Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) directed by James Gunn

At this point in time, I know just about every line and every shot of this film. Every line that brings out so much emotion while providing excellent character development and every shot that makes this film one of Marvel's most beautiful. Guardians of the Galaxy is my favorite Disney/Marvel film and while some have issues with its peculiarity, its offbeat action and humor make it the most enjoyable for me. This film introduced the world to some of the weirdest characters in the galaxy, yet it still remains one of the most fun and rewatchable science-fiction films of the past decade.

This film is unforgettable because of its characters and remarkable use of a soundtrack to tell its story. Every character in this movie is beautifully written and has their own unique story that is told so well. Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot are all household names at this point and they develop so much over the course of this singular film. Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, (the voices of) Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel were all perfect choices for their respective characters and have so much unbelievable chemistry together, which made their performances that much better. Even though this film does not escape the Marvel standard that had been set years before, it still manages to provide a better family dynamic than previous films. What makes this my favorite MCU film is the fact that it took the group dynamic that had been established in The Avengers but perfected it even more, making it more personal and relatable. Both groups of heroes had to get together to save the world, but in this movie, they actually learn to like each other towards the end, flawlessly setting up the characters for the rest of the trilogy. There might have been a few lines of cheesy dialogue here and there, but Guardians of the Galaxy still surpasses many superhero films when it comes to making the story charming while keeping the plot intact.

The other, most obvious part of this film that anyone can enjoy is its soundtrack. The compilation of classic soft rock with 60's and 70's love songs makes this film so much more than your average popcorn film, and it serves an actual purpose too. It's revealed that Peter Quill's mother made him the mixtape when he was young and this provides the driving force for his character through not just this movie, but the sequel and Infinity War as well. This mixtape was designed very carefully by director James Gunn and rightfully so. From the opening dance scene in the caves to the love scenes to the dance-off with Ronan in the end, every song in this film is beautifully chosen and fits every shot perfectly. Other parts of this film that I loved were the cinematography and the action. Up until this movie, there was never an emphasis on camera work in the MCU, but that definitely changed with this addition. It was also the most colorful and eye-popping movie until then, accompanied by fantastic action and awesome choreography. In particular, the scene on Nova where they all meet for the first time was so much fun and introduced their personalities very well too.

My only issue with this film was its main villain Ronan the Accuser. James Gunn delves deep into the history of the Guardians and absolutely does his source material research, but Ronan was still given the least amount of character development time. He was a very standard antagonist and there was nothing interesting about him in the slightest, other than his scary purple hammer. However, he served his basic purpose for the film and even introduces the Infinity Stones into the cinematic universe.

Accompanied by one of the best soundtracks in film history, Guardians of the Galaxy blends together every element that makes a space opera phenomenal. This film turned out to be one of Marvel's finest works, despite its irregular characters and story. I would strongly, strongly, strongly, recommend this movie to any fan of the space genre, since it stands on its own so well as a memorable and engaging action adventure.

My Rating: ★★★★★

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) directed by Ron Howard

For once in my life, I was excited for a Star Wars film. Even if it was just a prequel revolving around a supporting character, there was something about the premise that drew me in. Or perhaps it was Donald Glover appearing as a young Lando. That sounds more my speed. Besides that, Solo: A Star Wars Story is a solid entry into the franchise that helped solidify this legendary character's background before his entry into the rebellion.

Since I am not a Star Wars fan, I do not have very high expectations when I see another of these films. However, one of the elements of this one that I enjoyed so much was the fact that it felt more like a smaller, standalone, production than the massive films that built the world around it (even though this movie still has every money-making tactic of a blockbuster). Not being enthusiastic about this franchise makes me appreciate how much detail and quality filmmaking this movie actually contains. I feel that a large part of this is due to the incredible directing of Ron Howard, as this entire film is very smooth and paced well. It definitely did not feel like more than two hours and the story went along nicely. While I would have enjoyed a bit more exposition about Han's life towards the beginning, I was able to easily jump in and understand the events occurring. I also believe that Howard's expertise was needed to give this film a fresh feel from the rest of the franchise. He was able to make us care about (most of) the characters and provide an entertaining and original plot. One of my favorite relationships in the film was between Han and Chewbacca. Seeing how they met and developed their friendship was very sweet to see. And I'm sure it brought out a lot of nostalgia for hardcore Star Wars fans, given that, y'know... Han is dead and all. One last detail of this movie that I loved was the score and how much it reminded me of the original films' scores. John Powell and John Williams are once again getting that Disney money while still creating an excellent soundtrack for a memorable film.

My absolute favorite part of this film, and the main reason I was attracted to it, was Donald Glover's performance as a young Lando Calrissian. He was able to embody that charming and seductive personality that Billy Dee Williams did so very well decades ago. Glover honestly stole every scene that he was in and blended humor with his own minor subplot beautifully. A performance that I did not enjoy as much, however, was the titular character of Han Solo, played by Alden Ehrenreich. While he is a great actor and fit the look very well, he just simply did not have the same energy and charisma as Harrison Ford's portrayal. This was especially seen in Han's scenes with Qi'ra, his love interest played by Emilia Clarke. Clarke is another fantastic artist that handles her role very well, but the two did not have any chemistry between them in the slightest; their scenes together were painful to watch because of their lack of any decent emotion. Woody Harrelson, on the other hand, was great in his role as Tobias Beckett. Harrelson seems to play the same type of rugged but weird character in every movie, but there is no denying that he does it well, even though he was quite predictable in this film. Little things that also irked me in this movie included a writing detail and the introductory design. For the first thirty minutes or so, this movie looked quite disgusting. Even though it was set against the industrial backdrop of Corellia, the color grading was disgusting. It got better into the second and third act, but I was worried that this movie would be an eyesore. I also did not enjoy how they explained how Han got his last name Solo. Him being the "only one of his kind" and therefore calling him "Solo" was very lazy writing in my opinion.

Solo: A Star Wars Story is a great addition to the franchise and excellently builds the origin story of one of the most beloved characters in film history. While there is a lack of engaging characters and plot, the directing and movement of the film help to make it stand out from the rest. Die-hard fans of this franchise will either love or hate this movie, but I personally enjoyed it very much.

