The Little Mermaid (****) swims eloquently
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Pixar’s Turning Red (****1/2) is adorably coming of age
Shi definitely has a gift for portraying the difficulty of navigating from one generation to another with love being the ballast for the family.
King Richard (***1/2) is a story we need
The most complex parent gets the title of the film, if only because we know, eventually the daughters will get all of the glory. Talk about inspiration. Talk about greatness. Talk about The Williams Sisters.
Ghostbusters Afterlife (*****) never leaves
Great is still great, no matter the age.
Netflix’ Enola Holmes (***) is a humble vanity project
The point to this film, and there is one, is that we get to see a young actress on the way to her prime enjoying herself.
Mulan (****1/2) almost escapes the Disney sheen
This is not a perfect film, but it’s a damn entertaining one. Mulan gives as forceful a message for equality as one can give without pandering whatsoever.
Pixar’s Onward (***1/2) nothing I can say…
In all, this is a good, not great film by a studio that’s in the sophomore slump. They could hit a winner out more often, if they weren’t concentrating on getting everyone to first base.
Frozen II (***1/2) Dam for no reason
Frozen II is not an embarrassment. It will make a bunch of cash and might even get a third installment. I would be happy with another episode of Tangled. But then, they got it right the first time, so no need to risk it.
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.”
Shazam! (****1/2) – All hands on deck
“The concept of the film is relatively simple, Big with super powers. If we limit our expectations to this idea, we’re in for a decent surprise. The characters are painted simply, but given a shade by a plot that seems predictable in hindsight. The pleasant part to the viewer is one enjoys the film enough to be swept into the story without necessarily considering that fact.”
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (***1/2) Diminishing Returns
“If I could, I would edit out most of the dialogue spoken by anyone but Hiccup, Astrid, Valka, Stoick and Abraham’s Grimmel the Grisly. It would not change the comprehension of the story one bit and it would definitely allow us to enjoy Toothless and his White Fury more. Anyone who owns cats will like this film for their interactions alone.”
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-verse is a world without end
“Every once in a while, something comes along that opens your eyes to a new way of viewing cinema. Star Wars did this for me first back when I was 6 years old. Goodfellas did it in 1991. Now we have this…a comic book cartoon movie.”
Christopher Robin (****): If Hook were a good movie…
The sad fact is that the film can only end up in a boardroom, where stuffy old British men find in a few minutes what we’ve known all movie. I have no intention of keeping any of those aspects of the film in my mind. Instead, I will cradle memories of Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, Kanga, Roo, Owl and Rabbit in my mind.
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (*****) 143
The entire last half of the film is riddled with poignant moments to the extent it is hard to keep control of one’s emotions. The tears that are elicited are as much for joy as anything. It makes one glad to have witnessed this, and long for a chance to go back and take it in once more for the first time.
The Incredibles 2 (****1/2) shows us the other side
“…If you’re going for an original story. You’re not going to get it this time. The plot is literally the inverse of the first film…Is there any grand message to this film? Any overarching truth to be learned? Not a chance. Still it beats out even most Marvel films for enjoyment, if for no other reason than it never pretends to be “live action.””
The Miracle Season (****) Live Like Line
#livelikeline “Sure, the acting is a little goofy. It stops on the border of maudlin. It’s as accurate a recreation as I’ve seen. Most important, never loses touch with the true feeling a small city can feel about something seemingly as inane as a sports game. It’s more than that, though. It’s about a kid who had heart and her sisters on the court who loved her. “
Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews 