[7.50/10] Ralph Breaks the Internet [3D] (2018)

Ralph Breaks the Internet [3D] (2018)

Quick Review: Smartly upgrading its 'arcade'' concept by entering the infinite world of internet and flashing even more dazzlingly colorful visuals than the original, "Ralph Breaks the Internet" is delightfully busy in looks, and amusingly referential in nature, featuring everything from car racing video games and Disney princesses to social media and pop-up ads, but its heart lies in the sweet, frank and poignant friendship between Ralph and the lively Vanellope.

[6.75/10] Second Act (2018)

Second Act (2018)

Quick Review: Sure, it is contrived and a bit all over the place, but that aside, "Second Act" is a charming, pleasurable, and feel-good comedy about self-doubt and self-belief that has enough heart to touch you, and enough funny gags, raunchy humor, and amusing situations to make you laugh, and though its intentions to make you believe that 'sky is the limit' do not always work, the movie still inspires confidence, thanks to J Lo's naturally powerful charisma as the down-to-earth Maya.

 

[6.00/10] The Vanishing (2019)

The Vanishing (2019)

Quick Review: Unveiling in details the disturbing supposed-to-be-real events around the Flannan Mystery in a grim fashion, "The Vanishing" is a mystery only in its premise, which takes away from the suspense, but thanks to the isolated setting, a few unpredictable twists here and there, the increasingly intense relationship between the three characters, and Butler's unsettling turn, this sad and quietly intriguing, albeit slow-moving Irish drama still delivers a few solid shocks, chills, and thrills.

[7.75/10] Green Book (2018)

Green Book (2018)

Quick Review: Equal parts frank, genuine, funny, and touching, and featuring some of the best acting of 2018, with Mortensen's flawless turn as the flawed Tony being the driving force, the set-in-the-'60s road movie "Green Book" tells the heartfelt real- life tale of an unexpected friendship between two men of different class, race, background, outlook, and with entirely opposite personalities, who complement each other so naturally and develop a bond so strong, it's extraordinary to witness.

[5.00/10] How It Ends (2018)

How It Ends (2018)

Quick Review: Straightforward and lacking any twists or turns, ironically enough, it's too easy to predict how "How It Ends" is going to end, which is never a good thing, and despite Whitaker's devoted turn and James' okay performance, this violent and pretty illogical disaster movie lacks the proper post-apocalyptic feel so important for a genre film such as this one, becoming more of a 'road trip with the grumpy military father' affair, rather than a taut thriller that will keep you interested.

[6.50/10] Cam (2018)

Cam (2018)

Quick Review: Smart, refreshing, and highly original in both premise and execution, this psychological tech-horror successfully represents the fear of losing our manufactured online presence, but also exposes in curious details the obsessed lives of  'cam girls', and though it refuses to provide a proper explanation in the end, "Cam" is a modern creep- fest with outrageous subject, which offers visceral thrills and a surreal story full of paradoxes that make it all the more provocative.

[4.00/10] Iceman: The Time Traveller (2018)

Iceman: The Time Traveller (2018)

Quick Review: This time set in the past for a change, "Iceman 2" has some surprisingly pretty production design, but for a cheesy 'time travel' flick, this sequel is too melodramatic and goes in a way overly serious direction with the Japanese invasion subject it decides to involve in its ho-hum fun-free humorless plot, not to mention it's nearly devoid of any action, featuring just one continuous swordplay fight in the end that works thanks to Yen's mastery.

[8.00/10] The Favourite (2018)

The Favourite (2018)

Quick Review: Shining with its lush and truly exquisite period production design that contrasts beautifully with its grim essence, "The Favorite" is a darkly peculiar, but also delightfully melodramatic and viciously amusing lesbian love triangle of a story about rivalry, dominance, sexual seduction and masterful manipulation, having Yorgos Lanthimos' signature oddball style written all over it, and driven powerfully by the stellar female lead trio, with Colman stealing the show as the monstrous queen.

[5.00/10] Hell Fest (2018)

Hell Fest (2018)

Quick Review: Neither bloody, nor suspenseful, let alone scary, "Hell Fest" is more of a snooze-fest, as it's a rather pointless 'masked killer' softcore slasher about a bunch of annoying teen folks getting stalked at a Halloween carnival, but at least this mediocre attempt at a fright flick has some production qualities about it, with the horror theme park it is set in being pretty atmospheric, and at times creepy enough to add some 'fun factor' to the otherwise tedious and forgettable plot-line.

