Ad Astra - 4/5

This movie is very slow, yet constantly engaging. Its gorgeous cinematography accentuates the dichotomy between the claustrophobic ship interiors and the limitless vastness of space. The story nicely mirrors the setting and gives the impression that nothing in this film is accidental. I don’t have the affinity for astronomy that many others do, so a significant percentage of this film’s viewership will likely rate it higher than I have.

Closest comparison: It’s like 2001: A Space Odyssey by way of Arrival (2016).

Setting: Near Future Sci-Fi
Plot: Adventure
Tone: Slow Sci-Fi

The Incredible Hulk (2008) - 3/5

The action scenes are pretty fun, though they don’t always make much sense. The plot is kept simple and plays out decently enough, though it also sometimes doesn’t make sense. Characters often act in a mildly confusing way, but luckily their core motivations are easy to track and land them right where the movie was going all along. The CGI doesn’t really hold up over time, but I can’t fault a film for being a product of its era. Edward Norton and Liv Tyler are pretty bland, but fortunately Tim Roth comes through with a solid performance to balance them. Still, if you’re in the mood for a thoughtless action superhero movie, it’s certainly watchable.

Closest comparison: It shifts from a bad Jason Bourne imitation to Venom-style CG fight scenes.

Setting: Military Thriller
Plot: Spy Thriller
Tone: Action