The 25th Hour

Movie Name: The 25th Hour

Year of Release: 2002

Director: Spike Lee

Stars: Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rosario Dawson, Barry Pepper, Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Tony Devon, Patrice O'Neal

Genre: Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
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Synopsis:

After "Bamboozled" failed to find an audience and a warm critical reception, director Spike Lee bounced back with one of his finest films, "The 25th Hour". The film is an adaptation of the book by David Benioff (these days better known as one of the writers and creatives behind the behemoth that is "Game of Thrones"), and follows the story of Monty Brogan. The film takes place over the last day of freedom of Monty, since he is going to be incarcerated for drug trafficking. He plans on spending the day with his two best friends, Jacob and Frank, as well as his beautiful girlfriend Naturelle. Monty suspects that he was set up, and for a moment, he thinks Naturelle may have had something to do with it, but after visiting with his underground boss, the Russian Nikolai, he discovers that it was someone else altogether. Monty fears for his safety and life in the prison, and asks his friends to help him, before he sets out to fulfill his sentence.
Spike Lee has always been an interesting director, one who marries an acute stylistic approach, with a focus on the urban fissures and the challenges felt by the African American community. "The 25th Hour" may at first glance feel like an odd choice for him to tackle, but on closer inspection, it's a film about the strains, frictions, tensions that exist within the American society, particularly the ones in NY, which is a condensed microcosms, and something he explored in prior films. It's also a film that looks head on to the impact created by terrorism, and how people have had to reshape their thinking and their lives, in order to be able to move on and continue living. The film has a fantastic cast, with Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Brian Cox all creating memorable performances, the same going for the beautiful cinematography from Rodrigo Prieto. A very good film always worth watching.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Movie Name: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Year of Release: 2018

Director: J.A. Bayona

Stars: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rafe Spall, Justice Smith, Daniella Pineda, James Cromwell, Toby Jones, Ted Levine, Jeff Goldblum, BD Wong, Geraldine Chaplin, Isabella Sermon, Robert Emms, Peter Jason
Genre: Drama, Horror

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
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Synopsis:

After the surprise success of "Jurassic World", a sequel was inevitable, and this one, while from a different director, hails from the writing duo of Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly, both of them also responsible for the first installment of this new planned trilogy. The film picks up three years after the disastrous occurrences of Isla Nublar. The animals have been left there to their own devices, but are now facing a mortal threat in the shape of a volcano, that is erupting at any moment. A wealthy benefactor, by the name of Lockwood emerges, and we soon find out he had been one of the original proponents of the DNA sampling alongside the late John Hammond. Lockwood wants to save the dinosaurs and move them to an island he has specifically shepherded to maintain the species. He reaches out to Claire Dearing, so she can go to the island, and with her former employee credentials, access the database and track whatever animals are left, particularly the velociraptor. In order to do so, Claire reaches out to Owen, and successfully convinces him to return with her. They soon find out that their intentions while noble, hide unbeknownst to them, some very dark motivations from Lockwood's managerial team.
Juan Antonio Bayona is a very talented director, who has managed to excel in both gothic horror films but also natural disaster films, since he understands that while mayhem and destruction are eye catching, only when you have actual characters with dimension, do viewers actually appreciate what you're setting out to do. His films all focus on this sense of family, and particularly how dramatic events can test the bonds of what a family unit truly is all about. That was the case with his previous feature, "A Monster Calls", and there are some remnants of that focus here, with Lockwood's granddaughter, and the relationship she manages to create with Owen and Claire. Sadly the film is so poorly written that is difficult to engage with the nonsense that it depicts. The problem does not lie with the incredulous concepts of the film, but mostly with the predictable ploys and archetypes the script puts forth (the supporting comic relief character, the brainy and ethnically diverse supporting character, the evil corporate shill, it's very much like a checklist that goes on and on, and that the script chooses to include all the way). There are set pieces that are placed together to elicit a certain type of response from the audience, and though the director is competent to illustrate the story with a style and a sense of menace, it still can't hide the fact that this story is as pedestrian and poorly conceived as they come. Here's hoping the series can find a better writer and creative direction. As a film, this is a misstep for Juan Antonio Bayona. Avoid.

