My Top 10 Movies of 2018

DISCLAIMER: 

As I say every year, this is MY list and therefore MY opinions. You may not agree with the movies I’ve chosen and that’s fine. Just please be respectful. 

10. Leave No Trace

9. RBG

8. Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

7. A Quiet Place 

6. The Hate U Give

5. Black Panther

4. Green Book 

3. BlacKkKlansman

2. Avengers: Infinity War

1. A Star is Born

Honorable Mentions:

• First Reformed

• Three Identical Strangers

• Bad Times at the El Royale

• The Rider

•Eighth Grade 

Vice

Plot:

Based on a true story. Dick Cheney (Christian Bale) quietly wields immense power while serving as the Vice President To George W. Bush (Sam Rockwell). 

Pros:

•Adam McKay movies are kind of hit or miss for me. I’m happy to say that Vice for the most part is a hit. 

•Christian Bale has a real chance at winning Best Actor this year. Once again he transforms himself for the role. I didn’t see him, I saw Dick Cheney. 

•The supporting cast deserves recognition as well, especially Amy Adams and Sam Rockwell (whose not in it nearly enough for my liking). 

•I’m about to say something that I very rarely get a chance to say- Tyler Perry gave a good performance (he plays Colin Powell and has about 10 minutes screen time total). I’m dead serious. It’s amazing what he can do when he’s not writing and directing himself. 

•It was interesting to learn more about Cheney since I didn’t know much before he became Vice President. 

•Fantastic job by whoever did the makeup. 

•While I wouldn’t call it great, it’s definitely worth seeing. 

Cons:

•Had some serious pacing issues. Also, it seemed like it was never going to end. It just kept going and going. I found myself rolling my eyes several times. 

•Hated the narration. Totally unnecessary. There’s more I’d like to say about it but I would be getting into a slight spoiler. 

My Rating: 7.5/10

Mary Poppins Returns

Plot:

Decades after her original visit, Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) returns to help the Banks siblings as well as Michael’s children through a difficult time in their lives. 

Pros:

•Emily Blunt was perfect casting. I really liked her take on the character. 

•One of the most colorful and gorgeous movies I’ve seen in awhile. 

•Rob Marshall does a great job capturing the spirit of the original while at the same time doing its own thing. 

•I enjoyed most of the musical numbers. Were they as memorable as the original? Well, no. But still very catchy. 

•This is definitely one of those feel good movies. And there’s nothing wrong with that. With all the horrible things going on in the world it’s nice to escape for a little while. 

Cons:

•Could’ve used some tighter editing. Some scenes easily trimmed down or taken out all together, mainly Meryl Streep’s musical number. 

My Rating: 8/10

Pick of the Litter

Plot:

Documentary that follows a litter of puppies as they begin their quest to become Guide Dogs for the blind. 

I usually avoid movies about dogs or animals in general because in my experience they don’t end well and I turn into a sobbing mess. But with this one I felt I’d be alright and would have a happy ending. And while it did, I still ended up crying but in a good way. Who doesn’t love seeing a movie about cute dogs? 

This was such a fascinating movie. It was interesting to see the whole process of becoming a guide dog and how hard it is to make the cut. And the amazing trainers that work with them. 

Only one very minor complaint- it felt a bit rushed. It’s only about an hour and twenty minutes and I would’ve loved to have seen them spending more time going through the whole training process. Still, this is the perfect movie to take your family to or if you’re a dog lover. 

My Rating: 9/10

Aquaman

Plot:

Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) learns that he is the true heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis. 

Pros:

•Jason Momoa was easily the best part of this movie. I love his take on Aquaman. He really seems to be having fun and not taking it seriously, which is what you should do with a movie like this. 

•There are some really nice visuals, especially when it comes to Atlantis. And color!!! A rarity in a DC movie. 

•Some fun and even touching moments. 

•It’s not that good overall but it didn’t make me mad. 

Cons:

•The movie is two and a half hours and boy do you feel the length at times. 

