects. A masterwork by the amazing Joss Whedon.
• Who is it for? Anyone, unless you truly hate the genre.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0848228/
• Known actors: Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Clark Gregg and Samuel L. Jackson.
• Cameos: Gwyneth Paltrow and Paul Bettany.
• Setting: Marvel universe.
• Style: Superhero action fun.
• Pacing: Intense.
• Intro: Action packed.
• Story: Huge action, complex, detailed and highly entertaining.
• Ending: Explosive and very heroic.
• Epilogue: Nice. With Marvel, it always leads to something else.
• Dialogs: Slick, witty and fun.
• Characters: Most of them are interesting and funny, while other are much simpler.
• Acting: Great for most of them. I just love Mark Ruffalo as Banner, the best interpretation yet.
• Visuals: Astounding. Huge.
• Special Effects: Perfect.
• Afterthoughts: I was simply wowed when I saw it.

Brave — Have a great time watching this animation for all — 8*/10

• Overall: A great story that will be easily appreciated by adults and enjoyed by children.
• Who is it for? Anyone who wishes for a good entertainment. Highly recommend.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1217209/
• Known actors: Emma Thompson.
• Setting: Old Scottish highlands.
• Style: A small (in reach) epic fantasy story.
• Pacing: Perfect.
• Intro: Good presentation even if the basis of the plot is a tired old subject.
• Story: Full of details with a great fantastic story. Lots of action, many laughs, a bit of silliness and touching at times.
• Ending: Action driven and gripping. Some of it is predictable.
• Epilogue: Funny.
• Dialogs: Good, but most expressions, especially those of the lords, are just too modern, if not obviously so.
• Characters: Well thought out, if a bit simple.
• Acting: Solid.
• Visuals: Breathtaking. High definition is a must to appreciate.

Ésimésac — Un conte fantastique québécois triste, voire un peu lourd — 6*/10

Un deuxième conte fantastique québécois de Fred Pellerin produit au grand écran par Luc Picard avec, entre autres, Sophie Nélisse, Gildor Roy, Marie Brassard et Isabel Richer.

On y retrouve plusieurs des personnages du premier (lire ma critique ici), mais cette fois-ci, l'atmosphère est plus lourde, et l'histoire ne possède pas autant de détails, même qu'on y retrouve certaines longueurs. Cela dit, le conte reste captivant, l'imaginaire fascinant et le lyrisme amusant. Somme toute, un bon divertissement.

Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2458582/

I Declare War — Unexpected and captivating flick about kids — 8*/10

• Scenario: Novel ideas and point of views giving a nice glimpse into the imaginary world of kids which will always mirror our own wether we want it to or not. It's not perfect and it certainly isn't all pretty, but it's good. Great acting, especially for ones so young, solid characters, captivating story and perfect ending.
• Known actors: None.
• Visual & sound: Well done.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2133239/
• Who is it for? Those who like things different.

Prometheus — Great prequel to the first Alien — 8*/10

• Scenario: Very interesting story, especially if you're a fan of the Alien series, since it's a prequel to the first one (read my review of it here). The scenario is sprinkled with lots of recalls of the original, the tension is nice and tight with some well spaced out action scenes. Even though the characters lack enough depth for us to really get them, the whole package is just superb entertainment by Ridley Scott.
• Known actors: Noomi Rapace and Charlize Theron.
• Visual & sounds: Lots of details with great technology, superb special effects and solid soundtrack.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1446714/
• Who is it for? Sci-fi or action fans with a taste for thrills. If you're an Alien or Ridley Scott aficionado, you shouldn't miss this.

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 & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0948470/
• Who is it for? Spider-Man fans, and those looking for action or super-heroes.

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 & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1132285/
• Who is it for? Those looking for a nice murder investigation with some suspense and a bit of action.

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 & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1836944/
• Who is it for? Anyone looking for some violent action with a few laughs.

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 & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1855199/
• Who is it for? Those looking for action setup in a more realistic fashion and a gritty setting.

The Lorax — Very colorful and imaginative animation — 8*/10

• Scenario: The story is simple and is devoid of surprising twists, but the world it evolves in is completely unique, full of incredible details and very imaginative.
• Dialogs: Nice.
• Characters: Simple. The mayor is a boring archetype without any shades.
• Actors: Nice voice work. Cast members include Zac Efron, Taylor Swift and Danny DeVito.
• Photography: Extremely colorful.
• Sound: Nice music and score.
• Special effects: Great animation.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1482459/
• Who is it for? Everyone looking for something light and well made.

