"Oblivion" is a beautiful movie, and it's always good to see an original sci-fi film now and then. Unfortunately, its style only take this post-apocalyptic journey so far. The film is hamstrung by characters that are as gray and barren as the desolate landscapes they traverse, and the science fiction tropes pile up to create a congested second half full of cliches and forced twists seen in other, better sci-fi films. The actors may be talented, but the script gives them very little to work with (especially the exceptionally wasted Morgan Freeman). While you may not find much to care about in the story, its still a fun ride.

The special effects are well-done, especially when it comes to the mechanical elements like the intimidating drones, which move with both a weightiness and agility that combines to form something you would definitely not want to meet in a dark alley, and Tom Cruise's ship is a really imaginative piece of futuristic technology as well. M83's score is a mixed bag. Choosing this band for this movie is the absolute perfect choice, as they have that epic, desolate futuristic-yet-retro feel to them to begin with. Unfortunately, the score they have composed rarely sounds like their 'actual' music as much as it does an imitation of contemporary blockbuster scores. Had they gone their own route (or used some tracks from their discography), they could have came up with something that really made 'Oblivion' stand out from the pack. This is just an example of the larger problem with 'Oblivion': it isn't a bad movie, but in every instance where it has a chance to be a pioneer and do something fresh, it falls back on the crutches of the past, and ends up feeling rather generic as a result.

The third Iron Man movie is better than the second because at the very least it attempts to take risks, while simultaneously maintaining the series trademark humor and over-the-top action. "Iron Man 3" is even more self-referential and bombastic than its predecessors, and while it suffers from series fatigue at this point, and its more clever ideas (like the handling of the villains) aren't as well-executed as they could have been, it is still apparent that the Marvel franchise isn't likely to peter out anytime soon.

"Stoker" is a beautiful peculiarity, a gloriously messed-up piece of cinematic cynicism from the director of "Oldboy". It's most striking features are its transitions and its lead Mia Wasikowska, who is also able to transition into several different character types seamlessly (her appearance seems to change subtly with every shift). The other actors (even Kidman) are a bit stilted, and the plot sometimes borders on edgy for the sake of edginess, but "Stoker" revels in its strangeness, and I have to admire a movie that knows exactly what it is and rolls with it.