Wind River — A powerful drama with a very interesting investigation — 10*/10

This movie won't leave anybody indifferent. Touching, sometimes in a harsh way with a reality that needs to be put to light. Surprising, shocking, and with unusual script decisions.

A must.

Elizabeth Olsen, Kelsey Asbille, Jeremy Renner, Julia Jones, Graham Greene and Jon Bernthal.

Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5362988/

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/

The Sense of an Ending — A quiet little drama that sums up our lives — 7*/10

Our history is a story we tell ourselves, and this movie really makes us see it. There are a few annoying things, but overall, it's well made. Slow and entertaining.

Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4827986/

Before I Fall — This little flick is slick and has a lot of heart — 7*/10

The societal slice is just too high and the settings too slick, but it's very interesting and the just of it at the right place. Even if it's not really anything new, it's really nice to watch and let go.

Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1691916/

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/

La Vénus à la fourrure — Puissant film qui mérite toute notre attention — 9*/10

Un chef d'oeuvre captivant de Roman Polanski. Verve, passion,  découverte, mystère... Rien n'y manque, pourtant que deux seuls acteurs. Un cours de psychologie à ne pas manquer qui nous fait passer du simple ridicule amusant au bas fond de l'avilissant.

Synopsis & information: .

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 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/

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/

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/

Miss Sloane — A powerful piece about a powerful woman — 9*/10

• Overall: Great psychological tension and superb intellectual puzzles that features a strong female model.
• Who is it for? Everyone. 
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4540710/
• Known actors: Jessica Chastain and John Lithgow.
• Cameos: 
• Setting: The high power political arena.
• Style: An intrigue or suspense, but quite either and a mostly both. It's great. Very intellectual.
• Pacing: Perfect. You lose yourself in it.
• Intro: Even though it uses an old trick, it does it with great impact. 
• Story: Captivating, full of details, suspenseful, powerful, a great intellectual battle with amazing plots and counter plots. The mood is amazing and enveloping. 
• Ending: Excellent. If you're quick enough, you'll see it coming a little while beforehand, just long enough to appreciate the stratagem.
• Epilogue: Short, to the point. Even though it doesn't serve any purpose, it does settle us back down, which should be the only goal of any good epilogue. 
• Dialogs: Powerful.
• Characters: Strong female lead, powerful women's voices, lots of depth to them all, well developed and very realistic. 
• Acting: Amazing.
• Visuals: Powerful.
• Camera Work: Some really superb work here.
• Costumes: Slick, chic and perfect.
• Afterthoughts: I was stunned, even if I anticipated something good. What surprised me the most was the way it passed its ethical stances without sounding preachy.

I loved the fact that male sex work for female clients was so simply presented without drama or judgment. The male escort is kind of an incompetent and invasive, but at least it turned out alright.

I can't believe this is rated so low. Patriarchy at its worst again?

Manchester by the Sea — For those in need of an emotional flick — 8*/10

• Overall: Very emotional drama with interesting ideas and unusual choices. Great, but for a single detail.
• Who is it for? Anyone wanting to feel something powerful.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4034228/
• Known actors: Casey Affleck.
• Setting: Low-middle class small town America.
• Style: Emotional drama.
• Pacing: Slow.
• Story: Well told, with strong emotional ties between the characters. However, there's barely any change in them as the story progresses. It kills the possibility of a story, it turns the film more into an anecdote than a movie.
• Ending: It ends too realistically. I rarely say that, but it made me think too much of a biography, because there is no real ending. It sort of just stops. Even historical movies do better. It might be courageous to do so, but you still need to be able, as an audience, to be left with something or else you have no attachment and you just forget about it.
• Dialogs: Very realistic. Powerful.
• Characters: Impressive emotional depth and solid realism.
• Acting: Perfect. Very realistic. Casey Affleck's best performance to date.
• Score: Very classical with great effect, but sometimes, it can take you by surprise or be a bit repetitive.
• Afterthoughts: As I watched, I could sense a great movie in the making, with only a few weak spots, but the ending, just... I won't say it ruined it, but it did diminish its accomplishment.