•Terrible dialog. Whoever wrote this should be fired. But at least it was laughably bad. 

•If you take a shot every time there’s exposition you’ll be dead of alcohol poisoning in about five minutes. 

•Patrick Wilson I like you and all but tone it the fuck down! He took this way too seriously. 

•I have heard some bad songs in my time. But Pittbull’s cover of “Africa” may just one of the worst. Holy shit!! What the fuck was that? To give you an idea of how bad it was- I’d rather listen to Baby Shark on a loop then hear this song again. 

My Rating: 6/10

The Front Runner

Plot:

Gary Hart’s (Hugh Jackman) presidential campaign in 1988 is derailed when he’s caught having an affair. 

Pros:

•There is a lot to like about this movie. For one thing the performances. Hugh Jackman is amazing as always. There are some great moments between him and the strong supporting cast, especially Vera Farmiga and JK Simmons. 

•Jason Reitman does direct this well, although it’s far from his best movie. He really did make it look and feel like the 80s. 

•The score is subtle yet effective. 

•There’s some great bits of dialog. 

Cons:

•Overall though I felt that the script was kind of weak. 

•They spend way too much time developing the supporting cast (not that it wasn’t interesting, it was) and not enough time on the main character. 

•Could’ve used another round of editing. 

•I’m not sure if it was the theater I saw it in but if it wasn’t- the sound mixing was awful at times, especially in the beginning. It was hard to make out what some of the characters were saying. 

•Is it worth seeing? Sure. But I wouldn’t rush out or anything. 

My Rating: 6.5/10

The Favourite

Plot:

Set in early 18th century England. A frail Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) occupies the throne with Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz) governing in her place. When a new servant named Abigail (Emma Stone) arrives she manages to charm everyone and fill in the role as the Queen’s companion. 

This is one of those movies that’s best to watch knowing as little as possible. So I’ll be brief with my review. 

If you go into this expecting your typical period piece then you’re going to be really disappointed. The director is Yorgos Lanthimus and his movies are certainly... unique. I mean that in a good way. If you haven’t seen any of his work (such as The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer) I suggest doing so in order to get an idea of his style. If you like those by all means see this one. 

All three main actresses are amazing. I can certainly see why they’re getting a lot of recognition this awards season. 

I also loved the costumes, score, and cinematography. 

My only complaint would be that the movie does run out of steam a bit at the end. Still, I highly recommend it and can’t wait to see what this director does next. 

My Rating: 8.5/10

Green Book

Plot:

Based on a true story. Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen), a working class bouncer, becomes the driver of African American classical pianist Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) who’s on a tour in the deep South in the 1960s. 

Pros:

• What makes this movie work so well is the strong writing. Tony’s son Nick not only wrote the book the movie is based on (detailing the story of his father’s unlikely friendship with Shirley) but I believe he was one of the co-writers of the script as well. 

•Mahershala Ali is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors. He and Viggo Mortensen each give award worthy performances. I thought they had really good chemistry as well. 

•If I didn’t already know ahead of time, I never would’ve guessed in a million years that Peter Farrelly directed this. When I first found out I was like wait, the guy that directed There’s Something About Mary and Dumb & Dumber? That Peter Farrelly? He does an amazing job and I hope he continues to do more movies like this. 

•Tackles a lot of tough issues but also manages to have humor and be inspiring. 

•Great soundtrack. 

•Over two hours long but never once did I feel the urge to check the time. Hell I could’ve easily sat in the theater a few more hours watching the story of these two men. 

Cons:

•Yes, it’s very cliched and predictable and filled with every single Italian stereotype you can imagine. This is the definition of an Oscar bait movie. Normally I would take points off my rating for these things, but I just love this movie so much that I’m willing to let it slide. Definitely go check this out everyone. 

My Rating: 10/10

Beautiful Boy

Plot:

Based on the memoirs of David (Steve Carrell) and Nic (Timothée Chalament) Sheff and tells the story of Nic’s struggle with addiction and the effects it has on his family. 