The Hitcher

Movie Name: The Hitcher

Year of Release: 1986

Director: Robert Harmon

Stars: Rutger Hauer, C. Thomas Howell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jeffrey DeMunn, John M. Jackson, Armin Shimerman, Gene Davis

Genre: Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
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Synopsis:

"The Hitcher" was the feature length debut for director Robert Harmon. Working from a crackling and enigmatic script from the talented Eric Red (who collaborated with Kathryn Bigelow in both "Near Dark" and "Blue Steel"), the film has become a cult classic from the 80s, featuring iconic performances from Rutger Hauer and Jennifer Jason Leigh. The film focuses on the story of young Jim Halsey, who has been hired to drive a car from Chicago to San Diego. During his drive, and in order to stay awake, Jim takes in a hiker by the name of John Ryder. John turns out to be a dangerous individual, one who has killed multiple people, and Jim is next on his list. Jim manages to kick him out of his car, and from that point on, he and John form a harrowing relationship, with the latter pursuing Jim, wanting him to stop his actions, as John sees him as his ultimate foe. It takes every ounce of resourcefulness and sheer will from Jim to not go insane and battle that persistent and unstoppable force.
"The Hitcher" was received with a mix of reviews upon its release, but it has since then gathered a cult following. It's a film that is tight in terms of narrative arc, one that pitches this charismatic figure of evil, versus a young man, a personification of innocence, someone who has to fight for all that he loves, and ultimately his own life, to overcome this tremendous challenge. It's also a film that is very well directed, with Robert Harmon allowing for the actors to create these enigmatic characters, who are thrown into a truly challenging and dramatic situation. Rutger Hauer and Jennifer Jason Leigh both create memorable characters, the cinematography from John Seale is stunning (he went on to win the Academy Award for Anthony Minghella's "The English Patient"), as is the score from the underrated Mark Isham. A very good film worth watching and revisiting.

Incredibles 2

Movie Name: Incredibles 2

Year of Release: 2018

Director: Brad Bird

Stars: Holly Hunter, Craig T. Nelson, Samuel L. Jackson, Catherine Keener, Sarah Vowell, Huck Milner, Bob Odenkirk, Sophia Bush, Brad Bird, Isabella Rossellini, Jonathan Banks

Genre: Animation, Adventure

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
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Synopsis:

Director Brad Bird is back, following "Tomorrowland", his previous directorial effort, which turned out to be a disappointing commercial endeavor for Disney (though it is a very interesting film in itself). His latest is a sequel to one of his best features, "The Incredibles", dated from 2004. The film follows the story of the Parr family, all of whom are superheroes, who are coming to terms with the events of the first film, after dealing with another villain, and having to adjust to the reality that being a superhero is still prohibited by law. The family is forced to live in a Motel, since their house has been destroyed, and suddenly hope appears in the shape of a technology company wanting to employ Elastigirl, in order to bring back super powered beings to the limelight (lawfully). This new job forces Bob/Mr. Incredible to stay home and take care of the children, particularly Jack Jack whose powers are revealing themselves in unexpected ways. A new villain reveals itself, with sinister plans, forcing the entire family with assistance from their friend Frozone, to battle it out.
Brad Bird is a very talented filmmaker, one who knows how to build coherent universes, always marrying action set pieces with humor, all tied with a great sense of style. "The Incredibles" is one of his most iconic endeavors, one that is filled with a style that marries a retro aesthetic, with futuristic tones, all within the conventions of the superhero genre, which he constantly reshuffles, focused more on the family dynamics between the central characters, with the super powers almost secondary. This film isn't as tight and successful as the first, narratively speaking, but it's still an impressive accomplishment, where the beautiful animation brings to life a script that is all about a family learning to live with themselves, and how typical roles within the family unit evolve and change. The voice work is uniformly fantastic as is the score from Michael Giacchino. A very good film worth watching.

