The Raid: Redemption

The Raid: Redemption (2011) – It does some neat things, yet while it’s filled with the usual nonsense action movie tropes, the lack of emphasis on anything but brutal violence makes the whole thing tedious and unpleasant. 5

Pumping Iron

Pumping Iron (1977) – It’s noteworthy in that it’s the film that launched the career of the larger-than-life Arnold Schwarzenegger, but it’s also a fascinating glimpse into the world of competitive bodybuilding, even with the manufactured narratives. 7

The Cabin in the Woods

The Cabin in the Woods (2011) – It’s an interesting twist on a stale, stale genre, and it gets extra points for the ending, but while it’s completely engaging, it gets silly in the last act and the whole thing feels a little gimmicky. 6

Following

Following (1998) – It’s engaging and satisfying, even if it is all implausibly convoluted; in all, this is an impressive piece of work given the minimal budget. 6

The Pirates! Band of Misfits

The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012) – It’s quite well animated, and it takes a suitably zany approach, but while it’s always at least mildly amusing, it rarely manages to do better (the final act is the strongest). 6

Prometheus

Prometheus (2012) – There seems to be great potential here, and there are plenty of cosmic ideas and mysterious happenings, but there’s not much in the way of substance, resolution, compelling storytelling, or horror sensibilities; in all, it feels like uninspired setup for a sequel (not Alien) tasked with finally getting around to the real issues. 5