"The Disaster Artist"

I was a little reluctant to watch this movie. It appeared to be a campy film, which, more often than not, are usually unwatchable. However, I was pleasantly surprised. This is the true story about the making of what many critics consider the worst movie ever made. The "Citizen Kane" of crappy films. It stars Dave Franco, a young aspiring actor who meets up with the mysterious Tommy, brilliantly played by James France. Tommy is a crazy film buff from some Eastern European country (perhaps) who seems to have an endless source of cash, crazy ideas, and the desire to make a movie. The cast also features Seth Rogan, Alison Brie, and Zac Efron. At the end of the film, we re treated to clips from the original film and the ones made for this movie.
4 out of 5 stars

"Lockout"

A wrongly convicted man is promised his freedom if he can rescue the president's daughter from a maximum security prison in space, which has been taken over in an insurrection. Not a highbrow movie by any means, but just a heavy dose of shoot-em-up action. It stars Guy Pearce and Maggie Grace and kept me rooting for the hero the whole way through. The villains were pretty, well, pretty darn villainous and the special effects were decent. If you're looking for an hour and a half of pure escapism, you'll enjoy this.
3.5 out of 5 stars

"Before I Fall"

If I had to describe this movie in one sentence, I'd call it "Groundhog Day for teens". But that would be oversimplifying it, and it's hardly a comedy. It's about one day in a young high school senior girl's life. She's part of a gang of cool girls who all go to a party where they have a fight with the weird, artsy girl. The kids end up in a car wreck and the narrator, played by Zoey Deutch ends up dying. As expected, she wakes up the next morning, obviously startled, and has to live the day over again. The film is a little on the sappy side, but I enjoyed it for the fine acting, especially Ms Deutch, and the moral of the story. It's a tad predictable, but not too preachy, and I thought it was worth watching.
3.5 suit of 5 stars

"Rememory"

It's billed as a sci-fi movie but it's more of a mystery. Actually, that doesn't describe it either. The film takes place in the near future where a scientist invents a machine designed to record ones memories. He plans on using it as a therapeutic tool to help patients deal with and confront suppressed memories. When he mysteriously dies, one of his former patients, played brilliantly by Peter Dinklage, investigates. While the film deals with the investigation, it ultimately focuses on emotional healing. And there's also a plot twist at the end that I didn't see coming.
4 out of 5 stars.

"3022"

As the title implies, this sleeper of a sci-fi film takes place in the year 3022. A crew on a ship in deep space awake to discover that the earth has been destroyed, and they're the last survivors of the human race. The small crew is slowly decimated. I know it probably sounds like a snooze fest, but trust me, it's not. The acting is absolutely riveting, the cinematography is great, and the writing is superb. After reflecting on this movie, I came to the conclusion that it could almost have been a stage play. If you're looking for a gripping drama, this one's a gem.
4 out of 5 stars