I could not take my eyes off of this movie. Based on the bestselling book by Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl tells the story of a husband (future destroyer of the Batman franchise Ben Affleck) accused of murdering his disappeared wife (Rosamund Pike). The pacing, score, and acting were solid. The revelations were…well, a revelation! I have not been so intrigued during a movie this entire year. Problems? Oh, two pretty big ones: 1) The last 20 to 30 minutes dragged. Badly. Came damn near close to hurting the overall film and, 2) While it was probably a solid adaptation, I feel that the movie left out a number of character development pieces that would have helped the viewer understand the principal’s motivations. The single folks will say “This is what I have to look forward to when married?”, while the married exclaim “Wait, murder is an option? Why did no one tell me!?!”  Go see it, now. But make sure you do not talk to someone who has read the book. Trust me, I have my reasons.

Confession: I’m a serious nerd. I have seen all the Marvel movies, used to hang out in a comic book store, and even went to Comic-Con last year. So after leaving Guardians of the Galaxy (BTW: It’s freaking great!), I was shocked by the answer I received after asking my movie companion how she liked the film. “It was all over the place. What is that stone? Who was that big guy in the chair? I didn’t like it.” She had seen almost every Marvel movie; how was she confused? I explained that the stone was part of six Infinity Stones (three of which we have seen in previous movies), and that Thanos (the guy in the chair) was hoping to collect them all in preparation for the third Avengers movie in 2018. After she replied “Oh, OK,” I then realized Marvel has a potentially huge problem on its hands.

Setting the stage for what appears to be a new cosmic direction for the Marvel Cinematic Universe,Guardians of the Galaxy focuses on the adventures of Peter Quill (you might know him as Star Lord) as he brings a band of fellow outlaws together in a quest to prevent Ronan the Accuser from obtaining a mysterious Orb that could wreak havoc on the galaxy.

The Skinny (no spoilers) Sci-fi is very similar to comedy in that it disarms the audience and allows, through a fanciful and outlandish story, the creators to highlight some taboo truth or impolite reality. The subject matter becomes more palatable to the masses, subversively working its way into the consciousness. …

The Skinny (No Spoilers) Apes so real, you’ll feel like they ACTUALLY want to kill you! Solid film and sequel. The entire movie depends on the CGI and the effects don’t disappoint. The Apes steal the show, leaving humans as supporting cast and catalyst for the drama within the primate’s …

Exhausted. That’s the word that best describes how you will feel after this movie. It is 2 hours and 45 minutes, not including previews. This movie is a chore. The CGI? Same as the last three movies. The acting? Are you kidding me?!?. The lack of Megan Fox? An unmitigated cinematic tragedy.  I’m not going dwell on the plot not making sense. Complaining about the plot not making sense in a Transformers movie is like bitching about the lack of flavor in a Natty Lite. What the else did you expect? There is no compelling reason why 165 minutes are necessary to tell a story about Marky Mark and handful of oversized, malleable Hot Wheels. Hell, the final battle lasted a full 30 (freaking) minutes. The saddest thing: It’s actually better than the last two Transformer movies. Decent step up of the characters, their connection to one another, and the overall plot (No matter how complicated and pretzel-like it might be). In fact, the first 1 and 45 minutes is NOT a complete train wreck. However, after this 45th minute, it’s straight downhill. Stilted dialog, predictable outcomes, and my goodness do the Transformers themselves sound stupid. Do me a favor: Don’t see this movie. Fireworks and beer are expensive. I’m saying you’re better off blowing up your money. Be your own version of Michael Bay.

Ladies and gentlemen FamousDC presents Neighbors: The Review. The Skinny (No spoilers) Neverland. That’s the term that one of my former coworkers used to describe D.C., a city full of people who seem to be repeatedly hitting the snooze button on their adulthood. “Just five more minutes…I have a free …