Along with every other sound-minded human, when I see the words "Pixar presents..." before a movie title I am pretty much guaranteed to enjoy what's about to hit the screen. Inside Out is no different and I will take the initiative in saying this was the most fun I had watching a movie in 2015. We are taken inside, not the brain but the mind, of a teenage girl who is getting a lot thrown at her this point in her life and, like every other teenager, is having some trouble keeping her emotions organized. Why hasn't anyone thought to "personify" emotions before this? Leave it to the brilliance of Pixar, I guess. You have Amy Poehler headlining as Joy: the ruler of all things happy and fun, Phyllis Smith completely nails it as the blue ne'er-do-well and depressing to be around Sadness, Mindy Kaling channels the pouty hater in all of us as Disgust, Bill Hader is exactly who I want to hear as the voice of Fear, and c'mon, how can you cast anyone else for the role of Anger besides the hot-headed Lewis Black?! With a subject matter that literally has more possibilities than we can imagine and a plot that hits all the feels and lives up to Pixar's track record of warmness and humor, Inside Out uses every neuron in its capacity to make sure you get what you expected. GRADE: 10/10
Black Mass
The name James "Whitey" Bulger is not usually what we think of while listing gangster headliners throughout history. Until now. His story was well-known to some but now he has been immortalized on the silver screen via the chameleon Mr. John Depp and can consider himself crossed off the Most-Wanted list and inducted into the hall of film history villains. In South Boston there is a certain disregard for life when it comes to protecting family and reputations. Being the brother of a state senator, Whitey knows how to watch his steps but even more how to sway the law in the direction of the wind. He is considered the most violent criminal in the history of Boston but had the respect of those around him simply because he remained a hometown boy who looked after those who were loyal to him. Johnny Depp was nominated for an Oscar as Captain Jack Sparrow and many consider his cult-classic performance as the timid Edward Scissorhands to be his finest hour but as the menacing Whitey Bulger, he stands alone. He may not be a method actor such as the late Heath Ledger and the spellbinding Daniel Day-Lewis but Johnny Depp has a way of taking a scene and commanding it to the point where you just can't look away. Flanked by Benedict Cumberbatch, Joel Edgerton, and Kevin Bacon, great acting is just all over this movie but the execution of the story itself is not quite up to the same caliber. Still, do not let this stop you in your tracks, having sat next to a true crime story expert in the theater, you'll want to be able to say you saw Johnny Depp's first Academy Award winner (we'll see). GRADE: 8/10
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
I've written about highly anticipated movies before but I don't think any of them come close to the hype that surrounds this one. The Star Wars saga has become synonymous with what it means to be an American classic (kinda like Coca-Cola or McDonald's) so when another chapter in its journey is set to be released...well, it's a seismic shock we have to brace ourselves for. This is Episode VII (seven, I know you knew that) in a series of IX (I'll let you look that one up) but, most importantly, the introduction to a whole new generation of sci-fi lovers to get sucked into the phenomenon and the OJs (Original Jedis, I need a new name for that) get to relive the fun they had 30+ years ago and then again 16 years ago during the 3 prequels. Now I won't say much about the plot only that famed Jedi, Luke Skywalker, is nowhere to be found and there is a new Dark Side uprising that is most eager to find Luke's galactic whereabouts. A fresh group of heroes called the Resistance has limited resources but a great deal of skills along with some seasoned advice to guide them in the right direction. Despite the epic fight scenes and much improved special effects, there is disconnect during crucial scenes by means of forced comedy that doesn't fit and only serves as a distraction. Director JJ Abrams brought in old faces, as advertised, but also many unknowns made their debut which must be intimidating but they held their own just fine from time to time. Like its predecessors, it's a movie that goes by quickly (just over 2 hours) and is easy to follow, but there is such thing as being too predictable and that can ruin the fun for the ending. The mixed, underwhelmed feelings that filled me while walking out of the theater has left me to give this global, box office shattering, record-breaking spectacle a -- GRADE: 6/10
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