Gravity is a fun nerdy thriller. It's one of the best examples of zero-g in a film since Apollo 13 and 2001: A Space Odyssey. The floating camera style has become a staple of Alfonso Cuarón's work. The now infamous continuous shot in the car in Children of Men has changed filmmaking forever, and in Gravity nearly every sequence is in this free-floating style, something Hitchcock could only dream of when making Rope. The 3D is impressive, but in many ways the sound mix is even more immersive than the visuals. Regardless of how ridicules the plot of this film may seem, space junk is a very real problem*, with garbage piling up up there. I found it sweet that at its core the film is about letting go.

4 Stars (out of 5)

*Of the 17,000 objects orbiting Earth currently being tracked by scientists, only 7% are functioning satellites.

Rush is the Apollo 13 of racing movies. The race scenes are exquisitely presented in a way that feels genuine even though you know what you're watching is mostly special effects (much like Apollo 13). Close-ups of quiet grass, flowers, or leaves that erupt into activity as the cars pass stood out to me as beautiful real moments, (similar to the shots of birds flying away in Pacific Rim earlier this summer). Ron Howard does a good job of making a true story into a big Hollywood movie, and with heart.

3.5 Stars (out of 5)

I hope Woody Allen never stops making movies. Even though I know who all of these actors are the characters they're playing are so well fleshed out that I actually believe what I'm watching is real. Cate Blanchett will win an Oscar for this, but I would like to see Woody Allen get (*another) Best Original Screenplay, because it's his words they're saying. If we now live in a world where Andrew Dice Clay might be nominated for Best Supporting Actor, Woody clearly deserves an award for somehow making that possible.

3.5 Stars (out of 5)

*Woody Allen has won three Best Screenplay Oscars already: Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters, and Midnight in Paris.

Maybe it'll be better on a second viewing, but I wasn't as impressed with this one as much their earlier two films. The story felt like a first draft, especially the third act. Shaun of the Dead is a magical film, Hot Fuzz is funny, and this film is... just there. Even though I didn't like The World's End overall, I did laugh my ass off at how completely absurd the ending became. The other end-of-the-world comedy that came out this summer, This is the End, was a lot funnier.

2.5 Stars (out of 5)

I think the fact that this film is so strange makes up for the fact that it sucks so bad. The casting of Matt Damon hurt the film the most for me. The last thing I want to see was Jason Bourne in space. I'll admit that I enjoyed the visuals greatly, especially the video-game like tracking shots, something I've never seen before. The over-simplistic story, bad casting, and Jodi Foster's strange accent made this an oddly entertaining terrible movie. Let's hope Blomkamp's next film goes back to using unknown actors and more realistic premises... like aliens living in Johannesburg.

3 Stars (out of 5)

I was hoping for a little more meat to this documentary. This film is more of an indictment of Sea World's upper management than it is a message against keeping intelligent mammals locked in small cages, but you wouldn't know it from all the reviews and hoopla surrounding the film. Regardless of its apparent impact on audiences, I thought it moved slowly and didn't offer very much information, which is a damn shame.

2.5 Stars (out of 5)

This movie isn't very good, but Aubrey Plaza is good in it, so I ended up enjoying it. I do like that it's set in the nineties. And for a summertime coming of age romance/comedy it hits enough of the marks to be charming. It is raunchy though. This is the female equivalent of American Pie only instead of trying to lose their virginity after prom, she's trying to do every sexual thing there is to do before starting college. Unfortunately, it's not that easy to pretend all these 30-year old people are teenagers in high school, so the film feels like an SNL skit half of the time. It's charming, in a gross silly kind of way.

3 Stars (out of 5)

I was lucky enough to catch this clever mockumentary at the Fantasia Film Festival last month in Montreal. The Dirties utilizes real footage and real locations but still carries a strong narrative throughout. The story revolves around two high school students making a movie about getting revenge on the kids that bully them, but it starts to become more than just a movie for one of the boys. The Dirties is the best film about bullying I've seen. And the most effective film to tackle the touchy subject of school shootings. It's funny, disturbing, and an ultimately important film you should see yourself when it comes out this October. Watch the trailer.

4 Stars (out of 5)

This is a fun movie, don't get me wrong, I just wish it was a slightly better movie. The CG battle sequences are really enjoyable. Unlike Man of Steel or the Transformers movies, Guillermo del Toro is good at adding little flourishes here and there to set a more realistic tone through extended CG sequences. There's more CG dirt, dust, and water in this film than any other I've seen, which can help sell a CG shot by hiding the seams, so to speak, and help it look more realistic. At one point a robot almost falls off of a pier prompting some birds to casually fly away. I appreciate a real-life moment in the midst of an outrageous summer blockbuster CG battle to help remind us we're human. Unfortunately, the movie's characters and the acting were nowhere near as good as the production design and effects. The film feels like half a movie as a result. I did enjoy Charlie Day and Ron Perlman's characters for some comedy relief.

3 Stars (out of 5)

I really like the characters from this universe but for some reason I find myself bored while watching these films. The filmmakers know the minions are the moneymakers so half of the screen-time is spent on them. The other half is spent on Gru's mission to save the world... in a shopping mall (how exciting). Which leaves pretty much no time for the children. The youngest, Agnes has a cute birthday party scene in the beginning (my favorite bit) and Margo has a thin sub-plot about starting to like boys, but it's not properly concluded. Poor Edith's entire sub-plot is that she likes to practice karate moves. I guess that will come into play in a future sequel? I laughed at a few things Dr. Nefario said, played by Russell Brand, but most of the humor is aimed only at children. I've been spoiled by Pixar's ability to please young and old alike.

2.5 Stars (out of 5)