Concussion — The talent of Ridley Scott and Will Smith shining — 8*/10

• Story: Only the brilliance of Ridley Scott could possibly make it that interesting. The details are interesting and the technical aspects are done perfectly, but it is by no means thrill ride. There's a limit to what one can do with this story without distorting it.
• Setting: An incredible discovery of major importance for football and any other contact sport.
• Style: Like other historical or biographical flick, this one is simple and without any punch.
• Pacing: Solid.
• Dialogs: Excellent.
• Characters: You really get to know them well and they are well developed.
• Acting: I think this is one of the major reasons for this movie to be this good.
• Known actors: Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Albert Brooks, Paul Reiser and Luke Wilson.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3322364/
• Entertainment value: Very good.
• Who is it for? Scott and Smith fans or those looking for something quiet, yet relevant and are interesting in seeing this case with human faces.

Foxcatcher — A creepy recounting of a real life sport drama — 8*/10

• Story: You'll definitively be weirded out. There's a lot of uncomfortable situations, people that are just a bit off and events that you can't believe really happened. Everything feels slightly askewed, like looking through an imperfect glass pane. That being said, it is psychologically intense, it is hypnotic, and you just know something bad is going to go down at some point.
• Style: It is just as boring as real life can be, but there's a surreal quality to these real life events that makes it difficult to just lump it with other biographical or historical piece.
• Pacing: Slow, drawn out. Makes for an incredible mood, a bit creepy, almost suffocating.
• Ending: Surprising. Not shocking, but really close to it.
• Dialogs: Off putting would be the best way to describe them. 
• Characters: You can really feel the depth and the realism.
• Acting: Superb.
• Known actors: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo.
• Visuals: Large and impressive or dirty and scrawny.
• Special Effects: Carell's face prosthetic feels unreal, but then again, I think it adds a lot to his character, it seems like a perfect match.
• Score: Creepy in a subtle way.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1100089/
• Entertainment value: Good if you like the style.
• Who is it for? Those looking for some psychological real life drama. Anyone else should abstain.

Ashby — A nice mixed bag of funny and serious — 7*/10

• Scenario: Interesting, even if some choices were a bit easy, others proved very solid. Lots of little stories might have made the result a little fluffier than a more rigorous treatment would have, but it has still solidified in an entertaining piece. Some laughs and some very serious stuff makes it difficult to pigeonhole this film, which in turns probably heighten the overall quality. I find myself almost incapable of classifying it. Yes there is a bit of romance, yes there is a bit of comedy, yes there is a bit of drama, but it's neither of the three. There's even sport and some guns.
• Known actors: Mickey Rourke, Nat Wolff, Emma Roberts, Sarah Silverman, Kevin Dunn and Michael Lerner.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3774466/
• Who is it for? Those looking for something interesting that will give you a bit of everything.

Semi-Pro — A silly and goofy basketball comedy — 6*/10

• Scenario: This is not the kind of movie anyone should take seriously. It's obviously meant to make us laugh with absurd stunts and songs. It's the kind of film that is not as funny the first time you watch it as it is the second time, because it's only then that you hear and pay attention to the little comments that make that silly and goofy comedy good.
• Known actors: Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, Maura Tierney, Andy Richter, David Koechner and Rob Corddry.
• Visual & sound: Nice.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0839980/
• Who is it for? Anyone looking for a silly and goofy comedy, especially if you like it sport themed, or any Ferrell fans. Beware, though, language and subject matters are probably not appropriate for kids.

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.

Rocky — Boxing with a lot of heart and guts but little technique — 7*/10

• Scenario: It has a few cheesy moments, especially in the beginning, but slowly you see the heart and soul of the characters appear and you get to really feel the movie. Great ambiance and well portrayed personas if sometimes a bit overdone in the secondary roles. There's little real boxing technique showed. Solid dialogs. Entertaining flick. A classic that shows its decrepitude while still sustaining the test of time and becoming a period piece.
• Known actors: Sylvester Stallone, Carl Weathers and Burgess Meredith.
• Visual & sound: The visual is mostly crappy, especially the stock footage, but it adds to the ambiance.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075148/
• Who is it for? Stallone fans and those who want to see his beginning.

I've got to give it to Stallone for writing this script. Great job.

Creed — A surprisingly good member of the Rocky boxing family — 7*/10

• Scenario: Not as much depth as the trailer would suggest with a romance that's too fast and light, but it's definitely one of the best of the Rocky series. Solid acting and interesting story, although you don't really feel the youth's difficulties and this leads the viewer to not really understand the full depth of his later motivations. Action and boxing is tight. Nice entertainment and great followup.
• Known actors: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone (who delivered a very good performance, one of his best) and Tessa Thompson.
• Visual & sound: Nice visual. Music was good, but did not fit the English boxer.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3076658/
• Who is it for? Rocky and Stallone fans as well as those who like a good boxing movie.

