Drive

The question about Drive is why is it a masterpiece? The story isn't anything new in fact you can find both Driver and Thief to see similar plots. Drive is a testament though that execution can matter sometimes more than originality of the plot, especially when the originality can be found in that execution. Drive has a well worn plot yet never feels tired. This is in part due to the downright brilliant direction by Nicolas Winding-Refn which realizes scenes that have certainly existed before in ways one has never seen before. This can be a more overt way such as in the opening where he places you within the getaway car in the opening heist/car chase. A potential gimmick beautifully realized to create a visceral unique sequence unlike any other in the genre. Now as much as the direction excels within these breathless actions sequences this extends to any given moment in the film far beyond where you'd even expect. There is a mastery within this style that Winding-Refn makes even just a scene of day in the wilderness is something so captivating. As with so many of the all time great films it effortlessly melds this style, with character, and its simple yet compelling plot. No facet is lost in this and this is one of the films I'd describe as realizing the magic of film in a way. Every aspect of film so effortlessly is melded together from the cinematography, to the writing, to the great acting, the sound, and of course the incredible music. Winding-Refn is the star of this film though in how well he utilizes all of this together to make a masterpiece that could have been a fairly rote action thriller in the wrong hands. Take the elevator scene which I'd put with among the greatest scenes of all time, where the full power the visual medium can be seen. Not a word is said yet in its gorgeous lighting, precise action of the scene, the specific acting particularly from Ryan Gosling that conveys such an incredible emotional weight that makes the moment one of the most romantic in cinematic history, and one of the most violent. That scene is one of the reasons I love the film, but also why I love film.
5/5

Breaking Bad Season 4

Breaking Bad Season 4 takes the show to its darkest season overall as it depicts Jesse and Walt entertaining truly into the underworld of drugs where death is a daily event. The season seems defined by pain, paranoia and a certain despair as the pair deal with the fact that they've only survived certain death through the blood sacrifice of another. There are no reprieves for anyone in this season as Walt is constantly reminded by his potential death at the hands of his former ally, and still employer Gus Fring, while Jesse is haunted by the murder he had to commit to save his own life. This season is also notable in that it allows Walt's wife Skyler to come into her own as she begins to be changed by Walt's own corruption. There can be few comparison made to the tension of this season which perpetuates through every story, as everyone is on the line. I think the most fascinating element is that they manage to make you even invested in Fring as almost a side protagonist as you sympathize with him in his own revenge story. Then it somehow still easily transitions to being a true main villain for Walt to attempt to overcome. It's downright brilliant season as it is any but a simple cat and mouse game. It somehow takes the stakes further than they had ever been before, and always with the series it advances everything, the characters and the story, so effectively and so naturally.
5/5

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part II

The second half of Deathly Hallows is also the final installment of the series. Now first with the negative, this film unfortunately struggles with a few elements from the book. The final battle is such a cluster that certain character deaths seem but afterthoughts. It also has that downright abysmal epilogue. The unambiguous epilogue itself was poorly conceived to begin, and it is worse in the film due to some very distracting attempts to age the young cast, past those problems though the rest of the film is pretty great. It is thrilling in its initial scenes with the raid on the bank, it is downright heartbreaking as we find out the truth behind Snape all along, and it is rather inspiring as certain character finally get their due particularly one Neville Longbottom. David Yates work does not disappoint for the most part nor does the work from the legion of British thespians particularly Alan Rickman and Maggie Smith. It is conceivable that a stronger finale could have been crafted; however this is still a worthy end to the series. 

3.5/5

X-Men: First Class

X-Men first class was set to be a rejuvenation of the franchise after the failures of  X-Men Origins Wolverine and X-Men The Last Stand, though initially is was suppose to be specifically be a Magneto origin story, that set up can be clearly seen. Those scenes are actually the strongest of the film, where director Matthew Vaughn seems most comfortable in terms of the intensity. Michael Fassbender is a worthy young Magneto, and those scenes are indeed thrilling to the point that one would imagine they could have just made the Magneto story. You certainly have the villain in Kevin Bacon baconing it up in a good way, and there is an interesting dynamic between two men of similar minds coming into conflict. The film though desires to set up the team. James McAvoy actually does a very good job of crafting his own Professor X, and actually sets up the arc he'd go on for the future sequels. The only problem is the only other X-Men who even sort of work are Beast and Mystique who both have limited roles, but they serve their purpose. Everyone else is more of just there for their power. Luckily Vaughn's style utilizes the 60's setting well and makes for an entertaining film even when they characters are not. Although even on that note the action is a little flimsy at times, almost as though Vaughn is bit lost when he can't have heads explode. The film is technically a little messy but it successfully was the injection of energy the series desperately needed.
4/5

Game of Thrones: Season 1

Game of Thrones takes on a genre that seems rather difficult to pull off right, that being fantasy, and it's an even greater challenge given that this one takes itself in a dead serious fashion. The first season really is the set up and perhaps a few kinks had to be worked, with any show really, but there are too many. The main kink here is the use of nudity which in this case goes past that border of being needed for the story, then right across the next border to being more than a little ridiculous. This element of the series, though it obviously sticks out, actually does not make up as much screentime as popular sentiment would suggest, and the series toned it down further in the succeeding seasons. Past that though the show pretty much found its mark from the first season. Now this season is technically even more intertwined than later seasons in that the connections are given more physical distance in the later seasons, therefore far more separated by when they do appear on screen. This season there is far less of the set locations/set of characters found in the later seasons. Now on to the actually show which is excellent. Now purely on the technical side of things the show is phenomenal in terms of production and costume design, makeup, music, one can't fault it there. The same goes for the acting which only has a few minor weak links most everyone is good and so many are great. Now as for the story itself, which has strong source material, the show does a great job in terms of its adaptation. It keeps pretty much all of the strength, while limiting exposition a bit, yet still creates the complex and captivating world it does which is always defined by character. In some regards the show even trumps the novel, mostly in the realization of certain characters. The show succeeds in not only making a fantasy world seem real, but finds the emotional elements of it all in heartbreaking detail. The story is truly moving and the season as a whole almost flawlessly sets up what is to come while being wholly compelling on its own as well.
5/5