Les 3 p'tits cochons 2 — Rigolo et sentimental à la fois — 6*/10

Amusant avec un peu plus de profondeur émotionnelle que le premier (lire ma critique ici). Il perd un peu du comique, l'histoire est moins bien étoffée et la fin est moins intéressante bien que l'épilogue soit bien fait. Reste que c'est un bon divertissement.

Paul Doucet, Guillaume Lemay-Thivierge, Patrice Robitaille, Isabel Richer et Sophie Prégent.

Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5097398/

Their Finest — A well-rounded comedy with some itty-bitty romance — 8*/10

This is a movie to be proud of. It's funny, interesting, with a strong female role, many witty repartee, a surprising ending and solid acting. Go see it, it's well worth it.

Gemma Arterton, Sam Claflin, Bill Nighy, Richard E. Grant and Jeremy Irons.

Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1661275/

A Cure for Wellness — An old-style horror crafted in a modern way — 8*/10

It's a horror film only as far as there are a few horrifying things, mostly psychological. It does, however, have an old horror type feel to it, like something you know is there, without getting any real evidence of it, ever.

The structure of the flick is amazing, incredible craft. It is captivating, even though at some point it falls flat, using too well-traveled roads, but it picks up again for a solid ending. Slow. Not for everyone. Excellent work by Gore Verbinski.

Celia Imrie.

Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4731136/

Julieta — Strong and extremely well done drama, but not for everyone — 8*/10

This is a technically strong movie by director Pedro Almodóvar with only one real drawback, it takes a long time to get into it. The mood is so involved, it is emotionally complex to connect to and difficult to relate to the characters.

Once you're in, though, you completely forget about the rest and just want to know the depth of it all.

Excellent. I highly recommend it to those with the patience to afford it.

Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4326444/

The Comedian — Big names, good jokes, but little else — 6*/10

It falls flat, even though the comedy bits are good. It doesn't get any steam. The romance isn't engaging beyond the initial few minutes. The life intricacies aren't significant and barely register.

Robert De Niro, Leslie Mann, Danny DeVito, Harvey Keitel, Charles Grodin, Cloris Leachman and Lucy DeVito.

Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1967614/

Hunt for the Wilderpeople — Simple yet very surprising — 8*/10

This is about life, about defining family, about freedom, but all done in a very light yet realistic tone. Follow their adventure and all the surprises that come before during and after it. This movie's most compelling points are the fact that it takes unexpected turns and how it can still be fun even considering everything that's happening.

It's a must try, even if it's not a blockbuster. You'll probably love it.

Sam Neill and Rhys Darby.

Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4698684/

The Founder — A fascinating story lead by a single person — 8*/10

It's all about Michael Keaton and his great performance. I mean the story is very interesting and well put together, but what really makes it come alive and make it this captivating is his performance. I highly recommend seeing it.

Michael Keaton, Nick Offerman, John Carroll Lynch, Laura Dern and Patrick Wilson.

Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4276820/

20th Century Women — A powerful and uplifting movie about the reality of women — 9*/10

Slow and so well constructed. Extremely interesting. You can't help but smile and root for those women and that boy. Excellent feminist view port. It's emotionally complex, but it's not a downward drag. On the contrary, it's kind of inspiring.

Annette Bening, Elle Fanning and Greta Gerwig.

Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4385888/


You can hear the 98 sec of Jimmy Carter's speech about consumerism that's in the movie here (there's more too after): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-c4WSd2d9M

Monster Trucks — Nice little sci-fi for the whole family — 6*/10

Funny, light, entertaining and better than expected. Still, it's a bit more for the children. I liked the creature design, but that pink stuff, really? Great ideas, just too young.

Danny Glover (small role).

Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3095734/

Sing — Great animation film fun for all — 8*/10

It's easy to love this flick. As adults, there are a myriad of great little jokes and some awesome music. It's even touching. As a kid, it's full of silly stuff and bright colors, although some might shed a tear or two. No worries, though, it's very positive. A must for the family.

Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson and John C. Reilly.

Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3470600/

A Monster Calls — A beautiful fantasy tale about a hard emotional time — 9*/10

Not an easy tale. Very touching and emotional. However, it is not a damaging tale, it will not drag you down into darkness and leave you there. It is compelling, captivating and extremely well told with great visuals, especially those side stories.

Lewis MacDougall, Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones and Liam Neeson.

Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3416532/

Hidden Figures — An inspiring historic film about black women in technology — 9*/10

Crisp, well-told story with a good dose of entertainment, especially through the humor, but also through character development and a bit of tension. Highly recommended.

Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Jim Parsons and Mahershala Ali.

Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4846340/

Silence — Only for the Christians and the religious-minded — 6*/10

Long and heavy. I generally recognize the genius of Martin Scorsese, but this movie wasn't for me. I just could not connect.

Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0490215/

Assassin's Creed — There's very little good to say about it — 5*/10

• Overall: Action, special effects, interesting ideas, but nothing else. It seems more like a setup for what follows than a real movie.
• Who is it for? Those who really feel like they should see it.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2094766/
• Known actors: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons and Michael Kenneth Williams.
• Cameos: Brendan Gleeson.
• Style: Action flick that can't really pick a style.
• Pacing: Crap.
• Intro: Interesting, probably the best part since the background idea is the best part of this flick.
• Story: It would have been much better if they had simply chosen a time period to tell the story in. As they did it, you don't get attached to anything and it feels like an intro to the next chapter.
• Ending: Not really an ending. Almost boring.
• Epilogue: They had to show it kept on going or else this movie would have been a complete waste of time.
• Dialogs: Weak, at best.
• Characters: Really, really simple.
• Acting: Solid. Probably one of its saving grace.
• Visuals: Solid.
• Special Effects: Perfect.
• Afterthoughts: I wasn't expecting much, but I was still disappointed.

Underworld: Blood Wars — Good, but like some others it isn't very innovative — 6*/10

• Overall: After the first Underworld (read my review here), the others were really redundant. They keep talking about the same thing over and over again. It gets even a bit boring, but it's full of action.
• Who is it for? Those looking for more of the same are in luck.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3717252/
• Known actors: Kate Beckinsale.
• Style: Dark vampire-werewolf action.
• Pacing: Too quick. Too many of the things you need to assimilate are over in the blink of an eye. You have no time to really feel them.
• Intro: Being a follow-up chapter in a long list, you really need the background to understand the situation. Beyond that, it's dull.
• Story: Simple and very linear, but it does have a lot of content. Too much to be well processed given the editing. Loved the Northern coven idea, a definite high point.
• Ending: Well, it is what it is. On par with the story.
• Epilogue: Well, they had to open the door to the next chapter, hadn't they?
• Dialogs: Simple.
• Characters: Simple.
• Acting: Good, actually this is one of the two best aspects of this flick.
• Visuals: Pretty.
• Special Effects: This is the second thing that's any good.
• Costumes: Great.
• Afterthoughts: Could have been better. Could have been worst (and some of the other movies of the franchise have been). I wasn't too disappointed and I was entertained.

Passengers — An awesome sci-fi with a great story — 9*/10

• Overall: Amazing. The preview doesn't do it justice, but at least, it doesn't sell any of the punches.
• Who is it for? Everyone, unless you really hate sci-fi.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1355644/
• Known actors: Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pratt, Michael Sheen and Laurence Fishburne.
• Cameos: Andy Garcia.
• Setting: Outer space.
• Style: Slick sci-fi about space travel with some romantic development.
• Pacing: Perfect.
• Intro: Slow. It gets you right in so smoothly you're not even aware of it. Then you forget you're watching a movie.
• Story: Although there are some tense action moments, this is about the chain of events, even more than about the characters themselves. This is about their life and their predicament. A solid little intrigue. The only real negative point would be the apparition of the "lie". Fortunately this doesn't take over the whole scenario, which is as it should be.
• Ending: Quite amazing if somewhat predictable.
• Epilogue: Short, fun and unexpected. Great.
• Dialogs: Well structured and very interesting. This is the engine of the film.
• Characters: Solidly built with nice depth and realistic attitude.
• Acting: Amazing.
• Visuals: Fucking superb. Intensely beautiful on the big screen.
• Special Effects: Perfect.
• Afterthoughts: I couldn't have asked for more. It's a must see.

Why Him? — You're average romantic comedy with nice sensibilities — 6*/10

• Overall: Funny, if uninventive, with heart and good sensible feminist values although it doesn't look like it at first and it is about the two guys.
• Who is it for? Anyone looking for a good laugh.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4501244/
• Known actors: James Franco, Bryan Cranston and Megan Mullally.
• Cameos: Cedric the Entertainer, Steve Aoki, Elon Musk, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley.
• Setting: Mostly .COM rich California.
• Style: Romantic comedy, on the juvenile side.
• Intro: Pathetic, awkward and bad.
• Story: Lots of funny moments derived from clashing styles. There are some very juvenile jokes, but the flick also mostly avoided the easy plot elements like the lies, the mistaken identities, and the I-will-not-forgive-you.
• Ending: This is where there's some feminism sensibility. If they had cut it just before the elevator pitch, it would have been pretty good. Now, it's just too much.
• Epilogue: As bad as they come.
• Dialogs: Funny.
• Characters: Funny, with a good sense of depth, even though there are a few stereotypes involved. This is probably the movie's strongest aspect.
• Acting: Good.
• Afterthoughts: Had some good fun, pretty much what I expected, minus the horribly long epilogue.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story — A worthy member of the saga — 7*/10

