2015 Viewing
A list and short review of all the 2015 releases I've seen.
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- DirectorJeremy GarelickStarsKevin HartJosh GadKaley CuocoTwo weeks shy of his wedding, a socially awkward guy enters into a charade by hiring the owner of a company that provides best men for grooms in need.7/10
Hart once again steals the movie with a strong performance by Gad, but too much focus on conveying a moral reduces the humor that should have been front and center. - DirectorEthan SpauldingStarsSean AstinRosario DawsonNathan FillionWhen Atlantian troops assault Metropolis as revenge for the death of their king, the Queen seeks help from the Justice League to find her son who has gone missing during the madness.7/10
By focusing on Aquaman's origin, he finally gets a fitting introduction to the DCAU even if the story has issues. - DirectorDean IsraeliteStarsAmy LandeckerSofia Black-D'EliaVirginia GardnerA group of teens discovers secret plans for a time machine, and construct one. However, things start to get out of control.6/10
Despite a good understanding of the consequences of time travel, the rest of the story falls into tropes that are all too common. - DirectorMatthew VaughnStarsColin FirthTaron EgertonSamuel L. JacksonA spy organisation recruits a promising street kid into the agency's training program, while a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.7/10
A decently told story that boasts a strong supporting cast that unfortunately suffers from poor direction during action sequences. - DirectorChristopher LeoneStarsMark HapkaJessica RotheEric JungmannA mysterious building is the gateway to infinite parallel Earths.4/10
A decent premise for a TV show, but reworking it into a movie left a half complete project. - DirectorDavid Robert MitchellStarsMaika MonroeKeir GilchristOlivia LuccardiA young woman is followed by an unknown supernatural force after a sexual encounter.7/10
Placing the focus on a haunting atmosphere paves way for an excellent horror movie, despite less than stellar performances. - DirectorJames WanStarsVin DieselPaul WalkerDwayne JohnsonDeckard Shaw seeks revenge against Dominic Toretto and his family for his comatose brother.6/10
Choosing spectacle over story leads this movie down a path where despite big action, there's little to maintain interest. - DirectorEtan CohenStarsWill FerrellKevin HartAlison BrieWhen millionaire James King is jailed for fraud and bound for San Quentin, he turns to Darnell Lewis to prep him to go behind bars.7/10
Farrell and Hart work well together to make an overall entertaining movie. - DirectorKenneth BranaghStarsLily JamesCate BlanchettRichard MaddenWhen her father unexpectedly dies, young Ella finds herself at the mercy of her cruel stepmother and her scheming stepsisters. Never one to give up hope, Ella's fortunes begin to change after meeting a dashing stranger.7/10
Featuring great casting choices in Blanchett and Bonham-Carter, this retelling remains charming despite adding little to an already well known tale. - DirectorJay OlivaStarsStuart AllanTroy BakerKevin ConroyWhile Damian Wayne struggles to cope with Batman's no-killing rule, he soon starts to believe that his destiny lies within a secret society known as, The Court of Owls.7/10
Improving upon the source material gives it a boost in quality, but still remains a weaker output in the DCAU. - DirectorJoss WhedonStarsRobert Downey Jr.Chris EvansMark RuffaloWhen Tony Stark and Bruce Banner try to jump-start a dormant peacekeeping program called Ultron, things go horribly wrong and it's up to Earth's mightiest heroes to stop the villainous Ultron from enacting his terrible plan.7/10
Placing too much focus on an expanded roster and a miswritten villain in Ultron, this movie, while entertaining, fails to live up to not only its predecessor, but the two installments of the previous year. - DirectorGeorge MillerStarsTom HardyCharlize TheronNicholas HoultIn a post-apocalyptic wasteland, a woman rebels against a tyrannical ruler in search for her homeland with the aid of a group of female prisoners, a psychotic worshiper and a drifter named Max.8/10
Placing the focus on action and practical stunts, Miller has crafted one of the best action movies in recent years. - DirectorAlex GarlandStarsAlicia VikanderDomhnall GleesonOscar IsaacA young programmer is selected to participate in a ground-breaking experiment in synthetic intelligence by evaluating the human qualities of a highly advanced humanoid A.I.8/10
Asking the question of when exactly does artificial intelligence stop being artificial, Garland presents a science fiction story that feels less like fiction as the movie movies forward. - DirectorNathan FrankowskiStarsKat DenningsChad Michael MurrayRupert FriendA drama centered around Renee Yohe and her battle with drugs, depression, and other life issues that ultimately leads to the founding of charity group To Write Love on Her Arms.5/10