My Rating: ★★½

Downsizing (2017) directed by Alexander Payne

I am not entirely sure what I was expecting as I rented this film from Redbox. I love Matt Damon and the supporting cast who I knew were in this movie, but I was not certain what would come out of the actual story. Unfortunately, Downsizing turned out to be a jumbled, tone-deaf mess. Damon and his co-star Hong Chau were among some of the only positives of the film, but even then it was not nearly enough to make it worth the $1.50 rental.

This film is riddled with problems from the beginning. Throughout the whole movie, the pacing is very slow and uneven, which made it so difficult to watch. The movie is way too long, topping out at two hours and fifteen minutes and it dragged the story on forever. One of the introductory scenes where Damon's character Paul is actually undergoing the downsizing procedure took almost ten minutes to show and I nearly fell asleep. One might think that an Oscar-winning director could handle an awkward pacing issue, but apparently not. As for the story, the plot lines were so blurry and not able to blend together effectively. The first and second acts went well together, showing what Paul's new life was like at 5 inches tall and without his wife by his side. The third act, however, is where everything took a turn for the worse. It drastically altered in tone from a lighthearted sci-fi drama to an apocalyptic survival drama. The central theme of the film is saving the planet's ecosystem by shrinking yourself to produce less waste. This made sense for the film, but the introduction of methane gas coming from Antarctica and bringing upon the apocalypse was so sudden and not developed at all. Damon's Paul and Chau's Ngoc sailed to a new society where they had been preparing to escape this said apocalypse, but all of these new plot details came with no foreshadowing or development in the slightest. This entire third act did not remotely fit in with the story set before it and it was wildly far-fetched, even for a movie that's about shrinking people down (practically ripping off Honey, I Shrunk the Kids).

Characters in this film did not have any resolution at all, besides a half-attempted romance between Paul and Ngoc. These characters did not have any time to develop, probably because the writers were too focused on making the message of the film as incoherent as possible. Many concepts like global warming, over-population, and self-identity came up in the film, but none of them were fully explored. I feel that Alexander Payne, the director, had a message about Earth that he wanted to convey but was not sure how to do it. If the movie would have focused on one message, it would have been much clearer. The writing could have built up to the apocalypse or it could have focused on Paul's life changing as a miniature person. Either of these would have boded better for the story. The last small issue that I had was Hong Chau's character Ngoc. Even though she provided a lot of decent humor for the second and third act, her accent and mannerisms were very unnecessarily exaggerated. She had been living in the United States for a while after escaping as a refugee, but there is no reason why she had to have such a stereotypical, broken-English accent. One thing that I did like about the character of Ngoc was that the actress was actually Vietnamese. No whitewashing, which was pleasant, but there were still issues.

Matt Damon and Ngoc Chau were some of the only positives in this film as they did bring some nice light to their characters, no matter how broken the story was. I also enjoyed the small cameos by Jason Sudeikis, Neil Patrick Harris, Kristen Wiig, Laura Dern, and Christoph Waltz. I just wish their miniature (pun intended) roles would have been larger. The design and sets in this film were great to see too, as actual miniature neighborhoods and buildings were built for the establishing shots. This small aesthetic worked well for the movie.

Downsizing is not a great film by my standards, as the story was off-putting and the message unclear. It truly felt like an SNL skit that was turned into a full-length feature. But instead of going the comedy route, it desperately reached for any kind of dramatic premise. I would not recommend this extinction-of-the-human-race film unless you really, REALLY want to see Matt Damon in a fat suit.

My Rating: ★★

Deadpool 2 (2018) directed by David Leitch

Deadpool 2 took a complete turn from what I was expecting going in. Wildly different than the first, this film still manages to be a crude, offensive, and hard R-rated superhero blockbuster that is sure to please any fan of the genre. With another hilarious performance from Ryan Reynolds and some new characters that stole the spotlight, this is definitely the perfect "family" film.

The greatest piece of this film is also what makes it so different from the first: the wild cast of characters. While the initial installment in this franchise focused solely on Wade Wilson and his revenge on the man who screwed up his life, this "second coming" was utilized more as a team film. This was done excellently as the movie is not only held up by Reynolds, but by the entire supporting cast as well. Returning characters Weasel, Dopinder, Blind Al, Colossus, and Negasonic Teenage Warhead were still up to the same quality as before (and NTW is gay!). Their individual stories were given plenty of time to develop while new characters were introduced. The new characters were definitely the best parts of this film and rightfully stole it from Reynolds. Brolin played Cable, the hostile and robotic time-traveler who was seeking to prevent the deaths of thousands, including his wife and daughter. His performance was just as dark and frightening as one might imagine an angry Josh Brolin would be like. Except this time, he had to do a bit more work than just snapping his fingers. Zazie Beetz's Domino was also an exceptional addition to this team of heroes. She provided some of the best choreographed action shots in the film and her character was very lovable and optimistic. While these two characters were the greatest additions, I was still hoping for more screen-time for them. Then again, this film is a precursor to the inevitable X-Force film, so it makes sense for the story to focus a bit more on Wilson.

More parts of this film that I loved were the humor and action. The most obvious difference between both films is the amount of budget it was given. Since the success of the first in 2016, Twentieth Century Fox has definitely seen the potential that R-rated superhero films have, especially in how much money they can bring in. This is apparent in this film, as the action scenes and design were much better. This is also due to David Leitch directing, who is known for his work as a stunt choreographer and director of John Wick and Atomic Blonde. His specialty is stunt work and this worked well for this movie, as the action scenes were beautifully brutal. This movie was also much more drama-driven and emotional than the first, leaving less room for the humor. I believe that is what made this one that much better, because even though the humor is scarcer, it hits even harder. The best humor in this franchise stems from the subtle jabs and pokes at other works and makes the film that much more self-aware. The end credits scene in particular was absolutely hilarious, as Deadpool used Cable's watch to go back and erase his appearance in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, as well as Ryan Reynolds' Green Lantern role offer. There were also some great cameos in this film that surprised me, such as Terry Crews, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, and Bill Skarsgård (I was expecting a Pennywise the Clown joke, but we sadly didn't get that).

