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1917 (2019): The cinematography at work here is impressive, and at times it can feel like they exploited this to pad the runtime. Regardless, 1917 was tense and gripping enough to heighten the film with palpable realism.

GRADE: A- 

21 Jump Street (2012): It's not too much different from other buddy cop films, but this adaptation of the TV series is fun and hilarious. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are great and I'm glad that they decided to poke fun at the genre instead of making it another generic cop movie.

GRADE: A-

40 Year Old Virgin (2005): It's pretty formulaic, and not many of the characters stand out, but it's one hell of a premise.

GRADE: B

47 Meters Down (2017): An underwhelming story that doesn’t know what to do with its characters once they’re in the ocean. So instead of hiring creative writers, they decided to insert jump-scaring sharks and see how long they could keep audiences awake.

GRADE: C-

47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019): The setting was alright, and so was the concept to include blind sharks. But I did not walk into this film expecting to watch a beat for beat rehash of the first film with even less life and suspense to it.

GRADE: D

Alien (1979): Alien is not just about the creature itself, it also studies the deep fear we as humans have with the unknown. It looks like we were right to be afraid.

GRADE: A+

Aliens (1986): This is my favorite film of all time. Well directed, acted, and written. One of the most powerfully thrilling sequels ever made.

GRADE: A+

Alien 3 (1992): It comes as no surprise that Alien 3 had many screenplay rewrites and conflicting ideas behind the scenes. Despite its troubles, the film still manages to present a satisfying third act and end the main trilogy with some dignity.

GRADE: C+

Alien: Resurrection (1997): Rather than resurrecting this franchise, this film more so put it to permanent rest. The tone that Whedon was going for was clearly a mistake, as well as virtually everything else about the film.

GRADE: D

Alien vs Predator (2004): Director Paul W.S. Anderson is known for his cheap video game adaptations and while this is not his worst, it still lacks any storytelling purpose other than to sell the toys and merchandise. True fans may enjoy the creature on creature battles, but even they are few and far between.

GRADE: C-

Aliens vs Predator: Requiem (2007): A dark (literally), vile, disgusting monstrosity of a viewing experience. Stay away at all costs.

GRADE: F

Alien: Covenant (2017): A sequel prequel that finds itself trying to appease fans of both Alien and Prometheus. There’s a point in the film where these two blend, with mixed results, mostly leaning towards the positive.

GRADE: B

American Mary (2012): Somewhere buried in there is a provocative film that probably couldve been great if the script wasn't so sloppy, particularly in the conclusion.

GRADE: C

Animal (2014): Animal may be a cut above your average creature feature B movie, but it still suffers from many of the same problems, even somehow making some of its well-known actors look talentless.

GRADE: C

Annabelle (2014): This film takes the conjuring franchise down a familiar road of lame jump scares and an overused premise.

GRADE: D-

Annabelle: Creation (2017): Annabelle: Creation should be a bad film, considering that it's a prequel to a prequel. However, it has much better characters, acting, and slow-building suspense than the original Annabelle. Unfortunately, it also follows the Conjuring's signature formula very closely and boasts a rushed third act.

GRADE: B-

Annabelle Comes Home (2019): Annabelle Comes Home is full of old tricks and idiotic characters, borrowing heavily from better horror flicks to craft its scares. While its slow pace and vibrant range of evil spirits can make for some suspenseful sequences, the lack of a compelling story makes it weak in comparison to its predecessors.

GRADE: C-

Ant-Man (2015): The film is most entertaining as a visually unique blockbuster, but there are also a few touching moments between the charismatic Paul Rudd and his daughter.

GRADE: B-

Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018): It ups the ante and fun with its light-hearted tone and liberal dose of humor. This is definitely a turn-off-your-brain thriller, but if you treat it as such you will have a blast.

GRADE: B-

Aquaman (2018): It’s a bit overstuffed and overlong, but Aquaman is visually breathtaking and boasts a lot of fun action scenes that are as ridiculous as they are engaging.

GRADE: B-

Arachnophobia (1990): A movie that tries to be subversive and tongue-in-cheek, but not much of the comedy or horror works very well.

GRADE: C

As Above so Below (2014): As far as found footage horror flicks go, this one is certainly above average. However, it never really makes use of its clever concept beyond a few mildly suspenseful sequences.

GRADE: D+

Avatar (2009): The film is visually astounding and all of the action is exciting, but the story isn’t quite as rich as it could’ve been considering the movie was helmed by Cameron.

GRADE: B

The Avengers (2012): I still get chills when the titular theme plays as the heroes band together for the final battle for NYC. This film expanded the possibilities of comic book movies in ways we didn’t know possible!

