First Man

After two musical tales, Damien Chazelle goes to the moon and back for First Man. The screenplay by Josh Singer visualizes James R. Hansen's biography of Neil Armstrong. It's an epic that deserves the big screen. It's a drama that needs an audience. I should know, for I was the audience in my screening. The only man for First Man.

Anyway...

In 1961, Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) is a test pilot for NASA. He loses his daughter, Karen, to cancer, and throws himself into his work. He joins the Gemini program in Houston. There, he undertakes a few missions to help win the Space Race. Eventually, the Gemini program gives way to the Apollo program. His friends, Ed White (Jason Clarke) and Elliot See (Patrick Fugit), perish in separate accidents. Naturally, this gives his wife, Janet (Claire Foy), reason to worry. Armstrong is eventually recruited for Apollo 11. And of course, he makes that first step for man...

We know that the Apollo 11 mission worked. The film's 138 minutes keep us invested in Armstrong's journey. We get to know him perfectly as dedicated and reserved. His mind's on the mission instead of the glory. He's affected by the tragedies in his life. A good motivator, as he says, "to fail down here so we don't fail up there." He's not exactly interpersonal but he's a good family man. We're in awe as he is when he takes that first step.

The film's sound design has the right stuff. You hear all the intricate creaking sounds as the astronauts wait to blast off. You're blasted with fearsome roars when missions go wrong. And when it's appropriate, nothing. While some movies make space travel eerie, this movie makes the anticipation of going to space terrifying. Justin Hurwitz's score perfectly emphasizes the wonder and danger of space.

And let's talk about the visuals. The visual effects department, editor Tom Cross, production designer Nathan Crawley and cinematographer Linus Sandgren deserve equal praise..Moments like Neil's troubled X-15 flight and the Gemini 8 mission keep us on edge when they go awry. The model work for the space craft is extraordinary. The highlight, of course, is the moon itself. The view is spectacular and you can't tell it was filmed in a quarry in Atlanta.

First Man is a great biopic of an American icon. Neil Armstrong might've thought it was another day in the office. But the ending emphasizes the importance of his mission to history perfectly well. In the end, we get to know the man behind the story as much as the story. The journey was worth it. Give it a chance.

The Sisters Brothers

It's a name that I've seen for years in my local used bookstore. But I didn't think much of it. There's much to think about Patrick deWitt's The Sisters Brothers as it goes from page to screen. It's not like most westerns you've seen.

Eli (John C. Reilly) and Charlie (Joaquin Phoenix) Sisters are Brothers. More precisely, they're master assassins in The Old West. They take orders from an enigmatic Commodore. This time, the Commodore orders them after Hermann Kermit Warm (Riz Ahmed). Warm invented a formula which lights up all the gold in riverbeds. Naturally, the Brothers' job is to get Warm, the Formula and Warm, again.

But Eli feels dissatisfied with the hired gun life. And he's worried about Charlie's obnoxious drunkenness and violence. The Gold Formula might give them a way out. Another hired gun, Mr. Morris (Jake Gyllenhaal), was supposed to lead the Sisters to their targets. But he decides to join Warm on his prospecting. The Sisters soon follow. They're soon targeted by more hired guns. It's complicated.

Director Jacques Audiard (A Prophet) and his co-writer, Thomas Bidegain, start things with a dark opening sequence. Cinematographer Benoit Debie shows the Sisters at work in a pitch black plain. The only light is their gun flashes. And then a barn fire with panicking horses. What an introduction. Later scenes, including an eerie nightmare, emphasize the dark in dark comedy. You might ask what's so funny about it all.

The film works best as an introspective character study. Reilly and Phoenix are believable as brothers. They're both bummed out with the world, but they have their own coping methods. Eli's "think of the future" clashes with Charlie's "think of now." Meanwhile, Ahmed's Warm is an idealist whose worldview makes Morris reconsider his life choices. The backstories we gradually learn makes their worldviews understandable. They're likable enough that the audience is on their side. The price of the formula is tragic.

The film editing (by Jonathan Amos, Paul Machliss and Juliette Welfing) keeps the movie going good for two hours. There's some pacing issues when Morris first appears, but they got better down the line. The best of the technicals, other than the cinematography, were the makeup designs and Milena Canonero's costumes. The makeup, in particular, gives us the disturbing side effects of Warm's formula.