The only aspect of this movie that I did not enjoy as much as I wanted to was Julian Dennison's character Russell. He played the mutant child Firefist learning to control his anger and was the central piece of the story throughout the film. However, his character was not built as well as I thought he could have been. He is first made out to be a naive kid who is angry at the orphanage employees for abusing him, but he is unnecessarily volatile through the entire thing. Russell acts out in the prison in strange ways that did not make sense to who he was before. He wanted revenge on his previous captors, but was willing to burn and kill all of the other children in the orphanage along the way. This might seem like small details to some, but it irked me how underdeveloped Russell was.

Once again, Reynolds shines as the mercenary with a mouth in Deadpool 2. This film is quite a bit different from the first, but exceeded my expectations in many ways. I would strongly recommend this film, as it is yet another fun and action-packed experience with one of the crudest characters ever written.

My Rating: ★★★★

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) directed by Milos Forman

AFI Top 100: #33

It took me a while to finally see this film, but One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a wild and strange dramedy with incredible performances and a great story. However, I am not sure whether I absolutely love or wholeheartedly despise this classic film. It has some elements that make me uneasy and some parts that purposely make you question your own morals, but I think that is what makes this story so great. It can be interpreted different ways to fit what you believe to be the intended message.

The most interesting elements of this film are the performances and overall effect of the film. Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher are absolutely the best parts of this film. Even though they both play characters that are wretched people, they are able to embody it very well to work with the decent story and cast. My biggest internal debate is whether I love or hate McMurphy, the main character played by Nicholson. I hate him for being an asshole rapist and the way he treats people. I hate him for selling his girlfriend for sex and abusing women the way he did. I hate him for being slightly racist towards all of the people of color in the film. But I love him for bringing the entire group of patients together in the end to help them form better and healthier relationships with each other. I love him for the satisfying ending that he brought upon himself, bringing the light to a lesser character. And I love him for helping to further the plot efficiently. McMurphy is a very complicated character and even though he is downright despicable in many scenes, there is no doubt that Nicholson was the right choice for this role. The writing, however, makes me not feel for McMurphy as a human being at all, which diverted my attention to some of the more minor characters. Which, one might assume, is what the screenwriters were trying to get the audience to do. In that case, it worked beautifully. I also loved the motif of meeting as a group for the therapy sessions. This was a great part that helped to further the story along nicely.

My issues with this movie include most of the elements of the plot and the way some of the characters were treated. The pacing was very slow in the beginning but thankfully picked up more towards the end when McMurphy was not the main character of interest anymore. This film also started as more of a comedy and could not figure out a distinct tone until the end when it was clear that it was written as a drama. It might be more of a personal preference, but I am not a fan of films that do not have a clear goal in mind for the story. Even though this movie provided plenty of character development, it was not understood that McMurphy was attempting to escape until halfway through. But by that time, I was more focused on the other patients' stories. Notable roles include Danny DeVito and Christopher Lloyd, as they were some of the most interesting characters in the film. Because of the lack of clear goal, the film was excruciatingly long and looking back, many scenes were unnecessary. I also did not appreciate how women were treated in this film. There were no female patients and the only women seen were either old, bitchy nurses or sex-crazed girlfriends with no substance. I am surprised, however, with how well the one Native-American character was treated, as he became the main character after McMurphy had died.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a peculiar but interesting story about the patients of a mental health hospital and the man who single-handedly changed their lives forever. While I don't much care for the main character or loose plot, this film contains some of the best performances and most shocking moments that you might ever see on screen.

My Rating: ★★★½

Kodachrome (2018) directed by Mark Raso

Kodachrome is a very interesting Netflix original film that is worth checking out. Jason Sudeikis plays a young record signer who learns his father, played by Ed Harris, is dying of cancer. They then have to reluctantly go on a trip together with his father's nurse in toll, played by Elizabeth Olsen, to get his father's last roll of kodachrome film developed. While it follows a generic idea, many of the plot devices and characters are great. The performances from the entire cast were fantastic and made this movie a decent watch.

The best parts of this film were the performances and some of the plot devices. Jason Sudeikis, Ed Harris, and Elizabeth Olsen are the main roles in this film and they have surprisingly excellent chemistry together. They all gave great - not amazing - performances and definitely brought life to their characters. This film definitely made me appreciate Sudeikis' acting abilities, as it shows that he can do more than just comedy. Even though his character was a bit comedic, he is able to effectively play a dramatic role and that was amazing to see. One of the best scenes in the entire movie, however, was between Harris and Sudeikis. The entire film, the father and son were bickering and arguing about different aspects of their lives growing up. The best scene comes in the end, when Harris' character Ben is lying on the hospital bed opening up to his son in a moving monologue. Harris is truly a great actor and was able to show much emotion during this scene, unlike the rest of the movie. While it did feel out of place for his character to suddenly change like that, it was a pleasantly positive ending for this character. I also enjoyed the original plot devices throughout the movie. There are not many "re-connection"-type films that give the grumpy old man a photography and arts career, but this one incorporated it well. I would have never expected Harris' character to be in that field of work, but the photography and music motifs seen in both him and his son were original and well-written.

My biggest issue with this movie was its extremely generic plot. A reluctant son takes his old, dying father on one last trip to relive his glory days. This plot has been used endlessly in hundreds of different movies and thus made this film very predictable. There was nothing fresh for the genre, other than the creative plot devices I mentioned above. The first act of this movie introduced us to everything very fluently, but the second and beginning of the third act were lagging very badly. The story seemed to progress at a snail's pace, and given that it was already predictable, became dull in many spots. My other issue with this film was the relationship between Matt and Zoe, Sudeikis and Olsen, respectively. Given this movie's familiar tone, it was obvious that they were going to end up together in one way or another. However, when they spent the night together the first time, their relationship was not developed well at all. They were simply drunk sharing a room together, but acted as if they had been flirting for weeks. The writing did not treat Zoe bad at all, as she had her fair amount of backstory, but there was no substance behind why she wanted to get with Matt. There was also a lack of decently imaginative cinematography, save for the very last shot. The shadowy backgrounds of Matt and Zoe reminiscing through Ben's photographs and clicking in and out of frame was typical, but it was cute and I still enjoyed it nonetheless.

This movie is a decently emotional ride that is absolutely suiting for a Netflix original. If you happen to stumble upon it, I would definitely recommend it as the cast is great and the story is effective. Don't expect an Oscar-worthy film but Kodachrome is a good entry into the father-son drama genre.

