Quick Review: A delightfully messy oddball romance between a kooky teen girl and a troubled, but caring older boy, boldly developing in front of the eyes of her eccentric parents, "Babyteeth" distinguishes itself from the trite genre with unpredictability, refreshing quirkiness and true dark edge, balancing out wacky humor, zany family dynamics and harrowing drama effortlessly, while benefiting from the naturalistic acting from its cast, and cool, proper 'Aussie style' in and outdoor settings.
Quick Review: Probably the most authentic movie of 2020, in terms of tone, look, and acting, this Mexican drama feels like a plotless docu-like effort with no distinct direction, but that's exactly where its strength lies in, following the runaway journey of the eccentric, but kind, likable and charming Ulises, and depicting his realistically gritty, quietly moving, if never sappy personal story about dancing, dope, style, homesickness, street life, work, friendships, and the big struggles of fitting in.
Quick Review: The crisp black-n- white cinematography and authentic period settings transport to the '30s era, Oldman acts his heart out, and Seyfreid shines bright, but "Mank" ends up being a self-absorbed and overwritten 'love letter to old films', alternating dull, draggy, overly talky scenes with real baffling flashbacks, whose incoherent, monotonŠµ story with no real tension or drama lacks soul as much as the monochrome visuals lack color, but worse, any of Fincher's flair to narrate.
Quick Review: Dealing with the separation of a long-married couple whilst also re-connecting with their alienated son, "Hope Gap" is a lot less dramatic than it sounds, with the coastal setting and easy-breezy tone making the situation feel even lighter, however Nighy and Bening and are both terrific in their roles -- particularly the latter, who portrays despair and revival equally as good, plus, the film delivers an optimistic 'move on' moral message, aiming to end on a positive note.
Quick Review: Wild, lively, often lol funny, and at times totally bananas, "A New Age" offers an even more opulent and vivid animation, rich in color and detail, as well as a zestful story about novel discoveries and cultural clashes, with hilarious take on modern inventions, and full of action, romance, thrills and laughs, besides, there are some imaginative creatures such as punch monkeys, earth sharks, and wolf spiders, and it's all loads of great fun!
Quick Review: A truly fresh take on Dickens' classic that celebrates life and art, and delights with energy and charm, there's a lot going on in "TPHDC", but most elements of the rich and busy story are entertaining enough to keep you drawn in, and that along with the exuberant period visuals, and Patel's passionate turn as the charismatic, vivacious, and always curious title character, make this one a joyful journey through his creativity and peculiarity.
2. The Descent (2005) - 9.75 out of 10
3. The Ring (2002) - 9.75 out of 10
4. Martyrs (2008) - 9.50 out of 10
5. The Others (2001) - 9.50 out of 10
6. The Orphanage (2007) - 9.25 out of 10
7. The Devil's Backbone (2001) - 9.25 out of 10
8. 28 Days Later (2003) - 9.00 out of 10
9. [REC]² (2009) - 9.00 out of 10
10. Let the Right One In (2008) - 8.75 out of 10
11. Cloverfield (2008) - 8.75 out of 10
12. Drag Me to Hell (2009) - 8.50 out of 10
13. Ginger Snaps (2000) - 8.50 out of 10
14. The Host (2006) - 8.50 out of 10
15. The House of the Devil (2009) - 8.25 out of 10
+ 15 Honorable Mentions:
Battle Royale (2000) | Dark Water (2002) | A Tale of Two Sisters (2003) | Jeepers Creepers (2001) | Dead End (2003) | Wrong Turn (2003) | Final Destination 2 (2003) | Dawn of the Dead (2004) | The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) | Slither (2006) | Taxidermia (2006) | The Mist (2007) | Inside (2007) | Trick 'r Treat (2007) | Paranormal Activity (2007) |
+ TOP 3 Horror Comedies:
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Quick Review: Pleasantly romantic in its first half, yet truly devastating in its second, this one is inevitably manipulative, as it deals with young couple, whose future is shattered by a fatal illness, which instantly turns it into a sad, gut-wrenching, if barely sappy tear-jerker, but the chemistry between the leads is genuine, and the 'live for the moment' message works, though the best thing about "All My Life" is that it says out loud truths about life, which many people realize, but rarely admit.
