[6.75/10] Ingrid Goes West (2017)

Ingrid Goes West (2017)

Quick Review: Revealing the ugly truth about how life presented on social media may differ vastly from the real one in a deceiving way, and that most people that seem happy online are actually sad and lonely, "Ingrid Goes West" is a current take on a stalker thriller with a modern edge that's simultaneously hilarious, satirical, disturbing, and even scary, and led just sensationally by Plaza, who's obsessive character is oddly charming in her perplexing behavior, yet constantly engaging.

[5.00/10] Beach Rats (2017)

Beach Rats (2017)

Quick Review: Neither particularly affecting, nor sordid in any way, this otherwise believably depicted and portrayed 'coming out' queer drama has all the right ingredients to end up being successful, but the stone-cold tone and feel of the film, along with the monotonous pacing, and flimsy script ruin all of its intentions to evoke some genuine emotions in the viewers' hearts and touch them deeply enough. The underwhelming and numb conclusion doesn't leave much of an impact either.

[7.75/10] Blade of the Immortal (2017)

Blade of the Immortal (2017)

Quick Review: Filmed in absolutely breathtaking locations, all captured beautifully on camera by Japanese visionary Miike, and featuring some super-sharp, blood-splattering, and masterful swordplay that drives the film's hyper-violent essence, "Blade of the Immortal" is a tasteful manga-inspired samurai tale of vengeance and friendship, whose slow pacing is its only weakness, but whose main strength is its immortal, yet vincible and humane protagonist.

[6.00/10] Justice League [3D] (2017)

Justice League (2017)

Quick Review: A bit rushed, busy, and over-the-top, and let down by a banal plot-line, one-note villain, and overuse of CGIs, yet never dull and packed with swanky action, "Justice League" is tonally all over the place, since Snyder's gloomy tone clashes with Whedon't lighthearted feel, and some of the heroes end up terribly underdeveloped, but at least both Wonder Woman and Superman give the movie the needed zest, energy, and boost, and save it from being a disastrous funless mess.

 

[7.00/10] The Glass Castle (2017)

The Glass Castle (2017)

Quick Review: A sad, powerful and moving tale about one dysfunctional family's struggles, driven by the odd yet strong bond between them, "The Glass Castle" is a solid adaptation that remains involving in spite of its two-hour running time and sluggish pacing, thanks to the brilliant acting by the faultlessly assembled cast, each of whom make their character constantly engrossing to watch. The old-fashioned visuals tone down the sharp contrast between wealth and poverty depicted in here.

[4.50/10] Birth of the Dragon (2017)

Birth of the Dragon (2017)

Quick Review: A pseudo-biopic that is neither a profound character study, nor a proper martial arts flick, this is a lazy effort that instead of doing justice to its iconic character, it depicts Bruce Lee as a cocky jerk with zero likability, poorly portrayed by Philip Ng. Boring and completely joyless until the a bit more energetic final act, "Birth of the Dragon" does not shine even in terms of action, with the fight scenes ranging from generic to uninspired both execution and choreography-wise.

[6.50/10] Patti Cake$ (2017)

Patti Cake$ (2017)

Quick Review: So very old school, very passionate, and very real, this plausible story about an underdog female rapper wannabe fighting for her place in the industry may goes out of tune in certain parts, but the energetic cinematic beat it maintains throughout will keep your heart and feet tapping. The sweet MacDonald is the real deal as the stormy, and determined title character and leads the film with panache and the trashy visuals fit too well into the suburban essence of this charmer.

[6.00/10] The Adventurers (2017)

The Adventurers (2017)

Quick Review: An exotic cinematic collaboration between China and Czech Republic with some brightly colorful visuals and fine locations to match its lighthearted nature, "The Adventurers" may be nothing you haven't seen before, but for a heist crime comedy it balances out action and humor quite effortlessly, plus, it has a true sense of adventure and a intriguing plot that help it live up to its title in a harmless fun kind of way. The international cast work together like a well-oiled machine.

[6.50/10] Creep 2 (2017)

Creep 2 (2017)

Quick Review: Without a doubt an improvement on the well-conceived, yet somewhat unsatisfying first film, this sequel has a deeper plot, better execution, and neater direction. Just as unforeseeable as its demented protagonist, "Creep 2" is also twice as disturbing and effective, and will make you feel uneasy from its sick opening scene to the crazy finale. Duplass is yet again so credible as the freaky Arron, he will mesmerize you with his presence, but also send chills down your spine.

[7.50/10] The Villainess (2017)

The Villainess (2017)

Quick Review: From the frantically brutal, bloody, and violent opening fight a'la "The Raid" meets "Kill Bill" style, to the rabid finale, everything about this Korean killer action is executed with such a skill, precision, and attention to detail, it's easy to say "The Villainess" is one of the most cleverly-conceived and finely-crafted Asian films ever, due to its intricate plot, filled with twists, turns, thrills, and emotional punches. The subdued romance kills some of the movie's tension, though.