Don't let the odd title dissuade you. The Sisters Brothers is odd but interesting. It's like Unforgiven done by the Coen Brothers. The characters and their world are memorable. Their story is unforgettable. The moral issues are gripping. It's not playing anywhere close to everywhere now. So see it if you're theater is lucky. You'll have much to think about if you do.

Venom

Venom debuted in 1988 and he instantly became an iconic member of Spider-Man's Rogues Gallery. His portrayal in Spider-Man 3 by Topher Grace was perhaps the most criticized part of the film. But it's OK. Venom has his own movie now. Which sees him without Spider-Man. That's the least of its problems.

Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) is an investigative reporter engaged to lawyer Anne Weying (Michelle Williams). Anne's lawfirm represents the shady Life Foundation. One day, Eddie interviews Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed), the CEO of the Life Foundation. Eddie confronts Drake over the Foundation's dealings, which he skimmed from Anne's files, and Eddie and Anne both lose their jobs.

Six months later...

Eddie is an ex-reporter with no fiancee. Scientist Dora Skirth (Jenny Slate) lets Eddie know that the Life Foundation is up to no good. They have three alien "symbiotes" that need to fuse with an organic host. Eddie sneaks into the Foundation's headquarters and becomes host to a symbiote, Venom.

Venom (also Hardy) and Eddie bicker over who gets the latter's body. This sometimes involves Eddie morphing into a fanged monster, also called Venom. Anyway, they mutually take on evil people like the Life Foundation's goons. And a fourth symbiote, Riot, who takes on Drake as its host. Eddie and Venom have to stop Drake from bringing more symbiotes to Earth.

Director Ruben Fleischer works from a script by Jeff Pinkner, Scott Rosenberg and Kelly Marcel. It does a good job keeping Venom independent of Spider-Man. It's a good premise that needs better pacing. It takes about 45 minutes before Eddie first suits up as Venom. Still, those 45 minutes weren't boring. But then we jump from plot point to plot point for the remaining 67 minutes. The resolution came out of nowhere and the denouement felt like it could've been set earlier.

But I still had fun with it. Hardy as Eddie/Venom makes the film worthwhile. It was good to see Eddie learn from his mistakes by the end. It's even better when Venom comes in. Eddie acting under Venom's influence is hilarious, though I'm convinced some of it's unintentional. Eddie bickering with Venom was definitely intentionally hilarious. It's creepily endearing to see the symbiote support Eddie and Anne's relationship.

The visual effects for Venom and Riot make the most of $100 million. Their monster forms are wonderfully realistic CGI creatures and their transformation effects are outstanding. The sound designers deserve praise for distorting Hardy and Ahmed's voices as their symbiote selves. Cinematographer Matthew Libatique's has some great nighttime views of San Francisco. And sometimes, its other filming location of Atlanta. 

Venom is a flawed, yet goofy superhero adventure. There's some bright spots that make its disjointed narrative enjoyable. The brightest spot of all is Tom Hardy's delightful overacting. Here's hoping Sony has a better grip on the concept next time around. Its prerequisite mid-credit scene introduces us Cletus Kassidy (A Surprise Cameo), better known as Venom's chief symbiote enemy, Carnage.

A Star is Born

... again.

One of the most remade Oscar Bait movies is born again. A Star is Born rose in 1937, 1954 and 1976. Now, it rises again with Bradley Cooper directing and starring with Lady Gaga. Let's say this story hasn't shown its age yet.

Jackson Maine (Cooper) is a boozing, pill-popping rock star. Ally (Lady Gaga) is an aspiring singer-songwriter who works a dead-end waitress job. They meet when he stops at a bar where she's performing. They are instantly attracted to each other. He recognizes her talent and helps her pursue a professional music career. He gets her to perform with him at a concert. And thus, A Star is Born.

But it's not happy ever after. Ally finds the star life overwhelming. Meanwhile, Jackson's addictions cause trouble for them. Ally still loves him despite his flaws. Jackson's flaws are killing his career. This won't end well.