Choosing the story that inspired the organization may have been the logical choice to tell, but the uninteresting storytelling method makes for a weak end product. - DirectorGil KenanStarsSam RockwellRosemarie DeWittKennedi ClementsA family whose suburban home is haunted by evil forces must come together to rescue their youngest daughter after the apparitions take her captive.7/10
Between Lindsay-Abaire's writing and Kenan's directing, a solid mix of classic and modern horror elements come together in a perfectly satisfying remake. - DirectorElizabeth BanksStarsAnna KendrickRebel WilsonHailee SteinfeldAfter a humiliating command performance at The Kennedy Center, the Barden Bellas enter an international competition that no American group has ever won in order to regain their status and right to perform.7/10
Placing the musical focus on the backburner and having Wilson ruin most scenes by upstaging the rest of the cast, this sequel is a decent follow up, but loses the magic found in the first. - DirectorJill BauerRonna GradusStarsTressa SilgueroRiley ReynoldsRachel BernardA documentary about young women who have been drawn into the sex trade - and how easy it is for a web-savvy generation to end up making porn.7/10
More interested in conveying the evils of pornography, this otherwise interesting documentary isn't shy about being biased. - DirectorBrad BirdStarsGeorge ClooneyBritt RobertsonHugh LaurieBound by a shared destiny, a teen bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor embark on a mission to unearth the secrets of a place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory.6/10
A fantasy adventure that is weakened by being light on fantasy, lacking in adventure, and more swimming in a not so subtle environmental message. - DirectorLeigh WhannellStarsDermot MulroneyStefanie ScottAngus SampsonA prequel set before the haunting of the Lambert family that reveals how gifted psychic Elise Rainier reluctantly agrees to use her ability to contact the dead in order to help a teenage girl who has been targeted by a dangerous supernatural entity.7/10
Not as unique as the first or as frightening as the second, this third entry wisely chooses not only a more detached story, but gives light into Shay's character, allowing her to shine. - DirectorPaul TibbittMike MitchellStarsTom KennyAntonio BanderasBill FagerbakkeWhen a diabolical pirate above the sea steals the secret Krabby Patty formula, SpongeBob and his friends team up in order to get it back.8/10
Returning to the humor of the original seasons, it ends up feeling more in tune to what made SpongeBob so enjoyable in the first place. - DirectorColin TrevorrowStarsChris PrattBryce Dallas HowardTy SimpkinsA new theme park, built on the original site of Jurassic Park, creates a genetically modified hybrid dinosaur, the Indominus Rex, which escapes containment and goes on a killing spree.7/10
Still not quite matching the spectacle of Spielberg's original, for the first time we get a worthy sequel. - DirectorMichael MannStarsChris HemsworthViola DavisTang WeiA furloughed convict and his American and Chinese partners hunt a high-level cybercrime network from Chicago to Los Angeles to Hong Kong to Jakarta.3/10
Taking away the cyber-centric details in a computer based movie and focusing more on needless foot chasing, this fails to not only be faithful to the story concepts, but can't even be entertaining. - DirectorSusanne BierStarsBradley CooperJennifer LawrenceRhys IfansIn Depression-era North Carolina, the future of George Pemberton's timber empire becomes complicated when he marries Serena.5/10
Lawrence and Cooper prove once again they have a great chemistry and can deliver strong performances even with limited material. - DirectorRyan GoslingStarsChristina HendricksIain De CaesteckerMatt SmithA single mother is swept into a dark underworld, while her teenage son discovers a road that leads him to a secret underwater town.7/10
A solid debut from Gosling, though lacking a style to set itself apart from that of directors he's worked with. - DirectorNeill BlomkampStarsSharlto CopleyDev PatelHugh JackmanIn the near future, crime is patrolled by a mechanized police force. When one police droid, Chappie, is stolen and given new programming, he becomes the first robot with the ability to think and feel for himself.2/10