Grudge Match — Some good things but not enough — 6*/10

• Scenario: There are some nice elements to the story, but too often it takes the easy road and in some occasions, it even stumbles on, missing its mark and not letting the viewer make the emotional connection in the sequence of events. It's funny, with nice acting here or there, but it's too sweet. It's entertaining yet you shouldn't have any high expectations.
• Known actors: Kim Basinger, Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Kevin Hart, Alan Arkin, Jon Bernthal, LL Cool J, Ireland Basinger Baldwin, Anthony Anderson, Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson.
• Visual & sound: Nice, nothing special. The CG work is pretty bad.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1661382/
• Who is it for? Just those who really must.

Coach Carter — Inspiring basketball story based on true events — 8*/10

• Scenario: All real world sport Cinderella stories look a bit alike and this one doesn't escape that fact. However, it is full of nice details and excellent actors. The pacing is solid, the captivating story is touching and the end is extremely well handled.
• Known actors: Samuel L. Jackson, Rob Brown and Channing Tatum.
• Visual & sound: Very good.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0393162/
• Who is it for? Those in need of an inspiring movie based on real events or those looking for a good sport or basketball story.

Southpaw — A touching drama that will leave you stunned — 10*/10

• Scenario: A solid drama centered on family, with the boxing almost taking second stage. Realistic, riveting and touching. You won't be left cold, if not by the sentiments, then by the action. Close to a masterpiece.
• Known actors: Jake Gyllenhaal (another superb performance for him), Rachel McAdams (just perfect), Oona Laurence (excellent as the daughter), Forest Whitaker (one of his best performance) and 50 Cent.
• Visual & sound: Astounding, visually and musically.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1798684/
• Who is it for? Anyone looking for a great drama who doesn't mind violence, anyone looking for action who doesn't mind drama, and Gyllenhaal, McAdams or Whitaker fans.

She's the Man — Very light romantic comedy for easy entertainment — 6*/10

• Story: It's your basic identity switch romantic comedy with multiple love triangles. There's absolutely no deviations from the standard. Funny is its main thing as well as has some strong female roles.
• Characters: Simple.
• Dialogs: Simple and at times a little forced.
• Scenario: Nice pacing.
• Actors: Channing Tatum really makes this flick. He's the best actor by a long shot. The others are acceptable. The better ones include Amanda Bynes, which is not that believable as a soccer player or a guy, and David Cross who does his little thing.
• Photography: Acceptable.
• Sound: Acceptable music and score.
• Special effects: None.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0454945/
• Who is it for? Those looking for a simple romantic comedy and have some time to waste, or for Tatum fans.

McFarland — Well made for the genre, but nothing new — 6*/10

• Story: Your basic inspirational biographical sport flick, with a little bit of laughter thrown in.
• Characters: Well done.
• Dialogs: Realistic.
• Scenario: Typical to the genre.
• Actors: Very good work. The notable cast members are Kevin Costner and Maria Bello.
• Photography: Nice.
• Sound: Nice music and score.
• Special effects: None.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2097298/
• Who is it for? Those looking for a biographical flick with an unusual sport.

When the Game Stands Tall — A great story and an inspiration if you don't mind a few dertails — 7*/10

When the Game Stands Tall is a solid inspirational football movie. The strength of the scenario is the story itself. However, in his retelling of the story, the director seemed to push emotions on us a bit, it feels buffed and shiny. Also, religion plays a certain part in it, so it can be somewhat of a turn off to those of us, like me, who are atheist.

For football and real story fans.
7*/10

Draft Day - Excellent tension throughout the movie - 8*/10

Draft Day is great. It's difficult to name anything that could have been done a little better. The role of the mother? A bit, yes. An ever so slight predictability? Maybe. However, the overall qualities are: great tension, excellent acting, solid setup, a fast paced scenario and an interesting story.

A must for any draft fan, a good movie for the rest.
8*/10

Moneyball - Quiet, simple, touching, very different from other sport movies - 8*/10

Moneyball is not about winning or losing, it's about change. This is a low key baseball movie with a story and a perspective that really grips you in a very subtle manner. You can't help but be interested in, captivated by the events, and even cheer for the main character. Great acting.

For anyone looking for a touching story or a quiet evening, and for the baseball or the Brad Pitt fans.
8*/10

All the Right Moves — It's nice, but getting old — 6*/10

All the Right Moves is about how a simple mistake, made because as a youth you didn't know better, can change your future radically, and how your arrogance can crush your life or someone else's.

The good. Excellent 80s small steel town period piece. Very nice acting. Well built scenario with an interesting story.

The bad. The music is also very much 80s and pushed on the viewer a little bit much.

The ugly. It's getting old.

The result. If you're a Tom Cruise fan, it's a chance for you to see him at the beginning of his career. If you like 80s movies, this is a nice one. The others might want to abstain.