My Rating: ★★★

Avengers: Infinity War (2018) directed by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

Avengers: Infinity War is one of Marvel's best. Not only because of the impressive cast of characters but because of their ability to tell all of their stories fluently. Seeing all of these characters that I have grown up with finally come together was definitely one of the most surreal experiences I've ever had. And I'm sure that many others can agree. With a few standout performances and a mind-blowing ending, this movie has solidified itself in history as a remarkable achievement in filmmaking.

The best part about this film - which is the part I was most worried about - was its ability to effectively tell so many stories in a limited time span. I have been worried for months that with so many characters, the overall story would be imbalanced and too much emphasis would be put on a few characters. While that is slightly true, the Russo brothers did an amazing job of giving every single character their due screen time. Except Hawkeye and Ant-Man, which I am still very angry about. I mean seriously, Scott would have HANDLED that situation in Wakanda with his enormous stature. Anyways, I digress. The many character interactions in this film were great to finally see, especially the introductions of the spunky charisma of the Guardians and the mystical peculiarity of Doctor Strange to the rest of the Avengers. My only issue with having so many stories was that at times it still seemed a bit all-over-the-place. I had to put the previous pieces of the plot back together in my head before the next scene would start in order to understand which part of the universe we were heading to next. Overall, however, they all worked together very fluently for the ending. Which brings me to another praise. The pacing in this film was extremely smooth and was done expertly. This movie really draws you in the entire time and does not let you go until you are shaking (and probably crying) in your seat. It did not feel like two and a half hours, which was very impressive.

All of the characters' stories were balanced well with each other, but some just seemed to go on for a bit too long. The main offender being Thor. Thor has definitely proven himself to be one of the best-developed characters in the past year (thank you Taika Waititi) and has made his way to one of my favorite characters in this universe, but his plot in this movie dragged on forever. It was important for him, Rocket, and Groot to get his new weapon ready to kill Thanos, but his entire plot revolved around the creation of the weapon, which could have been told much quicker. However, the very first scene of the film involved Thor and the Asgardians and absolutely put the fear of everything into the audience's bones. Killing off Heimdall and Loki in the first ten minutes of the movie really put Thanos' power into terrifying perspective. Josh Brolin's portrayal of Thanos in this film is definitely one of Marvel's best villainous performances. He was given enough background to work with the story but Brolin made the character haunting as all hell. Along with his brilliant performance, the ending of this film really shook me and the rest of the theater. It was a complete 180 from what I (and many others) expected to happen. I feel like it's not a coincidence that all the original Avengers plus a few more were left alive, but I still have no idea how they are going to get themselves out of this one. Even though many beloved characters disappeared into the wind, the most emotional death for me was Spider-Man. When Peter simply said "Mr. Stark, I don't feel so good," I knew what was happening but I refused to accept it. That scene alone showcased Holland's incredible acting while reminding us that he's still a kid.

Even though this film contains one of the most emotional endings in any superhero film, some of that emotion was still taken away from me. In our current world of social media and constant communication, us fans know that a Black Panther sequel, Spider-Man sequel, and third Guardians films are already in the works. Simply logging on Twitter will let you know this information, and knowing all of this takes away from the impact for me. There is no possible way that they would permanently get rid of some of their biggest revenue-earners. Because of this, the ending was mostly shock value for me, even though it was indeed very bold of Marvel to wipe out more than half their characters. I feel if they would have shown cities around the world getting wiped out (don't forget that Thanos killed half the universe, not just our heroes), then it would have been a bit more jaw-dropping. Some of my other issues with this film are the extended sacrifice sequences and Captain America's underwhelming role. There were too many moments in this film where a certain character would have one of the stones and another would try to sacrifice themselves to Thanos instead of him getting the stones. This honestly became a motif in the movie and was overused a bit. The final part that annoys me was Captain America's dull role. He had maybe five or six lines in the entire film and I thought he was going to play a much bigger part. Cap may have his time in the light in the next film, though. We will have to wait and see.

A conglomeration of stories 10 years in the making, Avengers: Infinity War is a spectacle that is not to be missed. An impossibly large cast and an exciting story make this film the worthy blockbuster that it is. While it still has some problems, Marvel could not have delivered a better or more emotional film for the "end" of their universe.

My Rating: ★★★★

Get Out (2017) directed by Jordan Peele

Get Out is a modern day cinematic masterpiece. If you haven't seen Jordan Peele's film that he has written and directed, then I strongly recommend that you do. This Oscar-winning movie is a masterful feat in filmmaking, combining horror with social issues in the most brilliant way. Along with spectacular performances from the entire cast and a story that will make you uneasy (in the best and worst ways possible), this movie is a necessity.

This movie is beyond comparison to any other horror film made in a long time. The performances in this film were outstanding. Daniel Kaluuya, who plays Chris, was absolutely outstanding. He nails the role as the young man trapped in his girlfriend's racist family's house. Kaluuya's Best Actor nomination was absolutely deserved because he was excellent in this film, showing pure fear and dread during many of the film's most tense scenes. The rest of the supporting cast was great as well, including Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, and Bradley Whitford. Even though (I strongly hope) they do not actually carry these prejudices in real life, they were able to portray a lying and subtly malicious family during the entirety of the movie. Every scene with these actors in the same room, while amazing to watch, was seeping with eeriness and uncertainty. Other amazing aspects of this movie include the cinematography, editing, and directing. While the camera work in this film is not ground-breaking, it is utilized very well, especially for a horror film. Many scenes are so personal thanks to many of the camera's close shots. Most of these same scenes use very unsettling framing and editing to make the tone just a tad bit off, making the audience queasy. The most important scene of the film to really cement this feeling was the hypnosis scene in the living room. While, of course, Kaluuya's superb acting makes this part that much more incredible, the entire scene nails the tension and made me shudder. This use of the camera and editing through the movie is mostly thanks to Peele's directing. He knew exactly what his vision for the movie would be and definitely did his research on what makes a movie terrifying. This, of course, was also due to the nature of the content of the film.

