The Best and Worst Films of 2014

2015 has officially kicked off, I still have reviews coming but these will now be reviewed for 2014. In the meanwhile I'll be posting my list of the top five and bottom five films I've watched and reviewed in 2014. This may include ones that were released late 2013 but were viewed in 2014. Let's begin:

The Best:

5. Gone Girl 8.5/10

Gone Girl is probably the early work for an Academy film this year, that's just how intense the plot really was. I cannot express how amazing it was to see the mind games, manipulations and plot twists acted out onscreen. Rosamund Pike definitely deserves Best Actress of the year for this, she made a character that was terrifying and incredibly resourceful and intelligent. It's a masterfully made film that I hope everyone checks out!

http://ciaranknight.blogspot.co.nz/2014/10/gone-girl.html

4. Guardians of the Galaxy 9/10

Well I think it comes of no surprise to anyone when I post a Marvel film as one of my top five fims. But it was quite clearly recognised this year that Guardians was an amazing film. It had an incredibly colourful cast of characters ranging from the intense battle warrior of Gamora or the space outlaw Yondu. But in all seriousness when a professional wrestler can be my favourite character in a film, I think that film has displayed how well written and directed it is.

http://ciaranknight.blogspot.co.nz/2014/08/guardians-of-galaxy.html

3. 12 Years a Slave 9/10

Frankly the world needs more films like 12 Years a Slave, especially considering some of the recent hate crimes of late. This film without a doubt deserved it's major Academy Award wins. The shock factor in terms of open hatred, whipping an African American woman, a man being lynched and the implications of rape and sex crimes are just some of the things 12 Years brings to the surface in a truly harrowing way. The entire cast excelled in their roles and because of that it made the performance all the more dark and gritty.

http://ciaranknight.blogspot.co.nz/2014/02/12-years-slave.html

2. Frozen 9.5/10

As I was all too aware when I first wrote my review for Frozen back in January, the high rating for this film is a shocker for a lot of people who read my reviews. However this film has some incredible musical numbers, let's not forget it won an Academy Award for that very reason. The animation was also something beautiful, the depth and fantastical style was something special at the time. Also I think the strength of family and the manipulation of 'the right man' trope was important. Idina Menzel, who voiced Elsa, is definitely the stand out performance of the film and one of the best Disney characters created in the past couple of years.

http://ciaranknight.blogspot.co.nz/2014/01/frozen.html

1. Wolf of Wall Street 9.5/10

Best film of the year. Easily the best. The levels of corporate greed and corruption displayed here are some really important themes for our society. It's also my favourite performance by Dicaprio to date; his ability to play Belfort to such a hugely talented level as well as the amount of amazing ablib done by the leading cast is incredibly and a truly monumental feat. I cannot recommend this film enough and I am incredibly frustrated still at how snubbed it was at the Academy Awards.

http://ciaranknight.blogspot.co.nz/2014/01/the-wolf-of-wall-street.html

And now to move onto the five worst films of the year:

5. Love, Rosie 3.5/10

Love, Rosie was a display of generic romance film at it's very worse. The stereotypical plot was only matched by the basic cinematography, awful acting and mismatched music. I think we're at a point where the romance genre needs to start heading away from it's stereotypes; too often I've seen a film with a potentially great cast or concept but it just drifts into awful dialogue or plot devices. Much like what we see in Love, Rosie.

http://ciaranknight.blogspot.co.nz/2014/11/love-rosie.html

4. And So It Goes 3.5/10

I think there's something awkward in real life about witnessing elderly people openly discussing sexual relations and trying to court one another as if they were teenagers. And So It Goes captures that awkwardness and turns it into one of the worst films of the year. It stumbled along without ever really hitting a high or interesting point. A very amateur performance from some well known actors like Diane Keaton and Michael Douglas.

http://ciaranknight.blogspot.co.nz/2014/08/and-so-it-goes.html

3. Mrs Brown's Boys D'Movie 3.5/10

One of the bigger disappointments of the year was Mrs Brown's Boys. What Brendan O'Carroll had captured in terms of great comedy in his tv show he proceeded to throw aside in this film. It became a big eye opener to how sometimes a popular television show does not warrant a film to go alongside it. Crammed with racism, ableism, and other blatantly offensive jokes it is a must avoid.

http://ciaranknight.blogspot.co.nz/2014/08/mrs-browns-boys-dmovie.html

2. Walking with Dinosaurs 3/10

Walking with Dinosaurs was a beloved series growing up but this film was really a perversion of the source material. I was frankly incredibly disappointed with this awful kid's film. It can't be described as Walking with Dinosaurs because it felt like a preschooler's guide to dinosaurs. The writing of characters was very basic and the plot turned away from good moments by subverting it with awful comedy.

http://ciaranknight.blogspot.co.nz/2014/01/walking-with-dinosaurs.html

1. Magic in the Moonlight 3/10

Woody Allen made the worst film of this year, the boring period drama that forces it's themes down your throat even if they are a bit insulting to hear. Oh and let's not forget the cast of thoroughly dislikeable characters and the really badly written romance plot between Emma Stone and Colin Firth. There is nothing romantic about a fraud and a pessimist coming together over Firth's very blatant misogyny.

http://ciaranknight.blogspot.co.nz/2014/09/magic-in-moonlight.html

I have reviewed and rated 90 films this year as well as one unrated film in Tom Hardy's Locke. To see where your favourite films of the year wound up on my list of best to worst, take a look below:

1. The Wolf of Wall Street – 9.5/
2. Frozen – 9.5/10
3. 12 Years a Slave – 9/10
4. Guardians of the Galaxy – 9/10
5. Gone Girl – 8.5/10
6. Nightcrawler – 8.5/10
7. The Two Faces of January – 8.5/10
8. Captain America: The Winter Soldier – 8.5/10
9. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – 8.5/10
10. Fury – 8.5/10
11. St. Vincent – 8.5/10
12. Saving Mr Banks – 8.5/10
13. Pride – 8/10
14. The Judge – 8/10
15. X-Men: Days of Future Past – 8/10
16. The Hundred Foot Journey – 8/10
17. The Equaliser – 8/10
18. American Hustle – 8/10
19. The Book Thief – 8/10
20. Paddington – 8/10
21. The Boxtrolls – 8/10
22. Edge of Tomorrow – 8/10
23. Dallas Buyers Club – 8/10
24. Divergent – 8/10
25. The 100 Year Old Man who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared -7.5/10
26. Predestination 7.5/10
27. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom – 7.5/10
28. 22 Jump Street – 7.5/10
29. Before I Go to Sleep – 7.5/10
30. Noah – 7.5/10
31. A Walk Among the Tombstones – 7.5/10
32. The Railway Man – 7.5/10
33. Godzilla – 7.5/10
34. Last Vegas – 7.5/10
35. Non-Stop – 7.5/10
36. Chef – 7/10
37. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part One -7/10
38. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies – 7/10
39. This is Where I Leave You – 7/10
40. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – 7/10
41. How to Train Your Dragon 2 – 7/10
42. The Water Diviner – 7/10
43. A Million Ways to Die in the West – 7/10
44. Are We Officially Dating? – 7/10
45. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day – 7/10
46. Robocop – 7/10
47. 300: Rise of an Empire – 7/10
48. Annie – 7/10
49. Planes: Fire and Rescue – 7/10
50. Philomena – 6.5/10
51. Maleficent – 6.5/10
52. If I Stay – 6.5/10
53. Interstellar – 6.5/10
54. Bad Neighbours – 6.5/10
55. The Lego Movie – 6.5/10
56. Into the Storm – 6.5/10
57. Transformers: Age of Extinction – 6.5/10
58. The Amazing Spiderman 2: Rise of Electro – 6.5/10
59. The Maze Runner – 6.5/10
60. The Best of Me – 6.5/10
61. Cuban Fury - 6.5/10
62. Mr Peabody and Sherman – 6.5/10
63. Blended – 6.5/10
64. Transcendence – 6.5/10
65. Grudge Match – 6.5/10
66. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For – 6/10
67. The Grand Budapest Hotel -6/10
68. Her – 6/10
69. Dracula Untold – 6/10
70. Grace of Monaco – 6/10
71. Hercules – 5.5/10
72. Pompeii – 5.5/10
73. The Fault in our Stars – 5.5/10
74. Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones 5.5/10
75. 47 Ronin – 5.5/10
76. Get on Up – 4.5/10
77. Let’s Be Cops – 4.5/10
78. The Giver – 4.5/10
79. The Other Woman – 4.5/10
80. The Monuments Men – 4.5/10
81. Sex Tape – 4.5/10
82. Muppets: Most Wanted – 4.5/10
83. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – 4/10
84. Need for Speed – 4/10
85. Lucy – 3.5/10
86. Love, Rosie – 3.5/10
87. And So it Goes – 3.5/10
88. Mrs Brown’s Boys D’Movie – 3.5/10
89. Walking with Dinosaurs – 3/10
90. Magic in the Moonlight – 3/10

Locke - Not Rated

Here's to 2015 and a whole new year of films both amazing and terrible!

