The Big Short (2015)

Levi - The Big Short is a star studded film about the housing crash that toppled the world's economy in 2008. We were all there, we remember it! But with this movie we have the perspective of bankers and investors on wall Street. This movie is frustrating, it's like watching ‘making a murderer’ because everybody knows the truth and they're ignoring it so that they can keep their money and their jobs on wall Street, but it all blew up in their faces. It was well done, and I liked how sometimes the actors would break the fourth wall to explain something confusing that just happened. Word to the wise: Don't watch if you don't like feeling dumb, and try to catch the edited version on tbs, you'll thank me if you do! 8/10

____________

Previously watched

Allyson - 7.6/10

The Da Vinci Code (2006)

Levi - The DaVinci Code was just a silly, wacky movie. I went into this movie expecting a murder mystery that dealt exclusively with paintings, but what I found is that it's a murder mystery entrenched in religious conspiracy. I mean Leonardo DaVinci painted a lot, right? Oh yeah he was also a part of this weird off shoot of catholicism that was involved in a thousand years long secret war. Definite fact and not complete and utter bull shoot. Such farfetched ideologies cannot render more than a 5/10

Lion (2016)

Nick - The first half of this movie is really great. 2nd half was wasted on constant montages of map staring. Nonetheless I cried like a baby in the end. This movie gives us an insight into a problem in this world that we can help so get to it, watch this movie and pull out your checkbook. 8/10

Julian - It is worth seeing. I feel bad comparing it to slum dog millionaire but when you throw flashbacks in a movie about an Indian boy, who so happens to be the saaaame main character that's in slumdog, and who is looking for someone lost... How am I supposed to put it in the back of my mind?! BUT I tried really hard to not think of that and view it as what it is, a different movie. That being said, I didn't find the motivation backing the main character strong enough. Without spoiling the movie, It seemed like things just happend at random times for him that made him want to go look for what he missed so much. I do appreciate that it was based on a true story and in real life obviously this individual person WOULD actually have the desire and passion to go back home which I respect 100% but as a movie I just wasn't attached to the motives so much because it was kind of thrown at me at random areas of his life it seemed. What is weird is the ending actually made me emotional? Maybe it was because I knew it was based from a true story or maybe the movie actually did its job by making me feel for the character a little? But I overall I wasn't in love with the characters where I would want to watch this movie again and again and again. Saw it once which I'm glad I did because it was a good watch but... I think once was enough. So in conclusion, Slumdog millionaire was a better movie.
I give Lion a 6/10

Capote (2005)

Levi - Capote was about an author who would stop at nothing, and by whatever means necessary to write the story of a lifetime. Truman Capote was a sociopath in every sense of the word, and a little chilling at times, but overall Philip Seymour Hoffman delivered a solid performance definitely Worthy of an Oscar nomination. However, his voice was a little unsettling in this movie, he sounded kind of like an old southern lady. All in all it's fascinating to learn about these people of History but the means of which this man would operate isn't really my cup of tea. I found it hard to sympathize with this man or to relate to his story 6/10.

Spotlight (2015)

Levi - Spotlight showcases one of the most important stories recently reported on in my opinion, that of abuse to minors in the Catholic church. The actors in this movie were phenomenal, and the story was gripping, the 2 hours just flew by. For those who aren't of a weaker disposition, catch the edited version on tbs, because subject matter is kinda spotty in places with this one, but it may just be worth the watch, it's pretty interesting. 8/10

La La Land (2016)

Nick - I have to admit, the opening act was coequal to watching a grand flash mob. A corny mess. Which to me was an interesting choice because the movie does not play out that way going forward, in fact it decides to take itself seriously for the last half. That's where the movie shines the brightest, the conflict of each main characters struggles with themselves and projecting those struggles onto each other. Mixed in of course some fantastic song and dance. Boy are Stone and Gosling talented.. who would of thought actors could sing, dance and be beautiful? The music may seem nostalgic but I feel that's because they played the main theme what seemed to be 5x throughout the entire film, no complaints here, I enjoyed every second of it. Well except that opening..