Setting back the idea of AI being a realistic goal, Chappie instead asks the question of how stupid we, as a society, can make robots act. - DirectorPete DocterRonnie Del CarmenStarsAmy PoehlerBill HaderLewis BlackAfter young Riley is uprooted from her Midwest life and moved to San Francisco, her emotions - Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness - conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house, and school.8/10
Exploring emotion just as much as using it, Pixar makes one of their most mature movies to date. - DirectorAlan TaylorStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerJason ClarkeEmilia ClarkeWhen John Connor, leader of the human resistance, sends Sgt. Kyle Reese back to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor and safeguard the future, an unexpected turn of events creates a fractured timeline.7/10
Finally delivering a decent sequel to the iconic first two, Taylor still struggles to present a story that encompasses the wide array of ideas possible. - DirectorAlfonso Gomez-RejonStarsThomas MannRJ CylerOlivia CookeHigh schooler Greg, who spends most of his time making parodies of classic movies with his co-worker Earl, finds his outlook forever altered after befriending a classmate who has just been diagnosed with cancer.8/10
Full of movie references and beautifully setting up a story between friends, this handles both friendship and death in a more mature way. - DirectorRick FamuyiwaStarsShameik MooreTony RevoloriKiersey ClemonsLife changes for Malcolm, a geek who's surviving life in a tough neighborhood, after a chance invitation to an underground party leads him and his friends into a Los Angeles adventure.7/10
A few fun twists and turns, this leaves the audience with a question regarding morality, which both fits the tone, but also sticks out as a forced moral. - DirectorGregory JacobsStarsChanning TatumJoe ManganielloMatt BomerThree years after Mike bowed out of the stripper life at the top of his game, he and the remaining Kings of Tampa hit the road to Myrtle Beach to put on one last blow-out performance.4/10
Lacking the serious story of the first, this ends up being the mundanely underwritten string of stripping scenes the first managed to avoid. - DirectorGlenn FicarraJohn RequaStarsWill SmithMargot RobbieRodrigo SantoroIn the midst of veteran con man Nicky's latest scheme, a woman from his past - now an accomplished femme fatale - shows up and throws his plans for a loop.7/10
With a decent storyline, the basics found in most con movies is avoided. - DirectorLana WachowskiLilly WachowskiStarsChanning TatumMila KunisEddie RedmayneA young woman discovers her destiny as an heiress of intergalactic nobility and must fight to protect the inhabitants of Earth from an ancient and destructive industry.3/10
A disastrous mess of terrible acting, uninteresting story, and effects so silly there's nothing to save this travesty. - DirectorPatrick BriceStarsAdam ScottTaylor SchillingJason SchwartzmanAlex, Emily, and their son, RJ, are new to Los Angeles. A chance meeting at the park introduces them to the mysterious Kurt, Charlotte, and Max. A family "playdate" becomes increasingly interesting as the night goes on.6/10
Presenting somewhat classic sex comedy tropes in a more mature way, this may not escape a disappointing ending, but is saved by not wasting a minute of its run time. - DirectorDoug EllinStarsAdrian GrenierKevin ConnollyJerry FerraraMovie star Vincent Chase, together with his boys Eric, Turtle, and Johnny, are back - and back in business with super agent-turned-studio head Ari Gold on a risky project that will serve as Vince's directorial debut.7/10
Keeping true to the TV show, the characters are just what we remember them being and the additions of Rousey and Ratajkowski steal their scenes. - DirectorKen ScottStarsVince VaughnDave FrancoTom WilkinsonA hard-working small business owner and his two associates travel to Europe to close the most important deal of their lives. But what began as a routine business trip goes off the rails in every way imaginable, and unimaginable.4/10
Throwing the bulk of its jokes in the trailers, the humor is lacking and the story silly. - DirectorOlivier AssayasStarsJuliette BinocheKristen StewartChloë Grace MoretzA film star comes face-to-face with an uncomfortable reflection of herself while starring in a revival of the play that launched her career.6/10
Driven by the performances of its three leading women, the story may not captivate too well, but remains a powerful piece. - DirectorDavid GelbStarsOlivia WildeMark DuplassEvan PetersA group of medical researchers discover a way to bring dead patients back to life.3/10
Lacking in story, filled with drastically undefined characters, and actors who don't make a single positive impression, this can't even manage to be entertainingly bad. - DirectorHenry HobsonStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerAbigail BreslinJoely RichardsonA teenage girl in the Midwest becomes infected by an outbreak of a disease that slowly turns the infected into cannibalistic zombies. During her transformation, her loving father stays by her side.6/10
