[7.25/10] I Lost My Body (2019)

I Lost My Body (2019)

Quick Review: With an out-of-the-ordinary, gorgeously grey-ish hand drawn graphics just as unique as its peculiarly one-of-a-kind story that is simultaneously genuinely sweet and twistedly surreal, "I Lost My Body" is an oddly riveting French animation, whose romantic, often touching plot makes a powerful emotional impact, thanks to the likable characters and their authentic chemistry, but it's the soft touch of ghastly quirk that really elevates this urban fable to a more thought-provoking level.

[6.25/10] The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019)

The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019)

Quick Review: An odd, poignant, and delicate autobiographical story of delusion, an unfulfilled dream, a love for place called home, but also one about friendship in its purest form, "The Last Black Man in San Francisco" is unlike anything you've seen before, turly authentic in feel, and acted so very naturally, and yet, the sluggish pacing and incoherent plotting make it challenging to hold your attention for two hours, in spite of its artful uniqueness.

George Beremov's TOP 20 Best-Reviewed Movies of 2019

[click on the title to read the quick review]

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1. Avengers: Endgame [3D] (9.50/10)

Quote: "...culminates in a staggering third act, featuring a colossally epic grand battle that dazzles the eyes, followed by a dramatically affecting finale that hits the heart."

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2. John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (9.25/10)

Quote: "...Chapter 3 is pretty much action perfection, but it is the flashy visual style, dexterous cinematography, and snazzy use of light that elevate this one into a true genre art..."

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3. Alita: Battle Angel [3D] (9.25/10)

Quote: "...boasting with its technical grandeur, super-swanky cyberpunk style, jaw-dropping futuristic imagery, thrilling battles, 
and spectacular set pieces..."

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4. Knives Out (9.00/10)

Quote: "A brainy, dexterous, sharp-witted, smartly-conceived and brilliantly-executed Agatha Christie- esque murder mystery, whose pattern-like plot is so well-structured..."

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5. Togo (9.00/10)

Quote: "...Core masterfully narrates a taut, thrilling, and adventurous underdog tale, mixed with a sweet and moving backstory, to bring this soul-stirring canine legend to life..."

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6. Ford v Ferrari (8.75/10)

Quote: "Charged by its leads' chemistry, and balancing out deftly-crafted car racing scenes with cutting-edge sound effects that give an adrenaline rush, and a truly engrossing story..."

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7. Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (8.75/10)

Quote: "...the most riveting non-plot movie you'll ever see, which is 2 hours of cheeky randomness about zest for acting, narcissism, and hippies, and 40 min of brutal awesomeness..."

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8. Parasite (8.50/10)

Quote: "Inspired, unsettling, darkly quirky, at times shocking, but also deeply affecting, the brilliantly-conceived, thought-provoking, and delightfully unforeseeable..."

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9. Midsommar [Director's Cut] (8.50/10)

Quote: "...gets under your skin with its visceral grimness, while ravishing your eyes with its visual vividness -- a contrast that mesmerizes, disturbs, confuses, and startles all at once."

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10. Klaus (8.50/10)

Quote:  "...more than pretty visuals -- it's a daring, yet credible take on the origin of Santa, free of Christmas tropes, but also a sweet, funny and poignant story of growth, care and kindness..."

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11. Marriage Story (8.50/10)

Quote: "...is an introspective and penetrating emotional roller coaster ride through happiness and sorrow, pleasure and agony,
and freedom and loneliness..."

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12. Toy Story 4 [3D] (8.50/10)

Quote: "...offers so much more than a feast for the eyes, reintroducing old characters and presenting cute new ones, and concluding the series in the typical adventurous fashion..."

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13. Luce (8.25/10)

Quote: "..."Luce" is a brainy, gripping, and stimulating illustration of deception and manipulation that utilizes delusion to rise its suspense
to an un-bearable level."

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14. Ready or Not (8.25/10)

Quote: "...may be the deadliest 'hide and seek' game ever put on screen, set out to keep you on your toes with its edgy feel, non-stop tensity and Weaving's furiously badass turn..."

