Inside Out

Tali: The latest from Pixar, Inside Out tells the absolutely adorable story of the creative team living and working inside the head of an 11 year old girl. Perfectly cast, this movie is a JOY to watch (get it?!). Because this movie is billed as being from the makers of Up, you should know that your heartstrings will be tugged and you will feel ALL of the warm and fuzzies.. yet, even when it does happen, you are surprised at how much you are crying in the theatre. After all, you're a grown woman and this movie is for children! Anyway, it was an total delight, and I bet it'll go down in history as one of Pixar's greats. 89/100.

Leo: I was very excited to see this movie because, well, who doesn't love Pixar movies? This movie did not fail to deliver. The emotions were perfectly cast, which I think was the major foundation for the rest of the plot to be moved on. The hilarious explanations of the terms you learned in Intro Psychology mixed with the obvious but still hilarious jokes of the interactions between the husband and wife and the nerd when he see's the girl (that shit still happens to me so whatever). There were a few times when the plot felt a bit forced, but it recovers nicely with its clever humour and emotional investment in the characters. That is, you get kind of glad it gets drawn out. Everyone should see this movie, there's no excuse not to. I dedicate this review to Bingbong. Leometer: 91/100.

Mad Max: Fury Road

Tali:Mad Max: Fury Road tells the story of an Apocolyptic time where resources are scarce and crazy cult leaders and their even crazier followers run wild. I was very reluctant to see this movie--it just screamed macho-overload, despite the oodles of feminist praise it was receiving in some circles. Never the less, I went, and boy, I was surprised. YES, this movie is a fast paced, edge of your seat, entertainment overload rollercoaster ride. NO, this movie is not what feminist dreams are made of. Never the less, it was a great escape, and even with its intensity it left me feeling really good about the decision to see it. 85/100.

Leo: I was looking forward to seeing this movie for basically the opposite reasons of why I loved it. I was expecting a mindless action movie, more or less, and got much much more. The culty spirit, hilarity, and self-aware absurdity (the electric guitar guy made it) gave the "war boys" a crazy likeable villainy aspect. The fact that the movie was called Mad Max did not detract from the fact that he was barely the main character, and I liked that about the movie. He's the kind of person who can easily reoccur but not that takes over a movie. Charlize Theron was excellent in her part and in general the women, at least I felt, were the focus of the movie and I think that says a lot (in a positive way) about the evolution of a top quality action movie. Speaking of action, I think the psychological and sociological praise of the movie should NOT detract from the insane, chaotic, and somehow still organized action sequences. I would rank this movie as one of my favourites in a long time. Leometer: 96/100.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Tali: Age of  Ultron is the much-anticipated sequel to the first Avengers movie and the next chapter of Marvel lore. The plot is simply too big to describe (maybe Leo can take a stab at it), but it includes a million characters, several subplots and a ton of jokes and puns. I enjoyed this darker, more adult follow up to the first film, and I'm always anxious to explore that these folks look like/do without S.H.I.E.L.D. My biggest criticm (*spoiler*) stems from what appears to be the most forced love subplot in recent memory, and a particular piece of language that makes even the most badass female characters a hot mess (I'd love to discuss more but I don't want to take up too much space--come at me, bro!). Despite that criticism, I am excited for the series of sequels and new characters and films that are already in the works (still holding my breath for a stand-alone Black Widow movie, though). 87/100.

Leo: This is the exactly the movie I was expecting and exited for, meaning I was very happy with it but it didn't have the same mind-blowing awesomeness as the first one (because of the novelty, most likely) even if the actual action sequences were better. The darker nature of the movie showed how dynamic Joss Whedon and the cast, because it still retained a bit of the light-hearted funny parts. Furthermore, it simply adds to the ever-expanding Marvel universe. It's one of those movies you need to see as a fan, or need to see as someone who wants to get the full experience of the marvel universe. My only criticism is that Scarlett Johansson didn't actually "sing" the lullaby because she has a great voice :). Leometer: 89/100.

Big Hero 6

Tali: I was very hesitant to see Big Hero 6 - it won Best Animated Feature at the Oscars this year, but something about it just didn't appeal me (though obviously I caved). Big Hero 6 tells the story of a young boy and his unlikely partner in crime - a large marshmallow robot caregiver named Baymax. While Baymax was totally cute and endearing, the film was very choppy and didn't have the same kind of cohesion as some other recent animated films (such as How to Train Your Dragon, which draws the most obvious parallel). Definately enjoyable to watch (mostly because of how big and loveable Baymax is), but I wouldn't consider it a must-see (unless you really love cartoons). 83/100.

Leo: Despite my saltiness from the Oscars, I did love this movie. The animation was well-done and it was very much a spectacle. While I'd say the two main characters, especially Baymax, were comparable to Hiccup and Toothless (from How to Train Your Dragon) in terms of the hilarity, adorableness, and inspiring story arcs, I do not think the rest of the movie was at that level. The world in which HTTYD creates even from just the first movie was far more established. There was context and it made the movie feel more complete. Furthermore, the supporting characters in this movie were pretty lackluster compared to every character in HTTYD. Overall, awesome movie and I hope there is a sequel that gives more of a complete view of the world. Leometer: 88/100.

Citizenfour

Tali: Citizenfour is the documentary which tells the absolutely mind-blowing story of Edward Snowden, the whistleblower who blew the lid off the NSA. While I was fairly familiar with Snowden's story, the film still drew me in and surprised me even further. The documentary is subtle, yet packs a powerful punch. A must-watch for many reasons: a) Citizenfour won Best Documentary Feature at the Oscars; b) the NSA revellations and WikiLeaks are two of the biggest and most important things to have happened in the last 5 years; c) Glen Greenwald's entrancing use of the Portuguese language. 87/100.

Leo: I'm not a huge fan of documentaries, but this one is a must-see. Edward Snowden is a very controversial character and the movie paints and while I mostly found myself agreeing with all of his thoughts, I'm not sure the method was the best. Either way, he is a controversial hero of the generation and this Documentary tells his story in a almost political-thriller kind of way. Leometer: 85/100.