Passengers (2016)

I was overall unimpressed by this movie. The coolest thing is the production design. There is a stunning anti-gravity scene in an infinity pool in space. The design of the bedrooms and the whole ship are imaginatively futuristic. The story is extremely unrealistic, even for a science fiction film. It is not believable at all. I know the tag line is "they woke up for a reason" but the reason is actually just not very compelling. The most interesting plot point is Chris Pratt's ethical dilemma. Though it does not actually fit into the "they woke up for a reason" motive of the film. This gap in the plot is inexcusable. This is not Jennifer Lawrence's best work. 

Spectre (2015)

Sure, it was never going to live up to the glory of Skyfall, but Spectre fell far short. This is James Bond and we have come to expect certain things from 007--that is action sequences. And for a two and a half hour movie, they are too few and far between. And in such a long movie, they travel to a lot of different locations, more than necessary (Mexico, London, Rome, Tangiers, Tokyo, and middle-of-nowhere). There is more story than action. Action movies have gotten more story heavy lately and I can appreciate that, but I don't think the film did a very good job at explaining things. We are given so little to go on and the leads that he follows seem to arise out of nowhere. I also thought the dialogue was quite lacking. There is some lame dialogue and some uncharacteristically funny lines (Bond doesn't do funny). And that very last scene was wholly unnecessary. The film does attempt to tie all of the Craig films together (it kind of inexplicably tries to) and then ties up the Craig films period. I think it would be appropriate for him to end on that note and let someone else don the suit.

Bridge of Spies (2015)

This is not just an espionage thriller, but a political thriller.  It does a great job of explaining the complex political theater of Eastern Europe during the Cold War as well as the complex American justice system.  We have the Coen brothers to thank for the easy-to-follow screenplay, which is saying something considering the infamous U2 incident is quite complicated.  Steven Spielberg glorifies American values with soapbox speeches by the fantastic all-American Tom Hanks. As the idealistic and principled lawyer defending a Soviet spy, James Donovan upholds the Constitution by mounting a valiant defense in the face of public scrutiny taking his case all the way up to the Supreme Court. The spy is Mark Rylance who does not get much screen time, but plays a calm man ready to face whatever fate may come to him.  The production design is also praiseworthy.  It paints a gloomy picture of the ruinous East Berlin at the height of the Cold War as the Berlin Wall is being erected.  The music was not composed by John Williams, the first Spielberg movie that has not featured his frequent collaborator since 1985's The Color Purple. 

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015)

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is not as good as the first, a little less charming. The first was a pleasant surprise that did well with an ensemble cast of older British actors, meriting a sequel.  The premise of the movie mirrors the success of the franchise; having done well with the first hotel, they are seeking to build a second hotel.  The focus is less on the exotic nature of India than it is on the new lives these retirees are building for themselves, complete with jobs and new love interests.  There is a detour in Mumbai, giving the audience a change of scenery from Jaipur, but we see little of the majesty of Mumbai.  The movie is really more character driven than the first, which is why it loses some of its charm.  With characters as old as these, death looms over the hotel, with constant reminders that time is limited.  Naturally, the best part of the movie, as with most Indian-themed movies, is the dancing scene towards the end.  Indian music and dance is so much fun to watch, especially Richard Gere trying to do Bollywood.    

The Judge (2014)

As someone who is interested in law, I was disappointed at this overly cliched movie.  There are quite a few soapbox speeches on justice, what makes a good lawyer, and how the law should be upheld. This movie could have used some more showing and less telling.

Robert Duvall as the eponymous judge gives a wonderful performance.  He has the stature and command of a respected man who ran a courtroom for four decades.  The accompanying score succeeds in creating a feeling of a great hall of justice in a small town.  This pretty impressive small town has a diner with a gorgeous view overlooking a waterfall.  Robert Downey Jr. plays a cocky defense attorney not too different in personality from his typical characters lately.  As his plot unravels, (there are a lot of subplots involving him) we find some sentimental moments but it is rather predictable throughout.