Hereditary

Movie Name: Hereditary
Year of Release: 2018

Director: Ari Aster

Stars: Toni Collette, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro, Ann Dowd, Mallory Betchel, Jarrod Phillips
Genre: Drama, Horror

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis:

"Hereditary" is the feature length debut of director Ari Aster, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival of 2018 to great reviews. The film follows the story of a tight family, who have just suffered the death of their matriarch figure, the grandmother, who was at odds with Annie, her daughter, with whom she was estranged for a large part of her life. Annie, an artist who specializes in creating model replicas of what her life is about, goes to group therapy in order to deal with all these bottled feelings she has towards her mom. Her relationship with her two children is somewhat distant, due to some events that occurred previously. When her son Peter asks permission to go to a party, Annie forces him to take her younger sister, Charlie. Charlie who suffers from nut allergy, eats chocolate cake at the party, which induces her into a shock, forcing Peter to drive frantically to the hospital to help her. On the way to the hospital, they suffer an accident, that instantly kills Charlie, plunging the family to a deeper depression. Annie gets support from a woman by the name of Joan, who claims that during a spiritual gathering, she managed to get in contact with her lost son and grandson. Annie decides to do the same, and opens the door to unexpected and tragic events.
"Hereditary" is a great debut from Ari Aster. The writer/director manages to create a story that is compelling, detailed, thorough, paying attention to the family dynamics, painting that canvas before introducing the more abnormal or horror elements to it. Very much in the vein that William Friedkin painted with "The Exorcist", this is a story of a family who is dealing with grief, but that opens the door to things that are unknown and out of control. It's a film that takes its time to showcase the different personalities within that small familial universe, something that slowly gets disintegrated, until the entire plot is revealed. The entire cast is uniformly great, with Toni Colette again creating a fantastic character, filled with grief, anger and horror. The cinematography from Pawel Pogorzelski is beautiful, as is the score from Colin Stetson. A very good film worth watching.

Upgrade

Movie Name: Upgrade
Year of Release: 2018

Director: Leigh Whannell

Stars: Logan Marshall-Green, Harrison Gilbertson, Benedict Hardie, Melanie Vallejo, Betty Gabriel, Simon Maiden, Linda Cropper, Christopher Kirby, Clayton Jacobson
Genre: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis:

Actor, writer, director, Leigh Whannell has made a successful name for himself across multiple disciplines, and multiple projects he's been responsible for. He was the creator (with James Wan) of the "Saw" series, and also "Insidious", having also acted in films such as "The Conjuring" and even further back, "The Matrix Reloaded". "Upgrade" is his second directorial effort, following "Insidious: Chapter 3" and focuses on the story of Grey Trace. The film takes place in a near future, where self driving cars have become impeccably done, and where technology has completely integrated itself into house, security and medical living. Grey makes a living creating cars that are all about the mechanical components, with little to no contact with technology. Upon delivering his latest project to a very well known tech businessman, Grey and his wife get attacked on their way home. His wife gets killed, and Grey is shot in his back, rendering him a quadriplegic. His client, Eron, comes forth with a solution under the guise of a chip, that once inserted in his organism can give him the opportunity to start walking again. The chip, by the name of Stem, does more than that - Stem is AI, and starts giving Grey not only the opportunity to walk, but also trace what happened to his wife.
"Upgrade" is an extremely interesting film from Leigh Whannell, borrowing elements from different sources, but still creating something fresh and very relevant to how society currently is envisioning and fearing technology and the relationship with humans. There's definitely an aesthetic that Whannell has borrowed from his associate James Wan, and his lean approach to the action proceedings is also reminiscent from the style of Don Siegel in the 70s. But where the film reaches a superlative take, is in its influences that seem to digest what David Cronenberg did with his films focused on body horror, and how the human body can be shifted ("Videodrome" from 1983 for instance), something that here gets taken to a very interesting level. The mix of the biological with the technology, with the hardware within the bodies is simultaneously interesting and surprising, very much like the ending. It's a film that packs an interesting punch, violent, but one that is definitely worth watching.

