The Pelican Brief

Movie Name: The Pelican Brief
Year of Release: 1993

Director: Alan J. Pakula

Stars: Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington, Sam Shepard, John Heard, Tony Goldwyn, James Sikking, William Atherton, Robert Culp, Cynthia Nixon, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Anthony Heald, Nicholas Woodeson, Hume Cronyn, Stanley Anderson
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:

Late director Alan J. Pakula started his directorial career in the 1970s, when he directed a series of acclaimed films such as "Klute", "The Parallax View" and "All the President's Men". "The Pelican Brief" came out after his hit with "Presumed Innocent" and was an adaptation of another successful John Grisham book. The story follows a young law student, by the name of Darby Shaw, who writes a theoretical brief about who killed a few well known Federal Judges. This brief somehow finds itself in the hands of the FBI and also with other groups who desperately want to silence the source of its creation. In order to keep evading her pursuers, Darby contacts Gray Grantham, a reporter who may have some information on this case also from a different source. It's up to them to figure out how to remain alive and get the information to the public (this conspiracy involves many different parties, including the President).
The early 90s featured quite a diverse number of John Grisham book adaptations (all initially quite successful): besides "The Pelican Brief", there were Sydney Pollack's "The Firm" and Joel Schumacher's "The Client" and "A Time to Kill". "The Pelican Brief" featured a female central character, but the overall structure of the film was similar to other adaptations of Grisham's work: a young idealistic attorney (or law student), had to fight to expose a criminal conspiracy, while remaining truthful to his values and protect his loved ones. Alan J. Pakula managed to create an involving and suspenseful film, polished in its execution, allowing for the actors to create characters that though somewhat limited in scope, were nonetheless enticing to maintain the dynamics of the narrative (the archetypes are all there, namely the older lover, the faceless killer, the young idealistic and beautiful law student, etc). It's a film that though not surprising, it's effectively entertaining and well acted. Worth watching.

Interstellar

Movie Name: Interstellar
Year of Release: 2014

Director: Christopher Nolan

Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, Wes Bentley, Matt Damon, Ellen Burstyn, Mackenzie Foy, John Lithgow, Casey Affleck, David Oyelowo, Bill Irwin, Michael Caine, David Gyasi, William Devane, Topher Grace, Brooke Smith
Genre: Adventure, Sci-Fi

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:

Director Christopher Nolan is back with another epic story, that though flawed, reveals his ambition and his strength in mastering concepts that are simultaneously original, didactic and entertaining. "Interstellar" follows the story of the Cooper family, in particular the parent figure and the younger daughter. This family lives in a large farm, focused mostly on growing corn - we learn the planet Earth is slowly dying and the food is wasting away. Cooper (father) and his daughter Murphy, find what remains of NASA, which are attempting to launch an exploratory mission close to Saturn in order to find other planets able to contain human life (and therefore prevent the extinction of the human race). Cooper, who used to be a space pilot for NASA, decides to lead the mission, leaving behind his heartbroken daughter (and his son and father in law). This mission leads Cooper and his team through a black-hole, and his exploration will force them to lose decades of events on Earth due to the time relativity. It's up to them and the team left on Earth to try to save what is left of Humanity.
Christopher Nolan (and his brother Jonathan), have become well known as the creators of stories that are densely layered (as can be seen by "Inception" and "The Dark Knight" trilogy), and sometimes not overtly emotional. "Interstellar" tries to compensate that, by placing at its core the relationship of a father and his daughter, and how the bonds of love transcend everything. The film is ingenious in the depiction of the complexities of time and science - which also ends up being its downfall. For all the intelligence this story has (and it does have it in spades), it also takes itself far too seriously, bordering on overly didactic (and this isn't a documentary and the claims to be factually and scientifically correct shouldn't even come into discussion). Where Christopher Nolan soars is in fact in the way his stories always loop around themselves, and how his set pieces (action and otherwise) are always staged. The film allows for limited range from the ensemble of actors cast: the strongest performances end up being Matthew McConaughey and Jessica Chastain (who are the ones who have something more to play, than just a limited archetype). The soundtrack from Hans Zimmer is at points overbearing and uneven, but the cinematography from Hoyte Van Hoytema is simply stunning. This film doesn't reach the heights of Stanley Kubrick's "2001", but it is entertaining, challenging and visually stunning. Worth watching.