Cooper co-wrote the screenplay with Eric Roth and Will Fetters. The remake's template is similar to the originals. Moments like Jackson's drunken disruption of the Grammys are present and accounted for. But it was never routine. Its story told a fascinating tale of two people and their struggles with fame. There were times I actually thought the film's traditional tragic ending wouldn't happen. But it did.

Amongst the supporting cast, Sam Elliott and Andrew Dice Clay standout as Sam's much, much older brother Bobby and Ally's father, Lorenzo, respectively.

Its leads make the film work. Their chemistry is believable and their romance is endearing. Their struggles are compelling. Cooper's Jackson Maine is likable and pitiable. His drunken disruption of the Grammys is funny until he passes out. That and his drunken argument with Ally are a tragic result of his alcoholism. His efforts to change are believable. His final outcome is inevitable and sad. Gaga as Ally is believable as a rising star. Her nervousness and fears earn the audience's sympathy.  Her rise to fame makes for great viewing.

Gaga and numerous collaborators created the film's memorable soundtrack. Ally's breakout song, Shallow and the finale, I'll Never Love Again, are the standouts of the playlist. The sound mixing makes each song loud and clear. The musical sequences are rousing scenes thanks to cinematographer Matthew Libatique and editor Jay Cassidy.

A Star is Born shines alongside its past incarnations. Its tragic love story is as compelling as it was in 1937. Its melodrama works because of its great leads. Its 135 minutes go by pretty quickly. You'll eagerly await Bradley Cooper's next directorial effort after it's done. It deserves to be seen on the big screen. It's that good of a musical drama remake.

The Wife

Today was supposed to have seen the announcement of this year's Nobel Prize in Literature. That's not happening due to ugly circumstances. The award plays a part in director Bjorn Runge's first English-language film, The Wife.

Joan Castleman (Glenn Close) is the wife of Joe (Jonathan Pryce), an acclaimed author and now, Nobel Laureate. They immediately fly to Stockholm for the ceremonies. Their son, David (Max Irons), and aspiring biographer Nathaniel Boone (Christian Slater), tag along.

Meanwhile, we see Joan and Joe begin their relationship. He (Harry Lloyd) was her (Annie Starke, Close's daughter) literary professor. He left his first wife for her. Joan was a literary genius and he was ... a quack. She pretty much ghostwrote his acclaimed literature. Naturally, this marriage isn't easy. It all reaches a breaking point in Stockholm.

Meg Wolitzer's 2004 novel was visualized in Jane Anderson's screenplay. It's a comprehensible character study. It doesn't shift time periods rapidly. It also takes a while before it first shifts to the past. But you'll get the picture of Joan and Joe's tense marriage. It would've been nice to hear samples of the Castlemans' acclaimed literature. But that's me.

Close as Joan is the obvious highlight of the film. We first see her and Joe enjoying their life. She tries to stay strong in Joe's shadow. But we feel her resentment build in every argument with Joe. In fact, they argue a lot and usually make up rather quickly. She has the right to be angry, though. You'll know so when the film reveals her struggles. Her emotions are perfectly accentuated by Jocelyn Pook's melancholic score.

Don't take your spouse for granted. That's one takeaway from The Wife. It's a fascinating study of a long-lived marriage and its free-falls. There's a lot of conflicting emotions involved. But I hardly think it's a comedy as some have described it. But it's good for a quiet movie experience.

Smallfoot

Yeti Tracks, an unpublished book by Sergio Pablos, creator of the Despicable Me movies, is the basis for the mythbusting Smallfoot. It's a decent early fall kids movie. It's not perfect but it'll get you by for a matinee.

Migo the Yeti lives with his fellow Yetis in their mountain village. Everything they need to know is written in stones held by the Stonekeeper. Migo lives and obeys the stones. His dad, Dorgle, is the human cannonball who rings the gong which wakes the sun each day. As far as he knows. But anyway, Migo is ready to follow in his dad's footsteps. He overshoots his first test ring and he meets a human - the mythical "Smallfoot" according to the stones.

Nobody believes Migo. The Stonekeeper even throws him out of the village. Meechee, the Stonekeeper's daughter, and her friends, believe Migo. They help him go below the clouds. Down there, Migo finds a washed-up TV personality named Percy Petterson. They get over their misunderstandings and become pals. Migo and friends bring back their Smallfoot. But while the village enjoys Percy, The Stonekeeper decides to tell Migo the awful truth.

