Kaka

An excellent period mafia saga based on traditional musical bangers, solid storylines and great performances, especially by Cillian Murphy, who becomes quite unforgettable.

The most useless CGI fest of the year, where the characters suck and the script sucks. Technically, Godzilla vs Kong draws heavily on its predecessors and offers absolutely nothing extra. Kong Skull Island, for example, was technically imaginative and delightfully mysterious. This sequel didn't necessarily have a brain, but it could have at least honored the previous installments, or the Godzilla film from 2014.

Snyder can check off the final box, his League is better overall than the original, but it certainly won't be for everyone. It's more layered, more plot-driven, with more emphasis on all the main characters. It portrays them better, it focuses on their motivations and values better, so the overall emotional impact is stronger, and the same is true for the villains, especially Steppenwolf. But I can't shake the feeling that while the film is a patchwork of beautiful, sometimes darkly gothic, sometimes Sin City-like overstyled scenes, with plain cool shots here and there, that works with good story material, but it's ultimately merely an adaptation of a concept that didn't work then and still doesn’t fully work after the facelift. At times, the whole thing feels too artificial and over-artistic, and I couldn't shake the feeling that Superman was just like a sore thumb and he wasn't the Superman from Man of Steel anymore, as if Cavill wasn't Cavill anymore. And ironically, the most memorable and emotionally powerful scenes are those when Affleck climbs mountains to an impressive musical score, or when Zimmer's Man of Steel theme plays. 3.5 stars at most.

Another small big film that didn't get an Oscar nod and international fame just because a few years before the similarly conceived Spotlight did with an even juicier topic. The fact that most politicians lie, manipulate, and steal is such an unexplored and generic theme that it can easily earn minus film points even in such a very well staged procedural with GoT actors and a great Keira.

A Greengrass film that doesn’t feel it was directed by him. A slow, deliberate and down-to-earth western where not much happens or is said. The main idea is appealing, the interaction between the two main characters is decent, but there is no sensation. A more restrained and focused version of the post-apocalyptic The Postman with Costner wanting it all and we know how that turned out.

Atmospheric, thoughtful, subtle. A journey into the universe that is unique, almost documentary-like and far from the mainstream of Armageddon and its ilk. Eva Green is traditionally great, and so are the other actors. The emotional level is impressive, it is clear that Alice Winocour has a typical directorial signature. Maryland and Proxima have many similarities and are definitely worth seeing.

Fast, brisk and at times a bit monotonous and schematic, relying on the guaranteed aura of the Star Wars universe, but to be honest, it usually works. And even though most of the episodes are basically one and done in terms of plot, The Mandalorian is packed with so many references and classic SW tropes that it can be forgiven. Pascal is one of the few actors where his voice is enough for all the acting.

Hands down, the best episode of the second season. Action-packed, including an impressive fight between Mando and a robot that goes beyond the otherwise usually routinely edited shooters, a cute farewell and a suitably iconic finale with a digitized face that was perhaps the only thing one that didn't quite work. But what does it matter when it feels so bloody close to the classic Star Wars that everyone loves so much.

A big pop corn ride from beginning to end. Original production design, great visual effects and original devices and plot structure. Granted, it's actually a script full of side kicks and secondary quests, but there's always someone on the scene worth watching. In this case, it was Bill Burr.

A somewhat erratic action ride featuring an old familiar face that is appropriately charismatic as it once was. Grogu fills up the tank and carries on. Perhaps only the scene with the troopers jumping between the stones was a bit chaotic and technically not very good. But the story still has a hell of a pace, we'll see about the finale.