Camp X-Ray

When you watch this, forget the Twilight movies ever existed, and whatever you thought of Kristen Stewart as an actress. Reactive and emotive, she will not disappoint you here. Rather expect an electrifying and exceptional performance. Paired with Payman Maadi, they both make of this work an emotionally poignant movie that questions the notion of freedom in the unlikeliest of places: Guantanamo bay.

IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2994190/?ref_=nv_sr_1
7,0/10 from 28.986 votes

Rotten Tomatoes:
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/camp_x_ray/?search=camp%20x-ray
75% Fresh

 

What we do in the shadows

Deadpan comedy styled as a mockumentary, following four flatmates who happen to be vampires. They range in ages from 183 to 8000, and spend their nights trying to adapt to modern day living, eating, reminiscing about old times, and solving the problems that come with every shared flat. It is filmed in a fake documentary style similar to The Office, with one-on-one interviews interspersed into the film.

IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3416742/?ref_=nv_sr_1
7,6/10 stars from 66.394 votes

Rotten Tomatoes:
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/what_we_do_in_the_shadows/?search=what%20we%20do%20in%20the%20shadow
96% Certified Fresh

 

Slow West

Slow West is a modern western about a young Scotsman (Kodi Smit-McPhee) trekking across America in search of Rose, the young woman he loves, while accompanied by a wayward outlaw named Silas (Michael Fassbender). Jay soon realizes that he is unwittingly leading a pack of nefarious bounty hunters toward Rose and her father as well, as a sizable reward rests on their heads for the accidental killing of a nobleman. Itu2019s a melancholy yet clever and enjoyable film with a distinct Coen Brothers-esque sense of dark humor and quirky violence.

IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3205376/?ref_=nv_sr_1
6.9/10 from 27.203 votes

Rotten Tomatoes:
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/slow_west_2015/?search=slow%20west
93% Certified Fresh

 

Good Bye, Lenin.

This movie takes place around the time the Berlin wall fell and East and West Berlin were still united. Christiane, a devout socialist activist in East Berlin suffers an accident which leaves her in a coma, during which time the Berlin wall comes down and Western capitalism encroaches on her beloved East Berlin. Fearing that she may relapse into a coma after waking up, her doctors warn that she must remain calm and not endure any shocks. Despite the somewhat contrived premise, the film really takes off from this point as her son Alex and his friend aim to hide this fact from her, by faking news reports on the television, coming up with excuses for a giant Coca Cola banner and a whole host of other amusing exploits to prevent her from knowing. While categorised as a comedy, it is also a moving portrayal of a loving family enduring great, historic change.

IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0301357/?ref_=nv_sr_1
7.7/10 from 113.989 votes

Rotten Tomatoes:
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/good_bye_lenin/?search=good%20bye%20lenin
90% Certified Fresh

 

Rounders

In Rounders, Matt Damon plays a law student and reformed poker player who is forced back into the game in order to help his newly-paroled best friend (Edward Norton) pay off overwhelming gambling debts. Itu2019s an enjoyable insideru2019s look into the world of high stakes gambling and of Poker specifically, giving the viewer compelling insights into Poker in terms of strategy as well as human psychology. Damon and Norton are well-cast in their roles u2014 Norton particularly great as the sleazy and manipulative u201cWormu201d. Not-overly-surprising in its storytelling, yet highly enjoyable from beginning to end, this one will appeal to fans of gambling and sports films, as well as those who enjoy modern film noir and pseudo-noir films with a nice dramatic edge.

IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0128442/?ref_=nv_sr_1
7,4/10 from 121.190 votes

Rotten Tomatoes:
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1083659-rounders/?search=rounders
65% Fresh (but 88% of audiences liked the movie)

 

End of Watch

First off you have to remember it is the same writer as Training Day. Then you have to believe that he must have gone to a joint training camp between the Taliban and Mexican Cartels or something since Training Day to come up with such a tense, unpredictable script.
But End of Watch is more than that. It is warm and sweet (yes), and a great showcase of Gyllenhaal and Penau2019s talents u2014 which thanks to a documentary-style cinematography, and the actorsu2019 5-month immersion program with actual LA cops, make for a very authentic, rich, and overall exciting film.

IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1855199/?ref_=nv_sr_1
7,7/10 from 179.602 votes

Rotten Tomatoes:
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/end_of_watch/?search=end%20of%20watch
85% Certified Fresh

 

The Big Short

Based on Michael Lewisu2019 2011 non-fiction book, The Big Short follows several disparate Wall Street insiders who predicted the housing market crash of 2007-2008, and bet against the market for huge financial gains. Itu2019s a fascinating look into the inner workings and disrepair of the modern banking industry. A great cast of big names (Bale, Carell, Gosling, Pitt) carry the viewer through all of the intricate complexities of mortgage backed securities, collateralized debt obligations, etc.u2014 and make it all both enthralling and highly enjoyable.

IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1596363/?ref_=nv_sr_17,8/10
7.8/10 from 175000 votes

Rotten Tomatoes:
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_big_short/?search=the%20big%20short
88% Certified Fresh

 

99 Homes

Around the world everyone knows that honest hard work gets you nowhere. In sunny Orlando, Florida, construction worker Dennis Nash learns this the hard way when he is evicted from his home by a charismatic, gun-toting real-estate broker, Rick Carver. Humiliated and homeless, Nash has no choice but to move his mom and nine-year old son into a shabby, dangerous motel. All is lost. Until an unexpected opportunity arises for Nash to strike a deal with the devil – he begins working for Carver in a desperate attempt to get his home back.

IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2891174/?ref_=nv_sr_1
7.1/10 from 14.887 votes

Rotten Tomatoes:
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/99_homes/?search=99%20homes
92% Certified Fresh

 

A War (Krigen)

A War (Krigen) is a Danish war drama that focuses on Commander Claus Pedersen (Pilou Asbu00e6k) as he leads a company of soldiers in modern day Afghanistan, while his wife at home in Denmark struggles to care for their three children. During a mission to rescue a family from Taliban threat, Clausu2019 unit is overcome by enemy fire, forcing him to make a dramatic decision that has a complicated effect upon himself, his fellow soldiers and his family back home. A War is a tense yet thoroughly involving drama that offers a profound example of moral ambiguity and the repercussions of warfare. Also nominated for best foreign movie at the Oscars.

(Bonus info: The guy behind Pilou Asbu00e6ks character was one of my former Staff Sergents in the Army, almost choked to death on my popcorn when i saw he was in the movie.)

IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3830162/?ref_=nv_sr_1
7,2/10 from 3.934 votes

Rotten Tomatoes:
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_war/?search=a%20war
91% Certified Fresh

 

The Town

A dark and gritty movie about the lives of two of Bostonu2019s finest. This film portrays the hard and unbearing choices the leading man has to make; lose his friends and continue with the only life he ever knew and maybe even end up dead or challenge his predicament and burn every last ship behind him. The amazing and impressive cast delivers an outstanding performance, the characters are all in their own way realistic and have all good reasons to behave like they do.

IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0840361/?ref_=nv_sr_1
7,6/10 from 279.003 votes

Rotten Tomatoes:
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_town/?search=the%20town
94% Certified Fresh

 

Things We Lost In Fire

Things We Lost in the Fire is a touching drama about Audrey (Hall Berry), a married mother-of-two, whose husband Brian (David Duchovny) is killed tragically in a random act of violence. Amidst her grief she comes to connect with Jerry (Benicio Del Toro), Brianu2019s childhood friend who is living an isolated life as a junkie, and ultimately invites him to live with her and her children. What may sound like a formulaic set-up, with broken souls coming together to find mutual reconciliation, is elevated immeasurably by Susanne Bieru2019s deft directorial hand. The celebrated director of After the Wedding and In A Better World weaves a poignant narrative about loss and human connectivity, featuring stunningly good performances by both Berry and Del Toro. Itu2019s a film thatu2019s likely to surprise you with its heartfelt tenderness and compassion.

IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0469623/?ref_=nv_sr_1
7.2/10 from 24.004 votes

Rotten Tomatoes:
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/things_we_lost_in_the_fire/?search=things%20we%20lost%20in%20fire
65% Fresh

The synopsis for each movie came from:
http://agoodmovietowatch.com/