While Jordan Peele is not new to film and television, this movie makes his writing known to Hollywood as a force to be reckoned with. The writing in this film is astounding, blending social and racial issues with an engaging horror plot. This movie absolutely deserved the Best Original Screenplay and I am glad that a horror film was even considered for this category. Peele has crafted an intensely haunting movie experience that brings to light many of today's social problems. This film addresses racial inequality in a very unique way but still contains the same powerful message if it were to be done differently. Even though it still uses a typical horror film structure, the content is what makes this movie stand out, especially in the socially-divided world that we live in. The strongest aspect of this writing, however, were its subtle details and intricate plot devices. Every piece of this film's puzzle was detail-oriented and nothing was left out-of-check, similar to the attention level of Edgar Wright. So many minute details, like Chris' smoking habit, the running grandfather, the Froot Loops, the deer's head, and the cotton in the chair make this film so captivating. These motifs seen throughout the movie all came full-circle and were utilized very well. While nothing directly political was seen, the underlying messages were quite obvious. The other great part about the writing was the subplot of Rod (played by Milton Howery) warning Chris about the family. Rod was the comic relief in this movie and even though he was critical in saving Chris' life in the conclusion, his humor was balanced well with the terrifying tone set early on.

Get Out is an incredible milestone in cinema and I truly hope that it inspires future filmmakers to focus more on the writing and content of their horror instead of the easy jump scares. I am thoroughly impressed by Jordan Peele's storytelling ability in this perfect film and I am very excited for whatever he may think of next.

My Rating: ★★★★★

Mystic River (2003) directed by Clint Eastwood

Blending many great performances with an interesting story, Mystic River is an exemplary crime drama that actually won Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor in 2004. Although a good majority of the story was predictable and some subplots unnecessary, Clint Eastwood delivers a great drama that definitely deserves more recognition.

The standout part of this movie were the performances. Jimmy, played by Sean Penn, Dave, played by Tim Robbins, and Sean, played by Kevin Bacon, are three friends who grew up together but ended up leading very different lives. Jimmy was a convenience store owner who has a shady past with the mob, Dave is a married stay-at-home dad, and Sean is a private investigator for the Boston Police Department. This was a very interesting way to tell the story, by bringing together old friends after a tragedy had happened. This film explored all of their backgrounds very well and gave enough time for each character to develop. The best performance in this film comes from Sean Penn, as seen in his Oscar win. His portrayal of Jimmy was excellent and the raw emotion that was shown when he found out his daughter had been killed (whoops, spoiler) was incredible. Robbins was the other fantastic performance in this movie. His character of Dave had a very troubled childhood because of getting kidnapped and raped as a young boy. Robbins portrayed his character so well and brought out that repressed trauma excellently. The other best part of this film was the direction from Clint Eastwood. Even though many scenes dragged on for way too long and the entire film was almost two and a half hours, the pacing was decent and Eastwood kept the story moving along nicely. And there was, of course, the Eastwood-style ending of not letting the audience know exactly how it ends. This sense of ambiguity worked very well, even though I would still prefer some clarification.

There were a few parts of this film that definitely could have been improved on, however. Many parts of the story were either predictable or unnecessary. I feel that the big reveal at the end was handled very poorly, as it took the easy way out. The entire film is built up for the audience to believe that Dave is the one who killed Jimmy's daughter. The entire time, I knew that Dave was going to die eventually somehow, but his "confession" was lame. He used the very generic "I lost my innocence and didn't want her to lose hers" and was very lazy writing, especially for his character. When it turned out though that the young kids were actually responsible for killing Jimmy's daughter, it was very boring. In my opinion, that explanation was very weak writing and didn't satisfy any of my previous assumptions or questions. The other bad part of this film was the writing behind Kevin Bacon's character Sean. While him being a cop was helpful for advancing the story, he did not have any interesting background at all. His only subplot was his wife who had left him and kept calling him. This subplot was unnecessary and did not add any substance whatsoever to Bacon's character. My last issue with this film was, unfortunately, Laurence Fishburne's character Whitey. His first few lines of dialogue in the film accompanied by his colloquialisms made him out to be the stereotypical "ghetto cop." I was very worried about this at first, but they seemed to abandon that aspect quickly.

Mystic River is an engaging, family-driven drama which manages to put out some incredible performances despite its relatively dull plot. I would strongly recommend this film if you are an Eastwood, Penn, or Robbins fan, but not if you are looking for a strongly emotional movie.

My Rating: ★★★

Eighth Grade (2018) directed by Bo Burnham

Bo Burnham's writing and directorial debut could not have been better with this film. I was given the opportunity to go to an early screening of Eighth Grade and a Q&A with Bo himself and it was definitely one of the most surreal experiences of my life. He has been one of my favorite stand-up comedians for years and seeing his witty and artistic brand change for this film was incredible. The acting and direction in this movie is amazing, along with a painfully relatable story that tackled many controversial topics in great ways.

The greatest aspect of this film was definitely the writing and direction which made the story so engaging. This propelled the film into such great quality, thanks to Burnham. This was his first feature film and he built a world around the main character Kayla (played by Elsie Fisher) very well. The elements of the setting were actually relevant to today's society and it was so close to how teenagers actually interact with each other. Unlike many of the larger budget teenage-oriented films, this movie was focused on real, modern details of childhood. The smallest details like the inclusion of social media and the awkward experiences that every child goes through were critical in building this painfully realistic world. As for the direction, Burnham absolutely nails every scene throughout this film. The pacing was handled very well, even though the entire film took place over the course of only a few days. This was also one of the smartest choices because it built Kayla's life and introduced the audience to her without much unnecessary background. Much of the controversial topics that were touched upon included rape, depression, and discovering self-identity. While these topics can often be very touchy, they were handled very elegantly by Burnham, as he brought them into light through the lens of a developing young girl who was still innocent in many aspects. While he did not turn the topics into any sort of joke, they were still written lightly without negating their importance. I am very glad that Burnham was able to meet with and learn from so many young girls because if he hadn't, then this film would have had a very limited perspective. This was one of the biggest questions the audience had at the screening that I attended, and it makes me happy knowing that there are new filmmakers like Bo out there who know their place and respect the stories of others.