GRADE: A

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015): Much like Iron Man 2, Age of Ultron falls victim to Whedon’s desire to stuff too much exposition and different plot points into a film that should be more focused. Ultimately, you’re forced to just go with the flow and enjoy the film for its action-spectacle set pieces. 

GRADE: B

Avengers: Infinity War (2018): Fast paced, emotional, and surprisingly light-hearted at times, Avengers: Infinity War balances a massive cast with finesse by paying tribute to every film that led to this moment.

GRADE: A

Avengers: Endgame (2019): What is most fascinating about Endgame is how it hones it’s focus on the original characters, but still provides plenty of supporting character action in the relentlessly engaging final battle. This is a film for the ages, and not just for comic book movies either.

GRADE: A+

The Babadook (2014): A genuinely frightening horror film with phenomenal acting and metaphorical implications that have you wondering if any of the supernatural madness is even real.

GRADE: A-

The Babysitter (2017): A hilariously violent and campy horror comedy that gets its genre right. 

GRADE: B

Bad Teacher (2011): Weirdly enough, I found myself moderately entertained at times. The cast does the best with what they got, which only gets the film so far.

GRADE: C

Bad Times at the El Royale (2018): The film plays out like one would expect from a Tarantino film. It shows us the perspective of each character before bringing them all together for a big showdown in which all of their backstories come into play. It’s one of the most underrated movies of 2018 and I wish more filmmakers would adopt this creative method of storytelling.

GRADE: A-

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016): This film is crucial to the extended universe that DC is trying to build, but it feels highly derivative of better stories and continues to demonstrate the misuse of the iconic characters mentioned in the title. Plus Jesse Eisenberg feels wildly mis-casted.

GRADE: C+

Baywatch (2017): Let me be clear, this movie is laughably silly and has virtually no plot to invest in, but if you know what you're in for it can actually be a bit of brainless summer fun.

GRADE: C+

Before I Wake (2016): The concept is actually pretty solid and clever, but it struggles to really get you invested in the characters and isn't all that scary. 

GRADE: C+

Between Two Ferns: The Movie (2019): The celebrity interviews are funny, but that doesn't justify the movie's existence. The road trip aspect of the film isn't as funny as much of the humor just isn't creative.

GRADE: C+

Bird Box (2018): It’s a cool concept, but it quickly devolves into your typical horror thriller full of cliches and characters making dumb decisions in between cuts of a completely disconnected future timeline.

GRADE: C

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of one Harley Quinn) (2020): Full of exciting action and colorful visuals, Birds of Prey is an excellent tribute to Harley Quinn, even if it neglects several of the other title characters.

GRADE: B+

Black Panther (2018): Black Panther has a very ever-present message, and it couples fantastic visuals with energized and likable characters to create one of Marvel’s most inventive stories. 

GRADE: B+

The Blair Witch Project (1999): The Blair Witch project was one of the first and most successful found footage films, and it remains one of the best. The chillingly realistic premise and performances help the film overcome a general sense that not much really happens.

GRADE: B

Bloodshot (2020): In an age oversaturated with comic book adaptations, this one just isn't unique in any way. I suppose if you just want to see wides of a fully CGI Vin Diesel flying through the air while punching people, it may satisfy you. That doesn't make it good cinema.

GRADE: C-

Bolt (2008): The animal characters are so enjoyably personified, and they are animated with style. The film also takes an emotionally relatable story and makes a pretty fun action adventure out of it.

GRADE: A

Bombshell (2019): It works as a mildly entertaining dramatization of the mistreatment of women in the workplace, but I can't help but feel like it would've made a better documentary or Netflix original miniseries. 

GRADE: B-

Booksmart (2019): Booksmart is a consistently entertaining high school romp that gets considerably elevated by its excellent cast. It feels quite similar to successful teen comedies like "Superbad," but that's a good thing.

GRADE: B+

The Boy (2016): Very reminiscent of Annabelle, The Boy does put an intriguing twist on its premise, which makes for an unexpected ending. Unfortunately, it doesn’t offer up that many worthy scares.

GRADE: C-

The Cabin in the Woods (2011): The Cabin in the Woods is a very standard, lukewarm thriller until it’s final 30 minutes, in which it drops all inhibitions and produces one jaw dropping thrill after the other.

GRADE: B

The Call of the Wild (2020): The Call of the Wild is a fun, family friendly adventure, even if it occasionally lacks ambition and features CGI that doesn’t blend well with its surroundings.

GRADE: B-

Candyman (1992): It’s generally more thoughtful and unique than other 90’s horror flicks, but I didn’t find it to be particularly scary.

GRADE: B

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011): As a pure, inspirational, action-packed comic book movie, Captain America holds up as one of the most emotionally resonant origin stories. Although it loses me a bit in the middle, the final act is one for the history books.