Quick Review: A realistically bleak and intimate character portrait of a wandering woman living in her van as an aftermath of recession, whose grittiness is enhanced by the docu- like camerawork and desolated, yet glorious scenery that represents the loneliness and 'happy' freedom of its restrained protagonist, played so effortlessly by Francis McDormand, "Nomadland" is quietly engrossing, at times sad, but never depressing, though frankly it barely hits as hard, emotionally, as it should.
Quick Review: Thanks to the slick cinematography, it looks surprisingly good for a B-movie, and it has some interesting ideas up its sleeve, even if it never sinks below the surface to explore what lies in there, indeed, refusing to provide any explanation or at least hint about the mysterious aquatic creature it deals with, but in spite of that, and some overacting, "What Lies Below" is an okay hybrid of domestic drama and horror that's more odd than scary, and too vague to make any real sense.
Quick Review: A heartfelt, uplifting and inspiring fact-based story, told with heart in a usual crowd-pleasing Disney fashion, which successfully conveys its message of teamwork, but also emphasizes on the strong bond between brothers, "Safety" is finely-crafted and well-written, but it scores the most points for giving a great depth to its charmingly likable, if unlucky protagonist, torn between sports, school, and family, who Jay Reeves portrays with huge passion and genuine dedication.
Quick Review: Although it doesn't always manage to avoid the typical genre tropes involving melodrama, "Chemical Hearts" works better as a portrayal of loneliness and grief as well as the struggle of being a teen, than it does as a love story, even if depicts affection and devotion in a sweet and genuine manner, which makes the whole romance develop slowly, but engagingly, thanks to the strong chemistry between the two young leads and a few solid twists and turns along the way.
Quick Review: A darkly comic and delightfully nuanced feminist tale of grief, trauma, rage, and vengeance, powered by Mulligan's mesmerizing turn as the crafty Cassie with manic obsession for justice, Fennell's first movie is a bold, brilliantly-conceived revenge thriller, with some dramatic twists and tragic payoff, that is grim, twisted and unsettling, if oddly fun, deftly blurring the line between right and wrong by refusing to demonize all its flawed characters.
Quick Review: A simple story, but beautifully told, and single-handedly led by the talented Sophia Loren, who steals the show in a role that feels meant to her, "The Life Ahead" doesn't impress with pretty settings, visuals, or slick cinematography, as those are refreshingly basic in style, but it certainly tickles the heart with the genuine and poignant younger- older relationship, which drives this Italian drama, though it's the acting by its veteran star that really makes the movie so compelling.
Quick Review: From the 'Told y'all not to come' line early on, you know something wrong's happening, and things are really getting weirder and grislier as the minimalist plot unfolds at a slow, even sluggish pace, and though the film combines 'jump' and proper, effective scares with sinister atmospherics and low-key lighting to generate 'satanic' sense of dread, "TDATW" is more darkly eerie than terrifying, and lacks the big climax to earn a slow-burner label.
Quick Review: More of a road trip film than a boxing one, this one has too little fighting to satisfy the thirst for fistful action, and its story is too hackneyed to leave an impact, in spite of the strong 'brothers bond', but "Jungleland" remains passably riveting throughout, due to Winkler's neat direction elevated by a subtle visual style, but above all the three central performances by O'Connell, Hunnam, and Barden, the latter of which often steals all the attention with her daffy character.
Quick Review: To call this juvenile, ludicrous and over-the-top would be inappropriate, as it is clearly meant for children, so for a kids superhero movie with lighthearted humor, fun action set pieces and vibrant visuals executed in typical gaudy Rodriguez fashion, "We Can Be Heroes" is an entertaining, zippy, and colorful take on the genre, crafted with heart and sense of nostalgia, and featuring an adorable cast that helps it convey a great message about empowerment of younger generations.
Quick Review: Concerning animal cruelty, poverty, and life in isolation, this one has a lot to say, and also to show, as it has some gory violence, but despite that and some moments of sheer tension, the film abandons its initial 'creature feature' premise, and goes in a different 'human is a beast' direction, which should be a twist, but comes across more as a deception, and though the outcome is shockingly grisly, "Hunter" would have worked better as a lurking-wolf straight-up horror movie.