Coco

Movie Name: Coco

Year of Release: 2017

Director: Lee Unkrich, Adrian Molina

Stars: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael Garcia Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach, Renee Victor, Jaime Camil, Alfonso Arau, Herbert Siguenza, Gabriel Iglesias, Lombardo Boyar, Selene Luna

Genre: Animation, Adventure

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 9
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Synopsis:

Another year, another Pixar release, this time around one that is not a sequel (thankfully). The film comes from one of their seasoned directors, Lee Unkrich, who also directed "Toy Story 3" and co-directed "Finding Nemo", "Monsters Inc" and "Toy Story 2". This time around he co-directs with Adrian Molina, centering the action around the story of a young boy, by the name of Miguel, whose family has thrived for years in the business of making shoes. Miguel longs to be a singer more than anything, but his family, particularly his grandmother is vehemently against it. As All Saints Day comes around, and the family prepares to pay homage to their loved ones who have passed away, Miguel goes to the burial site of the icon Ernesto de la Cruz, a famous singer from his small town. There Miguel magically gets transported to the land of the ones who have passed away, and where he comes across Hector, who turns out to be someone crucial from his past and inspirational to his future.
"Coco" is another great example of what makes Pixar films such staples in animation and how it successfully achieves all audiences. It's a film that plays on multiple levels, going from the didactic storyline which aims to showcase that everyone should follow their dreams and ambitions, but also on a more profound level, that relationships - romantic and familial - are not always perfect, and that resentment can indeed be a heavy burden to carry through life. And it also has a darker layer, focusing on the traits of the villainous character, who stopped at nothing to achieve what he wanted, and how those actions eventually catch up with him. If the storyline is stunning, tying it all with the legacy of the Mexican culture, the film itself is visually fantastic, both aesthetically and also with beautiful animations and transitions that are both sophisticated and elegant. The voice work is impeccable across the board, making this a great film to be watched and entertained by.

The House

Movie Name: The House
Year of Release: 2017

Director: Andrew Jay Cohen

Stars: Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, Jason Mantzoukas, Ryan Simpkins, Nick Kroll, Allison Tolman, Rob Huebel, Rory Scovel, Cedric Yarbrough, Kyle Kinane, Michaela Watkins, Gillian Vigman, Lennon Parham, Jessie Ennis
Genre: Comedy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis:

"The House" is Andrew Jay Cohen's film debut, following his work as a writer on "Neighbors". The film follows the story of suburban couple, Scott and Kate Johansen, whose daughter is about to go to college. Due to the intrusive cost, of tuition and housing, the couple is relying on a habitual neighborhood scholarship, which will help offset the costs. However due to the initiative of building a monumental pool and entertainment center to the subdivision, the scholarship isn't granted. The couple, alongside a down-on-his-luck friend, Frank, decide to start an illegal gambling operation out of Frank's house in order to save enough money for Alex to go to college. What starts as a small endeavor, quickly spirals out of control, with rival gangs, and a newfound criminal mentality emerging within Scott and Kate.
Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler have firmly established themselves at this point as comedic giants, on both the big and smaller screens. This film tries to harness their immense chemistry and talents under the umbrella of a suburban couple that slowly gets corrupted by the gambling and criminal dark side that is sometimes associated with it. The film however never really commits to this dark premise, and refrains itself from going truly to the uglier side of this premise. All is still wrapped under the safe and normative blanket of suburbia, which takes away some of the potential funnier elements this story could hold. Though very restrained and neutered, it's still a film with enough moments that allows for Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler to find comedy in quite a few scenes. The film also peppers enough supporting comedic performances, to keep it watchable, even if the film is ultimately instantly forgettable.

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Movie Name: Solo: A Star Wars Story
Year of Release: 2018

Director: Ron Howard

Stars: Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Paul Bettany, Thandie Newton, Donald Glover, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Linda Hunt, Jon Favreau, Joonas Suotamo, Jon Favreau, Ian Kenny
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis:

