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Akira (1988)

Directed by: Katsuhiro Otomo

Starring: Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Saski, Takeshi Kusao

Rated: R for Graphic Violence and Brief Nudity

Running Time: 2 h 4 m

TMM Score: 4.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Story, Animation

WEAKNESSES: Compressed and Dense Story

Akira (1988)

May 27, 2019

In the distant future of 2019, warring biker gangs in Tokyo get mixed up in powers far beyond their understanding. 

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In Action, Adventure, Anime, Animated, Crime, Fantasy, Epic, Horror, Mystery, Sci Fi Tags Katsuhiro Otomo, Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Saski, Takeshi Kusao, R, 4.5 Stars
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Godzilla (2014)

Directed by: Gareth Edwards

Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston, Ken Wantanabe, Sally Hawkins, Juliette Binoche

Rated: PG-13 for Intense Sequences of Destruction, Mayhem and Creature Violence

Running Time: 2 h 3 m

TMM Score: 3 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Visual Effects, Godzilla Action

WEAKNESSES: Pacing, Not Enough Godzilla, Boring Protagonist

Godzilla (2014)

May 24, 2019

Giant creatures begin appearing across the globe, and a giant lizard named Godzilla rises to fight them.

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In Action, Adventure, Epic, Fantasy, Romance, Thriller, War Tags Gareth Edwards, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston, Ken Wantanabe, Sally Hawkins, Juliette Binoche, PG-13, 3 Stars, 2014
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Shin Godzilla (2016)

Directed By: Hideaki Anno, Shinji Higuchi

Starring: Hiroki Hasegawa, Yutaka Takenouchi, Satomi Ishihara

Rated: NR

Run Time: 2h

TMM Score: 4 Stars

Strengths: Editing, Score, Direction, Scope/Scale

Weakness: Certain Effects Shots, Any American Character

Shin Godzilla (2016)

May 22, 2019

When an immense mysterious evolutionarily advanced creature emerges from the sea and begins walking to Tokyo, the government and people of Japan must band together to save their country and the world.

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In Epic, Foreign Film, Monster Film, Sci Fi, War Tags Michael McDonald, Hiroki Hasegawa, Yutaka Takenouchi, Satomi Ishihara, NR, 4 Stars, 2016, Shin Godzilla, Hideaki Anno, Shinji Higuchi
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Godzilla (1954)

Directed By: Ishiro Honda

Starring: Takashi Shimura, Ahihiko Hirata, Akira Takarada, Takashi Shimura

Rated: NR

Run Time: 1h 36m

TMM Score: 3 Stars

Strengths: Theme, Legacy, Soundtrack

Weakness: Pacing, Some Poor Effects Shots

Godzilla (1954)

May 21, 2019

Ships off the coast of one of Japan’s islands are being mysteriously destroyed. When the cause turns out to be an immense fire breathing lizard, all of Japan seems doomed.

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In Epic, Foreign Film, Sci Fi, War, Monster Film Tags Michael McDonald, Takashi Shimura, Ahihiko Hirata, Akira Takarada, Ishiro Honda, Godzilla, 1954, NR, 3 Stars
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How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019)

Directed by: Dean DeBlois

Starring: Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, F. Murray Abraham, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Kristen Wiig, Kit Harrington

Rated: PG for Adventure Action and Some Mild Rude Humor

Running Time: 1 h 44 m

TMM Score: 3.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Animation, Production Design, Visual Storytelling, Final Scenes

WEAKNESSES: Uneven Pacing, Uninteresting Villain

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019)

May 20, 2019

After a dragon hunter threatens Berk, Hiccup and Toothless search for a place where dragons and humans might live together in peace.

