Gerald's Game

Ironically, what starts as a film about the need to broaden horizons, expands into proof that sometime restrictions result in quality, as the film falls out of focus once the cuffs come off. Clever cinematography and blocking keep the headboard from boredom, but a mediocre third act eclipses excellent intro.

Sucker Punch

Snyder returns from Ga’Hoole and suffuses first original story with his usual sleek cinematic style. Browning, Malone, and high school Hudgens go through series of unfortunate events and Browning Pan’s her way out by imagining I, Robot and LOTR. Alarmingly deep story for Snyder, where exciting action often seems unnecessary.

Sin City

Rodriguez brings together outstanding cast and exemplary style in perfect screen adaptation of comic series. Sure, the cinematography and dialogue had all been pre-determined by co-director, Miller, but RR cuts it cleverly a delivers a beautiful hybrid. Uses voice-over to excess and seems a bit to arbitrary, but otherwise, spectacular.

Watchmen

Not actually a movie, but rather a collection of scene reenactments glued together by rough semblance of plot. Modifications to source material include consolidation or elimination of several subplots, expansion of single frame into soft-core porn scene, increased frequency of blue penis appearance, oh, and complete rewrite (improvement?) of ending.