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15. Mirage (8.25/10)

Quote: "..."Mirage" uses its intricate time-wrap-driven narrative structure to skillfully unveil the mystery behind its enthralling story, 
taking place in 2 parallel universes..."

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16. Joker (8.00/10)

Quote: "Obscure, gritty, and with an off-putting feel that contrasts with its earthy color palette, but fits grimly well with the sense of havoc
and mass disorder in '70s Gotham..."

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17. Richard Jewell (8.00/10)

Quote: "...a skillfully-crafted, evenly-paced and well-written film that effortlessly balances out drama, humor, wit, and sentiment, being quietly intense and consistently riveting throughout..."

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18. Dark Waters (8.00/10)

Quote: "...does it in such a gripping, shocking and unsettling way, you can't take your eyes off, being also captivated by its murky in tone, toxically green-shaded cinematography."

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19. Pain and Glory (8.00/10)

Quote: "...moody and melancholic, yet playful, humorous, and nostalgic flashback, built up to a clever final reveal that ties the 
past and present deftly..."

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20. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World [3D] (8.00/10)

Quote: "...it also has a dark side about itself that contrasts to the touching nature of its central story, which is beautifully brought to life
by an imaginatively polished animation..."
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Honorable mentions:

All Rated 7.75/10

1917 | Two Popes | Little Women | Kingdom | Aladdin | Shazam!

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[6.75/10] Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon (2019)

Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon (2019)

Quick Review: Shaun the sheep goes extraterrestrial in this charming and fun sequel, and though not as cool as the first, "Farmageddon" not only stuns with excellent claymation and adorably designed familiar and new, alien characters, but in never sees to amuse, thanks to its bright slapstick humor, in spite of being a silent comedy, and manages to tell its simple story effectively enough to remain fairly entertaining throughout the 86-minute run time.

[6.50/10] Color Out of Space (2020)

Color Out of Space (2020)

Quick Review: Colors, creatures, and craziness are the key elements in this H.P. Lovecraft cosmic horror that goes from weird to bonkers as the plot unfolds, if kinda sluggishly though, but those who like their stuff more freaky than straight-up scary will be rewarded, as "Color Out of Space" offers a bizarre story, some gruesome imagery, and old school practical effects, all wrapped up in a neon-stained atmosphere with lurid visual effect that further emphasizes Cage's deranged acting.

[5.25/10] Overcomer (2019)

Overcomer (2019)

Quick Review: It aims to be both inspiring and uplifting, as well as to renew your faith, but this otherwise good-intentioned film doesn't really know whether it wants to be a 'failed coach discovers his new flair' sports dramedy or a manipulative 'father- daughter reunion' tearjerker or just a preachy 'embrace God' Christian drama, and the end result is a tonal mess that desperately tries to evoke a huge variety of different emotions, leaving the audience more confused than genuinely touched.

[4.25/10] Fantasy Island (2020)

Fantasy Island (2020)

Quick Review: A cheesy mess that fantasizes to be an effective fantasy horror genre hybrid, but it ends up being funny in all the wrong places, not only the otherwise good-looking "Fantasy Island" brings zero scares, but it feels like five different stories poorly merged into one, which gets worse in the third act, throwing one lame twist after another, making its nonsensical plot even more absurd and confusing than it already is, and its attractive, if silly characters more obnoxious and unlikable.

[6.00/10] Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

Quick Review: Yes, it's familiar, far from inventive, and too juvenile for adults to enjoy, but this live-action CGI mash-up VG adaptation is also a nostalgic throwback with energetic pacing, fun action, cute cartoonish effects, cheeky humor, and a playful plot with surprising amount of heart, and though the film seems harmless at first, the speedy blue alien Sonic stirs the pot further on, during the chase with the loony villain, played manically well by Carrey.

