[5.00/10] Barely Lethal (2015)

Barely Lethal (2015)

Quick Review: Honestly said, it's a brainless action comedy, made with a pretty tight budget (and it shows), that much like its protagonist suffers big time from identity crisis, trying to figure out for itself, whether it wants to be a spy action, or a high school comedy, as it hardly works as both. On the other hand, "Barely Lethal" is all about 'silly fun', and never tries to be serious, plus, for an indie flick, it flaunts a mostly A-list cast, all of whom do well, considering the weak script, and flat direction.

[6.75/10] A Brilliant Young Mind (2015)

A Brilliant Young Mind (2015)

Quick Review: Heartfelt, touching, often inspiring, but far from brilliant, due to some low points, "A Brilliant Young Mind" depicts the struggles of raising a child with special needs, as well as being one, in a sensitive and delicate way, while at the same time praises the amazing gifts, and sheer cleverness most autistic kids possess, letting all the positives be the driving force and not the drama, all of that aided with some wonderful acting from a great cast.

[4.00/10] Fantastic Four (2015)

Fantastic Four (2015)

Quick Review: Murky, inexcusably humorless and devoid of any proper action until the very end, "Fant4stic" wastes too much time in introducing us flat characters with little to offer, whilst rushing its third act, which is supposed to be the highlight (but it ain't), neglecting the importance of its already hollow and funny-looking villain, and also unaware of the fact that there's zero chemistry between the leading foursome, all resulting in a pretty lackluster reboot, that's not even remotely fantastic.

[6.25/10] Unexpected (2015)

Unexpected (2015)

Quick Review: The intimate stories of the two protagonists are moving enough on their own, but what really makes the film as affecting as it is, is the warmly genuine teacher-student relationship between them, and the natural, and heartfelt performances by Cobie Smulders and Gail Bean, whose friendship, with all its ups and downs, feels like a real-life one. Yes, it may be an ordinary-looking movie, with an almost indie feel about it, but "Unexpected"'s visual simplicity adds more realism to the plot.

[6.75/10] Dark Places (2015)

Dark Places (2015)

Quick Review: It's no "Gone Girl", but this downbeat, visually subdued drama manages to be involving and quietly intense pretty much from the first to the last minute, without even having that many big thrills, mainly thanks to the skillful narration of its cinematic riddle of a plot, where the creator unravels the mystery piece by piece for us in mind-boggling, yet credible way, keeping the story very unpredictable. The well-picked cast do a great job with Theron yet again stealing the whole show.

[6.00/10] Unfriended (2015)

Unfriended (2015)

Quick Review: For an 'all concept' film with zero plot, this modern-day cyber horror manages to provide a few solid thrills, using different types of social media interaction, and wins some points for originality, due to its fresh, if not clever approach. It ain't scary, the story is absurd, and you wouldn't care about any of the teen characters, and yet "Unfriended" still keeps you drawn in the whole 'angry cyber teen ghost seeking for bloody revenge' thing, reveling the mystery behind it in a twisty way.

[8.50/10] Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)

Quick Review: With its intricate yet never confusing plot filled with many unexpected twists, ingenious sense of humor, adrenaline-rushing action sequences, and a powerhouse turn from Ferguson, who happens to be the film's biggest asset, pretty much overshadowing Cruise, "M:I - Rogue Nation" is nearly on-par with its killer predecessor, and proves that action movies can be smart and thrilling at the same time without the help of 3D effects or tired gimmicks.

[4.25/10] Unfinished Business (2015)

Unfinished Business (2015)

Quick Review: It's nice to look at, but as a comedy, it fails one pretty much every other level -- watching a bunch of losers from 3 generations trying to make some business, while doing tons of other really dumb stuff for ninety minutes is not particularly interesting, let alone hilarious, and even a capable comedian like Vince Vaughn is not able to change this fact due to the poor script he has to work with. The back story doesn't fit in with all the other crap.

[5.00/10] Extinction (2015)

Extinction (2015)

Quick Review: It has more than enough character development, and those "Descent"-inspired creatures are formidable, and freaky-looking, indeed, but for an almost two-hour long movie, "Extinction" focuses way too much on the dialogue, and not enough on the action, with the end result being a so-so zombie horror, that tries hard to be deep, but fails to achieve it. The frozen scenery is supposed to add some grit to the visuals but, it's so obviously CGI-y, it makes it look so cheesy.

[6.50/10] Trainwreck (2015)

Trainwreck (2015)

Quick Review: Apatow's uneven, at times generic direction doesn't bring to live Schumer's clever script in the best way possible, and the film itself, while constantly funny, is not exactly hysterical, but watching the amusing protagonist grow from a selfish sex- addict to a devoted woman is really worth it. What truly sets "Trainwreck" apart from the most rom-coms is the utter lack of cheesiness, plus, Amy Schumer elevates it from 'ho-hum' to 'pretty good', thanks to her comedic talent and honest acting.

[4.75/10] Slow West (2015)

Slow West (2015)

Quick Review: Thanks to a strong presence, M.Fassbender dominates the screen every moment he's on it, and the connection between his and Smit-McPhee's character is silently powerful, yet natural, but to be fair, "Slow West" lives up 100% to its title and not in a good way -- it is slow, like lazy slow, and it's all about the west, and its terribly savage nature. Made with little cash, and shot with even less imagination, this sluggish nag of an indie western hardly adds any value to the genre.

[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.