Dope — A weird story that's easy to watch and laugh with — 8*/10

• Scenario: Very surprising. The story is like nothing you've ever seen, with many unexpected twists and novel ideas. The end is kind of predictable, but that's about the only part that is. Lots of funny scenes and smart dialogs. Though, its not a comedy, neither is it a drama, it's only mixing soft elements of both. The engaging story will keep your attention on the film until the very end. Great entertainment, but with a very offbeat treatment and a comparatively light tone for such a heavy subject.
• Known actors: None.
• Visual & sound: Nice.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3850214/
• Who is it for? Not for everyone, but really worth the watch for anyone.

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.

Kid Cannabis — Pretty interesting for such a small package — 7*/10

• Story: Mostly notable for the fact that you can feel it's close to reality. The narration is good. The whole thing felled flat at the end probably because it's based on true events.
• Characters: You understand them, but without sensing enough depth to completely flesh out who they are.
• Dialogs: Realistic enough.
• Scenario: Nice tempo, except for the last third.
• Actors: Good work.
• Photography: Nice.
• Special effects: None.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780548/
• Who is it for? Stoners or those looking for some simple drug related story based on actual events.

Traffic — Gritty drama and action with a star studded cast — 9*/10

Traffic is a solid drama by Steven Soderbergh that's all about the drug war an its real life futility. The scenario is a nice mesh of stories that are captivating with lots of drama, some excellent action, a bit of intrigue, and some suspense.

The acting is uniformly great for this star studded cast. Here are those that truly distinguished themselves: Benicio Del Toro, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Erika Christensen, and Don Cheadle. They admirably portrayed the main characters.

In secondary roles, I also liked Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace, and Luis Guzmán. In an uncredited and very small part, you can briefly see the beautiful Salma Hayek.

A must see, unless you don't like tough movies.
9*/10

The Beach — Very intense and gut wrenching at time — 9*/10

The Beach is about paradise, what we'll do for it and the consequences. Nothing is perfect, everything has a cost.

The good. Intensely dramatic scenes. A modern phantasmagoric mix. Superbly paced scenario with great cohesion and editing. Solid characters, very realistic actions and reactions. Nice score. Superb acting.

The actors. I'll just mention the two best ones: Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert Carlyle.

The bad. That video game overlay. It's not necessarily a faux pas, because it's well tailored to the persona and his psychosis, but it just doesn't fit very nicely with the rest of the movie style.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. A must see. Sensible souls should avoid for the drama, and a very gory scene.

9*/10

Trainspotting — Hold on to your hats and be ready for an off-road ride — 10*/10

Trainspotting is what happens when you chose something different than the rest of society.

The good. The imagery, the metaphors, and the camera work plunge us right into what he's feeling, into his world. Incredible scenario. Extremely well told story. Spot on pace and length, with superb editing. Excellent ending, couldn't imagine better. Silly laughs and perspective from time to time to break the gloominess.

The actors. Ewan McGregor is perfect in this hectic role. The rest of the cast is almost just as good. I'll simply mention Kelly Macdonald that totally caught my attention. Love her.

The bad. The scottish accent is a tough nut to crack. Some of the characters are difficult to understand at time.

The ugly. Some scenes are difficult to watch.

The result. Very entertaining. A stark image that everyone should watch.

10*/10

The Basketball Diaries — How low can a street kid go — 10*/10

The Basketball Diaries is the movie that showed exactly how much acting potential Leonardo DiCaprio has.

The good. Gripping sad story. Extreme realism and superb acting, you really get into their shoes, very immersive. You get to understand their story, their situation. Tight well executed scenes. Nice camera work. Solid score.

The actors. Not only does Leonardo DiCaprio shine like a true star, but Mark Wahlberg also shows his talent. The rest of the cast is almost as impeccable.

The bad. The end scene on the stage is badly staged. No pun intended. It's a bit awkward, but it's easily forgivable.

The ugly. It pictures drugs as a social disease whereas their use is actually a symptom of an underlying problem. But then, everybody thinks that, because that's the official story.

The result. It's a forbidding tale, but everyone should watch it and understand.

10*/10

Requiem for a Dream — Human beings exposed in their weakest state — 10*/10

Requiem for a Dream is about losing a battle against your inner demons, and putting them to sleep with an artificial dream machine.

The good. Masterful editing and camera shots giving an incredible inside perspective. A score that plunges us rapidly into that world and its sad story and keeps us there. A well built scenario revolving around weak, but very human characters.

The actors. Great performance by the our four protagonist. Jared Leto as the focus point. Ellen Burstyn as his mother. Jennifer Connelly as his girlfriend. Marlon Wayans as his friend and partner.

The bad. Tough to watch.

The ugly. Things you might not want to think about.

The result. A gritty perspective on how fragile humans are, and to what extreme they will go to bury their angst. A must see if you're ready for it.

10*/10

Thirteen — A broken situation all too common in life — 10*/10

Thirteen is a teenage nightmare where parents get lost and where a life can be easily consumed.

The good. An incredibly dramatic rendition of things going out of control. A simple story, mesmerizing by its truthful reflection of reality. Perfect acting. Powerful scenes. Dialogs that are so well built they could escape the lips of any parent or teen.

The actors. Stellar performance by everyone. I'll just mention the main characters. Evan Rachel Wood as our main girl. Nikki Reed as her best friend. Holly Hunter as her mother.

The bad. Nothing.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. A troubling film that should be watched by everyone, but beware the drama, be ready for it.

10*/10