The Cabin in the Woods — This is how you get creative with an old tired genre — 8*/10

• Scenario: This is a slasher movie, no doubt about it, but it's so different. The story, especially its premise, is what stands out. There are many creative as well as unexpected twists and turns packed with a number of great novel ideas. I particularly loved the intro and the ending, perfect.
• Dialogs: Good.
• Characters: Innovative, if simple.
• Actors: Good work on the part of everyone. Cast members include Kristen Connolly, Anna Hutchison, Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, and Sigourney Weaver.
• Photography: Nice.
• Sound: Nice music and score.
• Special effects: Detailed, if not always perfect.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1259521/
• Who is it for? Those who want to see a different kind of slasher movie, even those who normally do not like the genre, like me. Sensitive souls should abstain.

Promised Land — A nice story about a rural community faced with current issues — 7*/10

• Scenario: This is not your usual good small town folks versus big bad corporation. It's more subtle than that. It shows a more humane and personal face of the problem with a few nice twists. Very interesting and well made.
• Dialogs: Solid, realistic.
• Characters: Very well built and interesting.
• Actors: Very good work on the part of everyone. Unusual roles for both Matt Damon and Frances McDormand. Damon was particularly spot on for such a low key and subtle performance. Cast also includes Hal Holbrook.
• Photography: Nice and simple.
• Sound: Very subtle music and score done by the incredible Danny Elfman.
• Special effects: None.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2091473/
• Who is it for? Those looking for a nice rural story or something with ecological issues, and, of course, Damon fans.

A solid film by Gus Van Sant.

Savages — A drug fuelled action flick fitting the mold — 7*/10

• Story: It's a twisted drug story with plots and counter plots mixed with a sort of love triangle. It's very interesting, but has a number of flaws mainly in the too slick way some things are done. I must also say that I don't like the two phases ending, the narrative is a little weird at first, and some things are too predictable. However, the entertainment value is high.
• Characters: Interesting, simple yet not too shallow.
• Dialogs: Nothing impressive.
• Scenario: Well paced, lots of action, a bit too smooth.
• Actors: Bizarrely, the main roles are not done by the best actors. The better ones include Salma Hayek, John Travolta and Benicio Del Toro.
• Photography: Nice.
• Sound: Nice music and score.
• Special effects: Nice.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1615065/
• Who is it for? Those looking for good entertainment who don't mind violence and blood.

This is not one of Oliver Stone's best production. A bit disappointing.

Kiss of the Damned — Chilling psychological vampire film with a few novelties — 9*/10

• Story: Chilling, dark and somber. Very psychological with a slow development, a number of surprises and a few new looks on the genre. Love the end.
• Characters: Interesting and well made, except for the writer whom we'd wish a be more development, his story is too simple. In other cases, great depth and inner conflicts or ruthless intelligence with an edge of subtle madness.
• Dialogs: Very interesting. Perfect for the genre.
• Scenario: Well built with an incredible pace for such a short movie. The few very sexy scenes are just lovely. My favorite scene is the philosophical discussion between vampires, just perfect and very representative of the movie.
• Actors: Great work on the part of everyone. Cast members include Michael Rapaport and Milo Ventimiglia.
• Photography: Nice.
• Sound: Good music and excellent dark dissonant score that reminds me a bit of The Shining giving you chills without even trying.
• Special effects: Acceptable.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1959438/
• Who is it for? It's for everyone who don't mind blood or a slow development. Of course, vampire lovers should definitively watch.

Byzantium — I highly recommend this vampire film if you don't mind the unusual — 9*/10

• Story: Very unusual. Lots bizarre elements mixed in with a few recognizable ones. A number of big surprises.
• Characters: Well developed with a nice depth to them.
• Dialogs: Solid.
• Scenario: Great pacing and montage, get you riveted.
• Actors: Excellent work on the part of everyone.
• Photography: Nice.
• Sound: Good music and score.
• Special effects: Acceptable.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1531901/
• Who is it for? Those looking for a different type of vampire movie.