This movie does deserve a lot of praise. All this talent and direction poured into one seamless movie is a feat that shouldn't be overlooked or misunderstood for a "cash in". It's truly a beautiful tribute to musicals and film. 9/10

Levi - La La Land is a mesmerizing tale of two individuals who have a dream, they've pursued it, and now it's their passion. Whenever their passion grows, it bubbles forth in the form of song and dance. As they meet each other, their passion is shifted, not to fame, stardom and lifestyle, but to each other, and as a result, their passion for each other grows. I watched this movie with the slow realization that the main protagonist and the main antagonist are the same people, which was very interesting, and well done. Also what I've noted is that the love story vibe they've struck in this movie was somewhat old-fashioned. The inclusion of modern things such as a cell phone was included in the scene to almost break the ‘spell’, snapping us back into the modern world. With this film I was captivated from beginning to end, I laughed, I cried, I was shocked, impressed, angry, happy, you name it, I felt it watching this movie. This is now, if not my overall favorite movie, it's in my top 3. 10/10

__________

Previously watched

Allyson 7.8/10

Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010)

Levi - Tucker and Dale vs. Evil was thrust upon me during a weekend getaway, and I was kind of glad it was. It was a cool twist on the whole slasher genre and pretty stinkin funny. Kind of a good mindless don't think about it too much movie. 7/10

__________

Previously watched

Nick - 6/10

The Thing (1982)

Alex - I've seen this 1982 sci-fi classic (edited) probably a half dozen times and it still holds up. A group of men stationed in a remote outpost in Antartica must contend with an alien that is able to take over another life form and then become it, fooling everyone around it. Most of the effects are dated and some of the lines/acting is a bit wonky, but overall this is a solid sci-fi horror film that does an excellent job keeping you on the edge of your seat. Kurt Russell and Keith David are in top form and the film's pacing is near perfect.  Oh, and the ending is awesome.  9/10

__________

Previously watched

Nick - 10/10
Levi - 10/10
Allyson - 9/10

The Broken (2008)

Alex - Lena Headey plays a woman searching for doppelgänger in this creepy and slow burning film. Lots of long tracking shots, soft yet unnerving music, and a handful of scenes that will make your skin crawl. I don't want to spoil the overall premise so I'll leave it at that. There is one scene that has a decent amount of blood so beware of that.  If you like creepy films that don't rely on shock and gore, then this is for you.   8.5/10

Timecrimes (2007)

Alex - With a title like Timecrimes, I guess I shouldn't have expected much. But I came across the film while visiting a forum where people were discussing good time travel movies and this was mentioned several times.  It's about a man who sees a woman in a nearby forest and goes to investigate. This leads him to a secluded house where he stumbles upon a time machine. The film does a decent job handling the time loop and all, but the acting is really poor and there are more than a few scenes that are cringeworthy. In the end, what could have been a pretty good time travel film just becomes an untimely mess. 2.5/10

A Street Cat Named Bob (2016)

Levi - A Street cat named Bob, a movie about second chances and not giving up. Also a movie that I left unmotivated and scratching my head, saying to myself "I don't know what I was expecting.." James, our hero, had less personality than the cat, bob, who was stellar. I thought the camera angles were lazy and unimaginative, until they tried to POV Bob, and it's like, man.. careful what you wish for, cuz that was rough. It was meh, but the cat was great! 4/10

Swiss Army Man (2016)

Nick - A movie that has an agenda and also no shame in throwing fart jokes in.. a lot, that's my kind of movie. I love a unique style. The style these two directors have is charming and brillIant with a hint of "WTH??". I've always loved Paul Dano's acting and he does not disappoint. Daniel Radcliffe really shines impersonating a corpse "weekend at bernies" style. Do not watch a trailer to this movie, go in cold and enjoy every flatulent joke they throw at you. I'll probably revisit every now and then to get a good laugh. 

9/10

Ally - Most farts ever in a movie award goes to: Swiss Army Man! Seriously, if you've been looking for a movie where farts are a huge part of the story line, this is your movie. Also, if you're looking for a dramedy that perfectly combines humor, philosophy, a look at human nature, and friendship…this is your movie. Such an unrelatable situation becomes so relatable it kind of feels wrong because it's so gross and disturbing. I'll spoil one thing for you though, the moral of the story is that you should never hide your farts from your friends. I think we can all relate to that.

