Been awhile -
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) - A film that comes dangerously close to generic summer blockbuster with too much fan service, but makes it out very much alive do to a unique sense of style and approach to the Star Wars galaxy, and a great cast with a fantastic lead performance. The emotional core doesn’t quite transcend the way the best summer blockbusters do, but it’s still fun and funny. Could have been even more so, but this will do just fine. B+
Silverado (1985) - Pretty good old fashioned western. Plot’s a little all over the place, but you’re really there for the characters and their interactions (and the action). B
Fahrenheit 451 (2018) - Bit of some wasted potential. Good cast, good aesthetics, good reinterpretation of a classic. Kinda falls apart. C+
You’ve Got Mail (1998) - Pretty silly with or without the dated AOL stuff. Yet… still a diverting experience. Didn’t hate it at all. C+
Hereditary (2018) - Beautifully twisted work of terror, both in the ‘horror’ scenes and in the family scenes. It’s a good one. B
Demolition Man (1993) - Dumb all around, but in an enjoyable way I suppose. C+
Con Air (1997) - Dumb all around, but in an enjoyable way I suppose. C+
Bad Boys (1995) - Michael Bay’s name kept me away from this one for awhile, which is kind of unfortunate. As juvenile as this movie admittedly is, it’s actually a whole lot of fun. That’s mainly to do with Smith and Lawrence, honestly the action parts are when I zone out. B
Bad Boys II (2003) - Basically the first one turned up to eleven, except this time the action’s pretty good. B+
Ocean’s 8 (2018) - Fairly straightforward in terms of Ocean’s heists, but just as satisfying as ever, with the new cast making it worth the trip.
The Incredibles 2 (2018) - What more could you want? An absolutely fantastic follow up to a classic that feels of remarkably of a piece with the first, all the more, uh, incredible because of the long gap between. Worth it. A-
The Lost World (1925) - A really quite impressive (effects-wise) proto-King Kong sort of feature. Plot and characters are basic, but that’s not why you’re watching. B
The Impossible (2012) - A finely crafted, harrowing film. You’re enthralled almost from go. B+
The Orphanage (2007) - Another finely crafted, harrowing film. Freaky and spooky, but also rooted in depressing realness. B+
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) - I saw this and liked it. Then I saw it again, and almost loved it. There’s something really captivating about this film, and something that makes me think it’s almost definitely the best since the original. Despite plot and structural similarities to other in the series, it feels like they’re finally doing something new. Ultimately, it’s all because of the aesthetics and execution. This is a gothic horror film from start to finish, and somehow, despite not really caring about the characters any more than I did during the first one, I’m fully invested. Bayona actually knows how to create a suspenseful sequence, and this is filled to the brim with them. Lot of fun. B+
American Animals (2018) - An endlessly fascinating portrait of when the angst of becoming an adult goes too far. Unexpectedly one of the most thrilling films I’ve seen in awhile. Probably because it all feels so real, and makes more sense than it should. A-
Treasure Island (1950) - Pretty basic with a fair few bits of genuine excitement. B-
Death Becomes Her (1992) - While I appreciate the wacky and unique sense of humor (and what at the time were cutting edge effects), ultimately it’s not as funny as it wants to be, and Willis’s turn in the climax is unearned and seems to undermine the satire. Still, not bad. C+