Hacksaw Ridge — An amazingly well-told story of World War II — 9*/10

• Overall: Much better than the previews let on. A captivating story from end to end. A superb work by director Mel Gibson.
• Who is it for? Anyone not afraid of violence.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2119532/
• Known actors: Andrew Garfield, Hugo Weaving, Vince Vaughn and Sam Worthington.
• Setting: Working class America and one World War II Pacific island battle.
• Style: An inspiring war movie and biography.
• Pacing: Nice and smooth transition from one event to the other, slowly cranking up the heat.
• Intro: It's probably its most grievous weakness. The initial scene is an overused stratagem that is not used to its best here.
• Story: I was riveted. I forgot I was in a theater. Let me be clear, though, all the elements of a cheesy story are there, but they're deconstructed, or maybe I should simply say they were put back together for the benefit of the preview. In a way it's a good thing, because by watching the it, you're not spoiled the really delicious elements. No single things follow the usual script, they're always a wild card or . It's touching, it's gut wrenching, it will make you spill a few tears. It's inspiring.
• Ending: Solid. Worthy of fiction.
• Epilogue: One of the rare occasions where I didn't mind the comparison with the real people.
• Dialogs: Great.
• Characters: Amazing. Great depth and well rendered. Even though the main character is religious, it doesn't turn into a preachy flick. More than that, even though those are American troops, it doesn't turn into a USA rally. It's a personal story. The story of one man dedicated to his principles and the battalion he's in with.
• Acting: Can't ask for more. Near perfect.
• Visuals: Excellent.
• Special Effects: They're good, but there are a number of occasions that you do feel that you are in a studio. Hugo Weaving’s best performance to date. Probably not Vince Vaughn's most convincing, but pretty good.
• Afterthoughts: I wasn't going to see it because it looked preachy and full of clichés. I would have missed a gem.

Nocturnal Animals — A psychological movie you should open your mind to — 10*/10

• Overall: A masterfully brooding, riveting, yet beautiful film by Tom Ford.
• Who is it for? Anyone who likes a good moody movie.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4550098/
• Known actors: Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon and Isla Fisher.
• Cameos: Laura Linney, Andrea Riseborough and Michael Sheen.
• Setting: The very successful. Way above the masses.
• Style: Brooding, psychological near suspense.
• Pacing: An incredible almost continuous stop-and-go. It feels slow, really slow, like being stuck in thick molasse, because what happens is so tense and it doesn't happen all at once. Nonetheless, things proceed at a steady pace, inescapably, sometimes against our will.
• Intro: The credits are difficult to watch, because we don't like that kind of harsh reality, but also because movies usually convey only beauty even when it's ugly.
• Story: It takes you to the edge, tensed, and suspends you there for what seems like a long time. You can't help, but be on this edge... and finally jump. Then, it takes you down slowly into reality, making you see that not everything is as you'd like it to be. I love the way the stories are mixed and paralleled. The mood is masterful. Some scenes are difficult, gut wrenching. You would want to do anything but what happened. Still it is riveting.
• Ending: Absolutely perfect.
• Epilogue: None, whatsoever. Love it!
• Dialogs: Powerful, simple, to the point.
• Characters: Great, realistic, extremely deep and well developed. 
• Acting: Amazingly strong.
• Visuals: Incredibly beautiful in a very pure manner,  but also in a realistic way.
• Costumes: Beautiful.
• Score: Very moody. Perfect.
• Afterthoughts: I was blown away by this production and absolutely loved it. Only two little things bothered me. Unfortunately, it panders to two ideas we too often circulate in society that are completely false and make a lot of people miserable. First that we always turn into our parents. Second, that if we love someone we should try everything to make it work. Beyond that, I think it's perfect.

The Girl Who Played with Fire — A much more personal tale — 8*/10

• Overall: Another great intrigue on a more personal level. Not as polished as the original (read my review here), but still amazing entertainment.
• Who is it for? A must for those who liked the first chapter. The others should start there, not here.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1216487/
• Known actors: Noomi Rapace.
• Setting: A weird mix where you can't get hang on things, probably a good reflection of average Sweden. Lacks the polished and more holistic design of the first chapter.
• Style: Police intrigue.
• Pacing: A bit hectic, lacking the genius of the original.
• Story: The intrigue is fascinating, riveting, it is all you can ask of one. However, the rest is not as powerful as its predecessor.
• Ending: Painful and masterful.
• Dialogs: Interesting and well made, although it's always difficult to evaluate with subtitles.
• Characters: The bad guys are too simple.
• Acting: Great.
• Afterthoughts: I was riveted the first time I saw it, but even now it is still great.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo — An intrigue of an impressive perfection — 10*/10

• Overall: A brain warper. It will transport you in its world with disarming ease.
• Who is it for? An absolute must for anyone who isn't too emotionally sensitive.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1132620/
• Known actors: Noomi Rapace.
• Setting: Sweden.
• Style: Intrigue and investigation with strong psychological drama.
• Pacing: Slow, a perfect stew, right until its culmination.
• Intro: The setup is quick, everything is put into place right away.
• Story: Full of details and very psychological. The perfection of this film is in the way the intrigue develops. Each discovery is natural, realistic and very organic. It doesn't feel forced and each time it draws you in more until you're unable to move away, transfixed by the easy flow of events. The mood is absolutely entrancing. Perfect.
• Ending: Surprising, strong. Perfect.
• Epilogue: I normally hate epilogues, this one is so well done that it absolutely needs to be there.
• Dialogs: Great, although, with subtitles, it can be difficult to judge.
• Characters: Awe inspiring. Incredible depth, extremely well detailed and full of life, or the lack of it.
• Acting: Powerful. Hypnotic. Perfect.
• Visuals: Strong, slick, simple, perfect.
• Special Effects: 
• Camera Work: 
• Afterthoughts: Even knowing the intrigue, it's still amazing to watch. It's that good. Thoroughly entertained, especially on an intellectual level.