8.8/10

__________

Previously watched

Levi - 9/10

Ixcanu (2015)

Levi - Ixcanul (volcano) directed by Jayro Bustamante paints a bleak picture of indigenous Guatemalan (?) Plantation workers, as we chime in on a day in the life of this little family. It's your classic "she's in an arranged marriage but doesn't love the dude" scenario, and pepe has what she's looking for, which is basically that he's leaving to the states. Some bad choices were sewn, and repercussions were reaped. This film is RAW, no soundtrack makes you feel like you're right there with them, and if you aren't a fan of watching a pig get butchered, this may not be the film for you. It was alright, pretty rough around the edges. Would I see it again? Naw. 6/10

Hitchcock/Truffaut (2015)

Nick - The problem with documentaries focused on directors is by the end, the director of the documentary will have convinced me that their subject is the best director that ever existed. There's no doubt that Alfred Hitchcock is a genius in film making, a genius in building suspense and genuine horror. This documentary helps solidify that. Although the title is "Hitchcock/Truffaut" this movie focuses mostly on the works and styles of Hitchcock. It touches on his techniques and unprecedented style of writing with a camera. With interesting input and deconstruction of Hitchcocks work discussed from directors such as Richard Linklater, Wes Anderson and Martin Scorsese, this documentary is a must watch for any film makers or film advocates who appreciate the art. 8/10

12 Angry Men (1957)

Jaiden - I've seen a few scenes of this from the 90's remake in middle school, and what I saw impressed me. For what sounds like the most boring premise; 12 (angry) men talking in a room for an hour and a half, the conversations in it were actually very intriguing. I finally got around to watching the original version, and man I must say it holds up very well. The dialogue is very thought provoking, and the conversations feel very real. They don't talk like how people did in all the old movies, *with a big dumb grin, with a pipe in their mouth, talking at a high speed only to pause at every 5th word or so.* No, these people were talking like how normal people would talk and it felt very natural and real, which made you feel like you were there, and involved in the debate. Another area which this movie shines is its writing. Only good writing can hold your attention and keep you interested for however long it wants to. And this film does just that. You can make a movie with aliens, time travel, whatever is the most interesting thing to you, but if the writing is poor, it flops. That's why again I was so impressed that they somehow made an hour and a half movie with some (12) old (angry) men in a room be so interesting. But that said, I can't say this movie is very re-watchable. I know what happens now and I get it. I can't see a time that I'd want to see it again, not anytime soon at least. And I don't expect everyone to be as absorbed as I was. If you're not into it, you're not into it. But I say at least give it a shot. I say it deserves its status as "a classic."

+88% (out of 100%)

Hidden (2015)

Nick - A great film is hidden in Hidden. Sorry, I couldn't resist. The young daughter played by Emily Alyn Lind does an outstanding job portraying the fear and panic of every situation but it unfortunately doesn't save the bad writing and lack of character development this movie has to offer. The Duffer Brothers are learning and growing with this movie, thankfully what came after it (Stranger Things) succeeded ten fold. 

4/10

Ally - The majority of this movie is a mix between frustrating and boring. Things get interesting when you're about to find out who 'the Breathers' are but the excited is stifled by awkward weird dialogue and logic. Even when all is revealed you're left extremely underwhelmed by something that should be climactic and mind-blowing. I'd say the concept of this movie had a lot of promise, the proper execution just wasn't there. Thankfully, the Duffer Brothers redeemed themselves. I'll look past this movie, for now.

3.9/10

The Beatles: Eight Days A Week - The Touring Years (2016)

Levi - The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years directed by Ron Howard shed light on a band I knew almost nothing about, other than they were really popular, then they broke up. This is a cool documentary because this is a Beatles story that doesn't dwell on the tragedies that befell them, but how they started as a group, the hardships of touring in a changing america, and about how they found themselves after they were fed up with the limelight. Lots of footage I've never seen before here, with interviews intertwined, so you'd think you were watching all four of them today recollection about the past right there in front of you. 8/10

Wait Until Dark (1967)

Jaiden - I came in expecting to see an outdated "thriller" film from 1967. First, I was so confused in the beginning that I had to go on wikipedia and read the plot to clarify what was going on. I was paying real close attention but I guess I'm just an idiot (heads up to other fellow idiots interesting in giving this a shot). My bad. The rest was fine though. Also, there might be a time when you start to wonder how this is a horror/thriller flick (there was for me), but just sit back and be patient. You'll be satisfied. And I was genuinely surprised. My heart was pounding and I jumped a couple times! Next time I won't let my guard down when viewing a horror/thriller from the 60's and earlier. The story was really clever and put together nicely. I hope you don't get your expectations high from my rating, for I suggest you go into it with the same mind set I had. And, too, this is just what I thought of it. That said, I personally give it an 87% (out of 100%). It was a nice surprise.