Schwarzenegger gives perhaps his best dramatic performance in a movie more about losing family than running from zombies. - DirectorPeyton ReedStarsPaul RuddMichael DouglasCorey StollArmed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, cat burglar Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, pull off a plan that will save the world.6/10
Relying more on Marvel's brand name than actual storytelling, the lack of character development for the two leads paves way for a muddled and uninteresting entry into the MCU. - DirectorJudd ApatowStarsAmy SchumerBill HaderBrie LarsonHaving thought that monogamy was never possible, a commitment-phobic career woman may have to face her fears when she meets a good guy.8/10
Using her own brand of humor to spice up a hilarious, yet heartfelt take on relationships, Schumer's script gives Apatow just what he needs to get back into the game. - DirectorAntoine FuquaStarsJake GyllenhaalRachel McAdamsOona LaurenceAfter a fatal incident sends him on a rampant path of destruction, a champion boxer fights to get custody of his daughter and revive his professional career.7/10
Taking a few too many queues from other boxing movies, writer Sutter hits a few bumps in his script, but still delivers a decent movie. - DirectorChris ColumbusStarsAdam SandlerKevin JamesMichelle MonaghanWhen aliens misinterpret video feeds of classic arcade games as a declaration of war, they attack the Earth in the form of the video games.7/10
Throwing story and character development out the window, Pixels manages to be just enough fun by playing off videogame nostalgia. - DirectorBill CondonStarsIan McKellenLaura LinneyHiroyuki SanadaAn aged, retired Sherlock Holmes deals with dementia, as he tries to remember his final case, and a mysterious woman, whose memory haunts him. He also befriends a fan, the young son of his housekeeper, who wants him to work again.6/10
Despite strong performances from McKellen and Parker, the lack of mystery and streamlined storytelling weighs down what could have otherwise been a wonderful Sherlock tale. - DirectorDana NachmanStarsMiles ScottEric JohnstonNick ScottOn one day, in one city, the world comes together to grant one 5 year old cancer patient his wish. Batkid Begins looks at the 'why' of this flash phenomenon.6/10
Placing more focus on the Gotham event rather than the child who inspired it, this is a decent documentary, even if it missed its original point. - DirectorChristopher McQuarrieStarsTom CruiseRebecca FergusonJeremy RennerEthan and his team take on their most impossible mission yet when they have to eradicate an international rogue organization as highly skilled as they are and committed to destroying the IMF.7/10
Featuring one of the strongest female action characters in years, this continues the franchise's run of fast paced and intelligent blockbusters. - DirectorJohn Francis DaleyJonathan GoldsteinStarsEd HelmsChristina ApplegateSkyler GisondoRusty Griswold takes his own family on a road trip to "Walley World" in order to spice things up with his wife and reconnect with his sons.4/10
Attempting to exploit the name from the previous series, this turns into a mess of silly, stupid jokes that don't work or fit in with the franchise. - DirectorJoel EdgertonStarsJason BatemanRebecca HallJoel EdgertonA married couple, Simon and Robyn, run into Gordo, an old classmate. Things take a turn when Gordo begins to drop in unannounced at their house and inundates them with mysterious gifts.8/10
Mixing a thriller theme with a horror atmosphere, this highly effective mystery keeps the questions coming, the answers vague, but ultimately delivers a finishing blow. - DirectorJosh TrankStarsMiles TellerKate MaraMichael B. JordanFour young outsiders teleport to an alternate and dangerous universe which alters their physical form in shocking ways. The four must learn to harness their new abilities and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy.2/10
Featuring the worst effects in years, a story that lacks a purpose, a script that lacks pacing, and a slew of editing mistakes that piece together a movie more reminiscent of a TV clip show, this monstrosity goes down as one of the worst blockbusters in years. - DirectorSam LiuStarsBenjamin BrattMichael C. HallTamara TaylorIn an alternate universe, very different versions of DC's Trinity (Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman), who operate outside of the law, are framed for murders of prominent scientist and the government decides to take them out.6/10
A more imaginative retelling of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, it remains interesting, even if a bit too long. - DirectorOren PeliStarsReid WarnerDarrin BraggBen RovnerThree young conspiracy theorists attempt to uncover the mysteries of Area 51, the government's secret location rumored to have hosted encounters with alien beings. What they find at this hidden facility exposes unimaginable secrets.4/10
A mediocre attempt at mystery film making, Peli's sophomore effort misses all the points he got right with Paranormal Activity. - DirectorF. Gary GrayStarsO'Shea Jackson Jr.Corey HawkinsJason MitchellThe rap group NWA emerges from the mean streets of Compton in Los Angeles, California, in the mid-1980s and revolutionizes Hip Hop culture with their music and tales about life in the hood.9/10
Despite taking a few too many moments of artistic license, this biopic tells a solid story and fills the cast with strong performances. - DirectorRoss KatzStarsNick KrollRose ByrneBobby CannavaleA bankrupt businessman tries to restore good relations with his sister and her family.4/10
Between the all too familiar plot points and a performance from Kroll that makes his character unlikable, we fail to see a proper repairing of a man's life. - DirectorCameron CroweStarsBradley CooperRachel McAdamsEmma StoneA celebrated military contractor returns to the site of his greatest career triumphs and reconnects with a long-ago love while unexpectedly falling for the hard-charging Air Force watchdog assigned to him.6/10
Though better than his last several movies, Crowe still finds himself in a rut with yet another romance tale with the plot coming second. - DirectorJames PonsoldtStarsJason SegelJesse EisenbergAnna ChlumskyThe story of the five-day interview between Rolling Stone reporter David Lipsky and acclaimed novelist David Foster Wallace, which took place right after the 1996 publication of Wallace's groundbreaking epic novel, 'Infinite Jest.'7/10
With two strong performances out of Segel and Eisenberg, this dialogue driven movie feels less to do with Foster's work and more about his views on life. - DirectorLevan GabriadzeStarsHeather SossamanMatthew BohrerCourtney HalversonA group of online chatroom friends find themselves haunted by a mysterious, supernatural force using the account of their dead friend.7/10
Cleverly using the functionality of a computer and staging every moment in cyber space, this horror movie works surprisingly well. - DirectorBill PohladStarsJohn CusackPaul DanoElizabeth BanksIn the 60s, Beach Boys leader Brian Wilson struggles with emerging psychosis as he attempts to craft his avant-garde pop masterpiece. In the 80s, he's a broken, confused man under the 24-hour watch of shady therapist, Dr. Eugene Landy.7/10
Presenting the life of Brian Wilson as honestly as they can Dano and Cusack give two great performances, embracing his imperfections as well as his strengths. - DirectorHannah FidellStarsTaissa FarmigaBen RosenfieldLindsay BurdgeA young couple, bound by a seemingly ideal love, begin to unravel as unexpected opportunities spin them down a volatile and violent path and threaten the future they had always imagined.5/10
With too much time spent on the downsides of their relationship and not enough on the positives from the beginning, our two main characters have a story that makes us wonder why they were together in the first place. - DirectorGuy RitchieStarsHenry CavillArmie HammerAlicia VikanderIn the early 1960s, CIA agent Napoleon Solo and KGB operative Illya Kuryakin participate in a joint mission against a mysterious criminal organization, which is working to proliferate nuclear weapons.8/10
Pitting Cavill and Hammer against each other, even as allies, we get a fun and suave movie that feels more refreshing than several blockbusters of recent memory. - DirectorPaul WeitzStarsLily TomlinJulia GarnerMarcia Gay HardenA teenager facing an unplanned pregnancy seeks help from her acerbic grandmother, a woman who is long estranged from her daughter.7/10
Tomlin gives a standout performance in a movie that rushes through the story faster than it should have. - DirectorScott CooperStarsJohnny DeppBenedict CumberbatchDakota JohnsonThe true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf.7/10
With a slow burning story, Depp immerses himself in Bulger, bringing to the screen a terrifying performance. - DirectorEdward ZwickStarsTobey MaguireLiev SchreiberPeter SarsgaardSet during the Cold War, American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer finds himself caught between two superpowers and his own struggles as he challenges the Soviet Empire.8/10
