[9.75/10] Captain America: Civil War [3D] (2016)

Captain America:         Civil War [3D] (2016)

Quick Review: Not only "Civil War" manifests itself as the most mature Marvel movie yet, due to its complex plot of inner conflicts, and personal vengeance, but also as the boldest, most audacious and ambitious one, flaunting an accomplished direction that manages its multiple characters flawlessly, as well as tons of literally mind-blowing, larger-than-life action set pieces, executed in spectacular fashion. Spidey and Black Panther's parts are show-stealers.

[5.25/10] The Huntsman: Winter's War [3D] (2016)

The Huntsman:           Winter's War [3D] (2016)

Quick Review: Borrowing heavily, but offering close to zero originality, "Winter's War" is a lackluster effort with contrived story, pretty tiresome dialogues, uneven pacing and some messy, poorly-edited action scenes, and not even the wonderful all-star cast are able to cope with the utter flatness of the script, and make this insanely unnecessary sequel more exciting, with the end result being a beautiful bore that catches the eye, but fails to thrill big time.

[5.00/10] Hush (2016)

Hush (2016)

Quick Review: Taking into account the considerably thoughtful premise, and Siegel's highly expressive mute performance as the ambushed deaf woman, at first "Hush" leaves you with the impression it's a 'low-budget horror movie done right', but further into the story, you start to realize it suffers from the exact same genre cliches most home invasion thrillers do, and it becomes more and more predictable towards the end, despite it being occasionally effective, and at times rather intense.

[6.50/10] The Witch (2016)

The VVitch (2016)

Quick Review: Shedding a vague sense of dread through the obscure tone and bleak visuals, "The VVitch" portrays the fear and desperation of its protagonists in an unsettling way, constantly increasing the suspense since the start, until it culminates in one particular night scene that is so scary, it will give you nightmares for weeks. But then again, it's far from terrifying, the final act is anti-climatic and although being a psychological horror, the movie still needs more... loads more of that witch!

Quick Reviews: 2015 Movies [PART 03]

Sinister 2 (2015) - Crafted with zero originality and imagination, utterly contrived, and not even remotely scary, the unnecessary and pointless "Sinister 2" is a big step down from the original, and one of the messiest, silliest horror films you'll ever see. (3.75/10)

The Final Girls (2015) - It pays homage to the trashy '80s slashers in a creative and refreshing way that makes it stand out from the crowd, but on the other hand, "The Final Girls" is too cheesy, and sloppily-made to leave any long-lasting impressions. (4.75/10)

Victor Frankenstein (2015) - The production design is nothing short of ravishing, and the relationship between Victor and Igor is intriguing, but this messy film fails to deliver the thrills it is expected to, nor it manages to add anything to the classic story. (5.00/10)

Goodnight Mommy (2015) - More observant viewers will figure out the twist sooner than they should, but nevertheless, "Goodnight Mommy" is still a disturbing experience, filled with violence and dread that will make you think about it long after it ends. (6.25/10)

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015) - The overwhelmingly shocking "lizard mutts" scene is a definite WOW, but that's the only real highlight in this passable and finely-executed, if mostly unsatisfying finale to the globally well-acclaimed series. (6.25/10)

Anomalisa (2015) - Not only it has more soul than most live-action films out there, but Kaufman's oddball, superby-crafted animation also exudes more credibility and realism, and although very slow-moving, "Anomalisa" remains engaging for the most part. (6.75/10)

The Second Mother (2015) - Regina Casé's genuine, honest and truly heartfelt performance as Val is what makes this Brazilian drama so great to watch, down-to-earth, and beautiful in its simplicity, however, do not expect to see the greatest film ever. (7.00/10)

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015) - Gomez-Rejon's filming style is quirky and often mesmerizing, and adds freshness to this poignant and sweet dramedy, but it's the young cast and their wonderful performances that make this film so very emotional. (7.25/10)

Creed (2015) - Soft and gritty at the same time, "Creed" is basically a clever, perfectly-paced "Rocky" spin-off with some fresh ideas to help it stand out, and a skillfully cutting-edge cinematography, especially during the brutal, superbly thrilling final fight. (7.25/10)

Brooklyn (2015) - Accurately depicting the life of Irish immigrants in the US in the '50s, "Brooklyn" is a touching personal story with huge heart, and authentic looks, further elevated by the sensual acting by Ronan, who gives the performance of her life. (7.75/10)

[8.00/10] The Jungle Book [3D] (2016)

 The Jungle Book (2016)

Quick Review: Murkier in tone and less sweet than the 1967's animated classic, but in a refreshing way, this grown-up adaptation of "The Jungle Book" is entertaining, briskly-paced, delightful, adventurous, and a visual wonder to behold — elevating CGIs to a totally new, revolutionary level, Favreau skillfully creates an entirely digital world, which is simultaneously lush, astoundingly picturesque, and strikingly realistic, complemented by the eye-popping 3D, which breathes extra life into the movie.