Director Karey Kirkpatrick and his brother Wayne wrote the film's musical numbers. It's a great playlist which my showing hampered with poorly-balanced sound. The music was often louder than the lyrics; that wasn't fun. Despite that, Meechee's song Wonderful Life and her father's song Let it Lie were fun. Heitor Pereira's delightful score stands tall among the musical numbers.

The technical achievements are Yeti-good. The character designs are appealing and unique. The Yeti's mountain village was an artistic winter wonderland. The sound designers' best trick was its depiction of the Yeti/Human sound barrier. The high-pitched mumbles of "human speech" are never not amusing.

What about the story? A lot of the gags, like Migo's protracted descent to Earth, were in trailers for months. But the film had surprises, like an encounter with an angry bear which takes an unexpected twist. Migo and Percy's bonding was nice. The sun-waking ceremony had some funny satire to it. There's some meaningful discussion about blind faith vs logic and the downside of fear. The climactic encounter between Yeti and Human societies resonates among the pratfalls.

Smallfoot's setup gets points for creativity. It bends fear and superstition like a pretzel with its perspective flip. It's a film aimed mainly for kids. But there's quite a bit to think about for the adults. Its 96 minutes are well spent.

The House with a Clock In Its Walls

John Bellairs' novel The House with a Clock In Its Walls has a high reputation in kids literature. That's what I'm told. I never grew up with the novel or its sequels. But I'll know it exists after its film version.

The film is directed by Eli Roth, best known for grizzly horror films such as Hostel and Cabin Fever, and who did this year's ill-received Death Wish remake. His first family friendly film stars Lewis Barnavelt (Owen Vaccaro). Recently orphaned, he's sent to New Zebedee, Michigan in 1955, to live with his uncle Jonathan (Jack Black). Mrs. Zimmerman (Cate Blanchett), Jonathan's neighbor, frequently visits them. One night, Lewis finds out that the house is alive and Jonathan is a Warlock. Lewis begs his uncle to take him on as his apprentice. He does.

The house was owned fellow Warlock Isaac Izard (Kyle MacLachlan), who hid a clock somewhere in its walls before he died. Jonathan suspects it's ticking down to the end of the world. So he, Zimmerman and Lewis have to find it before it's doomsday. Their deadline gets shorter when Lewis accidentally raises Izard from the dead.

The cast is fine. Vaccaro's Lewis is an average kid hero, but he's still likable. Black and Blanchett are good verbal sparring partners and allies. Their zingers are funny, but it's easy to miss the "friendly subtext." MacLachlan's Izard was a capable undead villain. Izard's wife, Selena (Renee Elise Goldsberry) spends most of her time disguised as other characters; her time as herself is too brief. Perhaps the best acting came from Sunny Suljic's Tarby Corrigan, a rotten kid who "befriends" Lewis. Tarby's nice guy act was very convincing.

The technical stars of the film are production desinger Jon Hutman and the visual effects crew. The titular house is spooky and alluring. Its sentient chair and topiary Griffin were great comic relief. Smaller details like the menagerie of clocks adds to the house's appeal. The titular clock is a marvelous CGI creation. The film's use of magic, save for some rough spots, was also great.

But they're not the only ones who excel. Marlene Stewart's colorful costume designs are as appealing as the sets. Zimmerman's purple wardrobe is the highlight of her work. Roger Stoffer's cinematography sets the family horror mood well. The makeup team render some creepy villains in Izard and the demon Azazel. And finally, there's a delightfully spooky score by Nathan Barr.

The House with a Clock In Its Walls is a good preparation for Halloween. Perhaps too good; scenes like Azazel's scene make one question the PG rating. A few silly moments bring on the mood whiplash hard. Its story is somewhat familiar but you'll get invested in it. You won't get lost in this House if you don't know its literary pedigree. At least it doesn't set up a sequel it thinks it'll get.

The Predator

The Predator has come a long way since he fought Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987. Shane Black, who played The Predator's first victim in that first film, occupies the director's chair in The Predator. He and co-writer Fred Dekker (The Monster Squad) create a fun action film that has no time to bleed. Even when it does.

