Wonder Woman 1984 (****) – Deserves a bigger stage
WW84 soars and falls like a bird that just discovered its wings.
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (***1/2) almost taps it
In all it does what you want good comedies to do by giving several re-watchable moments and leaves a pleasant smile on your face. Great comedy risks more, but these guys have friendships with most of the people they are skewering. That’s okay, though. It’s only a Friday stuck at home in Covid 19 season.
Adrift (***) is steady as she goes
Overall, the film is a good story. It is inspiring to see people succeed through the gifts God gave them, even when they forgo the giving of thanks.
Forgotten Gem: Superbad (*****) became a classic and we all moved on…
There are so few comedies that are rewatchable. Ethical or not, this is a funny film about people we all knew in high school. None of them possess any sort of genius. Most of them are decent. Each of them were have a series of delightful failures with little victories along the way.
Birds of Prey… (****): On their knees for no one
“…Yan and Hodson strike a nice balance between feminine wile and Deadpool comic brutality. The film might seem derivative, were it not for Robbie’s complete absorption into the humor and brutal comic lunacy of Gotham without Batman looming. ”
The Gentlemen (****) enjoying the familiar
“If one knows and enjoys Guy Ritchie, this movie will not disappoint. It may not break any new ground, but it still feels fresh.”
1917 (****1/2) is never really gone
This film is exceptionally filmed and performed. It’s a necessary reminder that war is for keeps and not at all glamorous, even if the effort is a beautiful effort to save 1600 lives.
Richard Jewell (****1/2) now more than ever
“Thank God for Clint Eastwood, Billy Ray and this incredible cast. They have pushed forward the name of a man who is as good, decent and important as anyone you ever will meet. Because of them, we all now can thank God for Richard Jewell. “
Jumanji: The Next Level (***1/2) keeps getting better
This is perhaps the first trilogy in my memory where each of the sequels has improved on the previous entry. This could be even bigger than either of those films, and it deserves more chances to entertain.
Knives Out (*****) is a donut inside of a donut hole
“This is one of the best films of the year. It’s also one of the best mystery films I remember seeing. My daughter solved it about midway through. She just wasn’t sure how she’d solved it until Johnson let us all see. “
Charlie’s Angels (***1/2) don’t need a hug
“It is likely that this film will not reach the heights required for sequels. That is a shame. They finally have the right person in charge.”
Toy Story 4 (***1/2)…your heart gets bored with your mind…
“No reason to stay in this cycle”
Stuber (****) Comedy that doesn’t die hard
The film is not a work of genius. If you took away the leads, it’d be pretty boring. I loved every minute of it, and so did Em. I am not sure they could pull off another film with this gimmick, but I definitely think I will enjoy watching what each of these two do in the future of action comedy.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (***) – Too much breaking stuff
“This is not a great film. It’s barely a good one. The feeling that this is just a placeholder for the real battle coming overwhelms the last half of the film. Once we see images of Kong in passing, it’s hard to guess who is going to come out on top in a film with Godzilla’s name in the title.”
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (**1/2) is a fluffy delight
“If you ever liked the creatures or know someone who really would, give it a shot. For me it’s a level above the TNMNT movie from 1990. It’s better looking, of course. And it doesn’t have Corey Feldman.”
Avengers: Endgame(*****) – I love you 3000 (no spoilers)
“After four Avengers films, they’ve finally made the perfect one. There’s but one overly gratuitous moment for me. It easily washes out, though, when the rest of the film feels so comfortable, so tense and anything but inevitable.”
