The first one was funny and outrageous. The second one was terribly stupid, but at least had some creative moments. The third one is just plain boring. Zach Galifianakis was funny in a few scenes, but it seemed like the director and editors weren't editing this as a comedy, and that messed with the actor's comedic timing. The movie plays like a serious thriller with bad acting. I enjoyed the heist sequence and some of the flashbacks in the beginning, but other than that all the best bits were ruined by the trailer. The funniest scene is probably the bonus scene in the end credits.

2 Stars (out of 5)

As long as you can turn the thinking part of your brain off for two hours it's a fun ride. Abrams is a master of fun action sequences and the movie is paced so well that I was able to overlook the film's shortcomings. The first issue right off the bat is the convoluted storyline. Seems confusing on purpose so you stop paying attention to the details and just enjoy the ride. The "dramatic" scenes fell flat for me. What should be a dramatic sequence between Kirk and Spock near the end, where their bromance fully blossoms, just comes off like a television-quality melodrama. It's all worth it for the new warp effects and that one moment when they get knocked out of warp. The rotating set gimbal shots they stole from Inception were pretty fun too.

3 Stars (out of 5)

I certainly enjoyed this film more than Primer, the director/writer's first film. I found this one much easier to follow, and it has multiple storylines so if you are lost at least it's never boring. It's beautifully shot and well paced. The score is unique and incorporated into the story in an interesting way. The story is elaborate, but told in the simplest way possible. There's very little dialogue (which seems to have all been dubbed). The film makes you think about the decisions we make in life, the roles we assume, and how sometimes even when we think we're in control we may not be at all. Gonna take a few more viewings to really soak it all in. A lovely film.

4 Stars (out of 5)

Baz Luhrmann is a creative and talented filmmaker so I was looking forward to this one. It has a strong start, with whimsical fun that plays with the 3D film medium. As the film goes on though, the story's material becomes more serious and I'm left to wonder where the whimsy went, but more importantly if this film even merits being 3D in the first place? At the end of the day this is just a competent adaptation of a classic novel that runs 20 minutes too long and has not much going for it after the first 35 minutes. The story is good but I'm guessing that may have more to do with F. Scott Fitzgerald than the Luhrmann.

2.5 Stars (out of 5)

Was happy to see a new director breathe some life into the series and I appreciate all the call-backs to the other Marvel films, most notably The Avengers. Marvel has figured out how to make movies that act more like real comic books. The days of a stand-alone superhero franchise that doesn't tie together with other properties from the same universe may be coming to a close now that the Dark Knight series has ended. Look how Green Lantern ended up without other franchises to prop it up. When all the films connect and form a larger storyline it gives the audience more incentive to see the ones they might not otherwise care about (Captain America, Ant-Man, etc.).

Iron Man 3 has the best villain of all three, and trust me I was going into this expecting the opposite. The film had some pleasant surprises and the action sequences were fast-moving and clever with overly intricate set-ups just for fun's sake. It reminded me of scenes from the old Indiana Jones films where everything goes wrong with one thing after another in a row. Tony Stark escapes capture by summoning his new self-attaching suit that can come to him from miles away (I wonder if he got the idea after seeing Thor's hammer) and then he throws various parts of it to defeat bad-guys while flying around the room and the pieces come back to him like a boomerang. It's strange enough to hold your attention as opposed to mindless punching or shooting "action" in other films.

And at no point did he suddenly discover a new element in this film, which is good.

Looked great in 3D and the extra depth was helpful in making sense of the complex set-piece at the end of the film. You never know with some 3D movies if it's going to be crystal clear or a blurry mess. Never thought I'd say this but I'm looking forward to Thor: The Dark World more than Man of Steel now. Which do you prefer, colorful comic book type movies or dark and gritty graphic novel style films?

3.5 Stars (out of 5)