The Fugitive

Movie Name: The Fugitive
Year of Release: 1993

Director: Andrew Davis

Stars: Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones, Joe Pantoliano, Sela Ward, Julianne Moore, Jeroen Krabbe, Daniel Roebuck, Andreas Katsulas, L. Scott Caldwell, Tom Wood, Ron Dean, David Darlow, Nick Searcy
Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:

Director Andrew Davis started his career as a cinematographer, transitioning in the 80s to the directorial chair. By the time he directed "The Fugitive" in 1993, he had already had some success with "The Package" and "Under Siege". "The Fugitive" is an adaptation of the successful TV show from the 60s, which follows the story of Dr. Richard Kimble (the show was created by Roy Huggins). Kimble is a successful and renowned surgeon, who gets framed for the death of his wife, though he battled the actual killer the night of that deadly and lethal attack. While on transit to go to prison, he's involved in a huge traffic accident, which allows him to escape and follow the lead of his wife's killer. Hot on his trail is U.S. Marshall Samuel Gerard and his team, who stop at nothing to get their prey.
When "The Fugitive" premiered in 1993 it was a huge success - the film featured perennial favorite Harrison Ford portraying yet another character suited for him, and had just the right amount of action set pieces and suspense to create an indelible experience. Andrew Davis working with a screenplay from Jeb Stuart and David Twohy (the latter one responsible for the screenplay of such films as Kevin Reynolds' "Waterworld", Ridley Scott's "GI Jane" and his own series "Pitch Black/Chronicles of Riddick"), created an eventful film which allows the suspense to slowly develop. It's a film that anchors it's thrilling component in the race to find the guilty party, since from the inception of the story, that is exposed clearly. It also allows the actors to play with their characters, while not deviating much from their established personas (the one who manages to create a character that is not uni-dimensional is Tommy Lee Jones). "The Fugitive" is an example of a well crafted and entertaining film.

Schindler's List

Movie Name: Schindler's List
Year of Release: 1993

Director: Steven Spielberg

Stars: Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Caroline Goodall, Jonathan Sagall, Embeth Davidtz, Mark Ivanir, Malgorzata Gebel
Genre: Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 10

Synopsis:

After the huge success of "Jurassic Park", director Steven Spielberg premiered another film in 1993, one that has become a modern classic, "Schindler's List", which enabled him a triumphant win at the Academy Awards (the film won 7 Oscars, including Best Picture and Director). The film follows the story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman and a member of the Nazi party, who after witnessing the plight and death of Jewish people in Auschwitz (in the concentration camps), manages to quietly save a growing number of them through his factory (by employing them as essential workers).
"Schindler's List" is based on the book by Thomas Keneally and focuses on a particular story during the Holocaust. The screenplay by Steven Zaillian, manages to simultaneously depict the suffering of millions, but simultaneously focus on the story of some of the individuals that were saved by Schindler. It also gives Schindler a human face, depicting him as a flawed individual, one with a conscience and a sense of guilt and despair (and a womanizer). Steven Spielberg creates with this film a visual poem, one that has heart, but also intelligence and restraint (the director doesn't fall prey of his need to over dramatize). Aesthetically the film is stunning, benefiting from the cinematography from Janusz Kaminski (the usual collaborator of the director). The inspiration from the work of Polish director Andrzej Wajda is felt, but the language of Spielberg is his own, and that comes across in every frame of this beautiful film. The performances from Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley and Ralph Fiennes are indelible (particularly Fiennes' who truly deserved an Academy Award for his phenomenal work). A stunning film!

Nightcrawler

Movie Name: Nightcrawler
Year of Release: 2014

Director: Dan Gilroy

Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Bill Paxton, Anne Cusack, Riz Ahmed, Kevin Rahm, Michael Hyatt, Marco Rodriguez
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:

Dan Gilroy's directorial debut with "Nightcrawler", follows a very diverse career as a screenwriter, which has seen him tackle projects as Tarsem Singh's "The Fall", Shawn Levy's "Real Steel" and Tony Gilroy's "The Bourne Legacy". The story follows Lou Bloom, an eloquent young man, who lives in Los Angeles, and who makes a living through whatever process he can (that includes theft). When Lou realizes that there's money to be made by selling footage of crimes that is captured in real time, he slowly but steadily starts risking more and more to satiate his ambition. He stops at nothing, staging situations, and not revealing murder suspects (that he has shot with his camera), in a clear bid to keep selling his footage and accomplish his goals.
Dan Gilroy's "Nightcrawler" is a chilling view of the type of television programs that are presented to audiences, and the lack of scruples that dominates this type of business. Much like Sydney Lumet's "Network", it focuses its attention on the quest of television channels/networks, for ratings and audiences, and the type of footage and stories they will run to satiate that need. This blood lust, is equally found by the character personified by Jake Gyllenhaal, a young man who stops at nothing to achieve his goals, including robbery and even murder. His lack of scruples and his drive, is matched by the character portrayed by Rene Russo, the ambitious head of the television channel who enables his behavior. The film is a parable for our current times, where the ends justify any means that people employ to pursue their ambitions. Both actors are fantastic in their roles, particularly Gyllenhaal who embodies the physicality of a hungry predator and simultaneously the verbose quality of an arrogant young wannabe professional. The film also boasts the beautiful cinematography from Robert Elswit and a great soundtrack from James Newton Howard. A great film worth watching.

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Movie Name: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Year of Release: 2014

Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Stars:Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts, Andrea Riseborough, Zach Galifianakis, Amy Ryan, Lindsay Duncan, Merritt Wever, Jeremy Shamos
Genre: Drama/Comedy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 9

Synopsis:

Following the fantastic and underrated "Biutiful", director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu is back with a film that is a complete change of tone from his previous directorial efforts. "Birdman" follows the story of Riggan Thompson, a once well known Hollywood actor, who is planning a comeback, through the direction and staging of a play on Broadway. The play is going through previews, and these have been met with quite a few challenges. Riggan is at odds with his daughter who's also his assistant (and recently out of rehab), he's been romantically involved with one of his co-stars (who may be pregnant), and a recently joined cast member is an arrogant and ego-centric diva (but very talented). On top of all this Riggan is battling self-doubt, and the voice of his former alter-ego, "Birdman", who is urging him to quit all and go back to Hollywood and to the franchise that made him such a hot commodity 20 years ago.
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu has made a career of tackling multiple story points, with characters whose lives and dramatic choices, make all of them somehow connected with each other. This has been the case of "Amores Perros", "21 Grams" and "Babel". However "Birdman" is a change of tone for his work - the film walks two parallel paths: on one hand is a satire towards Hollywood, and how there's a need to dumb down every film that is released, till the vestige of art is completely removed from the concept of film in general, and on the other hand, it's a quest for a man, and an artist, to find his true self, to find his inner voice and regain his dignity. The film beautifully achieves this thanks to a remarkable screenplay, direction, cinematography (from Emmanuel Lubezki), and cast that truly shines and elevates this material. Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Emma Stone and Naomi Watts are remarkable, and the percussion that serves as soundtrack, truly gives the film the quality of a raw nerve that is has for most of its running time. A truly remarkable film worth watching!

What's Eating Gilbert Grape

Movie Name: What's Eating Gilbert Grape
Year of Release: 1993

Director: Lasse Hallstrom

Stars: Johnny Depp, Juliette Lewis, Mary Steenurgen, Leonardo DiCaprio, Darlene Cates, Laura Harrington, Mark Kate Schellhardt, Kevin Tighe, John C. Reilly, Crispin Glover, Penelope Branning, Tim Green
Genre: Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:

When "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" came out in 1993, Swedish director Lasse Hallstrom had made a name for himself primarily with his Oscar nominated feature "My Life as a Dog" (and to a lesser extent with the poorly received "Once Around"). The film, an adaptation of Peter Hedges' novel, follows the story of young Gilbert, who's the main provider for his family, which includes his larger than life mother Bonnie, and his siblings, amongst whom is Arnie, a sweet disabled young man. When the beautiful and free spirited Becky and her grandmother go through the small town, their presence and the relationship that ensues between Gilbert and Becky, forces him to question himself, what he wants and how he sees his life.
Lasse Hallstrom has always been at his best when he captures the anguish of young protagonists who want to break free from the constraints they suffer (as can be seen in his later films, such as "The Cider House Rules"). "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" successfully captures the mood and environment of living in a small town, where the opportunities to grow and experience life are limited, something that the central character realizes. Gilbert is a young man who longs for more, but knows his family life prevents him from truly experiencing more from life - the presence of Becky is a catalyst for everything he's always wanted. Lasse Hallstrom successfully captures these fantastic performances: Johnny Depp as the sweet Gilbert, Juliette Lewis as the radiant Becky and particularly Leonardo Di Caprio as Arnie, who is truly phenomenal in his composition of the disabled and ingenious character. The cinematography from Sven Nykvist is equally stunning. A beautiful film worth watching!

