Joker is one of the more unique experiences I’ve had, and perhaps helping is that I am a fan of DC characters, and while this may not be a comic accurate portrayal, the performance by Joaquin Phoenix was nothing short than incredible.
Rambo: Last Blood might not have the same feel compared with the others in the series, but I still found this to be a compelling action-thriller and another good performance from Sylvester Stallone.
IT Chapter Two is slightly better than the first movie mostly because I found the visuals to be more interesting, though still not scary and while I liked this ensemble, never really found much of an emotional connection.
Hustlers had some potential and the story its inspired by was interesting, however in spite of an impressive performance from Jennifer Lopez, everything else was pretty much a letdown.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark wasn’t terribly ‘scary’ so much but still creative, with the influence of Guillermo Del Toro as executive producer, and all around entertaining with a respectable group of young actors.
Angel Has Fallen is pretty much in-line with the first two movies, meaning they’re fine time-wasters but not top-of-the-line action-thrillers and it is on the predictable side. Still, thanks to Gerard Butler and the indispensible Morgan Freeman, it still was an entertaining thriller.
Wonder Woman: Bloodlines unfortunately is not only one of the lesser within the DC Animated Universe but arguably the worst and continues a bit of a slide following the disappointing Reign of the Supermen, and the poorly scripted Batman: Hush.
Hobbs & Shaw is a weak entry within the franchise for sure and although I do like both Johnson and Statham and their respective characters, but having them bickering at one another reminded me that perhaps less is more.
Universal Soldier is a flawed film, even a little amateurish in some respects especially with the direction by Emmerich, but still a fun enough flick pairing up Van Damme and Lundgren.
Scarface might not rank up there with other classics in the crime-drama genre, but it’s a great film combining the talents of Oliver Stone’s scriptwriting and Brian De Palma’s direction, alongside the performances by Pacino, Pfeiffer and Mastrantonio.
Red Heat is a sometimes engaging and entertaining 1980s-era actioner but the pairing of Arnold Schwarzenegger and John Belushi never had much of on-screen chemistry, though if you’re a fan of action schlock, probably worth checking out.
The Shining is a great and eerie atmospheric horror-thriller that might feature Jack Nicholson’s best performance, at least early on, only later when going full-on psycho, but still an entertaining flick from Stanley Kubrick.
Gremlins is a very good mid-80s film that I might not have loved but still an enjoyable viewing experience every time I’ve seen it over the years, and has excellent special effects with the Mogwais.
Pan’s Labyrinth is an amazingly creative movie from filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and while I’m not totally in love with it, the visuals combined with a deeply tragic setting, the film does resonate.
Anna might not break new ground and could be considered a second-rate La Femme Nikita or, more recently, Atomic Blonde, but it still was rather entertaining and Sasha Luss in her first major role actually was pretty decent.