The Aviator

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Aviator_(2004_film)#/media/File:The_Aviator_(2004).png

For the thirteenth film of the month we have The Aviator

First off, we have the story which has a biopic depicting the early years of legendary Director and aviator Howard Hughes' career from the late 1920s to the mid 1940s. I thought the story was very entertaining of how one man went from a film producer to working in aviation. 

Next, we have the characters which overall, I thought were fantastically acted and the way Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes portrayed the character at his high points as well as his low points especially with the character's OCD which worsens as the film goes on. The rest of the cast filled out the story well to build the world and interact with Hughes.

As for the film's visuals I thought in parts of the film the look was very interesting particularly through the choice of colour in certain scenes which gave the film a unique style. The cinematography in terms of the camera angles and positioning was also great and liked the look of the film. Moving onto the tone of the film which I thought did a great job at building the drama that came about over the course of the story. I thought the soundtrack of the film

Overall, I thought this film was very enjoyable with the highs and lows of a very interesting man and what he brought to the time and what he thought was the future of flying. This shows that out of the films I have seen of his Martin Scorsese continues to impress me with some thing different then his usual crime and gang films while still having his own style throughout. 

I give The Aviator a score of 8/10

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Assassination_of_Jesse_James_by_the_Coward_Robert_Ford#/media/File:Assassination_poster.jpg

For the twelfth film of the month we have The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford 

First off, we have the story which has Robert Ford, who idolised Jesse James since childhood as he tries hard to join the reforming gang of the Missouri outlaw, but gradually becomes resentful of the bandit leader. I thought the story was thoroughly entertaining from start to finish and the long run-time helped build the full story and characters so you got the full story from beginning to end.

Next, we have the characters which overall, I thought were captivating which was helped by the acting with main standouts being Brad Pitt as Jesse James and Casey Affleck as Robert Ford who's chemistry shone through the film and the interactions were some of the highlights of the film. Brad Pitt as Jesse portrayed the calm demeanour but also the few times he snapped or got violent is when he was at his best.

As for the film's visuals I thought was very atmospheric and at parts haunting with gorgeous cinematography done by Roger Deakins who never disappoints me with way he controls the lighting and camerawork to elevate the film a level whether it be outside on location or inside. Now we have the action which when it occurred on screen was thrilling and shot well to get the full scope of it. Moving onto the tone of the film which I thought was great as it slowly built up the drama and relationships between the characters to give the weight later on in the end. I thought the soundtrack of the film was chilling in parts which suited the films style.

Overall, I thought this film was an excellent film that from minute one brought you straight into the story and it's characters and brought you on a journey of two characters and their time together which leads to friendship, rivalry and eventually death. 

I give The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford a score of 10/10

The Artist

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Artist_(film)#/media/File:The_Artist_Poster.jpg

For the eleventh film of the month we have The Artist

First off, we have the story which has an ego-maniacal film star develops a relationship with a young dancer against the backdrop of Hollywood's silent era. I thought the story was very enjoyable and the way how the silent era was shown felt like it could have been made back in the day.

Next, we have the characters which overall, I thought were very well acted and even though they didn't speak it was all in the actions they gave to capture the emotions of the characters. 

As for the film's visuals I thought managed to capture the sets and costumes of the era very well to make it more authentic as possible. The cinematography was also great with the lighting and camerawork adding to the feel of the film. Moving onto the tone of the film which I found very consistent with a mixture of good comedy that worked because of it adapting the silent era style as well as the dramatic elements for the characters which I found worked well. I thought the soundtrack of the film which I thought did a great job at making it feel like the era the film was trying to capture as well as fitting the emotions it wanted to match on screen with. The use of minimal sound effects also added to the experience of the film.

Overall, I thought this film was very entertaining and managed to show what it would have been like when silent films started to go out and talking films became the new thing and the actors managed to bring that across through their actions without dialogue. The score and tone also shinned out to balance out the film. 