I recommend watching the second chapter too (read my review here).

The Girl on the Train — No more than an intrigue — 6*/10

• Overall: Solid intrigue, but mixed execution, at best.
• Who is it for? Only those looking for a good intrigue, others should abstain.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3631112/
• Known actors: Emily Blunt and Allison Janney.
• Cameos: Lisa Kudrow.
• Setting: Suburban upper class.
• Style: Investigation mystery based on infidelity and abusive relationships.
• Pacing: Awkward. Could not hold focus of the audience well enough.
• Story: Very interesting intrigue. Nicely dissected storyline. Uninspired backward story.
• Ending: Well done.
• Dialogs: Mixed result, at best.
• Characters: Way too simple, especially the male roles.
• Acting: Bad male acting, great female leads, especially for the main character, astounding.
• Visuals: Nice.
• Camera Work: Great.
• Afterthoughts: Could have been much better. Disappointed.

Mr. Nobody — Be ready for a quiet surreal sci-fi ride — 8*/10

• Overall: This is the kind of movie that feels very exploratory.
• Who is it for? Only a few, those who like sci-fi and films that mess with time in a surreal way.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0485947/
• Known actors: Jared Leto and Rhys Ifans.
• Style: Almost surreal sci-fi.
• Story: It's about choices, building time and deconstructing it. A very different sci-fi with romance, sadness, hopes and illusions. You get lost, but you explore so many possibilities.
• Ending: Could have been stronger. Kinda weak compared to the rest.
• Characters: You get an excellent feel for those characters that do not fit into your standard stereotypes.
• Acting: Excellent.
• Visuals: Strong.
• Special Effects: Solid, if not perfect.
• Camera Work: Excellent. Makes the story telling work.
• Afterthoughts: I thought it was weird, my kind of weird and few others. I loved it because it was so bold in what it tried to convey. My mind felt at ease with the script going in every direction, because it works the same way. I just wished for a different ending.

Hell or High Water — It's a solid ride but it will also make you think — 9*/10

• Overall: A gritty dirty modern far west movie, but on a very personal level. Quiet, almost.
• Who is it for? I think everyone should take a good look at it, but I know not everybody is going to like it. Those looking for action might get bored. Those looking for introspection might not like the bit of violence there is. There's more to it than the preview lets you imagine.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2582782/
• Known actors: Ben Foster, Chris Pine and Jeff Bridges.
• Setting: Poor dirty grimy Texan rural counties.
• Style: Crime done for the right reason trying to avoid the consequences.
• Pacing: A few actions sequence with many quiet reflective lull.
• Intro: Not wasting a second and getting right where we want to be. Grabs the attention quick before the credits. Perfect.
• Story: Yes, it's about robbing banks, but it's not so much about how. It's more about whom. Whom does it, who's looking for them and who's around. It's about a place, a time and a multitude of reasons. It's about making up your mind and pushing an idea to its ultimate conclusion.
• Ending: It's more like an epilogue, but without it, the film would have less of a character pull. It's great as it is.
• Dialogs: Not always perfect, but they make the audience really feel what's happening.
• Characters: Great. Well developed. Can't ask for more. You even get to like the little characters. It's a character flick first and foremost.
• Acting: Excellent, even for Jeff Bridges who still mumble his lines with that thick accent he's been using these past few years. At least, here, it makes sense.
• Visuals: Grimy. Perfect.
• Costumes: Perfect.
• Afterthoughts: You know they're playing with our sense of just and right, as opposed to justice, and the financial events of the last decades, and it makes you think.

The Infiltrator — A tense yet human investigation in the 1980s cocaine trade — 8*/10

• Overall: A great undercover story done on a personal level that makes it really relatable.
• Who is it for? A must see, if you like criminal cases.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1355631/
• Known actors: Bryan Cranston, John Leguizamo and Benjamin Bratt.
• Setting: 1980s Miami.
• Style: Tough suspenseful police drama.
• Intro: Well done. A typical end of one mission before the next.
• Story: You see them craft their way in and build their identity. You witness the successes, the lucky deals and the mistakes. However, what is special is that you get to know them, cops and criminals, on a personal level. That way, it's really easy to understand what is happening on a human level.
• Ending: Solid, but with a flaw. Also, since it's based on real events, it's nothing spectacular, just the closing of a case.
• Dialogs: Great. On the spot.
• Characters: Well developed. You can really understand them.
• Acting: Superb.
• Afterthoughts: I was glad I was part of that mission. I understood what had happened, but also how they felt.