The Water Diviner

This review may contain spoilers!

This is an incredibly respectful film about Gallipoli and for that I think it's worth watching. I would give The Water Diviner a 7/10.

This film had a great perspective on the Gallipoli battle in the sense that this film was supremely respectful of both Australian and Turkish perspectives; I mean the film opens with how Turkey saw that battle and we are reminded throughout of the importance of how that impacted Turkey throughout the film. This film is also important in abolishing for the most part the 'white saviour' trope, which basically means that Russell Crowe didn't help the Turkish but was in fact helped by the Turkish, a very important theme I feel. The musical score was also incredible, and the balance of Turkish inspired pieces was a great addition.

Jai Courtney, who played Lt. Col. Cyril Hughes, portrayed a great military figure; his defense and attempts to work alongside the Turkish military were great to see. Russell Crowe, who played Connor, was a great lead in this film; his blind determination and a=inability to initially comprehend foreign customs was really enthralling to watch. Yilmaz Erdogan, who played Major Hasan, was a great contrasting figure to Crowe; his national pride and his connection with Crowe made him a strong character in the film. Ryan Corr, who played Art, went from a minor character to an incredibly well developed character in the space of five minutes; when he killed his own brother I think the whole film really stepped up. Dylan Georgiades, who played Orhan, was an incredibly talented child actor; he had some great chemistry with Crowe and Kurylenko.

And speaking of, I found the best actor of the film to be Olga Kurylenko, who played Ayshe. Kurylenko brings power to this film; some serious talent. She is a catalyst for the divide between Australia and Turkey, her constant reminder to Crowe that he doesn't understand is perfectly captured. Frankly this is Kurylenko's film and this is the type of film we should be making more of so that we can see more talent like hers.

This film was directed by Russell Crowe but I don't think he knew how to do it very well. The cinematography felt blocky and amaeurish, while the editing was basic and lacked any realy consistency.

Jacqueline McKenzie, who played Eliza, gave an exaggerated performance that diminished the importance of the children in this film. Cem Yilmaz, who played Jemal, was a source of comedic relief that fell rather flat in the film. Deniz Akdeniz, who played Imam, wasn't a very strong antagonist and as such his role failed to draw my interest as an audience member.

Paddington

This review may contain spoilers!

Paddington is a classic British family film that was clearly made at a very high standard. I would give Paddington an 8/10.

I think what is supremely important about anything the British throw a decent sized budget at is that it generally creates some of the most amazing cinematic work; take notes America. Paddington was a well paced, family oriented masterpiece; it had great humour and gags as well as an amazing plot about the importance of family and home. The music was whimsical and supremely funny; there was no better moment of comedy in this film than when "Hello" played upon Capaldi meeting Kidman. The visual style of this film was just great, Paddington looked brilliant, the tree in the house was great, and the entire house being divided up into a dollhouse was really a great touch. Beyond that the cinematography and editing flowed smoothly and looked great.

Nicole Kidman, who played Millicent, was an incredibly terrifying villain for a kid's film; she made me think of a young Cruella De Ville. Sally Hawkins, who played Mrs Brown, was just a huge source of energy for the film; she really heightened a lot of the scenes that she was in. Hugh Bonneville, who played Mr Brown, was a great leading role; he had a good arc about acting as a member of the family rather than the head of it.

Yet it was Ben Whishaw, who voiced Paddington, really was the source for all things good about this film. He brought such a naive air to the role and yet he was unabashedly goodly, I cannot stress enough how important it was to have a perfect voice for the role and Whishaw's was perfect for this lead.

My problem with Paddington is that there was very little tension for most of the film, you never really felt like there was much of a threat right until Paddington was falling into a chimney. In this manner the end of the film felt a little anti-climatic.

Michael Gambon and Imelda Staunton, who voiced Uncle Pastuzo and Aunt Lucy respectively, had very little screen presence and didn't feel like strong members of the plot despite their emotional introduction. Peter Capaldi, who played Mr Curry, felt very insignificant and was certainly a forced sidekick role; his role in the story didn't really seem necessary. Jim broadbent, who played Mr Gruber, may have had an interesting backstory but most certainly did not have the acting ability to feel like a sincere role. Julie Walters, who played Mrs Bird, was another insignificant role; who blundered through her two or three lines and then saved the day with alcohol which seemed awful to have in a kid's film. Madeleine Harris and Samuel Joslin, who played Judy Brown and Jonathon Brown respectively, were awful child actors and really didn't give great performances in the film.

Annie

This review may contain spoilers!

It's a hard knock film to sit through at the start but it has a heartwarming end! I would give Annie a 7/10.

Annie thrived on it's heightened tension nearer the end of the film, as well as it's exploration into the relationship between Annie, Stacks and Grace. The ending was quite satisfying in terms of plot, so I enjoyed the film for that fact. The cinematography was also great, as well as the editing; it really felt like a performance extravaganza.

Jamie Foxx, who played Will Stacks, owned his role as sheltered wealthy elite; however it was his transformation into a kind father figure that made his performance so great to watch. Quvenzhane Wallis, who played Annie, did an excellent job as the film's lead; her singing was also really great and one of the few good singing voices in the film. Cameron Diaz, who played Hannigan, was great as a despicable adoptive foster mother; yet her redemptive arc felt really well done and built up by Diaz well.

However it was Rose Byrne, who played Grace, that really excelled in this film. For starters she was the only one apart from Annie with a good singing voice. Beyond that she had a really sweet and charming character that played of Foxx incredibly well. She definitely stood out as the most talented of the cast.

Annie failed in terms of it's pacing, the start went far to quickly and so the plot felt very artificial. Beyond that the musical numbers were rubbish in this film; there was excessive auto tune and the dancing choreography obviously wasn't there at all.

Bobby Cannavale, who played Guy, was quite a two dimensional character with a forced antagonist role; his performance was also wildly over-exaggerated. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, who played Nash, had a weak screen presence and felt very much like a plot device, David Zayas, who played Lou, was an absolutely awful source of comedic relief and his romance with Diaz felt incredibly awkward.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

This review may contain spoilers!

This film makes me think of the fabled tale of Star Wars, to which the lesson was do not make a prequel trilogy. I would give The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies a 7/10.

The last installment in the Hobbit trilogy offered up nothing short of the best it could give in terms of visual effects; it was certainly an unforgettable epic in terms of how much post production effort had been put in. I was also a huge fan of the cinematography and editing, you felt the grand scale of this project in how it was shown truly an amazing feat. And then to really top off the battle royale experience the stunts were incredibly well choreographed and while they didn't hold as much gravitas as some of the moments from the past two films they were still of high caliber. The musical score was another great piece that made the experience all the better, and that final piece by Billy Boyd was really just something out of this world.

Ian McKellen, who played Gandalf, was an absolutely amazing role to watch onscreen; I genuinely don't think the magic of that character could ever fade. Martin Freeman, who played Bilbo Baggins, was really made for the role; he meets the legacy of Ian Holm perfectly. Richard Armitage, who played Thorin, gave a great show of character development in this film; a real parting credit to his fantastic work as Oakenshield. Ken Stott, who played Balin, returned as one of my favourite dwarves; every scene he's in he always hits his mark emotionally. Graham McTavish, who played Dwalin, really came into his own this film; I did not expect such an incredibly outstanding presence this film but I welcomed it. Orlando Bloom, who played Legolas, really returned at his peak; a little steely with some amazing action moments. Evangeline Lilly, who played Tauriel, brings a lot of emotional depth to her character; she has one of the best endings in this film and I really enjoyed her time onscreen. Lee Pace, who played Thranduil, brings a lot of gravitas to his role; it's easy to see how he's become a fan favourite. Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving and Christopher Lee, who played Galadriel, Elrond and Saruman respectively, shared in one of my favourite scenes of the film; seriously these guys are grade A and they overshadow most other actors in this cast easily. Luke Evans, who played Bard, became a strong major character in this film; carrying a lot of the action along really well.

However it was Billy Connolly, who played Dain, that I most enjoyed within this film. The Hobbit trilogy brought in a new favourite character for me each film and Dain really stoof out in this one. He made an entrance, he brought a lot of power to his role and really he mixed comedy and dwarven gruffness to a point that really made the film. I will never forget Dain riding in and if you see this film you won't either.