John Wick

Movie Name: John Wick
Year of Release: 2014

Director: David Leitch, Chad Stahelski

Stars: Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Willem Dafoe, Dean Winters, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan, John Leguizamo, Ian McShane, Toby Leonard Moore, Daniel Bernhardt, Lance Reddick, Keith Jardine
Genre: Action/Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:

Directors David Leitch and Chad Stahelski's debut feature "John Wick" is a polished revenge tinted film, that is equally a nicely executed and stylized B movie. The film follows a retired assassin, John Wick, currently grieving the death of his wife. John gets a final gift from her, a small puppy to keep him company. This grief and heartache is abruptly interrupted when John is brutally attacked at his house, and his car is stolen and his dog killed. The criminals who attacked him are actually connected to one of John's previous employers, but nothing stops him on his quest to terminate the people who took away his last change to grieve.
David Leitch and Chad Stahelski both have built a career as stunt coordinators, and that is something that can be seen in the way the film is fluidly staged. The minimal plot allows for the film to flow easily between set pieces, and quickly establishes the characters motivations. There's not much depth to any of these characters, but the film aims to create an action momentum that is non stop (without getting too cartoon like, much like Michael Davis' "Shoot 'Em Up"). Keanu Reeves is well cast as a lethal assassin with a bruised heart, something his saddened eyes quickly expose, however there's also a steely resolution and menace behind his seemingly serene looks. From the supporting cast, the highlights are the always reliable Willem Dafoe and the charismatic Ian McShane. An entertaining film worth watching.

Groundhog Day

Movie Name: Groundhog Day
Year of Release: 1993

Director: Harold Ramis

Stars: Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott, Stephen Tobolowsky, Brian Doyle-Murray, Marissa Geraghty, Angela Paton, Rick Overton
Genre: Comedy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:

Harold Ramis' "Groundhog Day" came out in 1993, after his previous directorial effort "Club Paradise" and featured Bill Murray who was coming out from "Quick Change" and "What About Bob?". The film focuses on the story of Phil Connors, a weatherman for a local Pittsburgh channel, who goes to a small town in Pennsylvania to cover the annual Groundhog Day event, and who suddenly sees himself re-living the same day repeatedly. Phil initially indulges in all sorts of behaviors, but slowly his unhappiness grows and his attempts to get out of that scenario grow exponentially bizarre.
"Groundhog Day" benefits from the fantastic original story of Danny Rubin, and director Harold Ramis, who had successfully worked on classic comedies such as "Ghostbusters" and "Caddyshack" (to name but a few), manages to elevate the material to scenarios that are truly memorable. The film also benefits from a fantastic performance from Bill Murray, who gives the film an edge and a heart that makes the transition of the central character truly touching and simultaneously hilarious. The supporting cast are equally good, from the underrated Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott and Stephen Tobolowsky. This is a comedy that is intelligent, anchored in a truly unique idea and perfectly executed by a director with a great comic timing. A wonderful comedy always worth watching.

The Age of Innocence

Movie Name: The Age of Innocence
Year of Release: 1993

Director: Martin Scorsese

Stars: Daniel Day Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder, Richard E. Grant, Stuart Wilson, Geraldine Chaplin, Miriam Margolyes, Michael Gough, Joanne Woodward, Robert Sean Leonard, Jonathan Pryce, Sian Phillips, Alec McCowen, Mary Beth Hurt
Genre: Drama, Romance

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 9

Synopsis:

Director Martin Scorsese's "The Age of Innocence" came out in 1993, following his fantastic remake of "Cape Fear". The film is an adaptation of Edith Warton's novel, and follows the story of an amorous triangle in New York society at the peak of the nineteenth century. Newland Archer is a successful young attorney from good families, who proposes to the young and beautiful May Welland, a union that is socially approved by the high society of New York. This seemingly beatific union is thrown into disarray with the arrival of Countess Olenska, May's cousin, a woman who comes surrounded by scandal, and someone who charms Newland. This intersection of desires throws into disarray this carefully structured world of propriety.
Martin Scorsese is a phenomenal director, one who has always focused attention in anti-heroes that are thrown into the middle of situations that force them to question themselves, their faith, and all that they are familiar with. Though some of the classics that have made him famous, such as "Taxi Driver", "Raging Bull", "Goodfellas", "The Departed"or even "The Wolf of Wall Street", are films that are contemporary, gritty and where the geographical tissue of New York (and Boston also) plays an important side to the events affecting the characters. "The Age of Innocence" though being a period piece, depicts with precision (and stunning beauty), the complexities of living within that society, the risks of being ostracized, and how being different can be punishing and castrating. The film is beautifully shot by Michael Ballhaus and edited by the talented Thelma Schoonmaker and features great performances from Michelle Pfeiffer, Daniel Day Lewis and Winona Ryder. A beautiful film worth watching.