[5.00/10] The Invitation (2016)

The Invitation (2016)

Quick Review: In this low-budget, dialogue-driven twisted indie thriller, director Karyn Kusama generates a suitably mysterious atmosphere with the low-key lighting, and highly taut music score, while slowly building up tension throughout, and keeping the audience guessing what is going to happen next, well, at least until 'the reveal', which isn't that unexpected at all, and actually lets the film down quite a bit, as from that moment on, "The Invitation" becomes mediocre, and hardly any credible.

[9.50/10] Zootopia [3D] (2016)

Zootopia [3D] (2016)

Quick Review: Crafted with striking imagination and creativity, displayed through the extraordinarily detailed, ravishing graphics, further enriched by eye-candy 3D effects, as well as the brilliantly-told story that not only brings a powerful moral message to all ages, but is also witty, energetic, superbly fun, and packed with many lovable characters, "Zootopia" is an absolute winner on every level, and the best non-Pixar animated film by Disney since "Tangled", as a result of its outright versatility.

[5.00/10] The Boy (2016)

The Boy (2016)

Quick Review: Right until the 'big twist' towards the end, "The Boy" is an oddly peculiar, eerie in tone, and quietly compelling little 'creepy doll'-themed chiller, which impresses with its sleek cinematography, wonderful performance by Cohan, and a truly sinister, yet sumptuous setting, but the few (boo) scares it manages to bring are only during the frustrating 'it's been all a dream' scenes, plus, the curveball it bravely throws is not that big of a shocker, as we've seen it all before, and better.

Quick Reviews: 2015 Movies [PART 02]

The Perfect Guy (2015) - The attractive cast makes it watchable for the most part, but their charm just can't cover up the countless cliches this predictable, flat thriller is built on, plus, Rosenthal's often lazy direction makes it a little bit of a snore-fest. (4.50/10)

Howl (2015) - For a low-budget, werewolf B movie, "Howl" looks decent enough, and the gore and practical effects are spot-on, but most of the characters are hardly likable at all, which kind of makes them instantly forgettable, as it is the movie itself. (5.25/10)

Monster Hunt (2015) - Although too goofy even for an ancient Chinese action comedy, it's enjoyable to watch, thanks to the funny characters, cute, cartoonish creatures, and solid, fun-to-watch fight sequences that inject great energy into the feature. (6.00/10)

The Visit (2015) - A definite step in the right direction for Shyamalan, his latest oddball horror flick is as funny as it is creepy, but the word that describes it perfectly is disturbing. That said, "The Visit" may be too slow moving for most horror enthusiasts. (6.25/10)

Krampus (2015) - Even though it doesn't have much of a bite and it's a bit too over-the-top, "Krampus" is a fun creature feature, wrapped in a creepy Christmas spirit, that successfully blends mythology and modern horror in one crazy, yet messy story. (6.50/10)

45 Years (2015) - Slow, simple, profoundly touching, and devoid of any unnecessary sentiments, and manipulative drama gimmicks, "45 Years" does a superb job at exploring the doubts in a half-century-lasting love, complemented by remarkable acting. (6.75/10)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) - A bit too overhyped, and frankly not as visually impressive as it should be, yet still satisfactory to a certain extend, Episode VII owes a huge part of its success to the talented Daisy Ridley, who actually makes it exciting. (6.75/10)

The Danish Girl (2015) - The uncomfortable subject matter may not be everyone's cup of tea, but this beautifully-crafted drama is still worth-seeing for its looks, and stellar acting from Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander, who both deliver their best. (7.25/10)

99 Homes (2015) - Gripping from beginning to the end, and with high level of intensity, but above all brilliantly-acted by its two capable leads, "99 Homes" is a contemporary rags-to-riches drama many viewers can relate to and/or appreciate its morals. (7.50/10)

Liza, the Fox-Fairy (2015) - Quirky, colorful, and truly one of a kind, this Hungarian black comedy with retro vibe, and an exotic Asian flavor often feels like Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Wes Anderson's cinematic lovechild, and something you'll not soon forget. (7.75/10)