Pros:

•Very honest and realistic portrayal of the vicious cycle of addiction. This was extremely tough to watch at times but that’s the point. 

•Steve Carrell.... wow!! If he doesn’t get some recognition this award season something is seriously wrong. I’m so happy seeing him do more dramatic roles like this. 

•Timothée Chalament was good too but I’m not as crazy about him as an actor as a lot of people seem to be. I think he’s a bit overrated. 

•Definitely a gorgeous looking movie. 

Cons:

•The pacing/structure was a bit off, especially in the first have. A lot of weird editing. 

•Very odd music choices at times. Not Gotti level bad or anything like that but still... it takes you out of the movie. 

My Rating: 8/10

The Old Man & The Gun

Plot:

Based on the true story of Forrest Tucker (Robert Redford) and his escape from San Quentin at the age of 70 and a series of bank robberies that left the police confounded. 

Pros:

•Robert Redford gives another brilliant performance. Very charming. Had it been a lesser actor I doubt it would’ve worked. 

•I thought he and Sissy Spacek had great chemistry. I really enjoyed seeing their relationship develop. 

•Fascinating story that I hadn’t heard about until I learned they were making this movie. 

•Most of the movie takes place in I believe the 80’s and the director films it in a way that fits the time period.

•This is the type of movie that would be perfect to take your Mom or Grandmother to. 

Cons:

•Moves at a very slow pace. While it didn’t bother me so much I know some people will be annoyed by it. 

•A few minor technical issues in terms of editing. 

•Very predictable. 

•The score. Very generic and the best way to describe it is elevator music. At times it would drown out the dialog. 

•While I thought Casey Affleck’s performance was fine, throughout most of this movie he kept mumbling his lines. I couldn’t understand what he was saying half the time. 

My Rating: 6.5/10

Creed 2

Plot:

Under the tutelage of Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) faces off against Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu)- the son of the man who killed his father. 

Pros:

•Been looking forward to this movie for awhile now. I’ve always been a huge fan of the Rocky series and when the first Creed came out three years ago it was a really nice surprise. In fact it was my number one movie that year. Anyway, I’m happy to report that Creed 2 is really good and a worthy sequel. 

•Once again Michael B. Jordan gives a strong performance. He and Sylvester Stallone work so well together. 

•Director Steven Caple Jr. does a good job in keeping with the look and feel that Ryan Coogler set up. 

•The story takes you on such an emotional rollercoaster. What I’ve always loved about this series is that above all it’s a drama that just happens to include boxing. 

•Amazing, well choreographed fight scenes that keep you on the edge of your seat. You feel every single punch. I found myself cringing in my seat. 

•If you’re a fan of this series then you’re going to love this movie I think. 

Cons:

•Just two VERY minor complaints. The first being that the story felt a bit rushed in spots. 

•I know this is Creed’s story but I would’ve liked to have seen them do a little more with the Drago’s. I found that subplot interesting and full of potential. 

My Rating: 9/10

Colette

Plot:

Colette (Kiera Knightly) is pressured by her husband (Dominic West) to write novels under his name. Once successful, she fights for creative ownership and pushes gender roles. 

Pros:

•Kiera Knightly gives such an amazing, captivating performance. She has a decent shot at winning an Oscar. At the very least, I think she’ll be nominated. 

•Dominic West did a good job and he certainly had chemistry with Kiera Knightly. Even though you’ve seen him do this type of role before he does it so well that I didn’t mind. 

•This is such a gorgeous movie! Everything from the cinematography to the costumes as well as the music. Kudos to director Wash Westmoreland (whose precious movies include Still Alice). 

•A very interesting true story that until recently I had never heard of. 

•If you’re a fan of period pieces I definitely think you’ll enjoy this. 

Cons:

•The movie felt very rushed in spots, mainly the first two acts. I wish they had taken a bit more time with it. 

