This is a solid racing movie, complete with all the requisite sports montages, lose-win sequences, and family drama that go along with that. Those who like stock car racing will be much more invested, of course, but general audiences will likely have a fun time, too.
Closest comparison: It’s like Ford v Ferrari by way of Top Gun.
Setting: Racing
Plot: Sports
Tone: Sports
There are plenty of nit pick reasons why this film shouldn’t get a 5, but they all pale in the face of the unparalleled amount of heart this movie exudes at every turn. It repeatedly proves itself with likable characters and quotable dialogue, keeping both the high fantasy adventure and the heartfelt romance in top form. Any low quality special effects inexplicably add to the overall quality of the movie, in part because of the story is cased in narration but also because it maintains a delicate balance between believable danger for the characters and lighthearted fun for the audience. It is easily one of the all time great movies ever made.
Closest comparison: It’s like Monty Python’s and the Holy Grail (1975) by way of The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).
Setting: Adventure
Plot: Romance
Tone: Comedy
This season of Stranger Things is a strange case of inconsistency. The direction, editing, and acting are all phenomenal, and the plot is better constructed and more memorable than season 2. The first six episodes are exciting and binge-worthy, but after that it starts going downhill fast. The show constantly portrays bullying and bickering as an integral part of natural, healthy relationships which is offensively tone-deaf, and it only gets worse in the last two episodes. Most of the intriguing build-up gets squashed by shoe-horned character moments and one blindingly out-of-place experiment in bathos whiplash (using comedy to cut dramatic tension) that grinds on painfully for the duration of an entire song. This season had the makings of something great, but the last two episodes drop it from an almost 5/5 to a mid-tier 3/5.
Closest comparison: It’s like a conglomeration of ‘80s pop horror movies with modern production values.
Setting: ‘80s Horror
Plot: Mystery Thriller
Tone: Pop Horror
This is the horror movie that defined its decade. Despite being a low budget endeavor James Wan is able to make the most of his resources and deliver a grimy, tensely horrifying experience due to an exceptional script. The way information is revealed throughout the movie is like watching a master class in pacing, constantly uncovering some interesting detail or plot development while maintaining the tension. Completely innocuous sequences become terrifying in this context and the great acting sells every minute of it. The gore is likely to turn off many viewers, but Shayamalan-esque ending cops the lot.
Content warning: gore
Closest comparison: It’s the movie that spawned the escape room craze.
Setting: Grimy Horror
Plot: Thriller Horror
Tone: Slasher Horror
