December 2015 Pt. 1

Jurassic World
Stars - Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard
Plot - Jurassic Park is open, thriving and successful... until they create a new dinosaur to bolster attendance, which is never a good idea.
Thoughts - I am not going to sit here and pretend that Jurassic World is any kind of deep, meaningful, thought provoking film, but, my gosh if it isn't fun! The special effects are insane, the performances are fun and solid, and the ending is intense.
Grade - B

Inside Out
Stars - the voices of Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling, Phyllis Smith
Plot - The inner workings of the mind of an 11 year old girl (Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust) are thrown out of whack when her family moves from Minnesota to San Francisco.
Thoughts - Intended for children, this Pixar film has a lot to offer adults as well. This is a thoughtful, funny, heartbreaking and heart warming movie about growing up and learning that joy and sadness really go hand in hand.
Grade - B +

Amy
Plot - A documentary about the short, tumultuous life of the late Amy Winehouse.
Thoughts - This is a staggering and powerful look at Amy's life and profound talent. The doc follows her from bright faced young talent to the depths of her drug fueled downfall. This is sometimes hard to watch, but it's endlessly fascinating. Amy had the opportunity to be the voice of her generation, but her demons got the best of her.
Grade - B +

Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Stars - Oscar Isaac, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Harrison Ford, Adam Driver, Domhnall Gleeson
Plot - It's basically a rehashed plot of episode 4...
Thoughts - ...but that's not necessarily a bad thing. This Star Wars movie is everything you could possibly want. Sure, the plot feels stale, but the cast and effects are fresh. This is a fun, nostalgic, funny, heart warming epic that is worth the wait and more than lives up to the hype. Also, bonus points for a bad ass female lead who can take care of herself and doesn't need a man to save her!
Grade - A-

The Big Short
Stars - Christian Bale, Steve Carrell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt
Plot - A look at the mortgage crisis of 2008 and the way it altered our economy.
Thoughts - This might be the smartest, funniest, weirdest movie of the year. It is the only movie in the history of the movies which includes both a quote from Mark Twain and an interlude where Selena Gomez explains advanced economics to the audience. The performances are spectacular, from the stars to the supporting players. And this is a fast paced, frenetic good time.
Grade - A-

The Danish Girl
Stars - Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander
Plot - The story of the first Transgender artist, and the wife that stood by his side.
Thoughts -  I actually really enjoyed this love story initially. The performances are powerful and the cinematography is gorgeous. My biggest problem is that it felt detached and cold and illicited no real feelings. Then I did a little research and discovered the REAL story, which is far more interesting than the watered down version presented in this film.
Grade - B-