Cleverly narrowing down the story of Fischer to just the rivalry between him and Spassky, Zwick makes a movie about chess not only interesting, but exciting. - DirectorJon WattsStarsKevin BaconJames Freedson-JacksonHays WellfordA small-town sheriff sets out to find the two kids who have taken his car on a joy ride.6/10
With less focus on story and more time spent on showing just how small kids are in a world so complex, this slow paced movie feels more exciting than it really is. - DirectorBaltasar KormákurStarsJason ClarkeAng Phula SherpaThomas M. WrightOn May 10, 1996, mountain guides Rob Hall and Scott Fischer combine their expedition teams for a final ascent to the summit of Mount Everest. With little warning, a storm strikes the mountain and the climbers must now battle to survive.6/10
With a slightly underwritten script, the movie doesn't do justice to the quality of the cast assembled and feels more like a generic disaster story. - DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsJoseph Gordon-LevittCharlotte Le BonBen KingsleyIn 1974, high-wire artist Philippe Petit recruits a team of people to help him realize his dream: to walk the immense void between the World Trade Center towers.6/10
Gordon-Levitt gives an impressive performance, but Zemeckis presents this movie as more of a documentary, hindering its enjoyment. - DirectorRodney AscherStarsNicole BosworthStephen JosephEstrella CristinaA look at a frightening condition that plagues thousands; sleep paralysis.6/10
More terrifying than most modern horror movies, this documentary is uneven, but presents its story in a most haunting way. - DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsEmily BluntJosh BrolinBenicio Del ToroAn idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by a government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico.6/10
Del Toro is quietly good and Brolin loudly excellent, but ultimately the ending isn't worth the amount of time it takes to get there. - DirectorRob LettermanStarsJack BlackDylan MinnetteOdeya RushA teenager teams up with the daughter of young-adult horror author R.L. Stine after the writer's imaginary demons are set free on the town of Madison, Delaware.7/10
Taking from every story of the book series and crafting an original tale, the movie is fairly clever how it tells this story amidst some rocky acting. - DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsMia WasikowskaJessica ChastainTom HiddlestonIn the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider. Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds - and remembers.5/10
Less of a horror movie and more of a twisted love story, Del Toro paints a wonderful landscape to tell his story, even if the story is worth telling. - DirectorRidley ScottStarsMatt DamonJessica ChastainKristen WiigAn astronaut becomes stranded on Mars after his team assume him dead, and must rely on his ingenuity to find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive and can survive until a potential rescue.7/10
Damon gives a charming, almost solo, performance in a movie that never quite achieves the sense of solitude it tries to encompass. - DirectorCraig ZobelStarsChiwetel EjioforChris PineMargot RobbieIn the wake of a disaster that wipes out most of civilization, two men and a young woman find themselves in an emotionally charged love triangle as the last known survivors.6/10
With a slow script that leaves an ending with more to be desired, this drama is kept alive by the performances of our three characters. - DirectorGilles Paquet-BrennerStarsCharlize TheronNicholas HoultChristina HendricksLibby Day was only eight years old when her family was brutally murdered in their rural Kansas farmhouse. Almost thirty years later, she reluctantly agrees to revisit the crime and uncovers the wrenching truths that led up to that tragic night.3/10
Pouncing on the success of Flynn's Gone Girl, Dark Places is a rushed adaptation that fails to be as captivating in almost every single way. - DirectorTodd Strauss-SchulsonStarsTaissa FarmigaMalin AkermanAdam DevineA young woman grieving the loss of her mother, a famous scream queen from the 1980s, finds herself pulled into the world of her mom's most famous movie. Reunited, the women must fight off the film's maniacal killer.7/10
A critique on slasher films of the 80s, this clever set up sets the stage for an amusing movie. - DirectorDanny BoyleStarsMichael FassbenderKate WinsletSeth RogenSteve Jobs takes us behind the scenes of the digital revolution, to paint a portrait of the man at its epicenter. The story unfolds backstage at three iconic product launches, ending in 1998 with the unveiling of the iMac.6/10