My Rating: 8/10

Widows

Plot:

Three widows (Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, and Elizabeth Debicki) take fate into their own hands after being stuck with a debt left behind from their late husbands criminal activities. 

Pros:

•Great direction by Steve McQueen. I’ve always been a fan of his. Had it been a lesser director I don’t think it would’ve worked as well. 

•Same goes for the three lead actresses. I thought they worked well together. 

•If you go into this expecting a heist film with tons of action you’re going to be disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, those things are there but overall it’s a slow paced story. I’m totally fine with that. 

•It’s always cool to see a female empowerment story. We certainly could used more of them. 

Cons:

•The script overall is pretty weak. And the story gets down right dumb at times.  

•The twist wasn’t all that great either. 

•As much as I like Daniel Kaluuya he’s really not given much to do other than be your average evil henchmen. 

My Rating: 7.5/10 

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

Plot:

Second installment in the Fantastic Beasts series. 

Pros:

•Overall I enjoyed this movie probably better than the first one. I liked the darker tone of it. 

•I was worried that Johnny Depp would do his usual stick but I must say I thought he did an amazing job as Grindelwald. Grindelwald is a truly evil person but at the same time can be very charming and persuasive. You can see why people fall for what he’s saying. I wish the whole movie had just focused on him and Dumbledore. 

•Jude Law, while not in this a whole lot, I totally bought as a younger Dumbledore. I’m looking forward to seeing more of him in the sequels. 

•The creatures in here are still as interesting and adorable as ever. 

•If you’re a big fan of this universe like I am, I think you’ll enjoy this movie. 

Cons:

•Way too many subplots, many of which go nowhere. 

•Not a big fan of Ezra Miller’s character. 

•The ending had me literally saying out loud, “Wait... What the fuck?!?!” I know they’ll probably explain everything in the next one but still. I’m confused. 

My Rating: 8/10

Bohemian Rhapsody

Plot:

Based on the “true story” of  rock group Queen from their formation to their legendary performance at Live Aid in 1985. 

Pros:

•First let me start off with the positives. I wasn’t sure if he could pull it off but Rami Maleck was brilliant with his performance as Freddie Mercury. He really put his heart into it. 

•It was really fun hearing all of the classic Queen songs that I know and love. Unfortunately I never got to see Queen in concert (I was still a kid, maybe 6 or 7, when Freddie Mercury died) but thanks to this it felt like I was there. 

•I really loved the last third of the movie.  It almost felt like it had a completely different director. 

•There are some genuinely heartfelt moments here. Like the relationship between Freddie and Mary. 

•The recreation of the entire 20 minute Live Aid performance is worth the price of admission alone. 

Cons:

•Most of the movie felt so fucking rushed with very little character development. If you’re like me and hoped to learn more about Queen watching this then you’re going to be disappointed. That’s the best word to describe this movie- disappointing. If anyone can recommend a good Queen documentary I’d love to watch it. 

•Very weak script. 

•Queen deserves way better than this. 

•I understand most “based on a true story movies” take dramatic licensing but they really do straight up lie a lot of the time. 

My Rating: 6/10

Halloween (2018)

Plot:

Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) confronts Michael Meyers after narrowly escaping his killing spree 40 years earlier. 

Pros:

•I’ve only seen two movies in the Halloween franchise- the original (but it’s been years since I watched it), and H2O which I don’t remember but from what I hear that’s probably for the best. When I heard they were making this I rolled my eyes but decided to give it a chance after the positive reviews. I’m so glad I did. Halloween 2018 is a very worthy sequel to the classic original. 

•I love how they’ve chosen to ignore all the other sequels and remakes. This is a direct sequel to the 1978 movie. 

•Director David Gordon Green does a great job making a genuinely scary movie that doesn’t rely heavily on blood and gore. Make no mistake, those moments are definitely there, but he never lingers on those shots for very long. I will definitely be adding this my list of movies I watch every Halloween. 

•Jamie Lee Curtis is absolutely amazing here. She really nails down just how devastating PTSD can be and how it effects someone even years later. You really feel for her character. 