Now to talk why this let the trilogy down a bit as an end film and was by no means another Return of the King. First up I cannot get over the excessive use of slow motion or strange cutting around Thorin in this film; we get it he's gone nuts don't beat it to death. Secondly the pacing is screwy; Smaug dies in ten minutes yet the final battle spans 45, while Thorin having a gold induced mental breakdown and Alfrid crossdressing eats up precious screen time. Let's not forget that the plot was thrown aside in large quantities for gratuitous action scenes. Then the fact the film itself was anti-climatic and predictable; I mean every death in the film was predicted: Bard was destined to slay Smaug and Azog listed Fili, Kili and Thorin's deaths in the order that they happened. Really this was a poor film in terms of plot and I expected a bit more from Peter Jackson.

William Kircher, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, John Callen, Peter Hambleton, Jed Brophy, Mark hadlow and Adam Brown, who played Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Oin, Gloin, Nori, Dori and Ori respectively, are not given any real screen time or importance in this film; and so our departure is remembering these guys as nothing more than ensemble. Dean O'Gorman, who played Fili, had very little screen presence; as such his death had very little impact within the film. Aidan Turner, who played Kili, felt incredibly insignificant in this film; even his relationship with Tauriel felt weaker than the last film. The novelty of seeing Ian Holm, who played Old Bilbo, has really worn off and the impact is by no means as strong. Sylvester McCoy, who played Radagast, had a diminished screen presence and felt like he lacked any real purpose within this film. Stephen Fry, who played Master of Laketown, gave an overexaggerated performance that was really quite two dimensional and uninteresting. Ryan Gage, who played Alfrid, really got far more screen time than he deserved; his place as comedic relief was weak and his impact on the film was minuscule. John Bell, who played Bain, wasn't a great child actor and wasn't very interesting to watch. Benedict Cumberbatch, who voiced Smaug and Necromancer, had a diminished presence in the film and frankly they wasted his talent.

Nightcrawler

This review may contain spoilers!

This film is an incredibly well done psychological thriller that will leave you amazed or horrified. I would give Nightcrawler an 8.5/10.

Nightcrawler is a testament to good modern storytelling; the cold treatment of humanity in this film is really something that sets this film apart from anything else out right now. It moved with great pacing and built up a story that progressed in exactly the right way. The musical score was also quite harrowing and chilling, so that was great. I really have to give this film a huge credit in terms of it's cinematography as well, this film's gaze of a cameraman without a moral code had a great way of looking at Gyllenhaal in a very in depth way.

Rene Russo, who played Nina Romina, who had some brilliant character development, her desperate need to succeed mirrored Gyllenhaal's excellent portrayal every step. Riz Ahmed, who played Rick, was one of the high comedic points of the film; he also gave the film a sense of grounding in how he portrayed Rick.

However this film was led by it's leading actor exceptionally making Jake Gyllenhaal, who played Louis Bloom, my favourite for this film. He nailed a role that was obsessive to a point of sociopathic nature. He played fast and loose with both a comedic portrayal and a sincere dramatic portrayal of an insincere guy. This wasn't by any means a protagonist that you want to like, but it is without a doubt one of the best performances of the year.

The only thing I felt Nightcrawler failed in was it's lack of developing characters, the story just felt very bland in that it captured what you saw and expected from these characters already.

Bill Paxton, who played Joe Loder, had very little screen presence in the film and failed to leave much of a ladting impression or impact upon the film.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

This review may contain spoilers!

This film is really a classic return to the family live action film and I found it really enjoyable! I would give Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day a 7/10.

This film reminds me of the classic family oriented films that I watched growing up, with really enjoyable pacing, light hearted comedy and a simple but engaging plot. I also have to give a mention to musical comedy, a film that can take music and twist it into a comedic tool is really worth watching.

Jennifer Garner, who played Kelly Cooper, was really great at portraying a frantic and highly strung working mother; she really excelled in leading the comedy of the film. Kerris Dorsey, who played Emily Cooper, was my favourite child actor within the film; seriously she was so vain and also so mature that she just came off as the best of the young actors. Dylan Minnette, who played Anthony Cooper, was a great watch and had some really nice character development in that he chose to put his family above his vain girlfriend and his popular crowd status.

Without a doubt the greatest actor within this film was Steve Carrell, who played Ben Cooper. He made this incredibly sweet and lovable character, then to top that off he made that guy the most optimistic person of the cast. It was really just a good portrayal of a father figure, he had his own stresses but he put his family first beyond himself.

This film definitely failed in it's cinematography and editing, I really saw nothing original in how it was filmed. The plot and tone of the film also reeked of a film that should have been released straight to DVD and Blu ray.

Ed Oxenbould, who played Alexander Cooper, was a terrible leading child actor; his monotone droning voice was juts hard to hear after the first five minutes. Sidney Fullmer, who played Becky Gibson, was just an awful child actress to watch, her romance with Alexander was awkward and uncomfortable. Bella Thorne, who played Celia, was incredibly over the top and I felt her performance was a little overbearing.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part One

This review may contain spoilers!

This was a lot of set up for not much action, but still a really great film in the quadrilogy. I would give The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part One a 7/10.

This film had a brilliant ending; it was really climatic and I think it jolted me right back into the Hunger Games vibe. I was a huge fan of the music in this film; I really think that was such an important thing as many of the scenes I remember vividly in the film I attribute to the music. The cinematography in this film was also really cool, it certainly warranted it's blockbuster standing. The special effects (while minimal) were also great to see in the film.

Jennifer Lawrence, who played Katniss Everdeen, continues to excel in a leading role; she captures the reluctant hero but also the fire of a revolutionary. Josh Hutcherson, who played Peeta Mellark, didn't have heaps of screen time but completely nailed the tortured portrayal of Peeta that the film demanded. Woody Harrelson, who played Haymitch Abernathy, really owned the scenes he was in; frankly he picked up the entire film for a bit. Donald Sutherland, who played President Snow, is really phenomenal as the main antagonist of the franchise; he captures the character perfectly. Willow Shields, who played Primrose Everdeen, is a brilliant child actress; who plays innocent and supportive sister well. Sam Claflin, who played Finnick Odair, brings a whole new portrayal of the character to this film; he really isn't himself anymore and it all builds to one of the best speeches in the film. Elizabeth Banks, who played Effie Trinket, was a welcome return; she made the character of Effie bigger and more invigorating than anything the books even remotely referenced.

However it was the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, who played Plutarch Heavensbee, that really owned this film. He was incredibly comedic, so much so that he outshined Banks and Harrelson in that regard. But he also had his character nailed in all the minute details; every little moment on screen he was in role completely and you could see and feel that.

What I really disliked about Mockingjay Part One was that it dragged on; the first two thirds of the film had awful pacing and was very slow.

Liam Hemsworth, who played Gale Hawthorne, does not suit being a major character; I actually miss him acting in a supporting role because he was so awful as a lead. Julianne Moore, who played President Alma Coin, gave a very tiring performance; she lacked emotion and power in her portrayal. Mahershala Ali, who played Boggs, really did not have a lot of depth as a character; he just became another background actor. Jeffrey Wright, who played Beetee, was really not all that interesting in this film; his character dropped away from the major role he had in the previous film. Stanley Tucci, who played Caesar Flickerman, was wasted in his role; he should not have been brought back as his screen time was nearly non-existent. Natalie Dormer, who played Cressida, gave nothing to the film; her dialogue was minimal and her portrayal of her character reflected this.

St Vincent

This review may contain spoilers!

St Vincent is one of the most heartwarming and truly entertaining comedies that I have seen this year. I would give St Vincent an 8.5/10.

This film had a really clever plot, it's really great balance of comedy as wellas heartfelt character connection was really touching. The pacing was also really good and the film moved well. The music used was also great; I'll never stop laughing at Bill Murray shamelessly dancing to disco.

Melissa McCarthy, who played Maggie, was one of the people to really impress me in this film; normally a comedic actress she showed a lot of depth by playing and excelling in a dramatic role. Chris O'Dowd, who played Brother Geraghty, portrayed a role that just felt incredibly natural; he was brilliantly comedic but also very realistic in his character. Jaeden Lieberher, who played Oliver, excelled in his acting of a leading role in this film; definitely a child actor that is going places.

It was Bill Murray, who played Vincent that really stood out for me in this film. Murray is a comedic actor who excels in leading roles, which is entirely what you get from this film. He owns his role thoroughly, most importantly capturing the dramatic elements incredibly as well. We inevitably see this character as not just a source of comedy but as a tortured soul, which makes the ending for this film all the more joyful for us as a viewer.