Despite Fassbender giving a tremendous performance, the idea of focusing the movie on three distinct events waters down the story and instead comes across as having the same scene play on repeat. - DirectorCary Joji FukunagaStarsAbraham AttahEmmanuel AffadziRicky AdelayitorA drama based on the experiences of Agu, a child soldier fighting in the civil war of an unnamed African country.8/10
Featuring amazing direction, a strong performance from Attah, and an deeply affecting script, Fukunaga makes his film debut with a powerful movie. - DirectorAaron HannMario MiscioneStarsAllegra MastersAimee McKayAshley KeyHeld captive and faced with their imminent executions, fifty strangers are forced to choose the one person among them who deserves to live.4/10
With an interesting concept, the story takes a wrong turn by including characters that make certain story elements all too predictable. - DirectorBrad PeytonStarsDwayne JohnsonCarla GuginoAlexandra DaddarioIn the aftermath of a massive earthquake in California, a rescue-chopper pilot makes a dangerous journey with his ex-wife across the state in order to rescue his daughter.4/10
Lacking in excitement, this disaster movie drags on way too long. - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsTom HanksMark RylanceAlan AldaDuring the Cold War, an American lawyer is recruited to defend an arrested Soviet spy in court, and then help the CIA facilitate an exchange of the spy for the Soviet captured American U2 spy plane pilot, Francis Gary Powers.5/10
Covering three different stories connected by one man, this movie would have been better had it focused on just one of these tales. - DirectorSam MendesStarsDaniel CraigChristoph WaltzLéa SeydouxA cryptic message from James Bond's past sends him on a trail to uncover the existence of a sinister organisation named SPECTRE. With a new threat dawning, Bond learns the terrible truth about the author of all his pain in his most recent missions.7/10
Adding a positive love interest for Bond and a return to classic Bond humor, this outweighs the downsides of having underwritten villains. - DirectorGregory PlotkinStarsChris J. MurrayBrit ShawIvy GeorgeUsing a special camera that can see spirits, a family must protect their daughter from an evil entity with a sinister plan.4/10
Wrapping up the franchise's lingering story threads, this conclusion unfortunately settles on an answer that doesn't mesh with the original mythology. - DirectorChris EvansStarsChris EvansAlice EveEmma FitzpatrickTwo strangers stuck in Manhattan for the night grow into each other's most trusted confidants when an evening of unexpected adventure forces them to confront their fears and take control of their lives.6/10
Taking too many notes from Linklater's Before trilogy, Evan's debut is a good dialogue piece that unfortunately fails distinguish itself. - DirectorSteve MartinoStarsNoah SchnappBill MelendezHadley Belle MillerSnoopy embarks upon his greatest mission as he and his team take to the skies to pursue their archnemesis, while his best pal Charlie Brown begins his own epic quest back home to win the love of his life.6/10
With some good humor that reflects the source material, this overlong movie remains cute. - DirectorFrancis LawrenceStarsJennifer LawrenceJosh HutchersonLiam HemsworthKatniss and a team of rebels from District 13 prepare for the final battle that will decide the fate of Panem.5/10
With a little more action added to the story, this final entry ends up being fractionally better than the previous entry, once again owing to a cast that has given up on the franchise seemingly out of boredom. - DirectorLenny AbrahamsonStarsBrie LarsonJacob TremblaySean BridgersA little boy is held captive in a room with his mother since his birth, so he has never known the world outside.6/10
With a pair of phenomenal performances out of both Larson and Tremblay, this depressing movie manages to succeed despite being slow moving. - DirectorBilly RayStarsChiwetel EjioforNicole KidmanJulia RobertsA tight-knit team of rising investigators, along with their supervisor, is suddenly torn apart when they discover that one of their own teenage daughters has been brutally murdered.4/10
With little mystery or intrigue, this remake fails to being entertaining and wastes the time leading up to its clever ending. - DirectorJonathan LevineStarsJoseph Gordon-LevittSeth RogenJillian BellOn Christmas Eve, three lifelong friends spend the night in New York City looking for the Holy Grail of Christmas parties.6/10
Filled with some humorous performances from Gordon-Levitt and Mackie, joined by yet another drug fueled Rogen role, this draws a few chuckles mainly by the supporting cast. - DirectorTom McCarthyStarsMark RuffaloMichael KeatonRachel McAdamsThe true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.8/10
