Despite all of the bad reviews I have seen I still had to see it. I'm a fan of the Wachowskis' works, even though they've all been somewhat terrible since the first Matrix film, (which I now assume was just a fluke). Even though their films tend to do terribly at the box office and are panned by critics, I still find them fascinating, in one way or another. Jupiter Ascending is no exception. Like Cloud Atlas before it, this film tries so very hard to tell a simple enough story in a most complicated way. As many critics have pointed out, the visuals are done quite well, and this film had some of the best action sequences they've pulled off since the highway chase in the second Matrix film. It wasn't the visual spectacles or action that interested me this time, but more the way they used science-fiction to tell a story of people in power and their greed winning over compassion for others. Beneath the strange face of the film, under the facade of silly looking genetic hybrid people, lies a story of a few families so wealthy and so well-connected that they feel they can do whatever they choose, and that rules, or ethics do not apply to them. Under the guise of a space opera may be the film's main ideas and concepts, that are more akin to our current world than meets the eye.

3.5 Stars (out of 5)

I haven't met a time travel movie I didn't like, and while this one tries its hardest to make me not like it at times, I couldn't help but still enjoy it. Like the first half of Chronicle showed what teenagers would do with superpowers, this film perfectly illustrates what they would do with a time machine. Much of it is enjoyable enough: watching them build a time machine, then use it for fun, win the lottery, etc., but the third act is thin, not really delving into the consequences of their actions. And I wasn't that impressed with the way it's wrapped up in the end. Still, I liked it. Didn't realize going in that it was in found footage style, which may have run its course, but wasn't too distracting for me.

3.0 Stars (out of 5)

While this might not be the most well constructed film, with its story taking clichés and bits and pieces from every other bromance, outrageous, and gross-out comedy that has come before it, there's enough laughs and heart to make this one worth watching. The chemistry between Josh Gad and Kevin Hart is perfect. Hart is playing something different from his usual high energy annoying sidekick character, instead playing a suave, seemingly confident, and calm character, and it works. The plot is predictable but the events that happen along the way aren't at all, sometimes feeling like they belong in a different film altogether, but that keeps it from getting boring. Here's hoping we see Josh Gad in more leading roles in the future.

3.0 Stars (out of 5)

Benedict Cumberbatch does an incredible job inhabiting the persona of Alan Turning; portraying his genius, quirks, and his own strange way of saving thousands of lives. The film focuses on a few years during World War II, along with a small bit before and after the war. I would've liked to have seen a more bio-pic style, with more of his life covered, but by focusing on this time it does show his best contributions to humanity, and how he was ultimately "rewarded" for it. Would have loved to see a bit more elaboration on what Turing called the "imitation game", what we refer to now as the "Turing test", as it's briefly mentioned but not clearly defined.

3.5 Stars (out of 5)

Chris Rock's writing style is spot on. His deliveries of jokes as if they were part of everyday conversation is impeccable. Unfortunately the film tends to fall flat in some areas, suffers from a predictable story arc, and drags in a couple of places, otherwise this might've been a truly standout milestone in Rock's career. The story feels semi-autobiographical, at least in the way it describes his feelings about the industry, but it tries a bit too hard to tie everything up with a pretty bow and goes for the romantic comedy conclusion rather than a more existential one. Regardless of its shortcomings, it's filled with laughs, both clever and low-brow, and is a lot of fun, even when it's down-right depressing.

3.0 Stars (out of 5)

A shockingly good time. I haven't seen all the Madagascar films, and never seen the Penguins' television show, so my expectations weren't too high for this. It was really funny, super cute, and had a decent story structure, especially for a spin-off film. The film is fast-paced and full of delicious silliness. It might be meant for kids, but I had a great time the whole way through. It doesn't delve too deep emotionally, the way a good Pixar film might, but it's more fun than I'm used to from the usual Dreamworks offerings.

3.0 Stars (out of 5)

I really do love watching these movies. I find them exciting and having not read the books myself, I genuinely cannot wait to see what happens next. It probably has a lot to do with Jennifer Lawrence's enigmatic portrayal of Katniss Everdeen. She's an extremely talented actor and her take on the character is an interesting mix of endearing yet distant. By the time this story begins she is suffering from PTSD, waking from nightmares, and feeling hopeless much of the time. In true hero-story fashion she does find the courage and energy to stand up for what she believes in, and takes the audience along with her.

The film features some great action, suspense, and some well-placed levity, just as the prior two, but some scenes fall flat or feel redundant. Many people have suggested that the final story did not need to be split into two films, but I am happy to see it as two. I'll take as much of this universe as I can get. With the author producing and adapting the story for the film I get the feeling she's including what she thinks is important. It doesn't just feel like a studio cash-grab to me, just pure popcorn entertainment. Looking forward to the conclusion next year.

3.5 Stars (out of 5)

Big Hero 6 is a fun adventure film for kids that features superheroes that get their superpowers from real science rather than fiction. Set in the make-believe mash-up city of San Fransokyo, the film follows young robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada as he tries to uncover the truth behind his brother's demise. At his side is the personal healthcare robot Baymax, who really does steal the show, (and your heart), along with a group of his geeky pals, each with their own scientific specialty. I enjoyed the magnificently detailed city environments. It was fun to see how they merged two different cultures to make a futuristic San Francisco with an Asian flare. While the story was tight and it hit all the right marks, it wasn't always as entertaining as I hoped it would be. It's still at least a great looking film, with a positive message and some heartwarming moments, mainly thanks to the adorable Baymax.

3 Stars (out of 5)

I love the characters and the way the story takes place over the course of two nights. You can really feel the time passing in real time and their relationship seems to form organically. The conversations feel real and the filmmakers are unafraid to be frank and mature when discussing sex, which is refreshing for the genre. Unfortunately the ending tries too hard to tie everything up with a pretty bow in the most conventional of rom-com styles, going against its off-beat style that was so perfectly set up to that point. The film still made me smile and was a fun watch, despite its unearned ending.

3 Stars (out of 5)

The all-star cast does a good job of grounding this outrageous dramatic comedy whenever it starts to go off the rails. The story, based on a best-selling book, is pretty solid, but the film is made in such a by-the-numbers way that hardly anything is ever a surprise when it happens. This is most evident with Jason Bateman's character's story with his old flame being rekindled, which plays out like an old rom-com and hardly seems to fit the style of the rest of the film. The wacky family is entertaining and the cast hilarious, but the movie falls flat on its face too many times to count.

3 Stars (out of 5)