I give The Artist a score of 8/10

The Accountant

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Accountant_(2016_film)#/media/File:The_Accountant_(2016_film).png

For the tenth film of the month we have The Accountant 

First off, we have the story which has a math savant uncooks the books for a new client, the Treasury Department closes in on his activities, and the body count starts to rise. I thought the story was very intriguing and I found it captivating in parts of it.

Next, we have the characters which overall, I thought were great in terms of acting all of the characters provided there all to the film with the main standout obviously being Ben Affleck as Chris with how he portrays his autism and how his past made him what he became to be. The rest of the cast provided decent backing to the films plot well. 

As for the film's visuals I thought was one of the standouts with some good looking cinematography through the lighting and camera positions to give the film it's style. Now we have action which i thought was thrilling and engaging and added to the film for the crime aspects and it the camerawork and pacing was very good. Moving onto the tone of the film which i thought did a good job at building tension over the course of the film but when the action came in it didn't disappoint. I thought the soundtrack of the film seemed to fit the film well and made it different to other action films with uses of orchestral tracks.

Overall, I thought this film was a very enjoyable one and the way it combined all its main elements to make it more entertaining was done very well with a captivating story and great cast behind it to give it the weight it needed to be good.

I give The Accountant  a score of 8/10

Ted

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_(film)#/media/File:Ted_poster.jpg

For the ninth film of the month we have Ted

First off, we have the story which has John Bennett, a man whose childhood wish of bringing his teddy bear to life came true, now must decide between keeping the relationship with the bear or his girlfriend, Lori. I thought the story was enjoyable and the relationship between the characters was most important. 

Next, we have the characters which overall, I thought were well acted and the relationship between them John and Ted carried the film well for their growth after being together for so long and having to grow up. 

As for the film's visuals I thought looked pretty consistent throughout but that was about it. Moving onto the tone of the film which managed to balance some funny comedic moments with some well worked moments between the main characters. I thought the soundtrack of the film was pretty good and worked for the films many situations.

Overall, I thought this film was very enjoyable and with consistent jokes that were paced throughout the film well and the acting by the main cast brought the story together to make it entertaining. 

I give Ted a score of 7/10

Taken

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taken_(film)#/media/File:Taken_film_poster.jpg

For the eighth film of the month we have Taken

First off, we have the story which has a retired CIA agent travels across Europe and relies on his old skills to save his estranged daughter, who has been kidnapped while on a trip to Paris. I thought the story was both tense and enjoyable as you saw Bryan trying to find his daughter using whatever methods he could.

Next, we have the characters which overall, I thought were were well acted and you good care for the main lead because of his family situation and the fact he just wants to see his daughter more and that pushed him to save her. 

As for the film's visuals I thought it looked good especially during the action scenes to make it more brutal and violent to watch which made it more entertaining to watch which was helped by the camerawork. Now we have the action which i thought was very entertaining and thrilling especially because of the way it was filmed to add to the brutality of it. Moving onto the tone of the film which I thought did a great job at adding to the thrills as well as the time limit Bryan was on. I thought the soundtrack of the film added to the film very well for both the tense scenes as well as the quick action scenes.

Overall, I thought this film was very good and the simpleness of the story worked in this films favour as well as the run-time of it which added to the fast pacing and the time-limit that Bryan faced to get his daughter back.

I give Taken a score of 8/10

Superbad

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superbad_(film)#/media/File:Superbad_Poster.png

For the seventh film of the month we have Superbad

First off, we have the story which has two co-dependent high school seniors are forced to deal with separation anxiety after their plan to stage a booze-soaked party goes awry. I thought the story was very funny and entertaining to see the high-jinks they got up to. 

Next, we have the characters which overall, I thought were in terms of acting and characters very good and you could see how much chemistry they had with each other and you could see what they were all going through. 

As for the film's visuals I thought it looked pretty good and was consistent throughout the run-time. Moving onto the tone of the film which i thought managed to capture a mix of raunchy comedy as well as awkward comedy that made it more funnier to watch. I thought the soundtrack of the film when used suited the time the film came out and sometimes added to the comedy. 