Army Sniper Quinn McKenna (Boyd Holbrook) has a problem. A Predator attacked him and his men one night. Quinn stole some of the Predator's gear and mailed it to his estranged family. But stuffy Agent Traeger (Sterling K. Brown) put him in an insane asylum to keep him quiet. He meets a bunch of "Loonies" who become his new pals. Meanwhile, the Predator is kept under surveillance in a lab.

Quinn's son Rory (Jacob Tremblay) finds the Predator's gear. He tinkers with it and accidentally alerts a second, much-larger Predator to his location. The "Ultimate Predator" wants the gear bad. Quinn and The Loonies drive by the lab just as the first Predator breaks free. Naturally, the first Predator wants his gear back bad. Quinn and The Loonies team up to save Rory before one or both Predators make a trophy of him.

The film runs by nicely, but not smoothly, at 107 minutes. A few action scenes, including the first Predator's escape from the lab, are strong set pieces. But the film jumps from scene to scene abruptly a few times. Traeger's first scene just ends a few minutes after he shows up. The first Predator's ship plummets at day then crashes at night. And a major plot point should've been done a lot sooner than the last scene. At least the story and its ideas are comprehensible.

The cast is good. Quinn is a fine action hero, but Rory is even better as a lead. Casey Brackett (Olivia Munn), a teacher who gets caught up in the mess, is a capable action heroine. The Loonies have un-PC banter but they're a likable and sympathetic bunch of rogues. Nebraska (Trevante Rhodes) and Coyle (Keegan-Michael Key) & Baxley (Thomas Jane) are the best of the wild bunch. Traeger is capable as a stubborn agent, but his demise was too sudden. Keyes (Jake Busey) was a great minor character who should've had more screentime. And the titular Predators were formidable presences here.

There's quite a bit to admire on the technical side. The scene jumping not withstanding, the editing was good. The creature effects were great. The first Predator's practical effects are as strong as they were in '87. You can hardly tell the Ultimate Predator is a CGI creature. The Ultimate Predator's Predator Dogs are more obvious, but they're still cool. Their technology was impressive. Henry Jackman's score is memorable and Alan Silvestri's themes from the first film are welcome. The sound design was perfect.

Much of The Predator's problems were due to studio interference. But they're easy to overlook thanks to its strong first half and fun cast. That escape scene left an impression as strong as a Predator's laser blast. I'm now interested in seeing an unedited version on home video.

Crazy Rich Asians

Crazy Rich Asians debuted a few weeks ago, but I've only now seen it this week. The film version of Kevin Kwan's novel deserves whatever praise it gets. It's a funny and endearing romantic comedy. It's a great way to start the fall.

Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) is an economics professor at NYU. Her boyfriend, Nick Young (Henry Golding), is the heir to Singapore's largest real-estate empire. Rachel is unaware how "crazy rich" Nick is. He invites her to fly to Singapore with him for his best friend, Colin's wedding. Rachel gets to meet Nick's family, including his mother, Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh), who sees her beneath her. The cultural differences between Rachel and the Youngs are vast. She'll have to assert herself to stand a chance.

Director Jon M Chu and screenwriters Adele Lim and Peter Chiarelli make the film's two hours worth it. Its story elements are familiar but you'll be invested in their outcome. It's especially so with Rachel and Nick's temporary break-up and ultimate reconciliation. They're endearing leads and their struggles are understandable. You'll be pleased when they assert themselves. Mahjong plays a part in the resolution, though you might get lost if you're not familiar with it.

The supporting cast makes it better. Yeoh's Eleanor is a strong antagonist; she's harsh, yet warm matriarch, and her motives are understandable.  Her handling of some racist hotel clerks is a masterstroke. Lisa Lu is a good presence as Nick's stern grandmother, Shang Su Yi. The standouts are Awkwafina as Rachel's best friend Peik Lin, Ken Leong as her father, Wye Mun and Nico Santos as Nick's Cousin Oliver. They're great comic relief and moral support for Rachel. Gemma Chan is also great as Nick's cousin Astrid, who's essentially the tritagonist of the story. So many names, so little space for the SAG Ensemble nomination it deserves.