St Vincent lacked interesting cinematography, it had a very basic play by play shooting format. I also found that it could be seen that the characters lacked a large enough character growth but rather we as an audience only came to empathise with these characters.

Naomi Watts, who played Daka, was a rather crude character who wasn't really all that interesting; her growth as a character didn't really exist and she was very unlikable. Terrence Howard, who played Zucko, had no screen presence; and really did not need to be in the film.

Interstellar

This review may contain spoilers!

Interstellar is quite possibly the only film of Christopher Nolan's I've actually found to not be all that enjoyable. I would give Interstellar a 6.5/10.

Interstellar sets a bar for some of the best effects that you will see onscreen this year, it's truly breathtaking to see how far the cinematic industry has come effects wise. this goes hand in hand with the cinematography, something that Nolan never fails to nail flawlessly. Once again the music is incredibly powerful and accompanies the film incredibly well.

Anne Hathaway, who played Brand, gave an incredibly strong performance as the leading lady of the film; you felt for her but also recognised the strength and intelligence that she wielded as a character. Wes Bentley, who played Doyle, gave a strong contrasting performance to McConaughey and was a really powerful character that shouldn't have been killed as quickly as he was. Michael Caine, who played Professor Brand, gave a stunning performance in this film; he was wistful and sumpremely philosophical in how he portrayed his character. Casey Affleck, who played Tom, developed his character in such a great way; his growth was brilliant for such a short time onscreen. Jessica Chastain, who played Murph, did a brilliant job in taking the psychology of the younger Murph portrayal and maturing it; she really kept the Earth based storyline alive.

It was Bill Irwin, who voiced TARS, that really thrived in this film I felt. TARS was such a great part of the film, the idea that humanity made a successful AI robot was just quite a nice escape from what could have been a cagey trope. TARS was hilarious and also quite original, the voice work Irwin provided also made him seem quite real as a character. He was by far the best thing about the film.

Interstellar is a snooze fest, it drags on for a relatively long time. I mean I walked out of that cinema and felt bored; stupendously so. Not to mention the fact the science was awful; completely theoretical science explaining theoretical science. Basically nothing made sense and it dragged, not a great plot. In fact a terrible one.

Matthew McConaughey, who played Cooper, was a terrible leading man; he really did not the suit of an engineer nor did he really seem like an intelligent person fit him well in an acting capacity. Mackenzie Foy, who played Murph (10 yrs.), wasn't the best child actor; she really only seemed capable of playing the one mood. John Lithgow, who played Donald, was quite lackluster in the film; he really wasn't all that necessary. David Gyasi, who played Romilly, had very little screen presence in the film and probably should have been killed in Wes Bentley's place as his character had very little to it. Topher Grace, who played Getty, shouldn't be in films; you think he would have learnt his lesson after Spiderman 3. Matt Damon, who played Dr. Mann, was a very underwhelming anatgonist; I expected a lot more than he actually provided.  

The Best of Me

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The romance genre isn't really my favourite of film genres, but even I have to admit that a Nicholas Spark adaptation is going to be good. I would give The Best of Me a 6.5/10.

What this film excelled in was setting up a rather sad and emotional journey of romance; a really well done plot with a great sense of pacing.

Michelle Monaghan, who played Amanda, did a great job emphasising the pain she felt as a younger woman; she carried over a lot of the psychology from her earlier self. Luke Bracey, who played Younger Dawson, was really the starring male lead over Marsden in this film; he completely owned his role of a young man escaping a violent household. Liana Liberato, who played Younger Amanda, did a wonderful job developing a woman who falls in love with a man who's life is inevitably destroyed. Sean Bridgers, who played Tommy Cole, was a thoroughly despicable villain; he really owned his role which made it all the more convincing.

Yet it was Gerald McRaney, who played Tuck, that really stood out for me in this film. Tuck was immediately the heart of the film upon his introduction and from there on out continued to stand out in the film. His father figure role and his inspiring moments of dialogue is what made this film truly memorable for me.

The film failed itself with it's rather standard looking cinematography and editing, it was very clear that this film didn't stretch to have a unique look. More than that the music in this film was quite bland as well and left much to be desired. The plot also had a lot of tragic moments and miraculous turning points that started seeming unbelievable after a while.

James Marsden, who played Dawson, was quite boring to watch; his performance was very monotone and it seemed he had been hired more for his looks than his talent. Sebastian Arcelus, who played Frank, really did not go to any great lengths to stand out in the film; rather he seemed kind of indifferent to everything around him.

Fury

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Fury is without a doubt one of the grittiest and most disturbing depictions of war that has been released recently. I would give Fury an 8.5/10.

Fury unveils an amazingly shot and edited glimpse at the horror of warfare. One of the things that really struck me was how the camera would linger on scenes of carnage; such as a young girl hanging by the neck from a building or the treads of a tank running over a dead body. The music within this film was harrowing and really gripping; essentially the perfect score for this film. The overarcing plot itself was brilliant in that it got under your skin, it pushed you into this mindset of being so horrified and uncomfortable that watching this film unfold was a shock.

Shia LaBeouf, who played Boyd 'Bible' Swan, was a character that won you over; his faith and his deep love for his fellow soldiers made him the heart of the film. Logan Lerman, who played Norman Ellison, surprised me in this film; he went through such extreme character development and had the most disgusted reaction to the warfare going on around him that he quickly became one of the best performances in the film. Jon Bernthal, who played Grady 'Coon-Ass' Travis, was an intimidating bully who had really become a brute thanks to the war he was fighting in; a supremely well done performance.

The best performance of the film was Brad Pitt, who played Don 'Wardaddy' Collier. Pitt led this film without overshadowing but clearly excelling. He brought an intense presence with a deep tortured soul that has really shown the depths that Pitt brings to characters he plays.

The first half of this film felt like it was quite unnecessary, namely that it was crammed with content to make the film longer. In some ways this film would have flowed better with at least half an hour cut out.

Michael Pena, who played Trini 'Gordo' Garcia, was the weak link of the cast; he didn't do a very convincing time period performance nor did he seem very convincing as a soldier.

This Is Where I Leave You

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A film that got caught up in it's number of varying plots but ultimately left me quite impressed. I would give This Is Where I Leave You a 7/10.

This Is Where I Leave You had a fantastic understanding of satirical comedy, most every punchline hit it's mark well and truly. I also really appreciated this film for the drama and character developing plot lines. Each and every character was constantly explored thoroughly and we came to empathise with each of them in a different way. It's the kind of film where everyone who watches it will come out with a different character for their own reasons. I also really liked the use of music for comedic effect; it was really well done.

Jason Bateman, who played Judd Altman, did a great job as the film's lead; he really set the tone for the entire the film in how well he balanced a dramatic and comedic performance. Tina Fey, who played Wendy Altman, rocked her role; she kicked ass but she also had such a personal struggle in finding her lack of happiness being at home that really set her character apart. Jane Fonda, who played Hillary Altman, was incredibly compassionate; she also had some of the better comedic moments within the film. Rose Byrne, who played Penny Moore, really was a fantastic romantic interest; seriously you don't get amazing romance moments as much as you used to and the relationship Byrne created between Judd and Penny was brilliant. Dax Shepard, who played Wade Beaufort, his smug and arrogant character was tempered with a brilliant amount of comedy; he also slotted into the dramatic plot perfectly and precisely in the right way.

Adam Driver, who played Phillip Altman, really was the most stand out performance in this comedy. Driver captured the young and arrogant Phillip in one of the most outstanding comedic portrayals. His antics onscreen were some of the more enjoyable and he easily got the most laughs from me.

The editing and cinematography within this film didn't go to any great extremes to be outstanding, the film had a very standard look. I also thought the film was crippled by it's vast number of subplots that drowned the story itself. There was too much happening at once and it felt that way when the big twist at the end of the film was revealed and it really didn't make a lot of sense.

Corey Stoll, who played Paul Altman, wasn't a funny character and his role in that dramatic side of the film wasn't very engaging. Kathryn Hahn, who played Annie Altman, was a bit over the top in her performance; her storyline was strange and shouldn't have been included. Connie Britton, who played Tracy Sullivan, was a boring role and a character that you didn't really feel for. Timothy Olyphant, who played HorryCallen, gave a rather awful portrayal of brain damage; and his relation with the other characters wasn't the best established. Debra Monk, who played Linda Callen, ushered in the worst plot twist of the film and I really wish her character hadn't been included. Abigail Spencer, who played Quinn Altman, was a really awful character to the point where you felt guilty for hoping that she lost her baby; she was an awful awful person. Ben Schwartz, who played Rabbi Charles 'Boner' Grodner, wasn't all that funny and really had no clear relation with the family in the film. Aaron Lazar, who played Barry Weissman, wasn't a very strong actor and had very little screen presence. Cade Lappin, who played Cole, wasn't a very good child actor and had no real strong role within the film.