GRADE: B

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014): This is the team up movie I never knew I wanted. It almost feels like a spy thriller more than a comic book film, and the political implications make it feel like a real story.

GRADE: A

Captain America: Civil War (2016): Quite possibly the most compelling Marvel story, Civil War pits Tony Stark again Cap in a battle of epic proportions to do what each believes is best.

GRADE: A+

Captain Marvel: (2019): I like that it’s different than your average origin story, and it’s great to finally see a female lead in a MCU film. But it’s difficult to sympathize with your lead character when she’s not given any emotional territory to explore.

GRADE: B-

Child's Play (1988): This is one of those classics that only horror buffs will really appreciate as time goes on. It's an unconventional slasher that set the tone for many of the 90’s horror flicks that would follow.

GRADE: B-

Child's Play (2019): This new Chucky is simply a malfunction of AI, and because of that the film lacks the horror elements of the original without anything interesting to replace them.

GRADE: C

Cloverfield (2008): Cloverfield isn't the most ambitious or terrifying found footage thriller, but it is undeniably fast-paced and engaging.

GRADE: B-

The Conjuring (2013): It may rely heavily on cliches from more original films such as Poltergeist, but The Conjuring makes great use of allegedly true events to elevate the terror and suspense.

GRADE: B+

The Conjuring 2 (2016): The Conjuring 2 does the Warrens justice while also upping the horror and intensity with more horrific demons. Many will claim that it feels like a rehash of part 1, but I'd argue that it takes the mistakes of the first one and actually improves upon them.

GRADE: A-

Crawl (2019): Crawl is a bit limited by its premise, but it makes for a mostly suspenseful throwback to 80’s creature features such as “Alligator.”

GRADE: B-

Creature (1985): It's a complete ripoff of Alien. The plot is largely similar, but nearly every element is handled poorly.

GRADE: D-

Cruel Intentions (1999): Cruel Intentions perfectly captures the campy tone of some of the best 90's comedies. It’s funny, romantic, disturbing, and devastating. At the very least it’s provocative.

GRADE: B

Cujo (1983): The film is largely boring until the main characters finally encounter poor Cujo. While it certainly has some memorable sequences, as a whole it’s pretty bland.

GRADE: C

The Curse of La Llorona (2019): It’s a lot of just loud noises and disturbing imagery. It’s disappointing to see yet another bland ghost story this far into the Conjuring universe.

GRADE: D+

Deep Blue Sea (1999): Everyone loves a good shark thriller, but this one teeters on the line between guilty pleasure and cringeworthy. No one likes the crappy CGI sharks! 

GRADE: C+

The Descent (2005): It’s filled with blood, visceral tension, and undeniable claustrophobia. In addition, The Descent has a group of strong characters that have compelling motivations and complicated relationships.

GRADE: A

The Descent Part 2 (2009): It is mostly a rehash of the first film with less effective set design. Harris’s direction is too spacious and well-lit, which eliminates any claustrophobia that lingers after part 1.

GRADE: C

Despicable Me (2010): Despicable me is a creative, thoughtful story about a supervillain that’s perfect for a family movie night. Steve Carell owns this role.

GRADE: B+

Despicable Me 2 (2013): An already colorful cast is joined by Kristen Wiig in this sequel that’s just as eye-popping as its predecessor, but loses some of the humor.

GRADE: B-

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010): Even if just barely, Diary of a Wimpy Kid is comedic and fast paced enough to keep the entire family having fun.

GRADE: C+

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (2011): Much like its predecessor, this sequel teeters the line between too juvenile and just campy enough for kids to get a laugh out of it. Ultimately, it’s never a boring film despite its problems.

GRADE: C+

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (2012): The series continues its mediocrity with a third installment that is, once again, fun at times.

GRADE: C+

Die Hard (1988): Die hard is full of phenomenal propulsive action sequences and memorable performances, namely Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber. Many films have attempted unsuccessfully to recapture this 'lightning in a bottle' premise.

GRADE: A+

Dinosaur (2000): A Disney visual spectacle that will give any kids with a love for Dinosaurs everything they could ever want. While it may have a few storytelling flaws, the visuals are outstanding for 2000.

GRADE: B+

District 9 (2009): The moral dilemma presented in the film is actually pretty compelling, but the acting and overall execution of the story were subpar for me.

GRADE: B-

Doctor Sleep (2019): Doctor Sleep works best when it tries to be its own movie. With a refreshing new tone and direction, it expands on the lore of The Shining. However, it also sacrifices its brilliant setup for a rather nostalgic retread of an ending.

GRADE: B

Doctor Strange (2016): Despite being an outlandish concept and presenting a weak villain by marvel standards, Doctor Strange prevails as a great standalone film, featuring unforgettable visuals and a protagonist with a very inventive (and tragic) origin story.