Technical aspects that I loved about this film were the performances from the two leads and the soundtrack. Elsie Fisher and Josh Hamilton, who played Kayla and her father Mark, respectively, were absolutely incredible in their roles. Their relationship through the movie was developed excellently and provided for a lot of memorable (and relatable) scenes. The best scene between the two, and possibly the whole movie, was the campfire they had when Kayla was burning her "hopes and dreams." Bringing Kayla out of her shell to her dad was sweet to see, and made for an awesome monologue from Hamilton. It seems that whenever movies have a deep conversation between a character and their dad, it always brings out the most emotion. Especially since dads are usually portrayed as ignorant or narrow-minded (or absent). It was an interesting plot device to have the house be only occupied by Kayla and her father and not reveal until the campfire scene any information about the mother. This aspect helped shape Kayla as not just an independent girl but also to form a stronger bond with her lonely father. The final part of this film that I adore is its soundtrack. Anna Meredith, who is a close friend of Burnham's, composed the soundtrack for this film and it fit the tone brilliantly. While all of it was electronic music and that genre is usually upbeat, she was able to manipulate it so well that it fit even the more serious and sad moments of the movie, solidifying the film's tone.

A24 teaming up with Bo Burnham was the best decision that ever could have been made. Burnham's clever writing style and amazing performances make Eighth Grade the adolescence treasure that it is. I would strongly recommend this film, as it delivers a fantastic human story that is both excruciatingly real and entertaining at the same time.

My Rating: ★★★★

Love, Simon (2018) directed by Greg Berlanti

If you need an example of a modern, progressive, teen romance film to show to your parents or cry about with your friends on a Friday night, then Love, Simon is for you. While it does not escape the grasp of generic teen romance, it is still an exceptional film that sheds some much-needed light on closeted gay teens and their struggles. This movie perfectly encapsulates the life of Simon, a teenager with a huge secret: he's gay. The story is beautiful, the performances were great, and the message in this movie is spectacular, providing a pleasant breath of air into today's social environment.

Obviously, as in many similar films of the genre, the story and character relationships are the most important pieces in building this film. The writing was fantastic and built a modern world that lots of people can relate to. The character development was arguably the most important aspect of this film, as Simon went through so much but proudly emerged in the end. It was amazing seeing gay representation throughout this film and the struggles that one goes through in deciding when to come out to their family and friends. The strongest message behind this film was embracing your true self, and that was done excellently by the directing paired with the writing. Greg Berlanti, known for his creation and work on the Arrowverse, makes his feature film debut with this movie. He is an openly gay man who definitely knows the struggles behind coming out. His direction was very clear and emotionally-riveting, and he was the perfect choice to helm this film, which is actually adapted from the book Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda.

Parts of the direction that brilliantly stood out to me were the focus on Simon while maintaining interesting relationships with his friends and the emotional scenes that come with this genre of film. I was blown away seeing how well Berlanti handled Simon's story with the other characters. While the focus of the film was obviously on Simon, the other characters' relationships were given enough time to develop too. Even though Simon's friends pissed me off when they all ditched him, I can understand where they were coming from, because they had not known that he was dealing with much bigger problems. Much of this film, like any romance film, was very emotionally-draining and made for some memorable scenes. All of the scenes between Simon and his friends after his friends found out were very intense. While some of them were angry with him, like his best friend, others were more sympathetic, and this just adds to the realness of the movie. Everyone is going through something and depending on the time in your life when you find out your best friend is gay, people have different responses. However, the most emotional scene for me was the first time Simon talked to his dad after finding out. The pure regret and sympathy shown by his dad for all the gay jokes throughout the years was very sweet and made me shed (only a few, I promise) tears. The humor in this film was also handled very well with the drama. The "LA liberal college" scene and the "mom, I'm hetero" scene were hilariously relevant and were a nice touch to the tone of this movie.

The performances in this film definitely helped make it as charming as it was. Nick Robinson was fantastic as Simon and his parents Emily and Jack (Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel) were spectacular too. Katherine Langford (Leah), Alexandra Shipp (Abby), and Jorge Lendeborg Jr. (Nick) were all great and brought so much life to their characters. Another very important performance was Keiynan Lonsdale, who played Bram. Lonsdale plays Kid Flash in the Arrowverse and we can thank Berlanti for including him in this film, as he did an excellent job. My only problem with his character was the reveal that he was Blue the entire time. I thought that the reveal of Blue would make more sense, as I believe it should have been the piano-playing, theater boy. During the Halloween party scene, we are led to believe that Bram is straight because he was seen making out with a girl on the bed in the upstairs of the house. Once he is revealed to be Blue, Bram says that he was just drunk and confused and it only lasted a few minutes. I personally did not like this part of the writing, as it dismissed Bram's sexuality as an excuse to make him Blue. I get that he was drunk and confused, but so was Simon. And he was never shown sucking face with a girl. My only other issue was its lack of original shots and editing. I was not expecting, much, however, as this genre never really focuses on that aspect.

Love, Simon is an incredibly beautiful film not just about coming out, but also learning to accept others for who they are. It is not only important for this film to be this popular in today's culture, but at all times. People are people and we all deserve to feel loved and accepted. I would strongly recommend this movie for fans of this genre and fans of anything sweet in general. With a great cast and relevant messages, this romance will definitely not be soon forgotten.

My Rating: ★★★★

A Quiet Place (2018) directed by John Krasinski

I am not sure where this new trend of comedy artists directing horror films came from, but it absolutely needs to continue. First we have Jordan Peele directing the Oscar-winning Get Out and now we have The Office's John Krasinski in his first directing role. A Quiet Place is an exceptional horror film that utilizes something that everyone takes for granted: silence. In this world, every little breath and every little move you make is carefully planned and one wrong move can get you killed. This tactic is brilliant for this film and creates an environment that will certainly turn you into a curled-up ball of sweat.

The most intense element that made this film a masterpiece was the use of silence. The entire film, save for a few lines of dialogue underneath the waterfall, was nearly silent and the only thing the audience could hear was background noise and minor sound effects. Communication throughout the entire film was limited to sign language, which was also utilized very well. The silence builds anxiety constantly through the whole thing, which was an amazing directing choice. Even though this is Krasinski's first film, one would think that he had been directing for years. Every step the characters took brought so much emotion, especially in one particular scene with Emily Blunt's character Evelyn. The nail that was sticking out of the stair step caused so many troubles for her and seeing her foot glide on to the nail was painful, even for me. Her amazing acting also brought out the pure agony in that scene and was so powerful. The performances in this movie were astounding as well, even though it was a limited, family-oriented cast. The chemistry between John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, and Noah Jupe was incredible and I even began to think they were actually John and Emily's children. The best performed role was Regan, played by Simmonds. She is an actually deaf actress playing a deaf character, and this representation makes me extremely happy. It is impressive that the entire cast had to learn sign language and working with Simmonds must have been an eye-opening experience.