Love, Rosie

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This film decided to cut effective storytelling for well...um...did anything even happen in this film? I would give Love, Rosie a 3.5/10.

What I enjoyed about Love, Rosie was the music; it had a really good sense of how to use music for both serious and comedic moments.

Jaime Winstone, who played Ruby, really was one of the few funny things about this film; she brought a lot of energy to a film that was rather lifeless.

Lily Collins, who played Rosie Dunne, really carried the film as it's lead. She portrayed an amazing range of emotions and really showed that despite being cast in a film that begged 'death of career', she still has talent in spades. Time and again she'd win you over in a scene and it really did become her story alone.

This film had some of the most basic and dull editing and cinematography that I have ever had to suffer in a film. More than that the film was quick to make something happen and move on. Everything in the film moved too quickly that you never became emotionally attached to the film or it's characters, There was a lot of exaggerated plot points, unfortunate circumstances and rom com stereotype that you felt basically flogged with.

Sam Claflin, who played Alex Stewart, gave a really dull performance; it felt like he was going through the motions of a script without giving himself to the character. Suki Waterhouse, who played Bethany Williams, was a very generic airhead and her entire character arc was completely unrealistic. Tamsin Egerton, who played Sally, really played up her role to the point where you couldn't take her character seriously at all. Christian Cooke, who played Greg, was bland and brought back into the script for necessity sake. Lily Laight, who played Katie Dunne, reminded us all that not every child actor was good at acting; in fact she reminded us the stereotype is that child actors generally suck.

Get On Up

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This film's going to go down in history as the film that killed the funk. I would give Get On Up a 4.5/10.

I suppose a biopic about a famous musician has to have very well done music, so let's put that up there to begin with: Film. Music. Good. Also the cinematography and editing between flashbacks and moments within scene was incredibly well done; very smooth and effective with some truly harrowing shots.

Dan Aykroyd, who played Ben Bart, was just incredible; this incredibly funny blundering man who wound up be lead through scenes by James Brown was brilliantly done. Viola Davis, who played Susie Brown, had one of the darkest and arguably hardest roles to play and she excelled in her role as an abused mother trapped in an awful life. Octavia Spencer, who played Aunt Honey, had so much power in her role; she hit the screen with this mother figure image and she owned her time onscreen.

It was Nelsan Ellis, who played Bobby Byrd, that really shined in this film. Ellis created a supporting role that you really felt for. Dragging himself behind Brown's shadow for the entire film that the climatic split between the two friends became one of the best scenes in the film.

This film did the James Brown story poorly. The use of flashback and fourth wall breaking really let this entire film down and forcefully threw and audience member out of the experience. It was confusing and had no sense of good storytelling to it.

Chadwick Boseman, who played James Brown, was not a good leading actor; his performance was all over the place and you couldn't understand every second sentence he said. Lennie James, who played Joe Brown, excelled at playing the most two dimensional father figure role I have ever seen; he needed a lot more work if he wanted his character to actually feel like one. Jill Scott, who played DeeDee Brown, wasn't great; a performance that felt dead as soon as it was put onscreen.

A Walk Among the Tombstones

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Liam Neeson has done some great psycho-thrillers over the past year! I would give A Walk Among the Tombstones a 7.5/10.

A Walk Among the Tombstones had some really stunning cinematography and editing; it was dark and very noir in how it was constructed. I also thought that the film score was quite haunting, a perfect ensemble to the film. The story as a whole was also great, the entire blurred lines between moral right and wrong was incredibly well done.

David Harbour, who played Ray, did a brilliant job as a criminal psychotic; his performance had a cold humour to it and he was terrifying in the casing of his victims. Dan Stevens, who played Kenny Kristo, was a great criminal as well as avenging husband; his violent swings between moods gave him heart and his tendency to display strongs showings of love for his wife was what made his character. Astro, who played TJ, was a great comedic relief role; he also gave the lead a sense of conscience which I thought was very crucial to the film. Olafur Darri Olafsson, who played Jonas Loogan, was a great character and portrayal; he felt shady but when he revealed his character in more depth he became someone a lot easier to connect with.

It was Liam Neeson, in the leading role of Matt Scudder, that really stood out in the film. There was a lot to the role that Neeson put a lot of work into portraying. Scudder's efficiency and knowledge immediately was worth noting. Furthermore the amount of guilt he had over shooting a child accidentally in the past kept bleeding through into the present character in an incredible acting display.

This film dispensed with action a lot and dwelled in backstory and trivial facts too much; as such the pacing of this film became affected and the entire film got dragged out. The dialogue also wasn't carefully written there were some great scenes and then there scenes like the ten stages of alcohol anonymous narration which dragged on way too long.

Adam David Thompson, who played Albert, was probably hired for how creepy he looked and not his proficiency as an actor. Boyd Holbrook, who played Peter Kristo, was not a strong performance and the acting didn't hold a candle to the rest of the cast.

Pride

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This is the type of film we should be seeing more and more of for the next few years! I would give Pride an 8/10.

Pride has the kind of story that needs to be heard. It treats LGBTQIA representation incredibly well, it represents AIDs in the correct light, the poverty line, acceptance in general and the importance of family. I mean really even though this will not be the highest rating I give a film this month I still would tell you to see this film above all others because this type of film is important. Furthermore the music in this film was brilliant and I really think set a great atmosphere.

Ben Schnetzer, who played mark, really spearheaded this film in a major way; he absolutely led a lot of the major themes within this film and I can't wait to see him in more things in the future. Andrew Scott, who played Gethin, was a little underused but his talent shines through; he really was enough to melt your heart in this film. Faye Marsay, who played Steph, was a great character; she really had a lot of bite and spirit. Paddy Considine, who played Dai, was just incredibly good at playing this character brimming with support; what was great is how realistic he felt while on screen. Jessica Gunning, who played Sian, was brilliant; she came barreling into every scene with power behind her words and for that she was brilliant. Lisa palfrey, who played Maureen, was the perfect kind of antagonist for this film; someone who was so intolerant that she couldn't even accept help from someone wanting to do the right thing. Imelda Staunton, who played Hefina, was just hilairious and incredibly powerful of a role. Bill Nighy, who played Cliff, was a great role; this man who wasn't quite confident to raise his voice but who wanted change like nothing else.

Dominic West, who played Jonathon, was this spectacular character who won me over so so much. His antics on camera were uplifting and he insured this film wasn't just one serious drama but rather a bit comedic too.

Pride lacked interesting cinematography and editing, it was all a little basic but that didn't take away from the film heaps.

George MacKay, who played Joe, was a rather camp protagonist; his acting wasn't good enough to keep up with the rest of the talent in the film. Joseph Gilgun, who played Mike, wasn't a very good character; he was there to add a bit of information and didn't really feel like a contribution to the story. Menna Trussler, who played Gwen, was a character who's humour was shown in the trailer and that was all to her in the film; she was rather deadpan and uninteresting.

Let's Be Cops

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This film is garbled sitcom level comedy that demeans real police work; while attempting to apologise for that with it's ending. I would give Let's Be Cops a 4.5/10.

Let's Be Cops had some decent pacing, the movie didn't drag itself out too long and it was finished in an acceptable time. I also thought that the ending had a strong message about responsibility.

Damon Wayans Jr, who played Justin, was one of the few good leads within this film; his comedy was perfect but he also had a very engaging character as well. James D'Arcy and Andy Garcia, who played Mossi and Brolin respectively, were brilliant in their serious criminal roles; it was only the lack of comedy that these two provided that made their talent not seem to fit the film itself.

Rob Riggle, who played Segars, did a great job as an actual police officer in this film; he really displayed a show of talent that wasn't just comedic and that was something we don't really get a lot from him. He was absolutely the easiest pick for best performance and really stood out for me.

Let's be Cops had some trashy special effects and music; this really was something that had no worth as a film. The storyline was atrocious and kind of insulting; I also thought the comedy was crude and added literally nothing to the film as a whole.

Jake Johnson, who played Ryan, was a terrible actor in a leading role; he was melodramtic and showed no sign of actual talent or humour. Nina Dobrev, who played Josie, was a horrible attempt at trying to create a love interest for one of the male characters. Keegan-Michael Key, who played Pupa, was just an drastically unnecessary character; he really lacked comedic talent which was a shame cause he does some amazing stuff in Key and Peele.

The Judge

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A truly great film about family, honor, integrity, the truth, and Robert Downey Jr being amazing. I would give The Judge an 8/10.