•It’s always great to hear the Halloween theme again. 

•There’s a child actor in this whose name I don’t know and while his role is very small he’s quite the scene stealer. So hilarious! Those who’ve seen the movie know who I’m talking about. 

Cons:

•The ending felt a little too abrupt. 

My Rating: 9/10

Film Columbia 2018

The Carer

Brian Cox shines as a legendary actor now suffering from Parkinson’s. I thought the actress playing his caretaker was good as well. The movie itself felt rushed and the editing was a bit odd at times but overall a decent start to the festival. My Rating: 7/10

L.I.E.

I feel super uncomfortable and a little nauseous after watching this. And not in a good way. While the performances by Brian Cox and a young Paul Dano (the movie was made in 2001) the story itself... all I’ll say is I feel like Chris Hansen is going to show up at my doorstep just because I watched this movie. Plus it looks like it was made for about $5. Definitely wasn’t for me. My Rating: 4/10

The Other Side of the Wind

Legendary film by Orsen Wells that was never completed until recently. Not really sure what to make of it and had a hard time following it but that’s to be expected given that they had to piece it together as best they could. At times I found myself nodding off. It’s great that they were able to release it finally but I can’t say I recommend it. My Rating: 4/10

They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead

Documentary about Orsen Wells and the making of The Other Side of the Wind. Far more interesting than the movie itself. My Rating: 7/10

Non-Fiction

Beautifully made and Juliette Binoche was great as always. But the story itself felt repetitive after awhile. My Rating: 6.5/10

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Melissa McCarthy completely transforms herself with this performance. I really hope she does more dramatic roles (although there’s plenty of humor sprinkled throughout) like this because she’s really good at it. Very fascinating story that until recently I had never heard of. Highly recommended. My Rating: 8/10

The Hate U Give

Powerful, well made movie starring the amazing Amandla Stenberg as a young woman who witnesses the murder of her childhood best friend by a police officer. One of the best I’ve seen this year and definitely one that everyone should see. My Rating: 10/10

Burning 

Not really sure to make of this South Korean drama/mystery. It’s well made and it was nice to see Glenn from TWD but it was a little too slow paced. And they could’ve trimmed a lot off. Now need for it to be two and a half hours. My Rating: 5.5/10

En El Séptimo Día

Small yet well made film about the week in the life of a Mexican immigrant working in NYC. Good acting and perfectly paced. My Rating: 7/10

Wildlife

Considering this is Paul Dani’s directorial debut I think he does a pretty decent job. He nails down the look and feel of the 60s. Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal both give good performances but it’s the young actor that plays their son who really shines. 

My Rating: 7/10

The Invisibles 

Part documentary, part docudrama about four Jewish survivors who were hiding in Berlin during World War 2. Of you’re interested in World War 2 definitely see this compelling movie. My Rating: 8/10

Ash is the Purest White

A Chinese romance/gangster movie taking place over the course of 17 years. It’s well made and the acting is fine, but I kind of lost interest after awhile. Also could’ve used some tighter editing. My Rating: 6/10

Chef Flynn

Lots of food porn! Don’t watch on an empty stomach. The food this young chef makes looks pretty but he makes those type of meals that are a huge plate with only the tiniest bit of food and charges a ridiculous amount for it. I hate places like that. He also comes off as a bit of a brat at times. My Rating: 6/10

The Children Act

I found it very interesting to see how the British Family Court system works as well as the issue of someone refusing a life saving medical treatment for religious reasons. Emma Thompson was brilliant as usual. Stanley Tucci is sadly wasted and not given much to do here. My Rating: 7.5/10

The World Before Your Feet

Fascinating documentary about Matt Green, a man who has spent years on a quest to walk every street in all five boroughs of NYC.  Watching this I learned a lot about the city as well. I think it’s a great thing what he’s doing. Check it out. My Rating: 8.5/10

Bad Times at the El Royale

Plot:

Seven strangers, each with a secret, meet at the El Royale- a hotel with a dark past. 

