An incredible work of art that manages to feel unabashedly real while at the same time appearing profoundly surreal. Superb acting from Keaton as a washed-up actor trying to mount a Broadway play comeback while his inner ego tries to take control and change his destiny. In the end it's a film about leaving your mark on this world, with some commentary on the current state of entertainment and the overblown superhero film franchise phenomenon happening now. The star of the movie is really the incredible camera work and special effects, creating a seamless single take for the entire film, even though it covers several days of time. The film plays like a play, but with an intense beating pace, set to unnerving jazzy drums.

4 Stars (out of 5)

An epic cinematic adventure rooted in some true science that seems more like outlandish fiction. This film is riveting from start to finish. The action sequences are intense yet the visuals are as serene and beautiful as 2001: A Space Odyssey.  Thanks to consulting producer Kip Thorne, an esteemed astrophysicist, most of the science of Interstellar is on point, something I was not expecting, but was pleasantly surprised to see. We get to see a black hole in the most realistic manner ever on film and it's gorgeous. They explain Einstein's relativity by having characters experience time differently depending on the effect of gravity where they are. Much like Inception where 10 minutes in one dream and years in another level, here we have a planet where 1 hour is equal to 7 years back home, yet, in this instance it's based in actual science, not fiction! Interstellar may not be Nolan's best film, but for a nerd like me, it's an experience I'll always treasure.

4 Stars (out of 5)

A well-crafted psychological thriller that made me feel just as uncomfortable watching it as I was excited to see what happened next. Jake Gyllenhaal is haunting as the sociopathic Lou Bloom. Lou is an immoral man looking for his place in the world when he stumbles into the profession of freelance cameraman. The world of local news accepts him with open arms, despite the fact that his methods aren't always the most ethical. He is after all just giving viewers what they want, and they want carnage, blood, and spectacle. And he's willing to get it at any cost. The film is shot well, paced nicely, and chock-full of interesting set-pieces guaranteed to leave you unsettled and entertained. I look forward to more films from first time director Dan Gilroy.

4 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)

I have enjoyed Jason Reitman's earlier films, but this one feels incomplete, or at least unbalanced. The narration (by the wonderful Emma Thompson) is completely unnecessary and always feels out of place. I can see that they're trying to tie together all of the ensemble storylines but it comes off as sloppy. The acting is fine and I like how they show the on-screen communications over the actors. It's a nice way to avoid always displaying close-ups of screens, similar to how House of Cards displays text messages. Oftentimes this film reminds me of Disconnect from two years ago, another movie about people trying to connect in a digital world. Both these films feature too many characters to really delve into one story fully. Maybe it's because we're already well aware of the dangers of cyberspace and the films offer nothing new, but these movies are like The Net from the nineties, they will be forgotten quickly as technology evolves at a rapid pace, leaving them dated and hard to relate to.

2.5 Stars (out of 5)

This film kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat for its entire running time. It never felt long and it was always interesting. David Fincher directs the shit out of it, as usual, and the screenplay by the original novelist is fantastic as well. Technically the film is magnificent in every way and stunningly beautiful, even when it's trying be bland. The acting from everyone is spot-on, as is usually the case in a Fincher film, and the casting seems perfect. The story uses false narratives and misdirection to weave a plot that meanders in the best of ways, keeping you on your toes and well entertained. The score is a good mix of unsettlingly comfortable happiness and psychotic chaotic madness, much like the situations it plays over. I can never get enough Fincher. I wonder if he's going to be sticking to works based on novels from here on out? I'm certainly not opposed, and I'm loving the mystery genre when helmed by this genius.

4 Stars (out of 5)