[7.25/10] Aquaman [IMAX 3D] (2018)

Aquaman [3D] (2018)

Quick Review: Soaked with cheesy dialogues, soggy humor, and vapid plot devices, this aquatic superhero adventure is a bit fishy script-wise, in spite of its 'old school romp' type of style, but what saves "Aquaman" from sinking down, beside Momoa's masculinity and Heard's eye-candy looks, is the breathtakingly rich and colorful underwater world of Atlantis, the imaginative, superbly-crafted 3D and special effects, and the swanky fight sequences, enhanced by some innovative camera work.

[7.00/10] Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018)

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018)

Quick Review: The interactive way of narration offering varied options may be too convoluted for some, as it requires big focus, but those who dig the mindfuck type of storytelling, as well as the fans of the TV show will find "BM: Bandersnatch" to be a compelling cyber horror experience devoid of predictability that takes its 'mirror dimensions' concept to a new level, and fulfills its 'gimmicky' video game premise in a truly unique and philosophical meta-style.

[6.75/10] The Sisters Brothers (2018)

The Sisters Brothers (2018)

Quick Review: Tonally atmospheric and darkly ironic in essence, "The Sisters Brothers" seems like your typical 'bounty hunter' western fare at first, revolving around the rivalry between two troubled brothers, both played rather superbly by Reilly and Phoenix, but during its 'gold digging gone wrong' second half the movie takes an unexpectedly bleak turn, becoming almost a horror story that satirizes greed in an affecting, and pretty thoughtful manner.

[6.25/10] Disobedience (2018)

Disobedience (2018)

Quick Review: Entirely driven by the hot sexual chemistry between Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams and the strong bond shared by their lesbian characters who are as much close friends as they are passionate lovers, "Disobedience" is way more credible then your usual 'forbidden romance' movie, and even though it perfectly captures the Jewish nature of the real closed society it revolves around, this love triangle drama has a somewhat bleak tone that may be too off-putting for some.

[5.00/10] Mid90s (2018)

Mid90s (2018)

Quick Review: What is supposed to be a coming-of-age drama with credible characters, realistic story, and nostalgic visuals "Mid90s" ends up being an ordinary film with nearly depressing tone, telling the story of a likable preteen boy who becomes friends with a bunch of useless guys living mostly on the streets, turning into a loser himself, and despite the really touching third act, believable acting, and accurate representation of 'bad influence' scenario, "Mid90s" is a big disappointment.

[7.25/10] Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

Quick Review: The singing,though charming and cheerful, overwhelms some of its magic, since the musical numbers predominate, but this late sequel warms the heart with its feel- good, poignant story and delightfully old-fashioned approach, and treats the eyes with its vivid and exuberant visuals, with the highlights being the imaginative 'bowl' scene that fuses live-action with classical animation, and Emily Blunt's alluring turn as the whimsical title character.

[5.25/10] Lizzie (2018)

Lizzie (2018)

Quick Review: Featuring one of Stewart's better if still questionable performances in her rocky career, and telling the disturbing true story of Lizzie Borden, accused of axe killing her father and stepmother, at first "Lizzie" gives the feeling of an intriguing and quietly suspenseful period drama thriller with some truly authentic production values, and an intense turn from Chloë Sevigny, but further on develops into a tedious romance with inevitably predictable outcome and no impact.

[4.25/10] Replicas (2018)

Replicas (2018)

Quick Review: So far-fetched and scientifically-absurd, it is frequently unintentionally funny, which kind of make up for its complete and utter lack of humor, the overly serious "Replicas" replicates the concept of other, far better sci-fi flicks, adding very few ideas of its own, with the end result being an overambitious nonsense of a bummer that tries to break the rules of nature, but ruins itself instead with a stiff acting and ridiculous plot-line that will make you roll your eyes in disbelief.

[6.75/10] The Pact (2018)

The Pact (2018)

Quick Review: More of an eerie supernatural thriller, rather than a pure horror movie, but an incredibly atmospheric and suspenseful one, "The Pact" may lack the typical for the genre jump scares, but its murky tone and all the sinister elements of its mystery driven plot done in the same vein as "The Box" are good enough to keep you intrigued from the beginning to the end, with  the talented Belén Rueda delivering yet another brilliant performance which carries the whole movie.