This is one of those movies that you really need to go into knowing very little. All I’ll say is this is definitely one of the most unpredictable, unique movies I’ve seen in a long time. With a great cast (Chris Hemsworth and Jeff Bridges were the highlights for me) and a kick ass soundtrack, you’ll definitely want to check this out. The only reason I’m not giving this a perfect rating is it did drag a little in spots. 

My Rating: 9.5/10

The Cakemaker

Plot:

A German pastry maker named Thomas (Tim Kalkhof) travels to Jerusalem in search of the wife and son of his dead lover. 

Pros:

•Beautifully shot with nice locations. 

•Lots of good porn! Don’t watch this on an empty stomach. 

•The performance that really stood out to me was the actress that played Thomas’ lover’s widow. 

•Simple score that never once overpowered the movie. 

•Slow paced but I wasn’t bored at all. 

Cons:

•While the movie is well directed for the most part, there were times I felt the director would focus either too long on a shot or on something that in the ending added nothing to the story. 

•I found myself not caring about the main character. 

•The movie ends on a rather unsatisfying note. 

My Rating: 6/10 

Venom

This is going to be super short. Mainly because I’m exhausted and an emotional mess after watching the amazing A Star Is Born (feel free to check out my review of it). 

Bottom line- Was it bad? Yes, yes it was. The special effects are terrible most of the time. Like, almost Gods of Egypt level bad. Oh yeah I went there. The dialogue is cringeworthy, the third act is a mess (literally, there were times during some of the action scenes I couldn’t even make out what was happening on the screen), and overall the movie is pretty forgettable. 

That being said, I didn’t think it was Catwoman/Fantastic Four level bad the way many have been saying. Tom Hardy is the saving grace of this movie. And no I’m not just saying that because I’m obsessed with him. He does the best he can with the material he has to work with. And I liked the whole dynamic between Eddie and Venom. I got some genuine laughs out of it. 

Would I recommend it? Ehhh, not really. Certainly not in theaters. If you insist on seeing it wait until it comes to Netflix. 

My Rating: 5/10

A Star Is Born

Plot:

Seasoned musician Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper, also making his directorial debut) discovers and falls in love with struggling young singer Ally (Lady Gaga). As Ally’s career takes off, Jackson’s struggles with alcoholism puts his in a downward spiral. 

Pros:

•Wow!!!! I’m blown away by how amazing this movie is. Not that I had any doubts. I’ve been looking forward to this since I saw the first trailer months ago. 

•Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga just radiate chemistry. I like how their relationship in the movie felt well developed and natural. So sweet. Had it been lesser actors this definitely wouldn’t have worked. I hope they get recognition come award season.

•Not only is Bradley Cooper a talented actor but he’s actually a pretty good director. I’d love to see him direct more movies. 

•The music will definitely be playing repeatedly on my Spotify list. SO good! 

•Make sure you bring tissues. I’m not kidding. I thought I was prepared but nope. I was a sobbing mess by the end. Even now a few hours later my eyes are still red and puffy I was crying so much. 

Cons:

•There are none. This movie is going to be a big hit I know it. One of the best movies I’ve seen this year. I know it’s still early but this definitely has earned a spot on my top 10 list. Please go out and support it. 

My Rating: 10/10

Juliet, Naked

Plot:

Annie (Rose Byrne) enters into an unlikely romance with faded singer/songwriter Tucker Crowe (Ethan Hawke), whom her boyfriend Duncan (Chris O’Dowd) is obsessed with. 

Pros:

•Good romantic comedies are hard to come by these days. They’re usually poorly acted and way too cheesy in my opinion. I’m happy to say that wasn’t the case with Juliet, Naked. I was pleasantly surprised by how good this movie was. Very well made and sweet. 

•Ethan Hawke and Rose Byrne both gave great performances. You could definitely see the chemistry there. 

•The characters were actually well developed and sympathetic. 