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In Action, Adventure, Animated, Children's Movies, Comedy, Coming of Age, Drama, Epic, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, War Tags Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, F. Murray Abraham, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Kristen Wiig, Kit Harrington, Dean DeBlois, 2019, 3.5 Stars
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How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)

Directed by: Dean DeBlois

Starring: Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wigg, Djimon Hounsou, Kit Harrington

Rated: PG for Adventure Action and Some Mild Rude Humor

Running Time: 1 h 42 m

TMM Score: 4 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Worldbuilding, Story, Consequences, Characters, Emotional Connection, Music

WEAKNESSES: Supporting Character’s Subplot

How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)

May 20, 2019

After Hiccup and Toothless discover a mysterious new Dragon Rider, they find themselves at the center of a battle.

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In Action, Adventure, Children's Movies, Animated, Comedy, Coming of Age, Drama, Epic, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, War Tags Dean DeBlois, Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wigg, Djimon Hounsou, Kit Harrington, PG, 2014, 4 Stars
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How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

Directed by: Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders

Starring: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, America Ferrara, Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill, Kristen Wigg, T.J. Miller, David Tennant

Rated: PG for Sequences of Intense Action and Some Scary Images, and Brief Mild Language

Running Time: 1 h 38 m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Story, Music, Cinematography, Production Design, World Building, Themes

WEAKNESSES: -

How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

May 20, 2019

A young Viking who lives in a village that is perpetually attacked by dragons takes a new approach to handling the beasts.

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In Action, Adventure, Children's Movies, Animated, Comedy, Coming of Age, Fantasy, Epic, Mystery, Romance, War Tags Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders, Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, America Ferrara, Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill, Kristen Wigg, T.J. Miller, David Tennant, 5 Stars, 2010
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Mulan (1998)

Directed by: Tony Bancroft, Barry Cook

Starring: Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, BD Wong, Soon-Tek Oh, James Hong, Pat Morita, Miguel Ferrer

Rated: G

Running Time: 1 h 28 m

TMM Score: 4.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Story, Music, Animation Style, Song, Excitement, Themes

WEAKNESSES: -

Mulan (1998)

May 7, 2019

Based on a Chinese legend, about a young girl whom disguises herself as a man to take her ailing father’s place in the army, and in doing so becomes one of China’s greatest heroes. 

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In Action, Adventure, Children's Movies, Comedy, Coming of Age, Drama, Epic, Romance, War Tags Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, BD Wong, Soon-Tek Oh, James Hong, Pat Morita, Miguel Ferrer, 1998, 4.5 Stars, G, Tony Bancroft, Barry Cook
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The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018)

Directed By: Terry Gilliam

Starring: Adam Driver, Jonathon Pryce, Joana Ribeiro, Stellan Skarsgard, Olga Kurylenko

Rated: R

Run Time: 2h 12m

TMM Score: 5 Stars

Strengths: Acting, Production Design, Grand Concept

Weakness: Length

The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018)

May 2, 2019

Toby, a disillusioned director, recalls his younger days wherein he made a short film as a student, starring a peasant cobbler as Don Quixote. As he flees his current project he and the cobbler are reunited only to discover the cobbler believes he really is Don Quixote still, and Toby begins to slip into insanity himself.

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In Adventure, Art House, Buddy Movies, Comedy, Epic, Drama, Fantasy Tags Michael McDonald, Terry Gilliam, Adam Driver, Jonathon Pryce, Joana Ribeiro, Stellan Skarsgard, Olga Kurylenko, R Rated, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018), 5 Stars
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Uncommon Valor (1983)

Directed by: Ted Kotcheff

Starring: Gene Hackman, Patrick Swayze, Robert Stack, Jan Kaczmarek

Rated: R

Running Time: 1 h 45 m

TMM Score: 2 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Some Action, Gene Hackman

WEAKNESSES: Acting, Formulaic and Predictable Plot, Directing, Editing, Production Design

Uncommon Valor (1983)

April 29, 2019

Ten years after his son went MIA in Vietnam, a retired Colonel assembles a private rescue team to storm a POW camp in Laos, where he believes his son is being kept.

