[7.00/10] Far from the Madding Crowd (2015)

Far from the Madding Crowd (2015) 

Quick Review: With its picturesque scenery, gorgeous period costumes, and ravishing cinematography, this movie is as beautiful as painting, but thanks to Vinterberg's ability to turn a good story into great one through his polished direction, and all of the talent involved, "Madding Crowd" is more than just looks -- reserved on the outside but also deliciously lusty within, this seemingly feminist 'love square' of a story will take you on a really emotional journey.

[5.50/10] Suite Francaise (2015)

Suite Francaise (2015)

Quick Review: The truly gorgeous cinematography contrasts distinctly with the tough subject matter of the movie, and Nazi-occupied France is accurately visually represented, but the romance between the two main characters does not seem genuine enough to make an engaging story, and while Schoenaerts turns out yet another solid performance, Williams is rather bland as his love interest, plus, much like the suite itself, this otherwise beautifully-made film feels somewhat incomplete...

[6.50/10] Testament of Youth (2015)

Testament of Youth (2015)

Quick Review: Set against the backdrop of WWI, the elegantly-shot "Testament of Youth" is as much a profound character study, as is an honest based-on-true-events story about love, loss, and sacrifice, but above all the horror of war. However the film is not as powerful as it wants to be, and the relationship between Vera and Ronald doesn't feel very genuine. Alicia Vikander's portrayal is nothing short of fascinating, and she basically saves the movie from being average at best.

[6.25/10] True Story (2015)

True Story (2015)

Quick Review: "True Story" looks sleek, and  it's refreshing to see the two leads performing more dramatic roles, although some viewers might struggle taking them seriously. Hill's turn is solid, and Franco delivers as the manipulative identity stealer. Too bad Jones is underused, and her character - pointless. The unsettling true story is driven by an intriguing mystery, and will keep you guessing as it unfolds, well, until the point you realize the film is too straightforward to expect any twists in it.

[8.25/10] Ant-Man [3D] (2015)

Ant-Man [3D] (2015)

Quick Review: Narratively, Reed's "Ant-Man" is typically Marvel, but it takes full advantage of its otherwise cool concept, and goes full throttle with it, in a goofy fashion, showing a spunky attitude, and spot-on sense of humor, while wowing with its crisp visuals. The action is utterly startling and fun, presented masterfully from a 'shrinky-dink' point of view, you've never seen before, especially in 3D this flashy! The charming Paul Rudd totally nails Ant-Man, and proves to be the perfect pick for it.

[6.00/10] 5 Flights Up (2015)

5 Flights Up (2015)

Quick Review: Celebrating love at late age, life-long commitment, and the sentimental attachment to the place called home, but also giving a glimpse at the NY real estate market dynamics, "5 Flights Up" is a warm and charming dramedy, let down by useless criminal back story. Morgan Freeman's calmness contrasts with Keaton's typical overacting, and yet, their on-screen chemistry is always on fire, and their relationship always convincing.The flashbacks make the film even more touching.

[6.50/10] Self/less (2015)

Self/less (2015)

Quick Review: Lame ending aside, Singh's latest is way easier to digest than his previous work, because of his less artsy approach and, neater pacing. The scientifically far-fetched premise may be far from unique, but the director manages to execute his ideas ingeniously enough to make "Self/less" feel new, telling a flawed yet enthralling story, complemented by various interesting settings, hazy yet velvety visuals, well-made action stunts, as well as Reynolds' intense performance in the lead.

[5.75/10] Child 44 (2015)

Child 44 (2015)

Quick Review: Espinosa's dreary approach at depicting Soviet Russa gives the film a suitable bleak tone, enhanced through the Wood's dim cinematography, and the pairing of Hardy and Rapace proves to work, as they complement each other very strongly, but for a film of this genre, "Child 44" provides fat too little big thrills to be called exciting, telling an uneven central story, and an under- developed back story, which never fit together neatly. It's still compelling in its own way... at times.