GRADE: B+

Dolittle (2020): The only funny thing about Dolittle is that it’s creators actually tried to pass it off as a serviceable adaptation. Even poor Robert Downey Jr. is reduced to a nonsensical animal whisperer whose only purpose is to mutter inaudibly bad dialogue.

GRADE: D-

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (2010): It’s far too formulaic, and loses its creep factor real quick. Aside from some solid direction, this is a painfully forgettable horror movie.

GRADE: C-

Don't Breathe (2016): Don’t Breathe has more gratuitous shocks than true scares. It’s a consistently tense, disturbing film, but not in a good way.

GRADE: C+

Doom (2005): I actually kind of enjoy this one as a guilty pleasure. It’s by no means a competently made film, but it becomes such an absurd viewing experience that I think that's actually the one plus of the movie.

GRADE: C-

Edge of Tomorrow (2014): Just because it feels directly inspired by films like “Groundhog Day” doesn’t mean that it’s any less effective. Edge of Tomorrow puts an energetic spin on your average sci-fi war film with great acting by Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt.

GRADE: A-

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019): It was never going to top the incredible story that preceded it, but despite having a rather abrupt ending, it was a very heartfelt and necessary sendoff for Jesse.

GRADE: B+

Elf (2003): Elf occasionally feels satirical to a fault, but It’s a great family Christmas movie that’ll amplify your holiday spirit no matter what mood you’re in.

GRADE: B+

Escape Room (2019): Thanks to the intriguing premise and solid production design, Escape Room is an occasionally fun experience. Unfortunately it quickly loses its originality and falls flat.

GRADE: C

Fantasy Island (2020): Fantasy Island actually presents a few solid ideas, but it’s execution is too ridiculous and absurd to be of entertainment. It also feels as though it was written by 20 different writers with 20 different ideas for an ending.

GRADE: D

Finding Nemo (2003): An extremely fun, heartfelt nautical tale that makes fun use of every real-life critter you'd find in the sea.

GRADE: A

Fantastic Four (2015): An unbelievably disastrous film that has so many glaring narrative faults that it's barely watchable.

GRADE: D-

The Fly (1986): The film is masterful at blending sci-fi and body horror, all of which makes for a tragically provocative conclusion.

GRADE: A-

The Fly 2 (1989): A barely watchable sequel that can still have a bit of fun if you, like me, enjoy watching slime and gore by the bucket loads.

GRADE: D+

Friday the 13th (1980): A vastly overrated slasher that takes tropes and ideas from other films that did it better.

GRADE: C

Game Night (2018): What makes Game Night a moderate success is it’s terrific cast and plethora of twists and turns. It was, however, sorely lacking in well crafted laughs.

GRADE: C+

Gerald's Game (2017): The tension built by this film feels all the more palpable because of how realistic the situation is.

GRADE: B+

Get Out (2017): Such attention to detail is often absent from modern horror films. Jordan Peele’s debut scary movie is an excellently suspenseful thrill ride without encumbering itself with jump scares and other tropes.

GRADE: A

Get Smart (2008): Led by charismatic leads Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway, Get Smart is an occasionally funny spy thriller, but it can’t quite generate enough humor or originality to leave a lasting impact.

GRADE: C+

Ghostbusters (1984): The cast of Ghostbusters to some extent the reason the comedy works so well. It can even be scary at times, but this is a creep-fest that knows how to poke fun at the things that go bump in the night.

GRADE: A

Ghostbusters 2 (1989): Despite having its moments thanks to the cast, it doesn’t have the comic energy that the original had.

GRADE: C-

The Girl Next Door (2004): Cuthbert and Olyphant are killin’ it in this underrated, if audacious teen comedy.

GRADE: B

The Girl Next Door (2007): I don’t care how chillingly accurate it is to true events or how great the acting is. This is an undeniably unpleasant film to watch, no matter what kind of cinema you’re into.

GRADE: D+

Glass (2019): Glass is a beautifully shot film, but with all of the slow building time it spent setting up this concluding chapter, I was ultimately disappointed with the way it was wrapped up.

GRADE: C+

Godzilla (1998): Completely inconsistent with the source material and devoid of characters with any likable qualities or logic, Godzilla is one dull monster movie.

GRADE: D-

Godzilla: Final Wars (2004): This Godzilla is an amalgamation of all of the things that were great about the rest of the series, and also the disappointing elements that hold it back from being a great monster franchise.

GRADE: C-

Godzilla (2014): Godzilla presents excellent Kaiju action when the monsters are actually on screen. The human characters unfortunately feel like an extreme side track.

GRADE: B-

Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019): It could’ve been shorter and featured more of its signature creature, rather than the unnecessary attempt to make the humans central to the story.

