Blade Runner (1982)

A blade runner must pursue and try to terminate four replicants who stole a ship in space and have returned to Earth to find their creator. (IMDb)

The slow pace is welcome when we’re cruising through the moody city setting accompanied by that unnerving synth soundtrack, but much less so when it comes to the dry plot in between (especially that “romantic” aside cringe-worthy both for its cheese and rape-y vibes). The fantastic rooftop scene that switches up the typical bad vs. good climax (“All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain”), along with the tantalizing scene that follows make for a stellar ending, however.

7/10 (Good)

 

The Martian (2015)

An astronaut becomes stranded on Mars after his team assume him dead, and must rely on his ingenuity to find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. (IMDb)

A skimming over of emotions and the consequences of time (particularly with the crew’s decision to go back) are the only standout flaws in this exhilarating thriller featuring a fast-paced back-and-forth between satisfying survival science-ing on Mars (Damon’s Mark adds a wry wit to the proceedings) and tense rescue-planning on Earth (a refreshingly diverse cast shines here). Any lack of suspense in the quickly solved conflicts of the first half is made up for in the nail-biting climax.

8.5/10 (Amazing)

American Gangster (2007)

In 1970s America, a detective works to bring down the drug empire of Frank Lucas, a heroin kingpin from Manhattan, who is smuggling the drug into the country from the Far East. (IMDb)

Starts off feeling a little messy and uninspired as it introduces the main players, but it quickly evolves into a wonderfully gritty and captivating crime drama with top notch cinematography and a richly textured plot. Washington is great as the charismatic and violent Lucas, and Crowe is as equally competent as the determined Richie, and along with a strong supporting cast, they enact an intriguing cops vs. gangsters script that shows the interesting overlaps of their respective moral spectra.

8/10 (Great)