Writing in this film is another of the strongest parts as the story is very well-written and engaging. It provided so much character development to each individual family member, even though we never learn their names. One of the strongest writing choices in this film that physically made my jaw drop was the opening scene. The shots inside the pharmacy were great in terms of world (and audio) building, but near the bridge is what shocked me the most. This scene was the most prevalent in the trailers, but I was not expecting for the youngest boy to be killed in the first ten minutes of the movie. This was a strong choice and absolutely drew my attention as well as my anxiety. The other great part of the writing was Krasinski's character's (Lee) death scene. Bringing the motif of exclusion full-circle, I got teary-eyed when he signaled "I love you. I've always loved you" to his daughter. His acting was incredible and his scream brought out so much emotion that really rounds out his amazing performance. My only problem with the writing was the fact that the baby was born during this supposed apocalypse. My main question is who in their right mind would decide to have a child when the smallest of noises attracts these terrifying death monsters? Even though the baby served as a great plot device for some intense scenes, I can't help but to think why? The last part of this film that annoyed me were the monsters. This film was originally supposed to be a part of the Cloverfield universe, but even though that idea was scrapped, the influence can still be seen in the design of the monsters. They looked exactly like miniature versions of Clover from the 2008 film. I also did not like how much they were shown. As I've said before, it is better for a horror film to leave the monsters up to the audience's imagination instead of showing what they look like. Even though it was not a huge problem, I could have done without seeing so much of the Stranger Things-esque demogorgon ripoffs.

A Quiet Place is an incredibly terrifying film that uses a new method to create tension. With amazing directing and a talented cast, this movie has cemented its place as one of the best modern horror films. I would strongly recommend this film as not just a horror movie, but an exceptional one that is sure to satisfy fans of any genre.

My Rating: ★★★★½

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) directed by Edgar Wright

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is another of Edgar Wright's visual feats that prove he is one of the most creative and detail-oriented filmmakers ever. This film, adapted from the comic books by Bryan Lee O'Malley, is also one of the most true-to-source-material films ever made. This movie has a weird but entertaining story, fantastic visual effects, and some of the best writing in comic book/comedy movies. It truly stands the test of time as a strange and fun movie fit for everyone.

This movie is a nonstop comedy and action thrill ride that would be very hard to disappoint die-hard fans and newcomers alike. The weird and quirky story in this film is very original and provides a look into the dating world of our lead hero Scott Pilgrim, played by Michael Cera. As he falls in love with Ramona Flowers, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, he learns that he has to defeat her seven evil exes in order to date her. While many details and reasons behind some actions are never explained in this film, I feel it is better to watch it with an open mind and realize that this movie is just pure comic bliss. All of the performances in this film were great and each character was lovable in their own right. I am sure that this entire cast had a blast while filming, and it seems like it was a lot of fun. The best aspect of this movie would definitely have to be the combination of Edgar Wright's signature wit and the comic book design. It was made to look like a real-life anime and accomplished this very effectively. The story and every single detail was straight from the original comic books and Wright did an incredible job of translating the story into an exciting film. Of course, this film had Wright's expected charm with its transitions and design choices. In many of the shots, there were quirky transitions used and text all around to make it feel like a comic book. And in many of the fight scenes, the cropped borders of the film would constantly fluctuate, adding that extra level of movement and amusement.

The special effects were utilized very well and there was a great balance between world-building and fighting spectacles. Color was another big part of the design and it added more and more interest as the film went on. Other great parts of this movie include the soundtrack and cameos. There was one song in particular that played multiple times throughout the film and it was the song that was written by Scott's band, Sex Bob-Omb, for their band battles. The lyrics of this song appear in the comic book across an entire page of panels and it was delightful to hear the song take an actual musical form for this film. The smaller roles in this movie were amazing too. While Cera and Winstead lead the pack, other appearances include Alison Pill, Mark Webber, Johnny Simmons, Ellen Wong, and Kieran Culkin. And, of course, there were other cameos that are weird to see, especially since many of them have gone on to become mega-stars. Aubrey Plaza, Chris Evans, Brandon Routh, Brie Larson, and Anna Kendrick were amazing and further prove how impressively assembled this cast is. My only problem with this film was the treatment of Ramona in the third act. After she had gone back to Gideon (played by Jason Schwartzman), she became a very submissive and different version of herself than we had seen in everything before. This strange character development was uncalled for and did not make sense in the overall context of it all. After learning that she had been physically micro-chipped by Gideon, I was a bit more understanding of the situation, but that doesn't change how they treated that character. Even though Scott is the main character, I desperately wanted Ramona to get more screen-time to develop instead of resorting to becoming the damsel in distress for means of furthering Scott's plot.

Overall, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a fun and amazing film that further flexes Wright's cinematic muscles. The cast, effects, and story were amazing, and even though certain characters could have been better written, it is still every bit of enjoyable since the first time I watched it.

My Rating: ★★★★

Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay (2018) directed by Sam Liu

Once again, DC proves that its animated films are vastly superior to anything they wish they could accomplish on the big screen. Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay is a fantastic example of the risks this comic company is willing to take in its films and how it pays off. This R-rated bloodbath is a spectacular action film that, while short, is sure to please any fan of the comics that was not too ecstatic about the live-action one. Fantastic animation and a killer voice cast makes this movie a sure shot.