GRADE: C-

Grave Encounters (2011): It’s a fun movie to pop in and watch with a bunch of friends, as long as you have drinks and party games to entertain yourself with in between the flurry of jump scares.

GRADE: C+

Grave Encounters 2 (2012): No amount of horrific imagery can make up for the complete lack of characterization or believable acting, both of which are completely absent here.

GRADE: C-

The Green Mile (1999): Both heartbreaking and whimsical, Darabont’s bold adaptation of the Stephen King novel is an undeniably moving experience.

GRADE: A

Gretel and Hansel (2020): In order to turn a fairy tale into a feature length film, there needs to be more to it. Gretel and Hansel is, at times, a very well-shot and good looking movie, but it does absolutely nothing that wouldn't be able to accurately predict going in.

GRADE: C

Groundhog Day (1993): At the very least it’s incredibly thought-provoking. Thankfully, the film is also lead by Bill Murray, who’s comedic timing is matched only by his dramatic talent.

GRADE: A-

The Grudge (2004): What The Grudge did right was scare the hell out of me, but it's definitely not without its narrative flaws. The jumping around in time is excessive and becomes more tedious than creative. It also prevents you from growing attached to any of the characters. Overall, it's a bleak and somber roller coaster of scares, but not a must-see remake.

GRADE: C+

The Grudge (2020): An awful reboot that falls into all of the tropes of its predecessors with uninteresting characters and a remarkably slow, boring pace.

GRADE: D

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014): The bizarre quirkiness that everyone assumed would be this film’s downfall was actually what made it so entertaining. Guardians takes this absurd premise and injects it with a cast of very charismatic characters.

GRADE: A

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017): It’s just as funny as the first, I’ll give it that. The problem with this sequel is that it spends much of its second act pondering interesting ideas without any of the thrills or quirkiness that made the original so likable.

GRADE: B

Halloween (1978): With a low budget and surprisingly few scares in its first and second acts, Halloween managed to reinvent horror films by showing that less is sometimes more.

GRADE: A

Halloween 2 (1981): Why does Michael Myers need to be Laurie’s brother? Why can’t he be just some deranged killer that happens to target her? It makes the whole relationship less scary. At least some of the kills are solid.

GRADE: C

Halloween 3: Season of the Witch (1982): The third film is too silly to be taken seriously, and the visuals are more disturbing than they are frightening. While turning the franchise into an anthology could certainly work, this chapter is so incredibly stupid that it doesn't bode well for them going in that direction.

GRADE: D-

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988): Most of it just comes off as “meh, been there and done that.” Also, what’s up with Michael’s mask? It looks horrifically inconsistent with the rest of the films and detracts from his intimidation.

GRADE: C-

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989): Donald Pleasance as Dr. Loomis is iconic as ever, but Halloween 5 continues the franchise’s decline with dull characters and scares that got old long ago.

GRADE: D+

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995): A dissatisfying continuation of the franchise that continues to explore returning characters without much depth or innovation.

GRADE: D

Halloween: H20 (1998): Having Laurie Strode front and center certainly helps overcome the franchise’s fatigue, but there’s very little payoff to celebrate Myers once again looks like a shadow of his former self, much like the film as a whole.

GRADE: C

Halloween: Resurrection (2002): I can’t believe that this abysmal schlock was actually made. It’s an insult to Michael Myers and to the franchise overall.

GRADE: F

Halloween (2007): Rob Zombie crafted an interesting take on Michael Myers, but the rest of his movie is so over-sexualized and depressing that you can’t quite enjoy it.

GRADE: D

Halloween 2 (2009): Part of me kind of enjoys the kill sequences for how graphic they are, but fountains of blood and gratuitous violence are never an acceptable substitute for good storytelling and well-crafted suspense.

GRADE: D+

Halloween (2018): Despite subplots that have seemingly no payoff, It’s a solid enough Michael Myers bloodbath that finally is able to continue Laurie Strode’s story in a satisfying way. 

GRADE: B

The Hangover (2009): Relentlessly funny and inventive, The Hangover is led by a talented cast that knows how to make the most of the comedy-filled script.

GRADE: B+

Happy Death Day (2017): Much like the day that Jessica Rothe is forced to relive, Happy Death Day is a bit too repetitive for its own good. This is a concept that has been done in better films like Groundhog Day and Edge of Tomorrow. Here, things get off to such a slow start that the eventual payoff just isn’t that great.

GRADE: C+

Happy Death Day 2U (2019): As much as this sequel tries to insert new ideas, it deviates too far from the charm of the first one. As an audience, we experience just as much deja vu as the characters do as they basically relive the original, just with a few slight changes.

