"Bring the noise." (Mike Lowrey)

That Michael Bay certainly did do. Bad Boys II is the director at his most idiosyncratic. Everything that is great or problematic about his work, everything you love or hate about it, this film dials it up not only to eleven, but to twelve. It's full throttle, no-holds-barred lunacy. The action is as megalomaniac as the humor is crass, and the stereotypes and sexism are off the charts (somehow they found a way to make…

Initially my expectations for this movie weren't that high. I'm not much of a fan of the X-Men franchise and I do find the first two Wolverine solo outings particularly bad. What got me on board were the trailers. They left me with the impression that this actually could be an interesting film. Also I like Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart, and director James Mangold has made two films, that I really like a lot. Identity, and Cop Land where…

Since I joined Letterboxd about three years ago, Martin McDonagh's latest became only the second new film that I awarded five stars after the first viewing. Since I rate rather generous, that alone speaks for itself.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri simply blew me out of my seat. I don't remember the last time a film elicited such an emotional reaction in me. It feels so deeply humane and real. All three central characters are brilliantly written and even better…