Snowpiercer

Snowpiercer (2013) – This is, if you can accept the conceit of the perpetual motion train, a well done take on the dystopian class divide; it goes over the top from time to time and it’s got some not-insignificant logistical problems, but it’s a great-looking film, it’s immersive and suspenseful, and it’s well-cast and well-acted. 7

A New Leaf

A New Leaf (1971) – A film this entertaining deserves better than near-total obscurity—it’s got a snappy script and a good cast, it’s pretty funny, and Matthau is phenomenal—he carries the entire movie on his back from start to finish. 7

They Live

They Live (1988) – It’s got a good premise and cool aliens, and these elements carry it along passably well, but the social commentary’s not exactly subtle and the film doesn’t make good use of its potential—it really could have done with a cleverer protagonist and a cleverer script. 6

2 Guns

2 Guns (2013) – Borrowing more than a little from Charley Varrick, this is a disposable, far-fetched buddy cop affair with above-average vulgarity and violence and a bunch of the worst hitmen ever; it holds the attention perfectly well, but there are no good reasons to care about it particularly or to recommend it. 5

Godzilla (2014)

Godzilla (2014) – Attractively shot but predictable and sluggish with overblown and uninteresting human drama, it’s a deadly serious film that refuses to acknowledge that it’s actually a fundamentally silly B-movie; it’s got some great disaster shots, but Edwards cuts away from its monsters at the most annoying times—if you want to get away with taking this kind of thinking-man’s approach to showing the carnage (and not showing Godzilla), you need a way better script; dear every character, why would you even try small arms fire on one of those things? 5

An Evening of Edgar Allen Poe

An Evening of Edgar Allen Poe (1970) – That Vincent Price monologuing Poe (three classics and, inexplicably, “The Sphinx”) is more engaging than you might imagine is a testament to Price’s skill as a storyteller—but still, it’s very static, and it would probably have more appeal as a radio performance. 6

World War Z

World War Z (2013) – I haven’t read the book, so we’re leaving that out of the conversation; the film starts well, managing to be effective on both a personal and a national level, but after the first act, it turns into an average and predictable (but decently engaging) action film with plenty of “how convenient” moments (Pitt as the indestructible protagonist kills the suspense, especially when he’s without expendable hangers-on); I’m all about that magazine armor, though. 6

Upside Down

Upside Down (2012) – Kicking things off with some truly horrific narration, the film does some pretty cool stuff visually, but it does a miserable job of following its own rules (I kept waiting for the incendiary saliva), and ultimately, it’s a sappy, cloying, poorly done romance dressed up as sci-fi, and it doesn’t do anything remotely interesting with its premise. 4