6*/10

Any Given Sunday — Can make anyone appreciate professional american football — 9*/10

Any Given Sunday is the best football movie ever made, a master piece by Oliver Stone.

The good. Perfect editing. The way the images are melded just sucks you right in. Great photography. Excellent score and music. Superb football action. Razor sharp dialogs. Complete characters. Solid cast that fit incredibly well together. Very involved story with a good number of sub-story, all interesting and well developed. Nicely paced scenario, with good emotional breaks and powerful action scenes. It's a long film with lots of meat and every minute is worth it, they even used the final generic to pitch us the epilogue. Nicely done. Great ending.

The actors. Al Pacino is playing his best role here. He gets away from his usual angry almost psychotic roles into a more mellow and near sentimental human being, but still very much troubled and imperfect. Cameron Diaz, for once, plays a hard nut to crack, tough, nowhere near nice and she does it extremely well. Dennis Quaid plays the hero, again, and does it superbly as he always does. Jamie Foxx does his thing as the cool and bitter professional athlete.

Now for the smaller roles that round up this flick and elevate it to greatness. LL Cool J plays the money grabbing star to perfection. Matthew Modine plays a institutionalized game-first team doctor who faces Aaron Eckhart as the do-gooder in a battle over the health of the player. Jim Brown is the perfect tough defensive coach with a heart of gold and a head full of the glory days. Lela Rochon is the sweet intelligent life partner of the third string quarterback. Lauren Holly is the hateful witch trying to control her legendary husband. Lawrence Taylor captures our attention as the bruised captain and keystone of the defensive team. Bill Bellamy plays a young receiver. And Andrew Bryniarski denotes himself as the rough angry offensive line man.

The bad. The opposing team design. The costumes look like they were done last minute, not part of a professional football league.

The ugly. Nothing, it's near damn perfect.

The result. A football movie that's so well made, anyone can enjoy it. See it.

9*/10

Jerry Maguire — Watch it for the romance and be entertained by the antics — 7*/10

Jerry Maguire is now pop culture reference material. "You had me at Hello" and "You complete me" are some of the most commonly quoted movie phrase in North America. Underneath that is a romance born of unusual circumstances.

The good. Very interesting story with a unique setup. Well paced scenario. Excellent character psychology and interactions.

The actors. Tom Cruise goes all out, but his best scenes are the ones where he's calm. Cuba Gooding Jr. is just spot on as the self-centered athlete. And Renée Zellweger is at her cutest and most vulnerable as the lost single mother.

The bad. Acting exaggerations on the part of Cruise and Gooding. It's probably what made it popular in the first place, but watching it now, for the third time, it's unnerving. Also, the kid might have been cute the first time you see the flick, but he's really not a good child actor.

The ugly. Quarterback Troy Aikman shows once again that professional athlete can't act to save their lives. It's a good thing he's got only two lines.

The result. Very good entertainment for the romantics with a bit of sport thrown in the mix.

7*/10

Trouble with the Curve — A tenacious daughter and a grouchy mule-headed father — 7*/10

Trouble with the Curve is a father-daughter movie.

The acting is solid. You're quickly taken by the story and the characters who are well developed. The setup is quick. There's no lingering at any stage of the well paced scenario. The story is diversified, rich, and vibrant. The cast is scintillating. Clint Eastwood plays yet an other grouchy old man, but even grouchier, and plays it once again very well. Amy Adams is sweet and lovely with a demanding presence onscreen. Justin Timberlake act as hot as he usually does with a role that fits him very well. John Goodman complete the cast of friends with an other good performance. And finally, you just want to slap Matthew Lillard, as the overconfident asshole.

However the ending is weak. It should have ended before the boardroom with a simple closing of the chapter on the field. The way it was done is too sugary, and tying all those loose ends treats the audience as a simple minded pink-flavor junkie.

There's also a number of big clichés concerning the father-daughter relationship, as well as the workaholic, the hot new thing (and there are no less than three of them), and the quickly slipped in discovery of the unknown superstar.

Well worth seeing.

7*/10

The Blood of Heroes — A post apocalyptic movie about a brutal sport born of the desolation — 9*/10

The Blood of Heroes is set in a desolate post apocalyptic future, and you can taste the dirt and the misery. It also shows Rutger Hauer at his best.

This flick never rose to fame, probably because of its weird choice of topic, a brutal game that looks like a mix of chess, american football, and ancient Rome gladiatorial combat. There's blood and pain at every turn. So it's not for everyone, but the quality is there.

The imagery, costumes, makeup, and action are without reproach. The story might not bring anything new to the table, but the world sure does, and it's showed in full details. The dialogs are simple, yet very effective, and no quick easy slick remark, jut hard harsh statements fitting the whole scene.

The only reproach I would make is that the pellicle is getting old, and without clean images, it's getting tougher to appreciate. No widescreen, no HD. Bummer. Still, its age does show beyond that, the rest is impeccable.

If you don't mind violence, see it.

9*/10