•Loved the music. 

•Definitely worth seeing in theaters. 

Cons:

•Nothing major really. My only complaint would be it gets off to a slow start. Luckily things pick up a lot once Ethan Hawke enters the picture. 

My Rating: 8.5/10

The Nun

Plot:

A priest (Demián Bicher) with a haunted past and a young nun (Taissa Farmiga) on the verge of her final vows are sent to investigate the death of a nun in Romania. 

Pros:

•The one thing that stands out to me is that this is a really looking movie. It really sets the tone and looks creepy. I continue to be impressed with how much Blumhouse is able to do with such low budgets. 

•Demián Bicher and Taissa Farmiga are both really good in this. While the material really isn’t that strong, they certainly make the most of it. 

•This may not to be worth seeing in theaters necessarily, but it’s perfect for a late night watch with a group of friends if you happen to see it on tv/Netflix. 

Cons:

•Stupid and predictable jump scares abound! And the one good jump scare it had they already spoiled in the trailer. 

•While there are some scary moments, there’s also long stretches (or it seems long anyway) where it actually feels dull. 

My Rating: 6.5/10

Eighth Grade

Plot:

A teenage girl named Kayla (Elsie Fischer) tries to survive her final week of eighth grade before moving on to high school. 

Pros:

•A24 you’ve done it again! I continue to be impressed with most of the movies they put out. 

•Very honest and realistic portrayal of what it’s like to be that age. Like I’m sure most of you, middle school was not a great time for me. You couldn’t pay me to go though that again. This movie nails the awkwardness, bad acne, the fact that kids that age can be such assholes, and so much more. There’s something’s here that I think everyone can relate to. 

•Strong performance by Elsie Fischer. She’ll definitely be one to watch in the future. 

•I loved the way they portrayed Kayla’s relationship with her dad (played brilliantly by Josh Hamilton). There’s a conversation they have at the end that’s so heartfelt and sweet that it had me tearing up. 

•Finally a movie where the teenage characters are played by actual teenagers and not people in their late 20s trying to pass as teenagers. 

Cons:

•Nothing that I can think of. I absolutely adored this movie. It’s one of my favorites this year. 

My Rating: 10/10

Fahrenheit 11/9

Plot:

Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore examines the current state of American politics. 

Pros:

•I may not always agree with his approach, but Michael Moore is a talented filmmaker. While this wasn’t in my opinion his best work, it was certainly interesting and worth watching. 

•If you go into this expecting a two hour roasting of Trump you might be a little disappointed. This movie is more about the people and situations that paved the way for this monster to get elected. 

•For me the movies strongest moments were when he focused on the Flint water crisis. I wish he had made a movie just about that. Very powerful. 

•He took shots at both political parties. 

Cons:

•A lot of information presented here wasn’t anything I hadn’t heard before. 

•Dragged a lot at times. It probably didn’t help that I made the mistake of drinking a lot of water during it and by the end I was ready to pee my pants. Still, they could’ve easily trimmed off a few minutes here and there. 

My Rating: 7/10

Puzzle

Plot:

Agnes (Kelly Macdonald), a suburban wife and mother that’s taken for granted, discovers a passion for jigsaw puzzles. 

Pros:

•Kelly Macdonald gives a good performance. 

•The supporting cast wasn’t quite as one dimensional as I thought they might be. Particularly David Denman, who plays Agnes’ husband Louis. Yes he takes his wife for granted and he can be a bit of an ass at times, but he’s a hard working family man and you can tell he does genuinely love her. 

•Irrfan Khan does the best with what little screen time he has. 

•The premise has been done many times before (and better) but it’s worth a watch on tv or Netflix. 

Cons:

•At first I felt sympathy for Agnes but as the movie went on she became more and more selfish. Even cruel. 

•There were some scenes (mainly in the beginning) that were so poorly lit I had a hard time making out what was happening. 

•The ending to me was unsatisfying. 

My Rating: 6/10