Frozen

Frozen (2013) – It’s a gorgeous film, but its neglected moral—concerning the role of bad parenting and poor communication in creating a dysfunctional family—is only part of the weak job the script does with its inter-character relationships (which, being the purported central focus of a movie with no credible antagonist, makes the film feel rather generic and uninvolving at times); the film is also in an awkward place where it mocks traditional Disney princess conventions without actually seeming to mean it, and the collection of songs is decent but wildly overhyped (when somebody does a power metal cover of “Let It Go,” you can give me a call). 5

Brotherhood of the Wolf

Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001) – It draws from an improbable number of genres, and it probably has a little too much going on in that respect, but it’s also unlike any single other film you’ve ever seen; Gans has a great sense of style, and the film works quite well as a mystery and a thriller, although its action scenes want dearly for fluidity. 7

Fantastic Four

Fantastic Four (2005) – The relatively light tone was the right choice, but the film spends too much time involving its characters in self-created low-stakes problems; the script has a lot of good lines, but it’s extremely juvenile, with plenty of bad moments; likewise, the casting is hit-and-miss: Evans and Chiklis are fine choices, but Alba’s not the slightest bit believable, and McMahon is miscast (plus Doom is a moron); even so, the film manages to be fun and funny enough to overcome its dumbness. 6

Gladiator

Gladiator (2000) – It has a fine cast and one of cinema’s all-time great scores, it’s immersive even with a relatively thin storyline (although the script is a tad on-the-nose), and while anachronisms and historical inaccuracies proliferate, it’s an utter spectacle, even despite the fact that Scott’s battle scenes are less impressive than the rest of the film—yes, because of the shaky-cam, but mostly because of the surprisingly dodgy editing. 7

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) – A second preposterous outing with literature’s zaniest kung fu master has good interplay between its notables and a number of good moments, although the nonsense begins to wear thin. 6

12 Years a Slave

12 Years a Slave (2013) – This film, an unflinching look at human cruelty, can be difficult to watch; it’s also one that keeps its characters at arm’s length (the screenplay’s not a high point), but all the great performances—headlined by Ejiofor’s—go a long way toward making up for it, and in trading pacing for an immersive look at period life, McQueen has constructed a visually engrossing film, albeit one that plods at times; in the end, I don’t know that it has much to contribute to its topic beyond its presentation of ghastly images, but given the relative dearth of films on slavery, maybe that’s enough to give it significance. 7