Moonrise Kingdom — A starkly sweet story for those in need of nourishment — 10*/10

• Story: Told in an incredibly unique and stark caricatural style that feels almost surreal, it is sweet and interesting, if plain at first. That being said, by the end, it is completely engrossing, culminating with an epic scene.
• Characters: Captivating traits, each role nicely intertwined with the others. 
• Dialogs: Simple, short, to the point and perfect.
• Scenario: Excellent pacing. Takes you slowly from peaceable to, nearly, action packed.
• Actors: Great work on the part of everyone. A surprisingly star studded cast. Its notable members are Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman, Bob Balaban, and Harvey Keitel.
• Photography: Pretty with invigorating camera work.
• Special effects: Well done.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1748122/
• Who is it for? Everyone, except those who need their movies to be slick, fancy or violent.

Pitch Perfect — Very light, silly and totally appreciable comedy — 7*/10

• Story: Light, silly and very entertaining comedy with a touch of romance.
• Characters: Interesting. Not a lot of depth and a bit stereotypical without too shallow.
• Dialogs: Funny.
• Scenario: Good pacing, keeps your attention. I would have removed the last kiss, but beyond that the end was well done.
• Actors: Overall nice performance. The notable cast members are Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson.
• Photography: Nice.
• Special effects: None.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1981677/
• Who is it for? Those looking for light entertainment and don't mind singing.

Cloud Atlas — A beautiful exposé for those with enough patience — 8*/10

• Story: Needs a little bit of getting used to because of the way its told and all the disparate timeframes; it can get a bit confusing. Overall, it's very touching and pleasing. I loved the future ones, pre and post apocalyptic, but I'm biased toward those.
• Characters: The plethora of them is definitively a big bite to chew on, but after an hour, you get a solid enough grasp to enjoy their different depth.
• Dialogs: Interesting, slightly poetic, and pleasant. They will often tickle your brains, the contained philosophy.
• Scenario: You need to be able to enjoy slow developing scenarios to fully appreciate. Nonetheless, it is a mix of action, passion and contemplation that is totally satisfying.
• Actors: Quite an ensemble! Great work, although it was a bit difficult to process them in their different roles, especially when they switched between nice characters and reprehensible ones. Here's the list of notable ones: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Sturgess, Susan Sarandon, Hugh Grant, Hugo Weaving, Doona Bae, Ben Whishaw, Keith David, James D'Arcy, and Jim Broadbent.
• Photography: Excellent, beautiful.
• Special effects: Perfect.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1371111/
• Who is it for? Those who don't mind long movies with some slowness to them. Those like to have a mixture of different story. Those who like as much scenarios that are in the past as well as in the future.

A great piece by the Wachowskis.

The Bourne Legacy — Better than the third not as good as the first two — 7*/10

• Story: The feel of the original trilogy is gone, but we still have some of the thrill. A bit too much explanation and setup.
• Characters: Minimal, if acceptable.
• Dialogs: Satisfactory.
• Scenario: The pace is not as quick as the other chapters. The action not as solid and clockwork, but still impressive.
• Actors: They did a good job for the most part. I really liked Edward Norton. Jeremy Renner was fine if not up to Bourne standard. Rachel Weisz is as good as always, and was pretty much on the nose as for realism. Special mention for Stacy Keach and Corey Stoll for their small role.
• Photography: Very well done.
• Special effects: Nice work, seamless.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1194173/
• Who is it for? Those in need of a nice action flick or wanting to know what happens after Jason.

It took me a while to sit down and watch it. I was afraid that it would be worst than the third chapter or that they would totally screw up the franchise. It turned out fine, if not as good as the original.

Safety Not Guaranteed — What indie filming is all about — 8*/10

• Story: Realistic, simple, touching and somewhat entrancing.
• Characters: So well done, you have no choice but to believe in them. After all, we all have a little weird in us. The government agents are a little lame, though.
• Dialogs: Totally believable, yet entertaining.
• Scenario: Captures our attention gradually, until we're completely captivated. The intro is not what you'd be waiting for, and for that reason feels a little jarring, but it works well. The ending is great.
• Actors: Excellent work on the part of Aubrey Plaza and Jake Johnson.
• Photography: Good.
• Special effects: Very simple and very effective.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1862079/
• Who is it for? If you don't need too much action or bells and whistles, if you like something offbeat, and if you don't mind indie films.