The "Star Wars" universe continues its expansion, after the previous installment directed by Rian Johnson. This time around, the saga continues with one of it's side stories, more specifically one focused on the charismatic Han Solo. The film introduces us to a young Han, back when he was just known by his first name, working for an underground network of thieves, who alongside the beautiful Qi'ra, is trying desperately to get out of the planet where they have been held since they were children. Just as they're about to escape, Han goes through the security check, while Qi'ra is left behind. Han decides to join the imperial forces, in the hopes of becoming an expert pilot, but the next time we see him, he is in the middle of a battle as a foot soldier. While on that battle he meets Beckett, Val and Rio, who are professional scammers, and who are embarking on a dangerous mission of retrieving some valuable form of combustible material. Han associates himself with them, meeting in the process the resilient Chewbacca, with whom he quickly establishes a solid friendship. This group, minus some sad casualties, soon meet one of the bosses, and Han is in the process reunited with Qi'ra. All of them are tasked with another impossible mission, that will test their perseverance and ingenuity.
"Solo: A Star Wars Story" has suffered its fair share of issues while being shot and developed. The original directors were replaced with Ron Howard, who basically joined the venture to conclude the entire shooting schedule. The film, independently of all this side noise, is very much ingrained within the pathos that the series has generated thus far, with the right combination of humor, romance and adventure. The film doesn't add anything profoundly substantial to the iconic characters created by George Lucas, but it manages to be an entertaining film, even if most characters are primarily sketches defined in very broad strokes, and not so much dimensional and heartfelt renditions of those iconic heroes. Nonetheless the film holds the attention, and it's sufficiently gritty visually to stand on its own feet, without being as clean cut as the main films of this saga. It's quite possibly one of the more interesting films directed by Ron Howard as of late, and it gives Woody Harrelson an opportunity to again play the lovable anti-hero, while Paul Bettany oozes menace fairly easily. An entertaining film worth watching.

Lights Out

Movie Name: Lights Out
Year of Release: 2016

Director: David F. Sandberg

Stars: Teresa Palmer, Maria Bello, Billy Burke, Gabriel Bateman, Alexander DiPersia, Alicia Vela-Bailey, Andi Osho, Rolando Boyce
Genre: Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
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Synopsis:

Swedish director David F. Sandberg made a name for himself with a series of short features, before making his feature length directorial debut with "Lights Out". The film follows the story of Rebecca, a young woman with some intimacy and trust issues, who suddenly has to deal with family issues. These family issues are reminiscent of troubles she had in the past, and are now haunting her younger half brother. These issues stem from an entity that co-exists with their mother, a woman who has passed away by the name of Diana, and who had a serious problem and aversion to light. Rebecca tries to help her brother, but the more she gets involved with the situation, the more Diana's presence is felt on her life, and everywhere in their house. It's up to her, to try to save her mother and brother before that malevolent creature destroys all their lives.
"Lights Out" is an interesting and auspicious film for the young director. Though the film does fall to tropes and traps typical of horror films, it still unfolds with enough intelligence to keep the viewers interested in the events that occur. The director smartly avoids showcasing the menace/entity, always relying on the game of light and darkness, to create suspense and dread by suggestion, and not by relying on gore or flashy effects. It's an interesting approach that is closer in style with what James Wan has been doing with both "Insidious" and "The Conjuring" series, which explains why Sandberg went on to direct the sequel to "Annabelle", one of the offshoots of "The Conjuring" series. Even if the film doesn't bring anything terribly new to the proceedings, it's still sufficiently well done to hold the attention of the viewer. Worth watching.

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones

Movie Name: Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones

Year of Release: 2002

Director: George Lucas

Stars: Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Christopher Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, Frank Oz, Ian McDiarmid, Pernilla August, Temuera Morrison, Jimmy Smits, Jack Thompson, Rose Byrne

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
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Synopsis:

Following the disappointing "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace", director George Lucas returned with a sequel to that feature. The film picks up a few years later, again following the story of Anakin Skywalker, who is now a grown Jedi apprentice, under the tutelage of Obi Wan Kenobi. Both their path crosses with Padmé, who is now a senator in the Republic, but whose life is being threatened. The dark power of the force is trying to overthrown the republic, and install a dictatorship across the galaxy. Obi Wan Kenobi in his investigations on the murder attempt on Padmé, unveils the creation of a secret army of clones, that has been built for the Jedi. As Padmé and Anakin grow closer, so does the menace brought on by the dark powers of the force, and the army that they have successfully built, handled by the secretive Chancellor and his second in command, Count Dooku.
"Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones" is a continuation of the saga shepherded by George Lucas, that attempts to add some gravitas to the previous chapter that resulted in a mediocre result. "Attack of the Clones" attempts at adding a bit more political context to the procedures, however the film is stilted in both fronts, the political and romantic, with only Ewan McGregor and his Obi Wan Kenobi actually adding some humor and depth to what is an otherwise shallow endeavor. Where George Lucas has succeeded with the more recent films, is in the luscious visual style that is built around these thin stories. The visual effects are stunning, as is the cinematography from David Tattersall (who sadly has not had much of a great career since then). This is a film that cannibalizes on an iconic saga and characters, but that sadly adds not much value to it. It's watchable, but it's far from memorable.

