Avatar: Fire and Ash

Avatar: Fire and Ash; No mistaking, the movie looks gorgeous & the world continues to be magnificent to look at. The craftspersonship is undeniable. Yet it still suffers from unremarkable characters, who are also very unlikeable at times, rehashing the same scenarios to justify action scenes; A-

Whale Rider

Whale Rider; Fantastic tale of battling patriarchal power & evolving traditions while respecting the Māori people and ways. Castle-Hughes is phenomenal in every way, eliciting tears of joy & heartache, while also hitting comedic moments. Performances are great and beautifully honest and grounded; A+
 

Ka Whawhai Tonu (In the Fire of War)

Ka Whawhai Tonu; An epic tale that allows audiences to enter via the perspective of young children, surviving through the onslaught of colonial violence. The backdrop may be huge, but the characters are real and personal, giving the battle action a grounded dramatic realism. Well crafted film; A-

Avatar: The Way of Water

Avatar: The Way of Water; Technically astounding. Finale has elements of Terminator, Aliens & Titanic. Some story moments are silly. The film struggles to overcome the fact that most of the Sully family isn’t very likeable. A remarkable visual feast from the peerless Cameron; A

Reminescence

Reminiscence; Great looking cast on great looking sets solving a noir like mystery elevates this film above its clumsy execution of its interesting premise. Ideas are intriguing yet written so ploddingly that it disservices itself. A film w/promise that can’t quite deliver; B-