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In Action, Adventure, Drama, Epic, Thriller, War Tags Ted Kotcheff, Gene Hackman, Patrick Swayze, Robert Stack, Jan Kaczmarek, 1983, 2 Stars, Uncommon Valor
2 Comments
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Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Directed by: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Josh Brolin, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Karen Gillian, Tessa Thompson, Bradley Cooper

Rated: PG-13 for Sequences of Science-Fi Violence and Action, and Some Language

Running Time: 3 h 1 m

TMM Score: 3.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Subversion of Expectations, Character Development, Humor, Special Effects

WEAKNESSES: Length, Pacing, Fan Service

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

April 26, 2019

The remaining Avengers fight to undo the events at the end of “Avengers: Infinity War”.

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In Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Epic, Fantasy, Sci Fi, Superhero, War, Thriller Tags Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Karen Gillian, Tessa Thompson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chadwick Boseman, Tom Holland, Zoe Saldana, Evangeline Lilly, Rene Russo, Elisabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Tom Hiddleston, Danai Gurira, Benedict Wong, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, John Slattery, Tilda Swinton, Natalie Portman, Marisa Tomei, Jon Faverau, Taiki Waititi, Cobie Smolders, William Hurt, Winston Duke, Linda Cadellini, Frank Grillo, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Gwyneth Paltrow, Josh Brolin, Chris Pratt, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Redford, Stan Lee, 3.5 Stars, 2019, PG-13
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Dune (Extended Cut) (1984)

Directed by: Alan Smithee (David Lynch)

Starring: Kyle MacLachlan, Virginia Madsen, Francesca Annis, Sting, Patrick Stewart, Max Von Sydow, Kenneth McMillan, Jurgen Prochow

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 2 h 57 m

TMM Score: 2 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: A Valiant Effort

WEAKNESSES: Practically Everything

Dune (Extended Cut) (1984)

April 26, 2019

After a Duke takes over a rich desert planet, forces around the galaxy descend in attempt to dethrone him. Meanwhile, a mysterious prophecy concerns the Duke’s son.

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In Action, Adventure, Art House, Coming of Age, Crime, Drama, Epic, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Sci Fi, Thriller Tags Kyle MacLachlan, Virginia Madsen, Francesca Annis, Sting, Patrick Stewart, Max Von Sydow, Kenneth McMillan, Jurgen Prochow, PG-13, 2 Stars, 1984, David Lynch
2 Comments
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Fellini Satyricon (1969)

Directed by: Federico Fellini

Starring: Martin Potter, Hiram Keller, Max Born

Rated: R

Running Time: 2 h 9 m

TMM Score: 4 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Directing, Production Design, Cinematography

WEAKNESSES: Emotional Connection, Pacing

Fellini Satyricon (1969)

April 22, 2019

A series of bizarre events surround a young man’s journey through the hedonistic landscape of first century Rome.

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In Art House, Anthology, Comedy, Coming of Age, Crime, Drama, Epic, Fantasy, Foreign Film, Romance, Thriller Tags Martin Potter, Hiram Keller, Max Born, Federico Fellini, R, 1969, Fellini Satyricon, 4 Stars
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The Passion of The Christ (2004)

Directed By: Mel Gibson

Starring: Jim Caviezel, Monica Bellucci, Maia Morgenstern

Rated: R

Run Time: 2h 7m

TMM Score: 4 Stars

Strengths: Visual Storytelling,

Weakness: Certain Shots, The Marketing

The Passion of The Christ (2004)

April 19, 2019

The story of Jesus of Nazareth’s 12-Hour Passion modeled after the 12 Stations of the Cross.

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In Christian Film, Drama, Epic, Foreign Film Tags Michael McDonald, Jim Caviezal, Monica Bellucci, Maia Morgenstern, Mel Gibson, 2004, The Passion of the Christ, R Rated, 4 Stars
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Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)

Directed by: Guillermo Del Toro

Starring: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, John Alexander, Seth MacFarlane, Anna Walton, Jeffrey Tambor, Luke Goss, John Hurt

Rated: PG-13 for Sequences of Sci-Fi Action and Violence, and Some Language

Running Time: 2 h

TMM Score: 4 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Directing, Characters, Writing, Production Design, Expanded World

WEAKNESSES: Some Coincidental Moments

Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)

April 18, 2019

The continuing adventures of Hellboy and his paranormal friends.