The Book of Life

Movie Name: The Book of Life
Year of Release: 2014

Director: Jorge R. Gutierrez

Stars: Diego Luna, Zoe Saldana, Channing Tatum, Ron Perlman, Christina Applegate, Kate Del Castillo, Hector Elizondo, Danny Trejo, Carlos Alazraqui, Ana de la Reguera, Placido Domingo
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Romance

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:

"The Book of Life" is director Jorge R. Gutierrez's first full length feature, after a career as a character designer, and it comes with the association of acclaimed director Guillermo Del Toro, who acts as a producer on this feature. The film follows the story of Manolo, Maria and Joaquin, three young friends, who grow up in the same small town, and whose family heritage forces them to pursue different paths as they grow up. When they reunite, all grown up, Manolo and Joaquin are both enamored of Maria, who is more inclined to be united with Manolo. However the interference of otherworldly forces may change their fates and those of the small town where they all live.
"The Book of Life" is a film that lives from the cultural heritage of it's director, Jorge R. Gutierrez, namely the Mexican culture, specifically the events that surround the day of the dead holiday. The film is luxuriously designed, featuring beautiful character design, and an aesthetic and animation that are simply stunning and unique. Where the film does indeed lose some of it's sparkle is in the way the story has been developed. The co-existence of multiple worlds, is reminiscent of Tim Burton's "Corpse Bride", but adds extra layers and characters that though interesting, don't feel sufficiently explored and developed. The usage of well known pop songs (very much like Baz Luhrmann's and Sofia Coppola's style), adds an air of levity to the film, which is also peppered with a giddy sense of humor. A film worth watching.

Annabelle

Movie Name: Annabelle
Year of Release: 2014

Director: John R. Leonetti

Stars: Annabelle Wallis, Ward Horton, Tony Amendola, Alfre Woodard, Kerry O'Malley, Brian Howe, Eric Ladin, Ivar Brogger, Geoff Wehner, Gabriel Bateman
Genre: Horror

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3

Synopsis:

Following the critical and commercial success of "The Conjuring", there was a quick need from the producing studio to capitalize on the impact that feature has had on the general audience. "Annabelle" is a prequel to "The Conjuring" and focuses the attention on a doll, that is possessed by a malevolent entity. This doll comes into possession of a young couple, who are in the midst of becoming first time parents, and for whom this supernatural occurrence throws their lives into disarray. They struggle to find help to overcome this entity that threatens to destroy their household and claim their young daughter's life.
John R. Leonetti has made his career primarily as a cinematographer, including James Wan's "The Conjuring" and "Insidious", as well as Chuck Russell's "The Mask". His directing career has been primarily in low budget films such as "The Butterfly Effect 2" and "Mortal Kombat: Annihilation". His ambitions are clearly to work within a B movie constraint, and in the case of "Annabelle" focus on telling a horror based story, one where the family unit is shaken and threatened by an overwhelming force. The film has some traces from Roman Polanski's "Rosemary's Baby", but none of the sense of paranoia that the classic film successfully depicted. There is primarily a focus on building some tension around the progressive attacks that the family experiences, but unlike "The Conjuring" where the director successfully built a backdrop story for the family, this one simply never gels. The actors are poorly cast also - both lead actors are wooden and bring no sense of depth or emotional range to a story that ends up being quite predictable and ultimately not very engaging. There are some echoes of the work that James Wan has built with "Insidious", but sadly not explored enough to keep this film interesting. A sadly missed opportunity.

