Reminiscence (2021) - 3/5

This movie is a modern noir with impeccable aesthetics and a solid story. The telling of that story, however, gets a little convoluted and some of the rabbit trails seem more like a waste of time than interesting diversions. It’s a little too self-absorbed, a little too horny, a little too distracted, but the overall impact is still fun and it lands the ending which carries a lot of water for this film.

Closest comparison: It’s like the Maltese Falcon by way of Love, Death, and Robots.

Setting: Sci-Fi
Plot: Detective
Tone: Noir

Free Guy - 2/5

This movie is hilarious, but the plot and world building are horrible. It takes a whole scene to set up a certain mechanic early on in the film, and the one time that mechanic comes back into play it completely breaks its own rules. If the story beats were even sort of passable this movie would be great because of how funny it is, but the movie goes out of its way to explain normal things that need no explanation in such a way as to make no sense at all.

Closest comparison: It’s like Ready Player One by way of Divergent.

Setting: Sci-Fi
Plot: Dystopia
Tone: Comedy

The Prestige - 5/5

What Shayamalan did for plot twists in cinema Nolan did for mind-bending narratives, and here he brings that treatment to the late 19th century illusionist genre. Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman bring a profound subtlety to their characters that make repeat viewings of this film very rewarding. The intricately compelling of the plot is riveting to the point that it eclipses outstanding performances from Andy Serkis and the late great David Bowie.

Closest comparison: It’s like The Illusionist (2006) by way of Memento.

Setting: Mystery
Plot: Rivalry Tragedy
Tone: Thriller

The Greatest Showman (2017) - 5/5

This movie is amazing. The audio/visual experience is on the level of Moulin Rouge, if not better. Some people will be put off by modern pop-style music and dance in a period piece, but I loved it. For all the great singing and acting Hugh Jackman has done over the years, everyone in this movie was at least as good as him on both counts. And I think if the message resonates with you especially then you will like it even more than I did.

Logan - 5/5

First off: it's ultraviolent, it's sometimes depressing, there one 2-second "gentlemen, avert your eyes" blip, and there's lots of swearing. But it's the best movie I've seen in a while, and it's certainly the best X-men movie to date. And the little girl is awesome!
It's a very emotional and emotionally mature movie that takes its subject matter seriously and delivers on the payoff in heart-pounding, tear-jerking realism.