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)

It's nice to finally see a Hobbit film with a conclusion... Now if only it had a beginning and a middle. I'm not a fan of the idea of splitting this story into three parts and I am not a fan of seeing characters that weren't in the book added, (or created even), just to increase the running time of these films. This one at least was the shorter of the three, but it felt very much like a long ending. There was little time for build-up or retrospect. It jumped into the action and never let go, but not in a good way. In any case, at least it's over now and I'm happy to see it go. I love Martin Freeman's Bilbo. it is the only thing that allows me to actually feel something during these films, and luckily, unlike the last one, he's actually in most of this one.

2.5 Stars (out of 5)

All the hubbub aside, the film isn't that great. It certainly has its funny moments. I always enjoy the comedic chemistry between Rogen and Franco. Unfortunately the film relies too often on really dumb butt jokes for its tent-pole laughs. The funniest parts to me were the throwaway lines like Franco's character claiming this will be bigger than Frosty/Nixon. The smart stuff was smart, but the butt stuff was more front-and-center. Towards the end things get a bit violent and Rogen plays it straight, reacting to every horrific act he sees the way I might in the situation, which was great, and actually pretty funny. Overall, they make some decent points about North Korea, and even illustrate how they're able to win over visiting media (or people like Dennis Rodman) in a salient yet hilarious manner. It would've benefited from a tighter cut of the film and just a couple less butt jokes.

2.5 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)

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)