GRADE: C

The Hateful Eight (2015): It’s a genuine commitment to sit down to watch this film in its entirety, and although I do feel that it’s too slow paced for its own good, it has all of the spectacular dialogue that Tarantino is known for.

GRADE: B

Haunt (2019): The story is pretty run-of-the-mill, but where Haunt truly shows its colors is with its creative scares and booby traps.

GRADE: B-

The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It (2007): Surprisingly good introductory horror flick for younger kids. I remember being genuinely scared by it as a kid when it first aired.

GRADE: B

The Haunting of Sharon Tate (2019): A shameless exploitation of real life violence, and it’s one of the most unwatchable horror films of the year.

GRADE: F

Hellboy (2019): This is a bland, lifeless slog of a remake that should’ve been so much better. I love David Harbour, but he could never beat Ron Perlman for best portrayal.

GRADE: D

Hellraiser (1987): The practical effects still hold up, and so does the equally unsettling story. It’s a wonder why this franchise didn’t become more of a well known classic.

GRADE: B

Hereditary (2018): It’s a deeply disturbing experience to say the least, with gripping performances and ambiguous supernatural happenings that will possess you with unease.

GRADE: A-

Home Alone (1990): Culkin is great, even in the slower scenes. But let’s be honest, the film doesn’t really hit its mark until the iconic home invasion at the end.

GRADE: A-

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992): Home Alone 2 doesn’t quite measure up to its title, but the new setting allows for a completely different tone with all of the same holiday humor that made the original a hit.

GRADE: B-

Homeward Bound (1993): It’s a delightful movie in almost every sense. It’s a fun adventure that makes you happy, sad, and fulfilled.

GRADE: B+

How to Train Your Dragon (2010): A brilliantly meaningful story with gorgeously animated characters. And honestly who hasn't wanted to ride a dragon at some point in their life?

GRADE: A+

How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014): Not only is the sequel as visually impressive as the original, but it also presents a highly emotional high-stakes story. Where it falls flat a tad bit is the lack of charm and originality that part 1 established.

GRADE: B

The Human Centipede (2009): I can’t decide whether the level of grossness here is what gives The Human Centipede its merits or if it’s the reason the film could never resonate with audiences. Regardless, it’s a generally unpleasant film to sit through and so I can’t praise it for much.

GRADE: D+

The Human Centipede 2: Full Sequence (2011): I am ashamed to say that I sat through this entire garbage fest. The film is so obsessed with being darker, nastier, and more disturbing than the original that it feels gratuitous and unnecessary in every sense.

GRADE: F

The Hunger Games (2012): A bluntly accurate adaptation of the equally compelling book about a utopian society that’s kept in check by forcing children to fight to the death.

GRADE: B

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013): The series is very much catching fire with a sequel that packs quite a punch without being too repetitive. Some of its best moments occur well before the second round of killings begin.

GRADE: A-

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (2014): It’s difficult to comprehend why they decided to split Mockingjay into 2 films. Does this one have its moments? Yes, but it feels far too much like the penultimate episode of a TV series. 95% of it is setup for the coming war.

GRADE: C-

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (2015): Some moments translate to the screen quite well, but others give the film a choppy, inconsistent feel. This is still an overall satisfying conclusion to a franchise that doesn’t mind stretching things out along the way.

GRADE: B-

The Hunt (2020): The Hunt has enough dry, satirical humor to remain entertaining for most of its runtime, but the rest is just silly, forgettable violence with a clunky story at the center of it. I get that every plot point is supposed to be silly, but that doesn’t make it good entertainment.

GRADE: C

Hush (2016): Another solid low-budget film that understands how to build suspense, Hush takes a brilliant yet simple premise and is able to to really put you in the protagonist’s shoes.

GRADE: B+

Hustlers (2019): Hustlers could’ve made better use of the moral complexity of the actions of its life-like characters, but it’s still competently directed and well acted.

GRADE: B-

I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997): The 'who done it' aspect of it just isn't all that captivating. The film's antagonist isn't all that scary either, making for a dull, poorly executed horror movie. 

GRADE: C-

The Incredible Hulk (2008): The Incredible Hulk doesn’t have much going for it beyond the admittedly entertaining final battle with abomination.

GRADE: C+

The Incredibles (2004): Funny for audiences of all ages, The Incredibles is an incredibly self-aware animated film that makes for some of PIXAR’s best.

GRADE: A+

The Incredibles 2 (2018): This sequel feels far less inventive and creative than its predecessor, but The Incredibles 2 is still a lot of fun.

GRADE: B

Independence Day (1996): It’s an action-packed political thrill ride in which aliens plot to take Earth. Independence Day has so many great one-liners and classic sci-fi tropes that it’s difficult not to enjoy.