With an all star cast giving some career best performances, this difficult subject is covered excellently. - DirectorRyan CooglerStarsMichael B. JordanSylvester StalloneTessa ThompsonThe former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed.7/10
Coogler gives this long lasting franchise a breath of new life, bringing about Stallone's best performance in a long time. - DirectorKyle Patrick AlvarezStarsEzra MillerTye SheridanBilly CrudupIn 1971, twenty-four male students are selected to take on randomly assigned roles of prisoners and guards in a mock prison situated in the basement of the Stanford psychology building.9/10
Presenting the facts with an unbiased look at not only the people in the experiment, but those running it, this is one of the more powerful movies in years. - DirectorCrystal MoselleStarsMukunda AnguloNarayana AnguloSusanne AnguloConfined in an apartment from a New York housing project, the six Angulo brothers learned everything they know about the world through watching films and spend their time reenacting their favorite movies with intricate homemade costumes.3/10
By not deciding what kind of story it wishes to tell, this movie suffers from not having three stories, none of which are all that interesting. - DirectorJay RoachStarsBryan CranstonDiane LaneHelen MirrenIn 1947, Dalton Trumbo was Hollywood's top screenwriter, until he and other artists were jailed and blacklisted for their political beliefs.6/10
Cranston delivers, despite the uneven balance between biopic and simply covering the Blacklist. - DirectorPeter SohnStarsJeffrey WrightFrances McDormandMaleah Nipay-PadillaIn a world where dinosaurs and humans live side-by-side, an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend.8/10
Embracing the feeling of survival among the young, this becomes a perfectly well told story. - DirectorAri SandelStarsMae WhitmanBella ThorneRobbie AmellA high school senior instigates a social pecking order revolution after finding out that she has been labeled the DUFF - Designated Ugly Fat Friend - by her prettier, more popular counterparts.6/10
Using high school as a setting for outcasts, this works at being a slight distraction. - DirectorNima NourizadehStarsJesse EisenbergKristen StewartConnie BrittonA stoner - who is in fact a government agent - is marked as a liability and targeted for extermination. But he's too well-trained and too high for them to handle.5/10
Taking a vaguely interesting concept and putting forth minimal effort, there isn't enough to material to generate much of any interest. - DirectorSean BakerStarsKitana Kiki RodriguezMya TaylorKarren KaragulianA hooker tears through Tinseltown on Christmas Eve searching for the pimp who broke her heart.6/10
A bit of humor and a bit of seriousness, there's a fine balance between the two, if this has any starting appeal. - DirectorJ.J. AbramsStarsDaisy RidleyJohn BoyegaOscar IsaacAs a new threat to the galaxy rises, Rey, a desert scavenger, and Finn, an ex-stormtrooper, must join Han Solo and Chewbacca to search for the one hope of restoring peace.7/10
Injecting a fine array of new with the familiar dose of old, the first entry into the sequel trilogy lives up to the Star Wars title, setting the stage for things to come. - DirectorMora StephensStarsPatrick WilsonLena HeadeyRay WinstoneA successful family man with a blossoming political career loses all sense of morality when he becomes addicted to using an escort agency.4/10
With a decent, though familiar, premise, this mess of a script wastes the talents of Patrick Wilson. - DirectorJason MooreStarsAmy PoehlerTina FeyMaya RudolphTwo sisters decide to throw one last house party before their parents sell their family home.7/10
Fey and Poehler have a fun time together in a comedy that only suffers from just a little too much sentimentality towards the end. - DirectorAdam McKayStarsChristian BaleSteve CarellRyan GoslingIn 2006-2007 a group of investors bet against the United States mortgage market. In their research, they discover how flawed and corrupt the market is.7/10
By filming a drama in his usual comedic style, McKay succeeds in telling a story he is clearly passionate about. - DirectorTodd HaynesStarsCate BlanchettRooney MaraSarah PaulsonAn aspiring photographer develops an intimate relationship with an older woman in 1950s New York.6/10
Lacking a fleshed out script with actual dilemma, Blanchett, Mara, and Haynes all give it their best to try and save this movie. - DirectorGaspar NoéStarsAomi MuyockKarl GlusmanKlara KristinMurphy is an American living in Paris who enters a highly sexually and emotionally charged relationship with Electra. Unaware of the effect it will have on their relationship, they invite their pretty neighbor into their bed.3/10
By placing too much focus on the sex and not the story, the movie's potential is squandered to the point of excess boredom.