This is a weird movie. It’s weird because the tone is all over the place. There’s comedy that’s sometimes pretty good, other times falls pretty flat. There’s moments of ultra-serious drama that are sometimes believable, other times just out of place. And there’s a political message film hiding somewhere deep down that comes out of the blue with heavy-handed platitudes and messages in the final minutes.

Sandra Bullock has a ton of charisma as usual and frankly, her and Billy Bob Thornton save a lot of the film that would be much less interesting without them. But Bullock is playing such an odd character, with emotional swings, unclear motivations, and drastic focus changes that I had trouble following it while still enjoying her performance at the same time. The supporting cast doesn’t get much to do and for all the greatness of Bullock and Thornton, the writing lets them down by not giving them a single enduring exchange. That’s not to say it’s a bad film. It just came off as weird and I couldn’t really figure out the tone or overall point by the end. If you like political dramas with oddball comedy or if you just like Thornton and/or Bullock, this does the job.

Okay, this was way better than I heard. Critics kind of trashed this film when it hit theaters and based on those negative comments, I decided to wait for home video. Was I ever surprised when this turned out to be a nonstop, amazingly intense thriller. I’m not sure if critics saw a different movie or something because this has be one of the most misrepresented films of the year in terms of critical assessment.

There’s a scene about a third into the film where a family must jump between some tall building roofs and it has to be one of the most edge-of-your-seat experiences this year. Owen Wilson and Lake Bell play likable parents who you immediately connect and identify with. But the real standout here is Pierce Brosnan who plays a character unlike I’ve seen him ever do before. He owned every scene he was in. No Escape isn’t trying to be anything more than an awesome thriller and based on that premise, it absolutely succeeds (and exceeds) expectations.

So messed up, in so many ways, and I loved every minute of it. Tobe Hooper (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Poltergeist) directs this bizarre sci-fi / horror film about nudist space vampires that take over London and cause mass infection of more vampires. The late great Dan O’Bannon (Alien, Dark Star) wrote the screenplay and it has to be one of his weirdest premises.

I especially loved the puppets and creature effects in this. The corpses of the vampire victims reanimate after a few hours with wrinkled skin and sunken cheeks, they look awesome. By the way, the vampires don’t bite people, instead they suck their life energy out of their eyes and mouths. The whole thing is such a wild premise but if you just go with it, Lifeforce is one of those unique films that would never get made today and is a pleasure to see such bizarre creativity on display.

It Follows is one of the best horror films this year. Sure, it has problems and doesn’t take its premise far enough but what it does right is really effective. Maybe I’m just glad to see a lower budget horror film that actually cares about cinematography or that isn’t found footage but I dig It Follows.

I still don’t understand all the rules around the “it” because they seem to be broken at different points (like in the pool scenes at the end) but there are some generally scary moments that overcome most of my concerns. It’s so rare to get any kind of legitimate scare or see anything remotely creepy in most uninspired horror films today. That alone makes It Follows worth recommending.

One of the great Anime movies of the 1990’s, Ghost in the Shell is set in a futuristic Japan where nearly every person has cybernetic body enhancements. Along with these enhancements, science has progressed to the point where robots are being spliced with real human DNA. One of these splices creates something possibly unique, maybe even spontaneous new consciousness.

The animation is breathtaking, with stunning detail, emotive characters, and clinical color tones adding to the cyberpunk feel of the entire film. The script is also very smart with interesting characters and a lot of dialogue that probes deep philosophical questions about what consciousness and reality mean. One of the great classics of modern Anime.

I heard when this film debuted at film festivals, several audience members got up and left. I’m not surprised. This is challenging film. Long takes, experimental sound design, a non-traditional screenplay, and ultra-realistic acting. Also, this film is about being homeless and that’s a major turn-off for the general movie-going public.

Richard Gere commits fully as the tragic homeless man, his life spun out of control, estranged from his daughter, at rock bottom, wandering the streets of New York. It’s a powerful, uncompromising performance that gives a glimpse at the common sadness that is a homeless person’s life. The cinematography isn’t particularly interesting but that fits the film’s theme. The film moves along at a slow pace, perfectly illustrating the tedium, aimlessness, and disappointments of life on the street. I think a lot of people would probably be utterly bored by this film but I was enthralled. Keep that in mind if you check this out.

Outstanding film and yet another reason why I contend that 1984 was the single greatest year for film in modern movie history. Paris, Texas tells the story of a man who has been wandering the Texas desert for 4 years. He is found and over the course of the film, we see how he tries to reconnect with his family (including an estranged wife and young son as well as his brother & sister-in-law).

The film is a powerful meditation on life in the 1980’s but much of it may ring even more true today. Harry Dean Stanton (Alien, The Green Mile) gives a career best performance as the troubled man who is lost both figuratively and literally. Many famous people count this as their favorite film of all time (including two popular musicians Kurt Cobain and Elliot Smith) and it’s easy to see why. The film brings up questions around the meaning of life, our purpose, our ability to cope with society’s rules, etc. Note though that the slower pacing, long running time, and focus on characters instead of plot may turn off more modern film goers. That being said, if you are a film lover, this could be a new all time favorite. Can’t recommend this enough to film fans.