• Overall: Great entertainment with strong special effects and lots of action. Epic adventure with an epic ending.
• Who is it for? Anyone who like sci-fi even a little bit, and, of course, the fans.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3748528/
• Known actors: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk, Forest Whitaker and Mads Mikkelsen.
• Cameos: James Earl Jones.
• Setting: A long time ago in a galaxy far far away...
• Style: Epic sci-fi adventure.
• Pacing: Fast. Even a bit too fast.
• Intro: One of the weak spots. We jump from place to place without having a good feel of where we are or where we're going. Some emotions are also lost. Beyond that, it's pretty interesting.
• Story: Lots of things happening, but all in a very linear fashion. Still, it's difficult not to get into it and be transported. It made the rebellion and the socio-political framework a lot more real than Episode IV ever could.
• Ending: It's strongest part to be sure. The choices are epic. Extremely satisfying.
• Epilogue: None. Yeah!
• Dialogs: Solid. Nothing imaginative. Loved the new android, although not giving percentages felt wrong for his character.
• Characters: They steered away from the archetypical stereotypes, for the most part. That felt really good. Although it's difficult at first, by the end of the film, you have a great feel for them.
• Acting: I'm not sure if it's due to the fact that things were so compressed that almost no scene, to a few exceptions, really did not allow the actors to show their natural emotional depth, but it gave me the impression that they underperformed. Even though they were satisfactory, I've seen them do better in other movies. It was great to hear James Earl Jones once again, but he seemed to have lost some of this aplomb. His lines were delivered a little more mushily. All of that being said, best Star Wars acting ever, better than Episode VII (read my short review here).
• Visuals: Well done, sometimes breathtaking. The best was the tropical battle.
• Special Effects: Great, to the very notable exception of the animation of Tarkin. The other characters they brought back from Episode IV fared much better. They were more simply cut and pasted.
• Score: Loved the old parts. Not so sure about the newest ones. Hated the new title score, awkward at best.
• Afterthoughts: My initial slight disappointment turned into delighted entertainment and I do not regret paying full price.

Collateral Beauty — Beautiful sentimental piece that could have been more — 6*/10

• Overall: You'll be touched, you'll be captivated, but you might be disappointed if you’re expecting something different.
• Who is it for? Anyone looking for something emotional, but simple and slick.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4682786/
• Known actors: Will Smith, Edward Norton, Kate Winslet, Helen Mirren, Keira Knightley and Michael Peña.
• Setting: New York middle upper class.
• Style: Emotional story designed to give you a sad smile.
• Intro: It's not bad, per se, it's just straight from the standard mold and it's that particular trick woefully unnecessary.
• Story: Extremely interesting ideas, full of nice details and even a few side stories that are well built. Touching.
• Ending: Weak. Not because it's not good or uninteresting, but really, why? That was a good idea, but not nearly imaginative enough to be as good as the core of the story.
• Epilogue: Could have done without that. It was already pretty clear without it.
• Dialogs: Solid. Intelligent. Sometimes witty or funny.
• Characters: Well developed. Nice depth, even if a few of them are archetypes.
• Acting: Excellent, although Will Smith looks like he has been there and has done that and I think the little girl's father-hating phase sublimated too quickly, but I blame the director for that. Loved Edward Norton and Helen Mirren.
• Visuals: Beautiful, on the too-slick side.
• Afterthoughts: I loved it, but I was still disappointed because the ending just wasn't up to the quality of the rest of the flick.

Office Christmas Party — The kind of crazy thing that's perfect to pick you up — 6*/10

• Overall: Turn your brain off and enjoy this fun ride. You won't be able to help yourself, you'll laugh. 
• Who is it for? Anyone in the mood for some Holiday cheers.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1711525/
• Known actors: Jason Bateman, Olivia Munn, T.J. Miller, Jennifer Aniston, Rob Corddry, Vanessa Bayer and Abbey Lee.
• Story: Extremely simple, silly, wacky, crazy, oft time impossible, but always funny. There's some action, a lot of booze, many naked people and urinal jokes, literally. 
• Ending: Of course, it's a Christmas story, so you can imagine. 
• Dialogs: Witty, funny, stupid.
• Characters: Simple, but very funny. Lots of crazy people.
• Acting: This is where the movie shines, this is how all the silliness and craziness get sold, and how!
• Afterthoughts: Great entertainment, I absolutely had the best of time.