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In Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Fantasy, Epic, Mystery, Noir, Romance, Sci Fi, Superhero, Thriller Tags Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, John Alexander, Seth MacFarlane, Anna Walton, Jeffrey Tambor, Luke Goss, John Hurt, Guillermo Del Toro, PG-13, 4 Stars, 2008
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Hellboy (2004)

Directed by: Guillermo Del Toro

Starring: Ron Perlman, Doug Jones, Selma Blair, John Hurt, Jeffrey Tambor, Karel Roden

Rated: PG-13 for Sci-Fi Action Violence and Frightening Images

Running Time: 2 h 12 m

TMM Score: 3.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Directing, Production Design, Worldbuilding, Writing, Action, Characters

WEAKNESSES: Climax, Some Dated Effects

Hellboy (2004)

April 18, 2019

A demon that was brought from another dimension by Nazis is raised by a secret US organization to protect the world from darkness. 

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In Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Epic, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Noir, Thriller, Superhero Tags Ron Perlman, Doug Jones, Selma Blair, John Hurt, Jeffrey Tambor, Karel Roden, Guillermo Del Toro, PG-13, 3.5 Stars
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Raising Arizona (1987)

Directed by: Ethan & Joel Coen

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, John Goodman

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 1h 34m

TMM Score: 4.5 out of 5

STRENGTHS: Acting, Characters, Story, Aesthetic

WEAKNESSES: Pacing

Raising Arizona (1987)

March 28, 2019

An “against-the-odds” couple kidnap one of the Arizona Quintet babies when they learn they are unable to conceive a child themselves.

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In Action, Adventure, Coming of Age, Fantasy, Epic, Western Tags Lucas Rose, The Dark Tower, 2017, Nikolaj Arcel, Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor, PG-13, 1.5 Stars
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Quo Vadis (1951)

Directed By: Mervyn LeRoy

Starring: Robert Taylor, Deborah Kerr, Peter Ustinov, Leo Gann

Rated: NR

Run Time: 2h 51m

TMM Score: 4 Stars

Strengths: Acting, Special Effects

Weakness: Some Acting, Dated Style

Quo Vadis (1951)

March 20, 2019

A young commander in the Roman Empire, under the mad poet/emperor Nero, has returned home and fallen fora beautiful Christian slave girl. When she rejects him, he chooses to conquer her through force but wavers as he sees what power does to a man.

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In Adventure, Christian Film, Drama, Epic, Romance Tags Michael McDonald, Quo Vadis, 1951, 4 Stars, NR, Robert Taylor, Deborah Kerr, Peter Ustinov, Leo Gann, Mervyn LeRoy
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The Dark Tower (2017)

Directed by: Nikolaj Arcel

Starring: Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 1h 35m

TMM Score: 1.5 out of 5

STRENGTHS: Idris Elba

WEAKNESSES: Everything Else

The Dark Tower (2017)

March 14, 2019

When an evil force threatens the safety of all worlds, a young boy, who dreams of monsters and men, travels to a mysterious world where, with the help of a gunslinger, decides to take matters into his own hands.

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In Action, Adventure, Coming of Age, Fantasy, Epic, Western Tags Lucas Rose, The Dark Tower, 2017, Nikolaj Arcel, Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor, PG-13, 1.5 Stars
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Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)

Directed by: James Cameron

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Edward Furlong, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick

Rated: R

Running Time: 2 h 36m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Acting, Action, Story, Special Effects

WEAKNESSES: Longer Than Most Action Movies

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

March 12, 2019

A young John Connor must survive with the help of a Terminator if he is to lead the revolution in the future.

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In Action, Coming of Age, Epic, Sci Fi Tags Karl Nagurski, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, James CameronArnold Schwarzenegger, Edward Furlong, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, R Rated, 5 Stars
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