Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

A young blade runner’s discovery of a long-buried secret leads him to track down former blade runner Rick Deckard, who’s been missing for thirty years. (IMDb)

If I was rating individual scenes, this would have a bunch of 10/10s, no question, thanks to some incredible visuals, sounds, turns, and Villeneuve’s impeccable sense of tension and atmosphere (see the opening search, the horse discovery, Joshi vs. Luv, K and dreammaker Dr. Ana, the stunning final fight). Unfortunately, Leto’s cliche villain and Deckard’s return make for a less compelling and more tangential-feeling third act, at least plot and character-wise, keeping the film from perfection.

8/10 (Great)

 

American Psycho (2000)

A wealthy New York investment banking executive hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he delves deeper into his violent, hedonistic fantasies. (IMDb)

The odd opening few scenes (see the lead’s detailed account of his facial care regime) start things off shakily, but soon it all comes together, as the oddball men-in-suits culture satire (see the business card envy) meshes nicely with the sadistic exploits of the bonkers Bateman (see his pre-murder music reviews), whose unique descent into madness (played brilliantly by Bale; see especially his phone confession) unfortunately leads to an ambiguous ending dangerously close to being cliche.

8/10 (Great)

Panic Room (2002)

A highly engaging thriller featuring some really cool swooping film shots and solid acting all around. There are a couple of questionable plot points and the bad guys seem a bit too conveniently incompetent at certain important moments, but none of this ever keeps you from the edge of your seat. The central concept is interesting, and the tension, action, and emotion that surround it make the film an entertaining watch overall.

7/10 (Good)