[6.25/10] Insurgent (2015)

Insurgent (2015)

Quick Review: A step or two below its solid predecessor this is a middle of the road sequel with just as many strengths as shortcomings - the plot while far from dull is a bit muddled, and at times even hard to follow due to the inconstant pacing and wobbly direction, however "Insurgent" offers a rather superb visual experience to the viewers, thanks to its beautifully murky looks, and flawless CGI work, with its biggest asset being Woodley in the lead, and the true highlight - all the simulation scenes.

[6.50/10] Home (2015)

Home (2015)

Quick Review: Most certainly not amongst Dreamworks finest in terms of plotting and concept, plus, older audiences may find it a bit hard to enjoy, because of its juvenile, often silly spirit, but what "Home" doesn't deliver in terms of story, it makes up for with its vibrant animation, infused with creative visual ideas, energetic pacing, and lovable CGI characters. The friendship between the Rihanna inspired Tip and the cute Oh is fun, yet heartwarming, adding a layer of substance to the movie.

[5.25/10] Welcome to Me (2015)

Welcome to Me (2015)

Quick Review: No one can deny its thorough, if peculiar originality, plus, Kristen Wiig's central performance is nothing short of mesmerizing, but one the other hand, this may end up being the moodiest movie you'll ever see, which isn't so surprising taking its nutty nature into account. Add to that the uneven pacing, inconsistent direction, and odd characterization, and you'll get "Welcome to Me". Will you actually get it? Well, that is very unlikely to happen, but you may still find it bizarrely charming.

[6.00/10] Minions [3D] (2015)

Minions [3D] (2015)

Quick Review: Highlighting one of the most utterly adorable characters ever created, it's indeed overloaded with cuteness, but that said, ranging from utterly hilarious, to surprisingly lackluster, this animated feature is every bit as inconsistent as its 3D, which barely enhances its otherwise vibrant and colorful graphics. Also, as brainless as it can get, "Minions" is all about the laughs, and nothing beyond, which puts it right away into the forgettable category, despite the cool villain it flaunts with.

[6.25/10] A Little Chaos (2015)

A Little Chaos (2015)

Quick Review: Although the pretty genuine romance between the two main characters fails to bloom as it's likely supposed to, and the film itself moves along at an undeniably slow, yet steady pacing, "A Little Chaos" is still worth seeing for its exuberant period production design, beautifully softened by the dim cinematography and the outstanding performances from Winslet and Schoenaerts, who work greatly with an otherwise fine script, that sadly never manages to reach its true potential.

[5.00/10] We Are Still Here (2015)

We Are Still Here (2015)

Quick Review: At first, this debut film plays as a homage to 70s/80s supernatural horrors, but soon after that it takes on a mission to stand out with some individuality, and be something more than that, in which it fails, if not miserably. Being part of the drained haunted house genre, "Here" has as much originality about it as it does cliches, which leads to mixed end results -- there are some scares, and the house itself is eerie, but the plot becomes a bit of a hot mess towards the end.

[5.50/10] Big Game (2015)

Big Game (2015)

Quick Review: Thankfully, it does not take itself that seriously, and the premise sounds fun on paper, but is "Big Game" the big deal? Well, not really. And the fact that it's a Finnish feature does not make it any better. Some of the action is entertaining to watch, and the relationship between the soon-to-become-a-man 13-year old hunter and the us president who acts like he's too cool for school is amusing, but the film is let down by its utter predictability and the sloppy at times awful direction.

[6.75/10] The Longest Ride (2015)

The Longest Ride (2015)

Quick Review: In a typical Sparks fashion, the whole thing is a bit too sentimental and fabricated at times, but that hardly makes the film less romantic. Simultaneously telling two emotional love stories, teaching how important is to respect each other's differences, both of which virtually equally as touching and engaging, and led by the sparkling chemistry between the two lead couples, "The Longest Ride" may be the best and most good-looking N. S. adaptation since "The Notebook".