The Judge is incredibly well written, it hits the heartstrings hard and it keeps the story grounded in reality. This is really a dysfunctional family dynamic done right. I also have to credit the cinematography and editing in this film, it was truly beautiful the way colours and light really hit the lens of the camera. I also quite enjoyed the music within the film, I don't think I've heard a score so beautifully timed with the narrative.

Robert Downey Jr, who played Hank Palmer, was the perfect lead for this role, his acting was artful and he showed a connection to this role that went deep. Billy Bob Thornton, who played Dwight Dickham, was a great antagonist and an ice cold lawyer. Dax Shepard, who played C.P. Kennedy, did a great job filling a bumbling comedic role; his humour was quite refreshing to the narrative. Emma Tremblay, who played Lauren Palmer, continues to impress me as a reviewer with her acting talent; she really is a great child actress.

My personal favourite performance in this film was Robert Duvall, who played Joseph Palmer. Duvall was the centre of a lot of the tension within this film and also demonstrated an amazing performance of an elderly man undergoing chemotherapy. He stole the show and became the heart of the film in my mind.

I think that the film drew out a little long and also got bogged down by unnecessary side stories. It was this strung out feeling that made the film lose it's touch a bit.

Vera Farmiga, who played Samantha Powell, wasn't a greatly executed character nor did she really seem all that necessary of a love story. Vincent D'Onofrio, who played Glen Palmer, had very little screen time and really let others do his story driving for him. Jeremy Strong, who played Dale Palmer, didn't do a great job portraying someone with special needs and didn't add a lot to the film.

Dracula Untold

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Dracula Untold was like a mediocre prequel to what I am hoping is the amazing sequel to come. I would give Dracula Untold a 6/10.

Dracula Untold really excelled with it's effects, the way the vampire powers were styled was very Gothic and dark. I also enjoyed the musical score within this film, it was a great fantasy overture. I also thought the story was acceptable for an origin tale, yet it really felt like a great prequel when Dracula comes up against the original vampire if a sequel happens.

Luke Evans, who played Vlad, really carried this film for basically every scene; I think that without such a strong lead this film could not have thrived as well as it did, Art Parkinson, who played Ingeras, did a fantastic job in his role as beloved son; he really pulled at the heartstrings in the film.

Yet it was Charles Dance, who played Master Vampire, that really won me over in this film. He had three scenes, and yet he was obviously the best in the entire cast. He was horrific, foreboding and malicious. He gave so much power to his performance that I can only hope for a sequel in which he is the villain.

I was really all that impressed with the cinematography in this film, the shots were very typical action blockbuster. The plot was also quite basic, it never really surprised me nor did it attempt to be impressive. It followed a basic formula then ended.

Sarah Gadon, who played Mirena, gave quite a wooden performance as the love interest in the film; and her chemistry with Evans wasn't really all there. Dominic Cooper, who played Mehmed, gave an awful performance as the film's villain and was probably the worst casting in the film. Paul Kaye, who played Brother Lucian, had no screen presence; he also didn't give a very strong performance.

Gone Girl

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This movie makes me kinda fear marriage, it's the sort of film that really gets in your head. I would give Gone Girl an 8.5/10.

Gone Girl is a film that is on a whole other level than anything else out at the moment. The writing is spectacular and takes you through so many well timed and choreographed plot twists. The narrative feels real and is incredibly well paced. The cinematography and editing are smooth and clean; making the film flow elegantly. The music within this film is also brilliant, and hauntingly strong.

Ben Affleck, who played Nick Dunne, just spearheaded this film like it was nobodies business; well and truly loved this performance. Rosamund Pike, who played Amy Dunne, gave this bone chilling, brutal performance that I am still in awe of; I think the fact that I was so horrified by her at the end of the film truly set her apart. Tyler Perry, who played tanner Bolt, was a refreshing comedic hit to this film just when it looked like things were slowing down. Kim Dickens, who played Detective Rhonda Boney, was this hard hitting, intelligent woman that just absolutely aced it; she was the one who really portrayed this best face of law enforcement. Sela Ward, who played Sharon Schieber, had one of my favourite scenes in the film; she just looked so very much on the attack that it was perfect.

My personal favourite performance of the film was Carrie Coon, who played Margo Dunne. I liked this character best because she felt the most realistic in this situation. I liked how raw the performance felt and how intense the actor could jump to.

Let me tell you about the flaw in Gone girl, aside from some of it's weaker minor supporting cast. The problem with Gone girl was major plot holes. There is no way that the wife could have gotten away with what she did, anyone capable of actually doing their basic jobs in the police force would Have had that case easy. My major example is that the wife creates the shattered table crime scene in the lounge but leaves the blood in the kitchen. Wow. So much sense. Good job cops.

Neil Patrick Harris, who played Desi Collings, gave quite a stiff performance, and I didn't really buy into him as a character. Patrick Fugit, who played Officer Jim Gilpin, was ridiculously good at being an unbelievable character; his sheer impotence was staggering. David Clennon and Lisa Banes, who played Rand Elliot and Marybeth Elliot respectively, had very little screen presence and gave some lackluster performances. Missi Pyle, who played Ellen Abbott, was too artificial to take seriously. Emily Ratajkowski, who played Andie Hardy, was far too naive to be believable and frankly just had a bit of a dead performance. Casey Wilson, who played Noelle Hawthorne, definitely showed her sitcom roots in her over the top and forgettable performance. 

Planes: Fire and Rescue

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Never have I seen a sequel pull it's entire franchise back from the brink in such a damn entertaining manner. I would give Planes: Fire and Rescue a 7/10.

How does a franchise that failed so bad get so good? Honestly by remembering to do what Disney and Pixar do best...pluck them heartstrings. The story within Planes: Fire and Rescue is so perfectly done. It opens with a dedication to the brave men and women who put their lives above others. The film then progresses by wiping away Dusty's ability to race and teaching him humility by making him become a firefighter so as to save his home town. Throw in some tragic backstory, some near death and a sad old firetruck who's lost all hope in his ability to serve his town and you have one of the greatest comeback sequels that Pixar has done. Not to mention the music this time round was so much better, specifically the huge sequence in which a fire was extinguished while AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck' was playing in the background. The visuals for this film were a lot better than the last Planes film as well, the spiralling pillars of fire were just encapsulated perfectly as well as actually seeing planes get damaged by fire in slow motion in an aesthetically stunning way.

Ed Harris, who voiced Blade Ranger, did a great job as the leader of this team of firefighting heroes; he had a great backstory and was a brilliant self-sacrificing character. John Michael Higgins, who voiced Cad, was a decent antagonist in this film; his selfishness and ignorance in the face of danger posed great life lessons for young viewers. Hal Holbrook, who voiced Mayday, gave a tear jerking performance as the fire truck who had become too old to do his properly. Teri hatcher, who voiced Dottie, is one of the few members of the original cast who stands out incredibly; she takes charge and deals some of the worst news in the film really well.

The best character in the film was Maru, voiced by Curtis Armstrong. This character is just fantastic, the voicework is great. The jokes he spins out are good for kids and adults but his revelation of various character's backstories is what sets him apart. It's through Maru that a lot of the most emotional story arcs in the film are explored and he does each one spectacular justice.

Planes still lacklusters in it's comedic elements; it has definitely improved but not all that much. I also think that the original characters and references to the first film still hindered the film from being the best it could be, Ultimately this is the film that should have been the first one.

Dane Cook, who voiced Dusty Crophopper, still has the corniest voice I have ever heard and is such a basic and toned down character. Julie Bowen, who voice Lil' Dipper, is proof that cinema still thinks we need shitty and even creepy romance storylines and characters. Wes Studi, who voiced Windlifter, is one of the worst representations of a native American character that I have ever seen. Brad Garrett, who voiced Chug, was the spearheading character that represented awful comedy; he should never have been brought back. Stacy Keach, who voiced Skipper, was the best character in the last film and in this he was frightfully underused and dismissed as if he had been the worst; it was such a poor move.

The Maze Runner

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The Maze Runner delivers what can be described as a teen novel adaptation that finally has a bit of decent plot to it. I would give The Maze Runner a 6.5/10.

The Maze Runner had some fantastic sets and effects in the Glade, the Maze and the Greavers; a really amazing visual style. The editing was smooth and heightened moment sof action or tension. The plot itself had a lot of mystery to it that made it very intriguing and nothing was ever really answered completely; which I found very satisfying after so many finite young adult films.

Dylan O'Brien, who played Thomas, did a great job keeping this film alive and basically remaining as a strong leading protagonist. Blake Cooper, who played Chuck, was a great younger member of the cast and really was the heart of the film. Will Poulter, who played Gally, was a fantastic antagonist; he managed to be a great brute and bully. Dexter Darden, who played Frypan, was a great source of comedic relief and could steal a scene with a subtle joke or mannerism.

Aml Ameen, who played Alby, absolutely nailed his role as the respected leader of the Glade. This guy really exuberated respect and confidence; he was by far the most heroic figure in the film. I wholeheartedly think he deserved more screen time and a better ending than what he got.

The music was a little bland within this film and the cinematography didn't seem very unique. The film itself didn't have very good pacing and the plot was still confined to the realms of stereotypical young adult novel adaptation.

Ki Hong Lee, who played Minho, didn't ever really develop as a character and really felt like he was filling some need to create a necessary plot device. Thomas Brodie-Sangster, who played Newt, really fell flat and did some of the worst acting in the film. Kaya Scodelario, who played Teresa, felt like some desperate urge to include a female character and she could have had such a bigger role than what she got; I hope they expand upon her in the sequel.

The Boxtrolls

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This is a true testament to what a modern children's animated film should be about. I would give The Boxtrolls an 8/10.

The stop motion animation used within this film is a dying art, one completely encaptured in an unforgettable mid-credit scene that I highly recommend you hang around for. The Boxtrolls also had some wonderful music to it, which lent a lot to it's quirky quality. But where this story thrives is within it's storytelling. We are immediately woven a tale of identifying as two different things and being accepted as both. It's all about acceptance, family and taking pride in how you identify yourself and that is such a big and important message.

Nick Frost and Richard Ayoade, who voiced Mr Trout and Mr Pickles respectively, give some of the best comedy within the film; a fantastic comedy duo that enjoy puzzling at the morality of their actions. Isaac Hempstead Wright, who voiced Eggs, gave a very candid performance as the protagonist of the film and gave great displays of emotion in each scene. Simon Pegg, who voiced Herbert Trubshaw, was a fun character; both an great father figure and a very fun crazy guy.

It was Ben KIngsley, who voiced Archibald Snatcher, that gave the best performance in the film. His twisted villain was chilling and dark and the stuff of nightmares. He was important though and gave a great performance as the victim of social class discrimination and the lack of acceptance for his dual identities. Brilliant role, wonderfully voiced and part of a really progressive plot for us as a society.

The Boxtrolls did have some racy humour and some themes that might have gone too far I feel. I'm worried that it could be too crude or scary for some children and distasteful for a mature audience.

Jared Harris, who voiced Lord Portley-Rind, had a very lackluster screen presence and just wasn't a great character. Tracy Morgan, who voiced Mr Gristle, was a strange antagonists character and a little unnecessary. Dee Bradley Baker and Steve Blum, who voiced Fish and Shoe respectively, is an example of how great voice actors can get some really dismal roles. Elle Fanning, who Winnie, was dislikeable and wasn't a very engaging character.

The Equalizer

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The Equalizer is an action epic filled with brilliant storytelling, humour and a fantastic hero and villain. I would give the Equalizer an 8/10.

This film has a lot to love about it. The action scenes alone are so incredibly inventive and well choreographed that it immediately is set above the rest of the action films this year. There was also some brilliant music, I'd give special mention to the music done by Zack Hemsey here. The film was incredibly well shot and edited, it had a really nice visual style. But it was the story that gave it strength, this was a vigilante hero who wiped out a Russian crime ring slowly through the film. It was how this character connected with the community around him and how he was both funny and kind that made this film an action epic rather different to your usual gun toting extravaganza.

Denzel Washington, who played Robert McCall, did a fantastic job as the main protagonist of this film; his quick and easy wit and interchanging displays of ruthlessness stole many scenes. Chloe Grace Moretz, who played Teri, was a great emotional character in the film; she wasn't a major player but she brought a lot of heart to the film.

Marton Csokas, who played Teddy, was a tough call to pick for my favourite; yet I find I always enjoyed when he was onscreen that much more than when Denzel Washington was onscreen. This guy just captured the perfect villain, we was cold and heartless. Ultimately he was more of a sociopath than a full blown psychopath but the amount of control he had over this killer character was incredible.

I think the one thing I have to say against this film is that it dragged out a little bit, it took too much time away from the action before cramming in a very long action sequence.

David Harbour, who played Masters, was a terrible henchman figure; the film didn't need the amount of focus it gave him. Bill Pullman and Melissa Leo, who played Brian Plummer and Susan Plummer respectively, gave a very forced performance in a scene that was just crammed withtying up loose ends for the sake of just that. Johnny Skourtis, who played Ralphie, was meant to be an innocent type figure that you love but was really just trashy subplot that you didn't really enjoy.

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

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We have waited many years for a sequel/prequel/anything that carried on Sin City and damn did the makers of this film do their best to disappoint us. I would give Sin City: A Dame to Kill For a 6/10.

This film had a wonderful visual style, it felt like a live action comic book which was very visually impressive. The effects and the cinematography were also terrific and really heightened the film's visual style which is in itself very unique. The musical score is the one thing that stood out in this movie as it was this return to a classic film noir score that really drew me to the film.

Mickey Rourke, who played Marv, was quite clearly the fan favourite returning to the franchise and managed to appear in every individual story told; he did a great job in his rather epic return. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who played Johnny, was a new character with incredible acting talent; Gordon-Levitt's story was by far the most interesting of them all. Eva Green, who played Ava, had a very lackluster introduction but really nailed her role after that as she became more villainous; Green became one of the leading antagonists of the entire film. Christopher Lloyd, who played Kroenig, was one of the better cameos within the film and excelled in his scene; he was a hysterical role.

But it was the baddie of the film Senator Roark, played by Powers Boothe, that really was in their element. Boothe had a dark and twisted malice that was perfectly captured in the noir setting. In fact I looked forward to every scene Roark was in. An actor underused last time, this time Boothe was everywhere and pulling out all the stops to present one of the most nightmarish villains of the year.

This sequel/prequel felt flat on it's face the second it tried to be more than the first Sin City. The style was completely off, the effects were ramped up far too much and the editing was rather sloppy in places. The story also completely broke from the old style of Sin City storytelling, gone was the collective stories that interplayed alongside one another. Instead we had to wait an entire hour before the Johnny and Nancy stories were continued. It wasn't like the main Dwight story was very interesting either, in fact it was probably the worst of the two.

Jessica Alba, who played Nancy, didn't really bring much back to Nancy the second time round; well unless you count bad acting as something. Josh Brolin, who played Dwight, was a poor substitute for Clive Owen and seemed a bit like a weaker Marv rip off. Rosario Dawson, who played Gail, did not have an exciting return and was in fact a really disappointing performance to watch. Bruce Willis, who played Hartigan, did a terrible job in his cameo; giving a tired performance that strongly suggested he'd forgotten all about Sin City. Dennis Haysbert, who played Manute, gave a melodramtic performance and didn't really seem to belong in a film noir story. Christopher Meloni, who played Mort, gave a cardboard cut out performance and wasn't really interesting onscreen. Jamie Cheung, who played Miho, failed in her badass role to demonstrate a ruthless demeanour or convincing stunts. Julia Garner, who played Marcie, was the worst actress in the film and really was one of the only flaws about the Johnny story.

Predestination

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Predestination is one of the strangest yet most clever films I have ever seen. I would give Predestination a 7.5/10.

What this film doesn't do is flaunt, it does not brag about it's captivating and clever cinematography and editing; nor does it dwell on the cinematic effects that are so so incredible when we see them onscreen. No, Predestination does not need to brag about these things because Predestination has the script to pull it all off. It's a time travel movie done exactly right and it's themes are groundbreaking I felt, I was just simply impressed. And yet in saying that there was nothing simple about this film, you had to be prepared to be shocked, to experience issues of the transgender, basically this case studied a lot of humanities failings towards women and the flaws in a patriarchal government. This is big, and I think if you ever have free time go out and see this movie because it is probably the best thing out in it's genre.

Ethan Hawke, who played The Bartender, did a great job observing and guiding this movie, he handled the manipulation of events flawlessly. Noah Taylor, who played Mr Robertson, was a great figure, he seemed kind but he had a sinister side to him that can only be linked to that distrust of government power systems.

Yet it was Sarah Snook, who played The Unmarried Mother, that stole the show in this film. She played a hermaphrodite, which was an incredible performance in itself. She also showed several cases of mental illness, maternal feelings and that of a woman forced to become a man. This is an actress who owned the movie through narration, performance and presence. She deserves awards and praise for this movie for a long, long time.