Deadpool 2

Movie Name: Deadpool 2
Year of Release: 2018

Director: David Leitch

Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Zazie Beetz, Brianna Hildebrand, T.J. Miller, Julian Dennison, Terry Crews, Rob Delaney, Eddie Marsan, Shioli Kutsuna, Karan Soni, Bill Skarsgard, Jack Kesy, Lewis Tan
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis:

Following his two first well received directorial endeavors, David Leitch has tackled his first comic book property, with the subversive and rule breaking "Deadpool 2". If the first film attempted to defy conventions, breaking the fourth wall and being very self aware, this film takes those aspects of the original and expands it tremendously. Deadpool/Wade Wilson, since the events of the first film, has become a hero taking out some rather unsavory people. However when one of his assignments goes unfinished, the repercussions of that event pop up at his doorstep, killing his loved one, and prompting some dramatic decisions on his part. His friends from the X-Men come to the rescue, and as he gets involved in their tasks, they become aware of an orphanage for mutant kids, with one young kid in particular, Russell, being an outspoken voice for some rather unsavory things going on at the institution. When both Russell and Deadpool end up in a prison, they are confronted with a traveler from the future, a mutant named Cable, who has come to destroy Russell, since in the future he has become a tremendous destructive force.
David Leitch is a director who knows how to stage action scenes - he has the training in terms of stuntwork pedigree, but he's primarily a director who understands the economy of scenes, married with character development, which allows for the characters in his features to be more than just paper thin constructions. Where "Deadpool 2" goes substantially further than the first feature, lies precisely in the fact that this time around, there are other characters expanding this universe, peppering the story with further elements, which gives the story just enough juice to keep going. It is very much a B-movie with a good budget, but it knows it, and wears it proudly on its sleeve. Ryan Reynolds plays the character perfectly, and knows this universe fantastically well, shooting his observations, jokes and one-liners like a machine gun repertoire. The humor is non stop, and it makes for a good balance with the more violent aspects of the story. It's a film that is rough around the edges, with some characters and aspects better defined than others, but it's fresh, with humor and heart, and tremendously self aware, which is more than what can be said for a lot of these comic books that just keep being released constantly. Worth a watch.

God's Own Country

Movie Name: God's Own Country
Year of Release: 2017

Director: Francis Lee

Stars: Josh O'Connor, Alec Secareanu, Gemma Jones, Ian Hart
Genre: Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
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Synopsis:

"God's Own Country" made it's auspicious debut at the Sundance Film Festival of 2017, and collected more accolades and good reviews when it was featured at the Berlin Film Festival of the same year. The film follows the story of Johnny, a young British man who lives on a farm with his disabled father and grandmother. Johnny is a man of few words, and tries to help his father and grandmother as much as he can, by taking on the projects that need to be tackled on the farm, namely with all the animals and upkeep of the fences, among many others. Johnny is also, somewhat secretly, engaging in some gay trysts with young men he meets at the bars (after he's sufficiently tipsy). His father manages to hire a young and quiet Romanian man by the name of Gheorghe, to come in and help out with the sheep. While handling the animals and far away from everyone, the two young men become romantically involved, even if Johnny has gradually to open up and eventually grow up to come to terms with himself and how is life is evolving.
"God's Own Country" is the directorial debut of Francis Lee, who has made a name for himself primarily as an actor (he can be seen in Mike Leigh's "Topsy Turvy" for instance). "God's Own Country" is his feature directorial debut, and shows a point of view that marries a heartfelt depiction of characters and situations, with a poetic realism of capturing the environment in which these characters exist. He manages to create with this film an intimate story about someone growing up emotionally, opening up, accepting responsibilities for his choices, and living his life plainly aware of them. It's a film that works so well due to the frankness of what it depicts, how it depicts it, without being artificial or contrived at any point. It's also impeccably acted, with Josh O'Connor, Alec Secareanu, Gemma Jones and Ian Hart, all creating indelible performances (and characters). A great debut worth watching.

