Blair WitchSynopsis: A group of college students venture into the Black Hills Forest in Maryland to uncover the mysteries surrounding the disappearance of James' sister who many believe is connected to the legend of the Blair Witch. At first the group is hopeful, especially when a pair of locals offer to act as guides through the dark and winding woods, but as the endless night wears on, the group is visited by a menacing presence. Slowly, they begin to realize the legend is all too real and more sinister than they could have imagined.
My thoughts: It wasn't scary, it utilizes all of maybe 2 or 3 jump scares. You can hardly see what's going on with the shaky cam and even when you can see it's not at all interesting... But hey if sticks scare the shit out of you, this movie will have you running out of the theater screaming.
Final verdict: 1 "scary" stick out of 5.
SnowdenSynopsis: Academy Award winning director Oliver Stone, tackles the most important and fascinating true story of the 21st century. Snowden, the politically-charged, pulse-pounding thriller starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Shailene Woodley, reveals the incredible untold personal story of Edward Snowden, the polarizing figure who exposed shocking illegal surveillance activities by the NSA and became one of the most wanted men in the world. He is considered a hero by some, and a traitor by others. No matter which you believe, the epic story of why he did it, who he left behind, and how he pulled it off makes for one of the most compelling films of the year.
My thoughts: It was interesting and entertaining but there was a sort of laziness done to the final product, but I mean that's kind of been Stone's M.O. for the last decade plus. It's certainly a step in the right direction for the longtime director though.
Final verdict: 3 (nearly 4) rubix cubes out of 5.
Whiskey Tango FoxtrotSynopsis: SNL alumni Tina Fey steps into the well worn shoes of journalist Kim Barker in Paramount Pictures' adaptation of Barker's memoir The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which details her years as a reporter in Pakistan and Afghanistan beginning in 2002.
My thoughts: Fey, Robbie and Freeman are all likable, though not much else is great in this film. It had a couple laughs but I think the premise of doing a romantic comedy in a war torn country with war going on using privileged white characters makes it hard to care about what's going on in their lives with this massive world-scaled problem being in the background.
Final verdict: 3 creepy Alfred Molina's out of 5.