Fearless

Movie Name: Fearless
Year of Release: 1993

Director: Peter Weir

Stars: Jeff Bridges, Isabella Rossellini, Rosie Perez, Tom Hulce, John Turturro, Benecio Del Toro, Deirdre O'Connell, Debra Monk, Cynthia Mace
Genre: Drama, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:

Peter Weir's "Fearless" came out in 1993, after the success of his previous features, both "Dead Poets Society" and "Green Card". The film follows the story of Max Klein, a businessman who survives a terrifying plane crash, alongside a few other people. In the aftermath of the crash, Max responds to it by becoming convinced that he is godlike and invulnerable, and his behavior is increasingly distant from his old life and in particular from his wife. In contrast with Max's attitude, there's Carla Rodrigo's, who's consumed with guilt over the loss of her baby. These two people meet and through this relationship they both come to terms with that traumatic event.
Peter Weir is a unique director, one who always focuses his stories on heroes that even though are every day people, find themselves at odds with realities that simply won't abide to their unique way of seeing the world. "Fearless" is a fantastic film that focuses the attention on Max Klein, who finds himself in a unique situation, and whose life is completely changed in the aftermath of that traumatic event. The fabric of relationships that are woven in the film, showcase the director's ability to probe the depth of the dynamics between different characters, something that Peter Weir has always excelled at. The film benefits from the fantastic performances from Jeff Bridges and Rosie Perez, both of whom truly embody the inner turmoil of these characters (and Rosie Perez earned an Oscar nomination in the process). The beautiful cinematography from Allen Daviau also elevates the aesthetic of the film, and the score from Maurice Jarre is haunting. A beautiful film worth watching.

Dracula Untold

Movie Name: Dracula Untold
Year of Release: 2014

Director: Gary Shore

Stars: Luke Evans, Sarah Gadon, Dominic Cooper, Art Parkinson, Charles Dance, Diarmaid Murtagh, Paul Kaye, William Houston, Noah Huntley
Genre: Action, Drama, Fantasy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4

Synopsis:

"Dracula Untold" is the first feature from director Gary Shore, and aims to shed new light on the story of Dracula (and uses the premise of the book written by Bram Stoker as a base canvas). The film follows the story of Prince Vlad, who is forced to make a deal with a supernatural creature in order to save his family and kingdom from the eminent attack from the Turks. This entity makes Vlad into a supernatural force which unbalances the attack of the Turks, who aim to personally attack Vlad at every instance. It's up to him to defend his family and kingdom with these new powers, that come with some drastic consequences.
Gary Shore's "Dracula Untold" is a feature that tries to present a different side to a story that has been told by many directors, some of whom are now classics, namely "Nosferatu" from F. W. Murnau and more recently "Bram Stoker's Dracula" from Francis Ford Coppola. Shore's vision is sadly very diminished by a mediocre screenplay that gives nothing new to an engrossing mythological creature and backstory - the characters feel flat and uni-dimensional (the supporting characters barely register), and the villainous figure of the film is barely menacing (there's really no sense of menace). The film benefits from some interesting visual choices from the director, the costumes from Ngila Dickson are stunning, and the lead actors are solid, particularly Luke Evans, Sarah Gadon and Charles Dance. Overall this is a mediocre effort that brings nothing new to a classic mythological story.

The Nighmare Before Christmas

Movie Name: Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas
Year of Release: 1993

Director: Henry Selick

Stars: Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara, William Hickey, Glenn Shadix, Paul Reubens, Ken Page, Edward Ivory, Susan McBride, Debi Durst, Greg Proops, Kerry Katz
Genre: Animation, Fantasy, Family

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 10

Synopsis:

"The Nightmare Before Christmas" has become a classic since coming out in 1993. It's a perfect marriage of the universe and aesthetic of Tim Burton, with the universe of director Henry Selick (who went on to direct the fantastic "Coraline" and "James and the Giant Peach"). The film follows the story of Jack Skellington, the host of Halloweentown, who is in a funk, trying to regain his inspiration and trying to understand where he fits in. By chance he encounters Christmastown, as is totally enamored by that season and what it represents. With that in mind, he convinces everyone from his Halloween city to create a new Christmas, while giving Santa Claus, a well deserved vacation. The results though different, aren't necessarily well received by everyone. It's up to Jack and his lady, Sally, to save the whole holiday season.
Tim Burton's universe is always filled with central characters who are at odds with the universe that surrounds them. They are usually the loners and oddballs, who are sensitive and artistic, who therefore see the world quite differently. These are the heroes who learn to accept themselves as they are, and in the process, the same occurs to the social setting where they are immersed. This concept can be found in "The Nightmare Before Christmas", which is one of the most beautiful films committed to celluloid, aesthetically, musically and through its narrative. The film endures throughout the years, because it's central love story, the feeling of inadequacy, and the perfect joy that it depicts, are all truly unique. This is a film always worth revisiting and watching!