The Prestige (2006)

Jaiden -  I honestly don't have much to say because it simply is a great movie. I never got around to watching it until just the other day (After it being recommended to me by countless people (What's wrong with me, right?)). Well I especially loved the 'shocking' moments and stressful scenes. I felt they were executed well. I will say there were about 2 events I saw coming, but only like 10 seconds before it happened. But it's by no means predictable, the story has you constantly thinking. Like I said, It's a great movie and I say it deserves the praise it gets. I enjoyed it but it  didn't impact me very much. Usually a movie I really enjoyed lingers in my mind for a couple days, but I can't say this one has really stuck with me. Like most of the Christopher Nolan films i've seen, they're great, but I don't get overly attached to them. 
85% of 100%

__________

Previously watched  

Nick - 10/10
Levi - 10/10
Alex - 9/10
Tristan - 7/10
Phil - 7/10
Julian - 9/10

Passengers (2016)

Alex - Passengers… a classic example of Hollywood rubbish that’s put out every year.  The sci-fi fluff piece stars Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence, two actors that are easy on the eyes.  The script is poorly written and requires the audience to suspend their disbelief too many times. The film brings up an interesting moral dilemma (I won’t spoil it), but fumbles it throughout the rest of the movie to the point where the audience is forced to cheer the stars on as they handle one mishap on the spaceship after another.  By the end of the film, I was hoping the two characters would die along with the ship.  Only saving grace is Jennifer Lawrence is quite pretty in the film.  3/10

Nick - After reading Alex's review and hearing multiple negative comments about this movie, I went in with lowest expectations possible. In fact I was excited to make fun of this movie with friends. Then the unexpected occurred.. I started to enjoy this movie. Then I started to really enjoy the movie. Then I started to not enjoy it. The very end is left to be desired but it opens up solid and I was thoroughly invested in Chris Pratts character and I was surprising myself about how much I wanted to see what was to happen next. The movie entertained me, I was entertained. J.law was beautiful and that's always a plus. 7/10

Ally - I love me some space sci-fi movies. I love the immensity of space, the amount of time it takes to travel through space, the idea of cryo-sleep and waking up in a completely different time. This movie has the makings of something I would love, but it has also been done several times. Still, I wanted to see it despite the negative reviews. The first 2/3rds of this movie are really interesting and entertaining to me. I loved the set design and the chemistry between the main characters. The last third and especially the very end were very meh. It was a classic convenient, everything works out just right somehow, happy ending. Predictable but not very interesting. I'd watch this move again though, just cuz. 6.7/10

Phil - "What?", "What?", "I hate being lonely", "Do you trust me?", "You're a robot, you don't have feelings." If you find these kinds of lines exciting, Passengers will repeatedly thrill and delight you. 

It also has you covered if you love excruciating paragraphs of sci-fi exposition delivered as dialogue. 

Some of the lines in Passengers actually made me wince and look over at more interesting walls in the theater. Thankfully the movie avoids tragedy by also making the story stupid: "We can freeze and dethaw people for space travel. We didn't bring freezers though, only dethawers because dethawers are failproof. Did I mention we also brought replacement parts for everything? It's just a precaution in case anything fails... except the dethawers, did I mention they were failproof? WHAAT? ONE OF THEM FAIILLEED???!!" This and so many other dumb and poorly thought out contrivances just scream "This is my first movie!" The score happily keeps with this tone by constantly fumbling and tripping over it's own laces with awkward rises and falls and painfully naive attempts at electronic music. Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence do their best to salvage their roles in spite of a movie that is firing on exactly 0 cylinders, and surprisingly they 

sometimes succeed. But by momentarily relieving the pain of watching Passengers with glimpses of the breathtaking movie it could have been, it only hurts that much more to have to sink back into the muck. This is a movie and it's better than Birdemic. 3 / 10 

The Monster (2016)