Overall, I thought this film was a great film that I had a blast with some funny moments but also some good character moments that helped build the film to make it more entertaining to watch.

I give Superbad a score of 9/10

Star Trek: Into Darkness

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_Into_Darkness#/media/File:StarTrekIntoDarkness_FinalUSPoster.jpg

For the sixth film of the month we have Star Trek: Into Darkness

First off, we have the story which has the crew of the Enterprise find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organisation, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction. I thought the story was entertaining with the improved risks and stakes which made it more thrilling. 

Next, we have the characters which overall, I thought were excellent both in terms of acting and characters with the chemistry between the main cast being improved over the last one. Then their was the inclusion with Benedict Cumberbatch as the main villain and he did an excellent job in the role to add depth and brutality to his character.

As for the film's visuals I thought it looked great and the camerawork just like the previous film added to being on a star-ship especially during the action oriented scenes. Now we have the action which I really enjoyed and thought it was entertaining and thrilling in both space battles and the close combat battles. Moving onto the tone of the film which i thought did a great job at raising the stakes through it's action and it's character chemistry. I thought the soundtrack of the film was good at building up the tension and atmosphere throughout the film. 

Overall, I thought this film was a worthy sequel to the first film and improved in a lot of ways with it's better story and the characters in it help to give it depth and chemistry so when the moments between them mattered and you cared for them

I give Star Trek: Into Darkness a score of 9/10

Star Trek

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_(film)#/media/File:Startrekposter.jpg

For the fifth film of the month we have Star Trek 

First off, we have the story which has James T. Kirk as he tries to live up to his father's legacy with Mr. Spock keeping him in check as a vengeful Romulan from the future creates black holes to destroy the Federation one planet at a time. I thought the story was very entertaining and as the first film to build up the new films it did a great job using familiar and new ways to do it. 

Next, we have the characters which overall, I thought were very good both in terms of acting and the characters themselves as they put their own interpretations of the classic characters to the new age with success. I though the villain was pretty good and I could see his motivation for why he was doing what he did.

As for the film's visuals I thought the new style of the franchise looked really good and bringing the familiar aspects of it to a new generation for them to experience. Now we have the action which I thought was very entertaining and thrilling and the conflicts between the characters and villain worked well and gave the film depth. Moving onto the tone of the film which i thought had a good balance of comedy and action  which worked well for the film through the characters chemistry. I thought the soundtrack of the film did well to add to the action that was going on throughout and it suited the style of film.

Overall, I thought this film was enjoyable film with it's focus on story and characters and it now makes me look forward to the future films and I want to check out more of the Star Trek universe as I have become intrigued by it.

I give Star Trek a score of 8/10

Spider-Man 3

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man_3#/media/File:Spider-Man_3,_International_Poster.jpg

For the fourth film of the month we have Spider-Man 3

First off, we have the story which has a strange black entity from another world who ends up bonding with Peter Parker and causes inner turmoil as he contends with new villains, temptations, and revenge. I thought the story was very bloated and tried to balance so many story threads at once.

Next, we have the characters which overall, I thought were in terms of their acting very mixed and at parts bad especially Topher Grace as Eddie Brock and when Peter is infected with the symbiote and with all the subplots going on over the course of the story that didn't help things either. 

As for the film's visuals I thought were less than impressive than the first two films with the over usage of CGI which was used before but not the degree of this film. The camerawork during the action was still pretty good as well. Now we have the action which I thought was entertaining still with a few good sequences. Moving onto the tone of the film which continued the more dramatic elements from the previous film but some of the humour fell flat which stood out massively. I thought the soundtrack of the film was pretty good in this film adding to the better scenes in the film. 

Overall, I thought this film was a letdown and a disappointment just like I have heard in the past and watching it for myself I can see why with it's lacking script and having too many plot lines took away from being a good film. 