I have so many good things to say about this film and while that may be because I'm comparing it to the 2016 disaster, I feel my opinions still hold up. The animation in this movie was great as always and had the perfect blend of American and Japanese animation styles that DC has perfected in these straight-to-DVD releases. The biggest part about this film that made it stand out among many others is its R-rating. Besides Batman: The Killing Joke, there has not been an R-rated animated DC film ever made. I feel that this was a very smart choice for this movie because it paved way for plenty of blood and violence without becoming too excessive. The violence was the main reason for the rating, as there was only one quick sexual scene and one use of the word "fuck." This was smart, though, because the violence was done very well. In the comics, the Suicide Squad are DC's most relentless and crazy cast of characters and they deserved this more mature, animated treatment. Showing more of the close kills and in-your-face action added to the development of all the characters as well, displaying their brutal actions. The scene that shocked me most, however, was the nude scene on the rooftop. As Scandal Savage and Knockout were planning their next move, Knockout came out of the hot tub she was resting in to kiss Savage. Just before the two women kiss, we see just about every part of Knockout when she comes out. This honestly surprised me because, even though it is rated R, I was not expecting them to take that nudity risk. I am glad they did though because it just shows how much more mature this film can be without becoming gratuitous or ridiculous.

The characters and story of this movie make it that much more lovable. The plot throughout focused on the Squad trying to retrieve a cursed card that could guarantee the holder's entrance to heaven. So many great DC characters showed up in this film, including Reverse Flash, Silver Banshee, Vandal Savage, and of course, the insane new members of the Squad. The best part about the writing in this film were the relationships between the characters. While the previous film Assault on Arkham focused on Harley Quinn's story, this film was more revolved around Deadshot (hopefully next time it'll focus on Boomerang). This worked well, because this character had the best development out of all of them. His hardass attitude and strong leadership helped the team in a lot of different situations. The best, though, was when Bronze Tiger was dying in the conclusion of the film. At that point, Deadshot had developed very well and knew that Tiger deserved the card instead of whoever else was after it. This was the most touching part of the movie, and I am glad that the characters were given more time to grow. The voice cast in this film was great as well, as Tara Strong and Christian Slater led the cast. Yeah, I said that right: Christian Slater. Strong was great as Harley Quinn and at this point it would be amiss if she didn't voice the hammer-wielding lunatic. But the real standout was Slater as Floyd Lawton, aka Deadshot. Slater has such a commanding and unique voice that fit the character absurdly well. I really hope that he takes more voice roles because even though he is an amazing actor, he can give life to some awesome characters too. The only problems I had with this film were two small issues with the writing. While the characters developed very well, a lot of Killer Frost and Copperhead's lines were taken straight out of a pun book. They were very cheesy and could have been written better. My other issue deals with the fate of Amanda Waller. In the introduction, we learn that she is trying to get the cursed card to save herself, as she is dealing with a terminal illness of some kind. However, that subplot was never resolved and nothing was shown past the initial diagnosis. This could have been flushed out for a deeper plot, but I guess that wasn't the writers' main concern.

Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay is a fantastic animated film that, in a small aspect, redeems the name of the team from their previous mess. With enough bloody fun and adult content to keep mature audiences happy, DC's live-action department should take a few notes from these films, as they almost always come out on top.

My Rating: ★★★★

I, Tonya (2017) directed by Craig Gillespie

I have never known much about the story of Tonya Harding, only that she supposedly had one of her opponents' kneecaps bashed in. I was not alive during the period of her fame and I was hoping that this movie would give me more insight into who this woman really was. Watching this film, unfortunately, did not give me much of an appreciation for her real story. While there were some fantastic performances and historical background to Harding, I, Tonya is a jumble of tone and narrative structure.

The performances and soundtrack were undoubtedly the best parts of this film. Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, and especially Allison Janney were incredible in their roles. While Robbie was fantastic as Tonya Harding, she took a lot more of a comedic take to the character. I believe that this might have been the film's biggest problem, but the way that Robbie portrayed her was still great. In fact, the best scene in the entire film for me was the courtroom scene towards the end. Robbie's acting really brought out the emotion that Harding must have been feeling after the ruling. To never be able to skate again because of something her husband mistakenly set up must have been devastating and Robbie owned this scene. Sebastian Stan played Harding's husband Jeff, who was an abusive and controlling man. I have never imagined him in this kind of role before, but he absolutely killed it as well. Lastly, Allison Janney played Tonya's mom LaVona and I believe she was the best performance of this entire movie. That can be seen in her newly-acquired Oscar, obviously. Her relationship with her daughter was very compelling and paved way for a plethora of great scenes between the two. The relationships are what made the writing of this film so interesting. It was great limiting the actions to three main characters and it truly showed how they all affected Tonya in the long-run. The constant verbal abuse as a child and physical abuse from her husband all played into the plot very well and was critical in developing the character. The choreography in this movie was utilized very well. Not just in the gorgeous figure skating scenes, but also with Jeff hitting Tonya. The abuse looked very real and while it is very hard to watch and triggering for some, it only added to that level of realism.

My biggest concerns with this film were its narrative structure and a lot of the direction choices. This film was set up to be a mockumentary, but this was the worst choice that could have been made. Throughout the movie, many of the most stressful scenes were interrupted by Robbie's narration or a testimonial-type shot. This was done with all of the characters, but it confused me and constantly threw off the tone. These testimonials almost made the actual plot of the film feel like a joke. While the humor and more lighthearted tone used in this movie could have worked excellently, the testimonials did not help that whatsoever. I believe that the director, Craig Gillespie, should have stuck with one of the tones that he was hovering between. If the film would have been done in a more grounded style with gritty background details and an underdog plot, that would have worked great. If the film would have been done in a more comedic style without showing the hard abuse and focused on her story rising to fame, that would have also been great. The problem was that these two styles did not blend at all. In many scenes, Tonya's story seemed to even be glamorized. This is obviously not okay because abuse is absolutely disgusting and should not be normalized. Even though it built her character very well, the film made it seem like it was just a part of being a woman. The soundtrack to this movie was quite a double-edged sword. The music choices were great and reflective of the time, but were used awfully. Anytime an abuse scene would happen between Jeff and Tonya, a very upbeat pop song would play over it. This was a very interesting choice at first, as it fit the comedic and lighthearted side of the film. But over the next few similar scenes, it began to feel like the music's only purpose was to lessen the effects of the abuse. I did not particularly like that choice and I feel that, once again, a more distinct tone decision should have been made.

Besides feeling very artificial in certain areas and a structure that didn't flow, I, Tonya is a great film that shows the true story behind one of America's most infamous athletes. Robbie, Stan, and Janney were astounding together and brought out the most emotion throughout. I would recommend seeing this film only to learn about the true story of Harding. But try to focus on her story and don't ever let abuse be normalized in your head like this film attempted to.

My Rating: ★★★