GRADE: B

Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981): It has some of the best action set pieces to ever appear in a film to date. Indiana Jones is a classic character and the franchise wouldn’t exist without this masterpiece of a beginning.

GRADE: A+

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984): Darker and grittier than Raiders of the Lost Ark, the Temple of Doom is still brilliantly action-packed and showcases Spielberg’s directing talent.

GRADE: B+

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989): The Last Crusade once again evolves the franchise with a much lighter tone and creative recycling of elements that made Raiders of the Lost Ark great.

GRADE: A

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008): It’s at best an exciting action movie with some memorable sequences. I just feel like it pales in comparison to the rest of the Indiana Jones films.

GRADE: B-

Inglorious Bastards (2009): It takes yet another premise that mixes well with Tarantino’s dark humor and bloody action sequences.

GRADE: A

The Invisible Man (2020): The Invisible Man is a surprisingly smart, unnerving remake with great acting, excellent directing, and a clever script that knows how to build tension.

GRADE: A-

Iron Man (2008): Robert Downey Jr. injects Iron Man with a liberal dose of charisma and its inventive formula would go on to prove that comic book movies can be loads of fun.

GRADE: A-

Iron Man 2 (2010): There’s an undeniable sense that the sequel bites off more than it can chew. The end result is convoluted, feeling as if it was rushed to include as many plot-lines as possible.

GRADE: C

Iron Man 3 (2013): A sequel that initially comes off as out of place, but actually has a lot of new territory to explore, for better or worse.

GRADE: B

The Island (2005): Michael Bay continues his usual visual style over substance motto, but the film does deserve credit for taking such a unique premise and crafting a surprisingly watchable and, at times, enjoyable action thriller.

GRADE: B-

It (2017): At times, the scares may seem over the top, but this is where IT thrives best: feeding on your worst fears. This was a Stephen King adaptation worth remaking.

GRADE: B+

It: Chapter 2 (2019): It: Chapter 2 has plenty of the intense scares that made the first one great, and even has some emotional farewells. But it’s full of unnecessary flashbacks and expands the lore in ways that feel very forced.

GRADE: C+

It Follows (2014): A modern masterpiece in low budget horror. It Follows has the unsettling feel of an 80’s slasher flick without the redundant chase scenes.

GRADE: A-

Jaws (1975): Spielberg directed the hell out of this movie. There's just something so unnerving about the way the suspenseful scenes were put together. It made me scared to swim as a kid.

GRADE: A+

Jaws 2 (1978): Jaws 2 is no doubt very repetitive. It still manages to differentiate itself just enough to make some more good use of the titular man-eating shark before the franchise truly decided to tank.

GRADE: C+

Jaws 3-D (1983): Awful special effects and completely forgettable characters and settings make this film the first dud in the Jaws franchise. Even as a guilty pleasure it doesn't offer many memorable sequences. 

GRADE: F

Jaws: The Revenge (1987): Laughable, boring, and straight up absurd, Jaws: The Revenge is the sequel that everyone hoped would never see light. It may possibly be the worst film I have ever seen.

GRADE: F

John Wick (2014): As a stylish escapist thriller, John Wick can be entertaining in spurts, but there isn’t much to praise beyond the colorful violence and admittedly impressive choreography.

GRADE: C+

John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017): They absolutely did not hold back on upping the incredibly choreographed action and the stakes of the matter. In that sense, this sequel greatly improves upon the original.

GRADE: B

John Wick Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019): Much like its predecessors, it’s a bit tedious, absurd, and dragged out. It’s still easily the best of the three thanks to the twists, turns, and overall fast pace.

GRADE: B

Joker (2019): It’s a psychologically unnerving viewing experience made even more realistic thanks to Phoenix’s phenomenal performance and the film’s gritty tone.

GRADE: B+

Jurassic Park (1993): A truly innovative masterpiece in sci-fi. Hats off to Spielberg, this is my favorite of his films.

GRADE: A+

The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997): The Lost World works on its own as a mildly entertaining sequel, but it lacks the visceral thrills of the original.

GRADE: B-

Jurassic Park 3 (2001): It’s hard to have a Jurassic Park movie without stupid human characters, but my god are these ones simple-minded. I was rooting for the Dinosaurs, which for some reason have also gotten dumber and cheaper looking.

GRADE: C-

Jurassic World (2015): Although some fans will be turned off by Jurassic World’s new blockbuster status, It is mostly a success in its efforts to inject new DNA into the long-dormant franchise.

GRADE: B

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018): It’s a real middling entry to the dinosaur saga, leaning heavily towards the negative due to the tremendous amount of bland, generic, preposterous action sequences and lack of solid character growth.

GRADE: C-

Justice League (2017): An absolutely underwhelming slog of a superhero flick. It makes poor use of its characters and introduces the most forgettable villain in the DCEU.