Alex - I can appreciate when a director tries to put a unique spin on a tired genre. For instance, take The Monster. The premise is simple: a mother drives her 12 year old daughter, with whom she has a strained relationship, to stay with her father and his new wife for a few weeks. As the film slowly makes its way to the predictable spot in the road where their car will break down and some mysterious monster will stalk them (because apparently cars only break down at night and in the rain, and monsters only stalk their prey at night and in the rain), we are treated to flashbacks to show how poor the mother's parenting skills are. It works the first couple of times; but after that third/fourth/fifth flashback, I'm like "I get it!  She sucks at being a mom!"  The rest of the film is filled with the same tired tropes and cliches we've all seen. As the film closes, I asked myself, "What's the point?"  3/10

The Shallows (2016)

Alex - When I saw the trailer for The Shallows, my first thought was "How are they going to make an entire film based on this premise!?"  Now that I've seen the film, I know the answer: YOU CAN'T. Blake Lively plays a surfer who decides to visit a beach in Mexico where her mom used to surf. She decides to go there and surf that area for the first time, and is attacked by a shark. Each scene becomes more preposterous than the last. Example: at one point while being chased by the shark, Blake's character tries to hide within a school of jellyfish... CG JELLYFISH!  For some reason the shark takes everything personal and makes the killing of Blake Lively his sole mission in life. But I must admit: after watching Blake's horrid performance, I felt I could empathize with the shark.  1.5/10

Titanic (1997)

Julian - Some people would call this a guilty pleasure, but not me! I'm not guilty one bit! Love this movie. And No, it's not because of the boobies scene. A poor boy that has an old fashion 'love at first site' towards a girl who is dealing with her own insecurities and that's why they are perfect for each other... makes me feel good inside. I also enjoyed it because an old lady is telling me the story. It brings a warm tone to the film like in the movies sandlot, stand by me and princess bride.
The first Half the movie is romance and the second half is them proving their love for each other by trying to survive a sinking ship (spoiler alert if you haven't seen the movie or lived on the planet earth, the ship, Titanic, sinks) overall this is a complete solid story I usually always come back to watch every time I get sick and go on a movie binge. Hope I feel better soon!
As a love movie I give it a 9/10 icebergs.

__________

Previously watched 

Nick - 7/10
Jaiden 7/10
Phil - 6/10
Levi - 10/10
Alex 2/10

Somewhere (2010)

Ally - I'm a fan of simple movies and movies with hardly any plot. I also just really like Sofia Coppola's style. However, this movie didn't really impress me as much as I'd hoped. I found myself pretty bored and lethargic through most of it, basically mimicking the characters themselves. Maybe that's what was supposed to happen. This film was mostly shots of boredom, laziness, a middle aged man living an empty life, with a lot of shots of contemplation/depression. That in itself isn't necessarily bad, but I didn't get very much substance from it until the end. The most interesting part to me was the moments where the main characters friend (played by Chris Pontius) was interacting with his daughter (Elle Fanning). There was something about how they joked around that I liked watching. Overall, I wouldn't say this movie was a must see. But if you want to feel kinda melancholy about everything for 1h 37m, give it a shot!

6.8/10

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Following (1998)

Nick - Feels like a noir college film and plays as a smart mystery. If this were my first Christopher Nolan experience I would be looking forward to each and every film he produced. Currently envious of those who actually got to follow him from the beginning and watch him grow into what he is today (excluding The Dar Knight Rises). This movie reminded me what a genius Christopher is and how excited I am for Dunkirk. 7.5/10

Tristan - Christopher Nolan's debut film. A one hour and ten minute crime mystery shot in black and white on about a $5,000 budget. I really enjoyed it. Intention or not he foreshadowing to things to come from Nolan was fun to pick out while watching this. 


Ally - I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It was a little bit of a build up but by the time you realize what's going on, you're sucked in trying to piece together the puzzle. I thought it was smartly written and an interesting story. I don't know much about directing "styles" so I can't really comment on how this compares to or foreshadows the rest of Nolan's career, but I can say that I thought it was a fantastic achievement on such a small budget and for a film debut I'm sure it showed a lot of promise at the time for his career. I don't know…it was good.

8/10

Don't Breathe (2016)

Nick - I would only recommend this movie if watched edited on TV.. but boy does this movie deliver. The turns in this movie were uncalled each time and there was never a "What are you doing, get outta there!" moment. One of the smartest, scariest thrillers i've seen in awhile. Makes 10 Cloverfield Lane's suspense seem like a scary episode of a Nickelodeon show. 9.5/10

#11 of 260

Ally - This movie is gooooood, but do not watch it if you don't like intensity from beginning to end. Seriously, there's no part of this movie where you feel relaxed and good about what's happening. That being said, this movie is just all around well made and written. The idea of a blind antagonist is interesting and it didn't disappoint. I don't want to get too spoilery so I'll just sum it up by saying it's one of the best horror movies I've seen. It's…pretty horrifying at parts, and all together a satisfyingly intense experience.

8/10

#9 of 260

Short Term 12 (2013)

Nick - Watched this for the first time this morning. I don't know why I love depressing movies, I should really try to examine that side of me. Anyway, I love this movie. Currently holding position in my "all time favorite" slot. I'd go into why I love it but i'd rather you watch it so we can just talk about it together. Maybe even cry. 10/10


#12 of 260

Levi - Short Term 12 made me feel kind of old, because everyone who worked at 'short term 12' was like mid 20's taking care of underprivileged kids and here I am almost 30. I kept putting myself in their position and I knew right from the get-go that I wouldn't be able to hang with them. There were powerful scenes of struggle and tribulations, but also of friendship and compassion, the latter of which is what really got me. The revealing of character didn't seem pushed or rushed, but very natural, which was refreshing, you didn't expect to learn more about a character, but then you would. Drinking wine while watching this movie and with a cat in my lap, I feel like a single mid 40's mom, and I'm loving every minute of it. 9/10

#11 of 260

Nukie (1987)

Levi - Sometimes in life you know you're about to watch a bad movie, but it surpasses your lowest expectations, and makes you look back on the last hour and a half of your life and you wonder where it all went wrong. I started watching this movie for a few chuckles, I finished watching it so that nobody else would make this same grave mistake that I just made. Nukie, starring Glynis Johns rides on the wave of popularity that movies such as E.T. and Mac and Me started, and smashed it into the ground. An alien, Nukie in Africa, is looking for his brother, Miko, in America. There's a snappy AI, talking monkeys, and zero emotion or motivation behind anybody acting in this movie. This movie is abhorrent. For the love of all that's good and holy, don't watch this movie. However, a movie like this will instill hope in someone like me, because it makes me feel like I can write something better. I can't, but now there's hope, thanks to Nukie. 1/10

#10 of 260

To Catch a Thief (1955)

Levi - To Catch a Thief featuring Cary Grant, a Hitchcock directed film in which a renowned and retired jewel thief must track down a copycat for the sake of himself not being arrested himself (again) is a movie that throws you into his life in France. At first, you feel excluded because everyone is speaking French, and there's no subtitles, the backdrops are gorgeous French landscapes but everything seems so distant that i couldn't help but feel small while watching this movie. Once it got going though the story picked up and dialogue started pouring, I found myself laughing a few times, I was captivated by the storyline, and intrigued by the Characters. Cary Grant broke character for one second in one scene and it was great! I thought to myself, "There's that lil' heart throb!" This is a classic, but not necessarily a must see. 5/10

#9 of 260

Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World (2016)

Nick - Werner Herzog is so bleak and dry that it's off putting at first and then you start to get it, and then you start to like it. This documentary explores the genesis of the internet, where it went, where it's at and what our internet future beholds. It's not fear mongering but instead very informal of what man has created. I wouldn't put this up there with Grizzly Man but it was definitely interesting pieces of information. That said, there's not too much to grasp in this documentary. Much of this is information that can be sorted through and examined on.. you guessed it, the internet.  5/10

#10 of 260

Levi - Lo and Behold reminds me of that ride 'Spaceship Earth' at Epcot in Disney World, it's a progression of communication achieved by humans, but of an extension building on that of the internet. Through a series of awkward questions presented by Werner Herzog , we glide through the origins of the Internet, the follies and woes the Internet can bestow on an individual, to what the future may hold for humanity in terms of what the Internet can offer. Basically what I got is that the Internet could be this great thing, but it was created without protocols and whatnot, so it's kind of this terrible place that has potential to do awesome things but we aren't quite there yet. Lots of People are also obsessed about going to Mars, instead of improving life here, so there's that too. If you can get past all the Crackpot theorists and focus on the educational aspect of the film, it's not too bad! 6/10

#8 of 260

Midnight Special (2016)