[5.00/10] Ted 2 (2015)

Ted 2 (2015)

Quick Review: With just one or two really funny moments in the entire movie, and all the rest of the jokes being either flat and hackneyed, or raunchy and offensive, only an idiot can laugh at, "Ted 2" proves to have some big script issues, even if tries to tell a more 'meaningful' story. Ted is less likable than before, Whalberg seems very uninvolved and Seyfried doesn't fit at all, plus, MacFarlane's direction is sooo random, it feels like there was no proper editing. All the cameos deliver, though.

[5.50/10] Terminator Genisys [3D] (2015)

Terminator Genisys(2015) 

Quick Review: The 3D is excellent, the flashy effects have every right to be labeled as special, and there are more than a few slick action scenes, but "Genisys" suffers too badly from being ridiculously deluded, thinking it is so clever and inventive with the whole back and forth time traveling thing, when in fact it's an overblown, convoluted mess with recycled plot, that takes itself rather seriously. The fine cast are let down by the shoddy script, but luckily Arnie brings some comic relief successfully.

[4.75/10] Stung (2015)

Stung (2015)

Quick Review: The movie's campy premise, and truly spot-on practical blood effects save it from being a total garbage, and if it wasn't for its utter cheesiness and really painful predictability, "Stung" could've been one of those 'so bad it's good' type of horror movies, but sadly, it never rises above mediocrity, because of its one-note characters you couldn't care less about, and a dumb, close to nonexistent plot, which is just an excuse for the giant insects to kill, sting and rip people off.

[6.00/10] While We're Young (2015)

While We're Young (2015)

Quick Review: At times moody, at times slightly pretentious, but always genuine and honest, "While We're Young" may have the feel of a low- cost indie movie, but the warm color palette still makes it very appealing to look at. What really draws you in, though, is the unusual story about one younger and one older couple, and the odd relationship between them, along with what unfolds after the twist midway through. The cast add to film, working confidently with the finely-written script.

[5.25/10] Black or White (2015)

Black or White (2015)

Quick Review: What this film does benefit from is its outstanding lead cast, with Costner being consistently good as the struggling father, and Spencer shining bright as the feisty mother-in-law, making this domestic drama watchable at least, thanks to the lively dynamics between them, but "Black and White"'s lackluster execution, sluggish pacing, and lack of powerful emotional impact stand on its way to greatness, contrasting with its strengths the exact way the colors black & white do.

[6.00/10] Project Almanac (2015)

Project Almanac (2015)

Quick Review: Well, the hand-held camerawork, if stylish, barely works in the film's favor, even though this technique is necessary, taken the approach into account, and the first half is far from great, but as soon as the time-travel itself begin, "Project Almanac" gets pretty fun, and even intense towards the end. You can't help but enjoy what all of the teen characters are getting into, the CGIs are finely-executed, and for a movie of this drained genre, it actually has some originality to offer.

[4.25/10] Get Hard (2015)

Get Hard (2015)

Quick Review: It sounds absolutely hilarious on paper to watch a rich, spoiled white guy 'preparing' himself for a month to get into prison, being, well, mentored by a desperate black family man, and asked to do dumb, often crazy stuff, but the whole thing fails to project on the big screen as intended, making "Get Hard" a badly executed comedy, that barely brings any laughs, wasting the talent of Will Ferrell due to a sub-par script, while throwing the loud and irritating Hart very, very in your face.

[5.00/10] Backcountry (2015)

Backcountry (2015)

Quick Review: The mountain wood scenery is as glorious as it's chilling, and the big tension between our two protagonists is a decent set up for what's about to happen later on in terms of terror, but as realistic as the entire thing looks and feels the whole time, that terror comes a little bit too late, and it's not effective at all... And watching a couple walking around lost in the woods, desperate and arguing for more than an hour is not worth it, when the climax itself is largely disappointing.