GRADE: C-

Just Mercy (2019): Just Mercy is an emotionally triumphant recount of the case in which an innocent man was convicted of murder. It becomes a genuinely moving film thanks to the brilliant screenplay and incredible performances by Foxx and Jordan.

GRADE: A-

Kill Bill (2003): Stylish and filled to the brim with action-packed violence, Kill Bill is about as fun as one could imagine.

GRADE: A

King Kong (2005): The special effects are phenomenal, and there’s no shortage in bizarre and terrifying island monsters alongside Kong himself.

GRADE: B

Kong: Skull Island (2017): However much it tries to flesh out its protagonists, Kong: Skull Island remains watchable purely because of its beautiful cinematography and epic monster battles. The humans are moderately entertaining when they’re getting chomped, stomped, or otherwise mangled.

GRADE: C+

Lake Placid (1999): It never really commits to a single genre, making for a bit of a confusing film. Regardless, I’d say it’s enjoyable simply for the tense gator sequences.

GRADE: B-

Land of the Lost (2009): As an adventure film, it doesn't work so well. The comedy works occasionally, which is the movie's only real saving grace. 

GRADE: C

Lights Out (2016): Full of effective scares thanks to the creative use of its unnerving premise, Lights Out is a solid old-fashioned scare fest that’ll make you scared of the dark.

GRADE: B

The Lion King (1994): One of the greatest classic Disney tales told through phenomenal animated characters and voice actors.

GRADE: A+

The Lion King (2019): It’s a shot for shot remake of the original with less charismatic animals. The only reason to watch it is for the impressive visual effects.

GRADE: C-

Logan (2017): Logan is a testament to Hugh Jackman’s career as Wolverine and presents its story in a realistically gritty manner.

GRADE: A-

Man of Steel (2013): Man of Steel flashes through Superman’s origins swiftly, making for a somewhat sloppy narrative. Nonetheless, it’s a unique take on the character with large-scale blockbuster action and a memorable story.

GRADE: B

Mayhem (2017): An enjoyable thriller that delivers bloody office vengeance by the bucketful.

GRADE: B

Mean Girls (2004): A well above average teen comedy that utilizes every high school stereotype it can to make the most of its premise.

GRADE: B+

The Meg (2018): It never really commits to any specific genre (comedy, thriller, etc.), and because of that it comes off as a bland CGI-shark-fest with Jason Statham.

GRADE: D+

Megamind (2010): It actually explores some incredibly deep themes such as how the way we are brought up influences our future. Great movie and Will Ferrell plays the role well.

GRADE: B+

Midsommar (2019): A wickedly uncanny, thematically confusing psychedelic trip that feels not unlike what the characters experience on screen. I just can’t see myself rewatching it because of how dragged out the second act is.

GRADE: B-

Misery (1990): A surprisingly scary thriller that serves both as a message regarding the trusting of strangers and what fandom means to the mentally unstable. 

GRADE: A-

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (2015): The action is extremely well directed, and the story has enough twists and turns to rival the quality of all of its predecessors. This is one of the best action films of 2015.

GRADE: A

Mission Impossible: Fallout (2018): Yet another surprisingly phenomenal action film. Cruise is very much still up to the task and the action set pieces continue to deliver the goods.

GRADE: A

The Mist (2007): It’s a disaster flick as much as it is a horror thriller, showing the extent that people will go to when they are scared. Darabont chooses wisely to keep the monsters hidden for much of the film, focusing more on what the humans are going through psychologically.

GRADE: B+

Monsters Inc. (2001): Disney takes another creative, unconventional concept and makes a masterpiece of a movie out of it.

GRADE: A+

Monsters University (2013): It’s nice to see everyone’s favorite monsters back to scarin’ but this prequel lacks the excellent creativity that the original had.

GRADE: C

Mrs. Doubtfire (1993): It would be nothing without Williams’ enthusiastic performance. Mrs. Doubtfire is a nonstop laugh fest filled with just as much heart as it has humor.

GRADE: A-

Nerve (2016): It’s just such a nonsensical story. Maybe that was the point, but if so they didn’t commit enough to make the final twist satisfying.

GRADE: C

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993): An absolute masterpiece in stop motion cinematography, storytelling, and how to make a kid’s movie that deals with relevant and sometimes depressing topics.

GRADE: A+

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984): What makes it all the more scary is the fact that Freddy Krueger gets you where you feel most safe: in your dreams.

GRADE: A-

The Nun (2018): It has atmosphere, I’ll give it that. As terrifying as Valak is, this spinoff doesn’t provide a very creative origin story. The characters are uninteresting and they spend a majority of the film wandering around dark corridors. The Nun isn’t just a bad Conjuring film, it’s bad entertainment.

GRADE: D+