Spirited Away

Movie Name: Spirited Away

Year of Release: 2001

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Stars: Daveigh Chase, Suzanne Pleshette, Jason Marsden, Susan Egan, David Ogden Stiers, Lauren Holly, Michael Chiklis, John Ratzenberger, Tara Strong, Mona Marshall, Bob Bergen

Genre: Animation, Adventure

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 10
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Synopsis:

Following the beautiful and successful "Princess Mononoke", genial director Hayao Miyazaki returned with yet another masterpiece, this time around earning a well earned Academy Award for best animated feature with "Spirited Away". The film follows the story of Chihiro, who is moving with her parents to a small Japanese town by the countryside. On the day of the move, her father decides to take a shortcut, upon which they come about an area that looks like an abandoned amusement park. While exploring they discover a restaurant filled with delicious treats, something their parents immediately take to. Fearing they're doing something wrong, Chihiro retreads and warns them to leave. Taking a leave to explore a bit, she is horrified to discover her parents have been replaced by pigs in that restaurant. Chihiro desperately looks for her family, but suddenly realizes she can't go back to the car since there's now a whole lake where there was only a huge grass field. She comes to realize she has passed into a different realm where different magical creatures and entities exist, and where she must learn new habits so she can rescue her parents.
As is part of his trademark, Hayao Miyazaki populates this story with a hero who is inadequate in this different universe, and where she must come to terms with new challenges. His central heroes always have to overcome herculean external challenges, but above all, learn self reliance, and trust themselves to truly vanquish all the obstacles they find. "Spirited Away"  may be one of his most interesting films, since it combines his views of the spiritual world, with a young girl learning to be responsible for her choices and her family's well being. It's a film that is aesthetically stunning, with a poetry to it, from the amazing relationships that it portrays, to it's melancholy, all wrapped in this fantastic blanket of an amazing journey. A truly fantastic film always worth watching.

The Reaping

Movie Name: The Reaping

Year of Release: 2007

Director: Stephen Hopkins

Stars: Hilary Swank, David Morrissey, Idris Elba, AnnaSophia Robb, Stephen Rea, William Ragsdale, John McConnell, David Jensen, Samuel Garland, Andrea Frankle, Stuart Greer

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 2
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis:

Stephen Hopkins made a name for himself as a director when he started in the 80s as one of the director for the "Nightmare on Elm Street" series, rapidly graduating for bigger projects such as "Predator 2" and "Blown Away". "The Reaping" comes from the penmanship of brothers Carey and Chad Hayes, both of whom have achieved recent success as the writers of the "Conjuring" series of films for director James Wan. "The Reaping" follows the story of Katherine, a former ordained minister, and current University lecturer and investigator, who goes around the world debunking miracles. She's called into a small town in the south of the US, when the river surrounding that city turns red, and all the fish show up dead. When Katherine and her colleague Ben show up at that small town, they are happily greeted by everyone, particularly by Doug and the city officials. As the strange occurrences pile up, Katherine is informed that all of that is created by a young girl by the name of Loren, who supposedly has demonic powers. As Katherine and Ben probe deeper, they come to realize that not all is what it seems.
"The Reaping" has an interesting premise: a fallen from belief central hero, who goes around debunking miracles. What could have been a really interesting premise however gets cheapened in the worst sense very quickly. Whereas James Wan has managed to create with both the "Insidious" and "Conjuring" franchises, horror staples based on imagination and suggestion, with scarcely much in terms of gratuitous shock or gore, Stephen Hopkins goes in a complete opposite direction. This film reads as if someone looked at the script, and debated: how can we make everything scarier, louder and more intense (and garish). The solution to that question, can be found in the film with the typical camera angles and shots, the spooky lake, the dark cemetery - it's a cliche ridden of what gothic styling should be. It's a sad waste of talent, since the film has a great cast, and a terrific production team, but the overall experience comes across as a bad tv film made for the CW. It's a pass, with only the young AnnaSophia Robb creating an interesting presence.