Nick - This movie opens up cold and it stays cold throughout. If you're interested in exposition you'll be slightly disappointed. Subtly is an art form and when done correctly it can spark many thoughts and raise questions that you'll be dying to answer. Although this movie is filled with subtly the story is wrapped up in a nice tight bow that you can look at and think, "That's nice." I'm very back and forth with this movie. The sci-fi elements frustrated me, the rules are translucent and when you think you figured something out they introduce a new factor. But what the director did a great job in handling was the tension. On the edge of my seat for a lot of scenes. Can't say I loved it, can say I liked it. 7/10


Ally - This movie seemed like it was going to be really interesting, but it never really got there for me. Things kept happening that were cool and seemed like they were going to lead somewhere exciting but they never really did. By the end I had the same understanding of what was going on as I did when the movie started. I had high hopes for it and as a whole it was unfortunately pretty boring to me. 4.8/10

__________

Previously watched

Alex - 6/10

Colonia (2015)

Ally - My favorite part of this movie was the villain, and what made him even more evil is that he was a real person. The story is based on true events, a colony in the middle of nowhere in Chile during the Cold War started by a Nazi that had extreme control over all of his followers. He was also working with the government so he had a lot of political power as well. This place basically doubled as an interrogation/torture station for government prisoners. The story follows two people trying to escape, and all of that seems interesting enough to me. I thought the inclusion of a romance between fictional characters in a non-fiction setting was pointless and took away from the overall message of the movie. Also there was some useless exposition. I still think it was worth a watch on Netflix though, for the intense bits and a glimpse into a creepy and dark part of Chilean history. 5.5/10

#6 of 260

Chaplin (1992)

Levi - Chaplin starring Robert Downey Jr. Was a pretty good movie. I'm fascinated about the start of movies, silent films, slapstick comedy, political satire of old, the introduction of 'talkies' that stifled Charlie Chaplin's career, so this was right down my alley. This movie dragged on a bit, so getting through it was a bit of a chore, but it was nice in the end, getting to know the history, and filling in some blanks between 'Hugo' and 'Trumbo'. For film buffs it may be an interesting watch, but to others, it may be a bit daft. 6/10

#7 of 260

Steel (1997)

Levi - Steel featuring Shaq was hard to watch. I kept tapping the screen to see how much time was left. If you like cheeseball hero movies, then this is your movie, but the dialogue was weak, the acting was rough, and Shaq and sparky had a secret handshake that involved the touching of their index finger tips together, which was unsettling. You had everything a superhero movie should have, witty one liners from the hero, a paraplegic sidekick with an over-the-top gadget crazy wheelchair, and a nemesis who's willing to do (or kill) whatever it takes to get to the top. Shaq had a dream, people. An acting dream. And it turned into a nightmare, for all of us. That is all. "3 3/4" /10

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They Look Like People (2015)

Tristan - The almost unbearably awkward dialogue and interactions play well into the films uneasy tone. A psychological thriller that is also one of the best representations of real friendship I've seen in a while.

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The Fundamentals of Caring (2016)

Tristan - The morbid sense of humor through out the film provided a chuckle or two. The story is mostly driven by blatant jabs at your feelings with poorly pieced together emotional clichés. I felt it was predictable and formulaic. But that's not to say that I did feel exactly what the director wanted me to fee at moments. If you're in the mood for simple a feel good movie with some dark humor this Netflix original may be something to look into.

#1 of 260

Maggie (2015)

Alex - If I told you Maggie was a story about a father's love for his daughter, filmed in an intimate way, set against the background of a society ravaged by a "zombie-like" virus, and starring Arnold Schwarznegger as just a regular guy, you might think this was a winning combination.  Sadly, it was not. Arnold S plays a father who wants to save his daughter (who has been bitten and will slowly "turn"), and while he does a decent job playing an understated role, the film never goes anywhere.  The film tries to make an emotional connection with the audience, but personally, I didn't care about any of the characters.  Bad dialogue leads to crappy acting, and the film ultimately leaves so much wasted potential on the table.  2/10

#3 of 260

Newsies (1992)

Levi - Newsies really hit me where I live, an underdog story, David and Goliath, adolescent Christian Bale, fighting for his rights. It was actually pretty inspiring, motivating, and I completely forgot this was a musical. Think of it as the lost boys from Peter Pan thrust into a West side Story type scenario except the rival gangs are working classes. Also it didn't paint pulitzer in a very favorable picture. As a magazine vendor myself, I had an instant connection with this movie. 10/10

#5 of 260

The Fits (2015)

Nick - Very beautifully shot and the subtlety in this movie has you searching for answers you want to know. Touching on the plight of fitting in with peers brings back memories of my childhood and this past week with co-workers. The runtime is low and I wouldn't mind seeing more between the main character and her brother but maybe it's best to keep it short and sweet. Also the score is so catchy. Give it a watch and catch that score. 8/10

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Ally - I feel like art films with hardly any dialogue can either go really well or be really boring. This one went really well. You can see exactly what the main character is thinking and feeling throughout. Every shot was meaningful and beautiful. The score perfectly accented the film and evoked all the right emotions and thoughts. This movie keeps you guessing. The relationships are interesting. It addresses peer pressure, friendship, gender expectations, basically all of the awkward middle school age issues in a relatable and beautiful way. Thumbs up. 8.7/10

#5 of 260

Boyhood (2014)

Levi - Boyhood was interesting. A movie about life and how nobody knows what the crap is going on. You kinda feel this way when you watch it, like "where are they going with this?" Type of moments. The dialogue and acting was great, it was like pushing play on a home movie, watching life unfold, it was cool, but now I kind of miss my mom, and I feel like life is fleeting now. 8/10

__________

Previously watched

Nick - 5/10

Babies (2010)

Gabe - I came upstairs and my wife and daughter were watching babies. This movie follows the first year of life of one baby from Namibia, Japan, Mongolia, and San Francisco. Watching the babies from Namibia and Mongolia drink from small streams of water, chew on bones they find on the ground, lick dog's mouths, and not flinch when rushed by a herd of cows, was awesome. In contrast, the new age yuppie San Fran parents lint rolling their babies onesie with the baby in it seemed weird. If you are going to have a baby, or have a baby, 10/10 just watch this. If you aren't a breeder this is going to be more of a 7/10 for ya.  Also, my wife said I missed the nursing part of the movie, and that's amazing because there is so much saggy milkboob in what I saw. Mostly from Namibia. What was weird was, at birth they give the little baby boy a loincloth, but a gurl can't get some support?? For real though if you don't care at all about babies, but are thinking about burning your bra, but aren't sure of the physical consequences, this movie is 10/10

#2 of 260

Stand By Me (1986)

Levi - Stand by me was really good. I liked how the focus wasn't on the characters relationships with each other, but rather on the difficulties each one had in their lives. I was on the edge of my seat a few times, genuinely, and the climax of them seeing the dead body was rewarding, although short. This is one of those movies where you could watch it again and again and find new cool things out about the characters. 9/10

__________

Previously watched

Nick - 8/10
Julian - 8.5/10

Morgan (2016)

Alex - Until humankind is able to create an independently thinking AI, I suppose we will continue to get films about brilliant yet clueless scientists creating artificial intelligence in the form of a person, which then runs amok and everyone is left wondering, "Where did we go wrong?"  Morgan is one such film.  Directed by Ridley Scott's son Luke Scott, the film centers on a corporate risk management specialist who must assess the progress of a bunch of secluded scientists as they secretly work on creating artificial life.  As you've already guessed, things don't go well and nearly everyone but the risk management specialist (played well by Mara Rooney) knew it was coming.  I really liked Mara's performance, and Luke Scott's eye for framing a shot and capturing beauty is spot on.  But the script was poor, the action scenes are clumsily filmed and in the end, you're left wondering: Why did anyone think this story needed to be told.  5/10

#2 of 260

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016)

Nick - The story is very predictable, in fact it's a lot like the movies Julian and I made. But one thing it does better in is the jokes. The Lonely Island knows how to find my funny bone and repeatedly bash it. The "TMZ" parody had me in tears the first time I watched this and it still had me rolling the second time around. 7/10

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Ally - The Lonely Island never disappoints, and I don't even like music parodies normally. This is honestly one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time. It helps that I also really love the subject matter of really young prideful superstars with extremely overexposed lives. For a fictional story with insane over the top characters, the ending is surprisingly emotional. I found myself almost feeling nostalgic along with everyone inside the movie. 7.8/10

#4 of 260

Storks (2016)

Gabe - Saw the last 3/4 of the movie. My wife came in to check on me because I was laughing so hard. Thought it was because I was going on 3 hours sleep....but naw man that movie is funny even if everyone including me forgot it existed. 90% of my tomatoes.

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