Gattaca - 3/5

This movie is a docutopian thriller, where humanity has legislated and scientifically classified itself into a moral corner. It feels like an Ethan Hawke film, sufficiently art-house and comparable in some regards to Predestination. The plot is more moralistic than it is fun, and the film’s message is apparent very early on with little added beyond the requisite conclusion to those threads. Dystopian sci-fi enthusiasts should definitely check this one out.

Closest comparison: It’s like the bureaucracy of Brazil with the clean futurism of Paycheck. Or, to put it another way, it’s like October Sky by way of Predestination.

Setting: Sci-Fi Drama
Plot: Espionage
Tone: Thriller

Shopping (1994) - 3/5

This is a teen crime movie that works better than you might expect from its low budget. Jude Law and Sadie Frost have palpable chemistry that carries the film, and the plot fades into the background as the it basks in the ambience of ‘90s British street punks. Fans of the genre will likely rate it higher, but I don’t find anarchy plots intrinsically engaging. Still, it’s a fascinating artifact of the early work of Jude Law, Johnathan Price, Sean Bean, and director Paul W.S. Anderson.

Closest comparison: It’s like Trainspotting toned down to the level of The Warriors.

Setting: Crime
Plot: Tragedy
Tone: Punk Anarchy

Contagion (2011) - 3/5

The most fascinating part of this movie is its predictive qualities, weaving its narrative like CNN coverage of 2020, albeit nine years before it happened. The direction is dry but the acting, cinematography, and editing more than make up for it. The story is grounded and human, taking the good with the bad in a docudrama style that works well for the subject matter. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really go anywhere and can’t manage to pull the threads together in the end.

Content warning: mild gore

Closest comparison: It’s like Munich by way of Babel.

Setting: Spy Thriller
Plot: Disaster
Tone: DocuDrama

Captain Marvel - 2/5

There’s not a lot to redeem this movie. It seems to confuse ‘mean’ with ‘funny’, and does so repeatedly. The main character is unlikable and arrogant, which is a bad combination. Ben Mendelsohn steals the show, which is how badly the writers portrayed Sam Jackson’s character. The action scenes are dimly lit and shake around like the camera man is afraid he’ll miss something; that combined with choppy editing makes them a jumbled mess. The skrull make-up is phenomenal, though, and the plot turn is actually not half bad. The tone was very different from other Marvel movies and felt much more like J.J. Abrams’ Start Trek movies, so if you like those movies you’re in luck.

Closest Comparison: They tried to make Wonder Woman, but made Green Lantern instead.

Setting: Sci-fi
Plot: Action
Tone: A messy mess of Superhero, Action, and Comedy

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King Arthur: Legend of the Sword - 4/5

It's not nearly as bad as the other critics are saying. The music is really good, and the editing (except for one part) is exceptionally good. I really liked the non-linear storytelling, and Jude Law's performance is amazing. It helped knowing it was adapted from a graphic novel going into it. If you liked Timeline and you didn't hate Guy Richie's previous Sherlock Holmes movies, I think you'll really like this.

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