I give Spider-Man 3 a score of 5/10

Spider-Man 2

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man_2#/media/File:Spider-Man_2_Poster.jpg

For the third film of the month we have Spider-Man 2

First off, we have the story which has Peter Parker who faces troubles in his failing personal life as well as facing off against a brilliant scientist named Doctor Otto Octavius. I thought the story was very entertaining and the direction it took from the previous one was great as it fleshed out the characters more to build the chemistry and world.

Next, we have the characters which overall, I thought were very good in this and have improved since the first film especially Tobey Maguire as Peter/Spider-Man as he struggles at balancing his normal life with being a hero. Then there was Doctor Octavius who was a much stronger villain in this film and proved to be a tough fight for Spider-Man as well as being fleshed out and why he became what he did.

As for the film's visuals I thought had improved since the last one especially through the effects and camera work to add to the action and adventure the film wanted to portray. Now we have the action which I thought was thrilling and excellently choreographed and the one scene where that was most prevalent was the train fight as the camera moved throughout the fight to capture all of it. Moving onto the tone of the film which took a more dramatic turn than more of a humorous way but it still had a sense of adventure with a few jokes in. I thought the soundtrack of the film was very good at having tracks that suited the emotions that were on screen so you could feel for the characters when needed. 

Overall, I thought this film was an excellent improvement than the first film in a lot of ways and it was fun to watch from beginning to end through it's strong story and characters that built it up as well as the thrilling action and good score. 

I give Spider-Man 2 a score of 8/10

Spider-Man

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man_(2002_film)#/media/File:Spider-Man2002Poster.jpg

For the second film of the month we have Spider-Man 

First off, we have the story which has Peter Parker who after being bitten by a genetically modified spider gains spider-like abilities that he eventually must use to fight evil as a superhero after tragedy befalls his family. I thought the story was very entertaining with some great moments throughout. 

Next, we have the characters which overall, I thought were in terms of acting mixed with the main standout being Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker/Spider-Man as he balanced the awkwardness of Peter as well as he learns to be Spider-Man. Then there were Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane and James Franco as Harry Osborn who provide good supporting roles. William Dafoe as Norman Osborn worked as the villain sometimes with his acting being the most mixed.

As for the film's visuals I thought were pretty good with the effects being hit or miss throughout bu the visuals for the action to show the fights were good. Now we have the action which I thought was entertaining as thrilling as Spider-Man tried to save the city from the Green Goblin and because of who they truly are the battles became more personal. Moving onto the tone of the film which managed to balance the action and dramatic moments with the fun and adventurous parts to make it more entertaining. I thought the soundtrack of the film was a good mixture of action based tracks as well as tracks that suited the superhero aspects. 

Overall, I thought this film was a very good film and going back to see the original Spider-Man trilogy will be interesting after hearing so many things about each film. This one was an enjoyable start and and they are building other aspects for later films which will be intriguing. 

I give Spider-Man a score of 7/10

Sky High

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_High_(2005_film)#/media/File:Sky_High_movie_poster.jpg

For the first film of the new month we have Sky High

First off, we have the story which has an era where superheroes are commonly known and accepted. William Stronghold, the son of the Commander and Jetstream, tries to find a balance between being a normal teenager and an extraordinary being. I thought the story was enjoyable in places with the inclusions of the typical high-school and superpower tropes thrown together.

Next, we have the characters which overall, I thought were the typical types you would see in a high-school based film however the types of powers used by some of the characters were unique and suited what the film was going for.

As for the film's visuals I thought in terms of the effects on the superpowers were very dated for the time the film was releases. The cinematography was lackluster with nothing much standing out. Now we have the action which was somewhat enjoyable and the way some of the powers were used were good. Moving onto the tone of the film which knew it wanted to be over the top and campy with it's style and that's what made it enjoyable. I thought the soundtrack of the film fit the time the film came out as well as for the setting of the film.

Overall, I thought this film was surprising but enjoyable for it's time although looking at it from now you can see where the weak aspects are being the effects and some of it's story being very cliche.

I give Sky High a score of 6/10