[7.25/10] Ip Man 4: The Finale (2019)

Ip Man 4: The Finale (2019)

Quick Review: As devastating as it's thrillingly action-packed, this last chapter in the series is dedicated to the final days of Ip Man's life, who Yen embodies with equanimity and wisdom, as the master goes through a muted emotional journey, dealing with a fatal illness and struggling to reconnect with his son, while facing off ruthless enemies, who he battles with in rough and electrifying 'kung fu vs. karate' fights, choreographed deftly by Yuen Wo-ping.

[5.50/10] Charlie's Angels (2019)

Charlie's Angels (2019)

Quick Review: The diverse filming locations really please the eye, and all of the three female leads are fun as the Angels, especially Scott, who captivates with appeal and comedic talent, but this despite having some sense of style, this pointless reboot suffers from questionable direction, unspectacular, poorly-edited action, uneven pacing, and a muddled, yet totally cheesy save-mankind-from-a- deadly-device plot-line, full of corny twists, not to say "Charlie's Angels" is thirty minutes too long.

[7.75/10] Birds of Prey (2020)

Birds of Prey (2020)

Quick Review: Vibrant in essence and harlequin-like colorful, yet gritty in feel, "BOP" is an unapologetically wacky, hecticly-plotted, and wickedly violent over-the-top superhero romp with boombastic score that not only captures the kooky nature of Quinn, played with gusto by Robbie, but it screams girl power every step of the way through the voice and actions of its badass heroines, who provoke utter havoc and kick some butts with style and skill, during the inventively bonkers fight set pieces.

OSCAR post: My Reviews of the 9 Best Picture Nominees at Oscars 2020

 My Quick Reviews of the 9 Best Picture Nominees at Oscars 2020

[click on the title to read the quick review] 

[8.75/10] Ford v Ferrari
[7.25/10] The Irishman
[7.75/10] Little Women
[8.50/10] Marriage Story
[8.50/10] Parasite
[7.75/10] 1917
[8.00/10] Joker
[8.75/10] Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood
[7.25/10] Jojo Rabbit

Should win: Ford v Ferrari
Will win: 1917
Could win: Parasite / Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood

[7.50/10] The Gentlemen (2020)

The Gentlemen (2020)

Quick Review: Cunning, brilliantly- cast, stylistically flashy, and smartly- conceived, Ritchie's new film plays it more like a 'battle of the minds' than a straight action, utilizing its brainy script, cleverly intricate plot-within-a -plot structure and perky characters to amuse, startle, and involve, "The Gentlemen" gets cooler and funnier as it unfolds, peaking in a swanky, brutally violent, twist-riddled third act in which everything falls into place in witty fashion, with Grant and Farrell stealing the entire show.

[6.50/10] 21 Bridges (2019)

21 Bridges (2019)

Quick Review: Yes the whole thing feels familiar, and even thematically outdated, but in terms of execution, the set-in-nighttime-Manhattan "21 Bridges" is a competently-shot and visually sleek cop thriller with plenty of tension and to keep you on your toes during the cat-n-mouse chase between the tough detective Davis, played so convincingly by Boseman, and the two on-the-run felons, even if the film loses some of its steam in the second half, leading to a twisty, if less effective final act.

[6.25/10] Troop Zero (2020)

Troop Zero (2020)

Quick Review: Filmed with a sense of vintage vibrancy, this cutesy and quirky dramedy conveys its 'it's okay to be different' message throughout, never forgetting to remain amusing and pleasurable, and though "Troop Zero" lacks the emotional depth that would've made it really special, it is the earnest acting by Grace as the misfit Christmas, and the equally as superb supporting performances by Davis and Janney and their funnily conflicting characters that add vigor, charm, and heart to it all.

[6.75/10] Just Mercy (2019)

Just Mercy (2019)

Quick Review: A gut-wrenching, if inspiring true story dealing with legal injustice and racial prejudice, told in a compelling, soft-toned fashion and visually recreated with an authentic 80s vibe, "Just Mercy" is powerfully driven by the empathetic advocate Stevenson, acted with conviction by Jordan, and finely complemented by Foxx's fragile supporting turn, but it is the characters' mixed emotions of frustration and determination during their battle against the system that make the biggest impact.