However this movie did have a few contradictions, which isn't too surprising considering that it is a time travel film. In fact the entire premise of the big twist of the film is in itself a puzzle that didn't make a lot of sense. Nor is the ending immensely satisfying, it's a little confused and it leaves a lot of questions. However I will argue that i liked that aspect, and I think if I were to watch this film again my score for it would be even higher a second time round.

Magic in the Moonlight

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I have never met a period film that was so utterly dry, awful, disrespectful and blatantly bad before in my entire life. I would give Magic in the Moonlight a 3/10.

This film had some delightful sets and costumes that really grounded this film within the era it was set. I also loved the musical score; it was adventurous and it too played perfectly to the era of the plot.

Colin Firth, who played Stanley, did a great job portraying a man who was kind of dislikable; in fact a main lead written this badly and unappealingly is very hard to pull off and Firth does a great job with it. Eileen Atkins, who played Aunt Vanessa, was in her element in this film; her quick wit and her immediate sass were some of the best moments of the film. Marcia Gay Harden, who played Mrs Baker, did a great job confronting Firth multiple times; it was her feisty character that kept this film feeling grounded in many scenes.

Yet it was Emma Stone, who played Sophie, that showed herself to be the best actress within the film. Her natural demeanour is what really helps the film thrive, she uses dialogue in a way that makes the rest of the film engaging. She also did a wonderful caricature of a psychic and that was in itself a major pull for this film.

The film itself is overloaded with a plot that has no excitement, no real drama or tension or conflict; it is so deadbeat dull that Woody Allen may need to reflect on his scriptwriting. The humour deadpans as much as it draws a laugh, and the themes are so blatantly said that they are told to the audience; there is no room for the audience to draw it's own conclusions. I also found the romance plot insulting, the fact that Firth and Stone both string their romantic partners along is appalling and then to think Firth would develop a relationship with someone who lied to him didn't make sense. More importantly the fact that Stone or anyone in this film could love or care for Firth's character is hard to believe, he is a jerk and he is constantly written as a jerk till the very final scene. I have never witnessed such a poorly written protagonist in a period piece.

Simon McBurney, who played Howard Burkan, wasn't a great actor; in fact he consistently gave facts or details but rarely engaged with any other character in any convincing way except to depart information. Erica Leerhsen, who played Caroline, talked over people and created the effect of someone who didn't know their lines rather than a realistic setting. Jeremy Shamos, who played George, seemed to lack emotion and had nothing that made him seem like someone with empathy. Hamish Linklater, who played Brice, didn't feel like he attempted to act in a period film, rather he seemed to be in a modern film with the way he talked and acted. Jacki Weaver, who played Grace, used the same consistent voice and tone which made her feel like some kind of background nobody character rather than an important member of the cast.

Before I Go To Sleep

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I'm not usually a Nicole Kidman fan but this one really aced it for me. I would give Before I Go To Sleep a 7.5/10.

This film had a story that moved in such an intriguing fashion that I was hooked each and every minute. In fact the way this film made you question who was telling the truth and who was lying all by using the narrative of Christine's warped psyche was inspired. I also have to commend the brilliant cinematography and editing which gave this film a sense of the horror genre as well as the ver downward spiral of Christine as she learns more and more about her past.

Nicole Kidman, who played Christine Lucas, did a wonderful job as the lead in this film; I feared for her and I shared in her downfalls and her triumphs and that connection to a character alone is praiseworthy. Mark Strong, who played Dr. Nash, did a great job in a role that was essentially a fantastic red herring.

It was Colin Firth, who played Ben Lucas, that did the most outstanding within this film. He displayed so much pain as a man who constantly had to go through the toil of making his wife remember him. However when he was revealed to be the villain I saw a side to Firth I had very really seen before, this savage man that was so full of malice. I have to say Firth was at his finest in this role.

This film had a soundtrack that did not leave much of an impression upon me. Furthermore the romance aspect between Christine and Nash within this film was a little unnecessary and didn't add much to the overall plot. I also found the time frame of the film and the constant addition of extra details to be a bit confusing and the movie was by no means cleanly constructed in how it delivered information to the audience.

The Giver

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I think the number of inappropriate jokes to be made from Jeff Bridges announcing that he was the Giver will prove to be more amusing than the film I just watched. I would give The Giver a 4.5/10.

The Giver had a great story in terms of rediscovering humanity; basically the people are given injections and are taught to be like uncaring robots whereas at the end of the film they are taught to remember the emotions that come with humanity in one of the best scenes of the film. I also really enjoyed the editing of this film, the cutting between imagery of memories that represent a specific emotion as well as the shifting tones of colour were just fantastic. I also liked the effects, namely the flying airships, even if these effects were very minimalist.

Meryl Streep, who played Chief Elder, did a wonderful job as a restrained dictator of sorts; she was foreboding while very good at hiding behind a mask of leadership. Katie Holmes, who played Mother, did a very good job at being this harsh face of oppression within the film; I enjoyed the fact that she was so deep in the system that she allowed her son to be hunted. Taylor Swift, who played Rosemary, had a surprisingly decent cameo and it actually made me quite interested in this neglected subplot about her character. Emma Tremblay, who played Lilly, seriously needs to stay with whatever acting agent is representing her because this kid is in great films and doing a good job in them.

It was The Giver himself, Jeff Bridges, who did the best job in the film. His pain over the hostile memories within him and also at the loss of his own daughter was incredible to watch. I enjoyed how strongly he desired to change the system in place, his love for humanity and Jonas were very well portrayed and it was an outstanding performance from this title character.

However The Giver was a story rife with contradiction, there were some major plot issues that weren't addressed; such as how humanity reached this point or why there was a log cabin at the end of the film. What really bugged me was that it only took one receiver to fix the system and Bridges character had clearly wanted to do this all his life; so surely he could have gone to the boundary and fixed things whenever he liked. I also thought the cinematography wasn't very creative it felt lazy and unimaginative. The music followed the same path as the cinematography, falling flat on the ears and never really doing much to create atmosphere.

Brenton Thwaites, who played Jonas, is officially one of my least favourite actors out there now; he has been the low point in so many movies that he should consider a new career path. Alexander Skarsgard, who played Father, was a big disappointment; he showed a lack of engagement to his role that the other actors did and he seemed to be merely blundering through scenes. Odeya rush, who played Fiona, was so close to doing well in this; she had some major emotional arcs but could never quite reach the level of sincerity with her portrayal. Cameron Monaghan, who played Asher, was the worst actor in this movie and couldn't create an engaging role on a good day.  

Into The Storm

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Into The Storm is a disaster film done right, still loaded with stereotypes, but at least it's a decent movie. I would give Into The Storm a 6.5/10.

This film had some wonderful visual effects; the danger of this storm felt very real and was incredibly convincing. I also found that I really enjoyed how this film was shot, despite my gripes on loose lost footage continuity, the film itself was shot in a great and appealing way. I also liked the fact that the plot wasn't about some hyper storm that no one predicted that would destroy the world; this storm was a large tornado set in an area plagued by tornadoes and the destruction took place in one city which was all relatively realistic.

Richard Armitage, who played Gary, was a strong leading figure in the film and played a good father figure. Sarah Wayne Callies, who played Allison, was one of the smartest characters in the film, and had a great aspect of her character in the sub plot about being separated from her child. Nathan Kress, who played Trey, showed a lot of promise as a young actor in this film; he was comedic but also very helpless which fit into his character very nicely. Jeremy Sumpter, who played Jacob, did a great job of portraying a character out of his depths and his death scene was one of the best in the film. Kyle Davis and Jon Reep, who played Donk and Reevis respectfully, were fantastic comedic relief and didn't undermine the plot of the film but rather heightened it at exactly the right moment.

It was Matt Walsh, who played Pete, that really impressed me. His arrogance and constant drive to achieve his life's work was vehement but felt real. Which made his development to saving everyone at the end of the film that much more noble a sacrifice. This was character development at it's best.

This film was apparently a 'found footage' shot movie and yet there were some blazing continuity errors and it was hard to believe that there was a constant camera presence in every scene which really pulled me out of the film. The movie itself was also still resolutely loaded with stereotype and that really bugged me that the disaster film couldn't escape the boundaries of this after so many years.

Max Deacon, who played Donnie, did a terrible job and felt like an actor from twilight because he was that stiff and wooden in his performance. Alycia Debnam-Carey, who played Kaitlyn, was confined to a stereotypical romance role and never worked to give it more depth than just that. Arlen Escarpeta, who played Daryl, had very little screen presence and I didn't realise when his character actually left the rest of the main cast. Lee Whittaker, who played Lucas, was essentially a tripod as he had no character to him at all; he was basically there so that there was an extra camera to film with.