All the President's Men (1976)

A political thriller about the 1972 United States Watergate scandal. It's not something I have any real interest in, but actors Hoffman and Redford are eminently watchable in their portrayal of the two real-life Washington Post reporters who were instrumental in uncovering and publicly exposing the conspiracy, namely Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, respectively.
Dir. Pakula's camera positioning and split focus techniques give the busy office environments a real sense of presence, to such a degree that the meticulously constructed set feels like an actual, functioning office - it wasn't until afterwards that I found out those scenes weren't shot on location.
I don't know how faithful to the truth the events depicted in the story are, but as a film it's a clear-cut success that's worthy of its accolades.

4 pages polished out of 5

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER [2014]

Like Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World, Captain America's instalment in the Phase 2 series, The Winter Soldier is noticeably darker than it's predecessor.
Replacing Joe Johnson in the director's chair, Anthony & Joe Russo do a fine job at taking the story into their own hands, crafting something like a Bourne film only with a shiny shield and colorful tights.  Rather than focusing on a CGI spectacle, The Winter Soldier is chock-full of exciting stunts and ass-kicking fight sequences that is quite frankly a breath of fresh air compared to the computer generated spectacles of the other Phase 2 films.
This is a promising addition to the MCU that shows Marvel isn't running out of steam quite yet.

4 twins out of 5

ALL IS LOST [2013]

The remorseless sea hands Robert Redford more than his fair share of shitty deals in director J.C. Chandor's one-man survival film All Is Lost.
With about 45 seconds worth of dialogue throughout the 106 minute long film, Redford relies on his body movement and facial expressions to carry the entire movie and he does so with moving grace.  As vast as the ocean might be, the scope is small but speaks hugely of resilience, resourcefulness and the value of life.
Some will scratch their heads screaming "gimmick", while others will admire the challenge and rewards the film offers to those who enjoy something a little different.

3½ shipping containers of shoes out of 5