80's

John Carpenter's The Thing (1982) - 4/5

It's a classic for the horror genre, and the creature effects clearly demonstrate why it's still relevant 36 years later. Though the practical effects are definitely antiquated, the editing very cleverly conceals an impressive amount of what could otherwise have been flaws. This movie would have done better to provide enough information that The Thing could be traced upon repeat viewings, and the ending is anticlimactic. These do not detract from the flim as much as they are missed opportunities. Sill, I would be excited to watch it again so I have to give it the 4/5.

Ready Player One - 3/5

This movie is a fun popcorn flick, but there's no real depth to it. It's pretty, has lots of fun references, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Since it's Universal Studios and Steven Spielberg, they were able to get a staggering number of intellectual property licenses, and it's fun seeing them all interacting like they would if the Oasis were a real place. The plot provides enough reason for there to be car races, dance numbers, and massive battles all in the same movie, but it's about as philosophically deep as National Treasure (that is to say, not very). If you enjoy pop culture from the 1980's until now, it's definitely worth a watch.

Krull (1983) - 4/5

This movie is definitely campy, but once you accept that it's gem after gem after gem, from plot to writing to cinematography to acting to special effects. Of course, there are flaws in all of these areas, too, but the great moments far outshine them. It's a wonderful fantasy sci-if romp, and criticizing it for its campiness feels like faulting a geode for being rough around the edges.

Stanger Things: Season 2 (Netflix) - 4/5

The Duffer Brothers did it again! Season 2 is really good in so many of the ways the first one was: cinematography, writing, acting. The pacing wasn't as good (one episode, though iconic, didn't have a lot to do with the rest of the season), but they managed to subvert my expectations over and over again which is always important. The main flaw comes in the form of what they did with a certain character's story arc, which was just not ok (at the lab). All in all there's lots to like and it is a surprisingly good follow-up to the first season.

IT (2017) - 5/5

This movie is terrifying. If you don't like horror movies do not go see it. However, the film making on display is absolutely outstanding. Cinematography, writing, editing, music, acting, everything is top notch. There is a lot of swearing (especially from the kids), and some kids get killed so, again, this film is not for everyone. But for what it's trying to do it does brilliantly.

Blade Runner 2049 - 2/5

It has great cinematography, but way too much nudity. There's a lot of grit, but with no payoff. You know there's a problem with a movie when you can completely remove the main antagonist without changing the plot. There are several plot points brought up that made me ask, "This is interesting. How is this going to resolve?" The answer was invariably, "It won't".