[5.25/10] Jungle (2017)

Jungle (2017)

Quick Review: Set against the lush backdrop of the divinely formidable Bolivian jungle, captured beautifully on camera, and further technically elevated by the competent direction, "Jungle" is very captivating visually, plus, Daniel Radcliffe is remarkably believable as Yossi, who's struggles in his fight for survival against the nature are as difficult to watch as they're emotionally draining, but the whole thing is so predictably by-the-numbers, it feels too familiar to be engaging or memorable.

So Many Movies to Watch, So Little Time

There are 700 to 800 movies released each year. On one hand that makes all movie buffs spoiled for choice as there are literally hundreds to pick from, but on the other the more you get to choose from the more difficult it gets to make a choice, let alone a really good one. One of CineMarvellous!' main goals is to make your choice a lot more easier, providing as many quick film reviews a year as possible. Since it's physically impossible for me as a viewer and editor to watch every single movie on the planet, I watch and review about 35% to 40% of them. That makes a total of approximately 200 films per year, which is also a lot.

For those of you who don't have the time to browse my blog, there are several other movie websites such as FilmFish, which can narrow your choice down further. For example, you can check their awesome list of The 2017 Movie Hits So Far, in case you've been wondering what to watch lately. There are some really brilliant films included, such as "Baby Driver", "Logan", and "Wonder Woman" just to name a few. Trust me, no matter which one of those on the list you decide to give a watch, you won't regret it for sure. 

If you’re in a mood for something a bit more mind-bending and thought-provoking, you can check out their list of Best Mindfucks Ever. Now that’s a great title for a movie list, huh? 

Even though Halloween just passed, I bet you hunger for horror isn’t. FilmFish’s terrifying list of Modern Franchise Slashers could be your cinematic nightmare. In a good way. Also, have you seen the super-hyped sequel “Jeepers Creepers 3” yet? I guess not. You can read my quick review of it here, but if you want to pre-order it now, FilmFish gives you this opportunity as well. 

For more movie recommendations visit www.film-fish.com

[4.75/10] Wu Kong (2017)

Wu Kong (2017)

Quick Review: A few exciting, well -executed, if heavily special effects-enhanced fight scenes aside, "Wu Kong" is yet another overcrowded, CGI-laden martial arts fantasy flick coming from China with messy plot, heavy-handed direction, saccharine romance, and foolish humor, which tries to make up for its shortcomings with some flashy action, and while the latter is entertaining to watch, the movie remains difficult to follow, and the large number of characters real hard to engage with.

[6.75/10] Good Time (2017)

Good Time (2017)

Quick Review: Truly unpredictable, original, and refreshingly untypical, if not for everybody, "Good Time"'s artistic execution, and vivid use of color and lighting contrast superbly with the dark and gritty essence of the story, and that combined with genuine thrills, credibility factor, and the tricks it has up its sleeve is what makes it such a truly distinct crime thriller, but its biggest strengths is Pattinson's great performance which drives the taut plot, accompanied by the intense music score.

[3.75/10] Overdrive (2017)

Overdrive (2017)

Quick Review: The very expensive glossy retro vehicles please the eye and some of the chases are fun to watch, thanks to the well-executed stunts, but that aside, "Overdrive" is a shabby and largely contrived flick with horribly corny steal-the-car plot conceived with zero originality, wit, or imagination, and dreadfully-acted one-note characters who share no chemistry at all. Even the otherwise charismatic Scott Eastwood fails to make an impression, acting like he doesn't care for his role.

[6.50/10] Our Souls at Night (2017)

Our Souls at Night (2017)

Quick Review: Based on Haruf's novel, this understated love story about two single and lonely adults is not only beautiful in its simplicity, but also exceptionally credible, calming, mature, and gently grounded. Worth seeing for the two incredible central performances alone, "Our Souls at Night" gets more heart-warming and subtly emotional and with each next scene, witnessing the ever growing affection between them two, despite all the other family problems they're facing at the same time.

[6.00/10] Freehold (2017)

Freehold (2017)

Quick Review: Utterly gross and disturbing, if not very plausible, this low-cost revenge thriller impresses way more with its original idea rather than it's execution, but despite all the nastiness on screen, it manages to maintain the viewer's interest in an odd, uncomfortable way, thanks to the unique Botet, who delivers in a role meant for him. Set entirely in a flat, "Freehold" may be limited, but the director compensates with some skillful use of lighting and color, and that works well enough.

[6.75/10] Super Dark Times (2017)

Super Dark Times (2017)

Quick Review: Indeed as harshly realistic as its title implies, but in a highly believable and unsettling way, "Super Dark Times" is an affecting debut by Kevin Phillips, which starts as an innocent suburban teenage drama, but after a dramatic event in the first act, it changes course and enters a dark territory of guiltiness, disruption, conscience, and moral senses. The unexpected conclusion adds further shock value to this grim story about the perplexity of what is right and what is wrong.