Its technical merits are crazy rich for $30 million. The production design gives us many extravagant mansions, a serene beachside resort and the elaborate wedding. You wouldn't know, unless you were told, that its London and New York scenes were filmed in Malaysia. The cinematography by Vanja Cernjul gives us an appealing look at Singapore. Brian Tyler's score is good, while the soundtrack is a great collection of Chinese and English songs.

I don't go to many romantic comedies. So Crazy Rich Asians is one of the best I've seen. Its themes are universal and its ensemble cast is wonderful. It's a feel-good movie that needed to be made. See it as soon as possible. It's that good. It has me curious how they'll handle the inevitable sequel, China Rich Girlfriend, considering how this film's source ended. It'll be interesting, that's for sure.

Alpha

The long-delayed Alpha finally gets its day. Anyone who wants to imagine how humans domesticated dogs will get an answer. It also raises another question; why delay it?

It's the Paleothic Era. Keda (Kodi Smit-Mcphee) is the son of his tribe's chief, Tau (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhanness). Keda gets to go on his first Steppe Bison hunt. He and his tribe drive a herd off a cliff. But one of the Bison takes it with him. Tau has to leave him for dead. Keda escapes death and heads home with a broken foot.

Keda is attacked by a pack of wolves. He injures one (Chuck) and the others scram. He nurses the wolf back to health. "Alpha" becomes his best friend, though Keda doesn't realize it. Keda needs Alpha to help him get back to his people.

Albert Hughes, best known for co-directing Menace II Society and The Book of Eli with his brother Allen, makes his solo directorial debut. His screen story was rendered in screenplay form by Daniele Sebastian Wiedenhaupt. The story relies on visuals rather than dialogue. What little dialogue is here is subtitled from a fictional language. But the actors, human and canine, say a lot by expressions alone. It's only 96 minutes, so it's not stretched out too thin.

The technical star here is cinematographer Martin Gschlacht. The desolate landscape also says a lot with its visuals alone. The ancient world is both beautiful and scary in its emptiness. It's especially so in winter, where some of the darkest moments happen. We understand the stakes as Keda and Alpha deal with the cold. The night scenes are also impressive. The only real visual flaw is that it's sometimes obvious when CGI is used.

The best scenes are those with Alpha. Alpha makes for a good canine companion. It's funny and nice when Alpha starts acting like a modern dog. When Alpha runs off for a short bit, we feel the absence. We feel it when Alpha is injured and near death. Of course, Alpha recovers when a plot twist hits at the end.

Alpha has much to admire. The action scenes are highly improbable, yet well done. The story makes one think of their own animal companions. It's a wonder why Sony chose to delay it (hopefully, it was just a crowded market). It's a pity the film is currently underperforming. See it before it gets the boot.

BlacKkKlansman

President Woodrow Wilson allegedly described the extremely controversial blockbuster The Birth of a Nation as "like writing history with lightning." That quote easily describes Spike Lee's latest joint, BlacKkKlansman, his take on Ron Stallworth's memoir. And you'll be struck when its 135 minutes are up.

In 1972, Ron Stallworth (John David Washington) becomes the first African-American officer in the Colorado Springs Police Force. He wants to go undercover, but he's assigned to the records room. His condescending superior officer, Chief Bridges (Robert John Burke), sends him undercover to spy on a rally by pioneering Black Power activist Kwame Ture (Corey Hawkins). It goes off without a hitch. He even meets and falls for student power activist Patrice Dumas (Laura Harrier).

Stallworth sees an ad for the Ku Klux Klan. He gives them a call, posing as an extremely racist white man, and is understandably surprised when he's called back. Now he has to meet them in person. His white partner, Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver), puts on a reasonable impression of his voice and plays his stand-in. "Ron Stallworth" impresses the Klan with his over-the-top bigotry, while Ron Stallworth surveys the meetings. They even get the attention of David Duke (Topher Grace), the Grand Wizard himself. They'll have to stop the Klan from carrying out a terrorist attack on a civil rights rally.

The film opens as Dr. Kennebrew Beauregard (Alec Baldwin) fumbles through a "white superiority" speech. It's a way to take these racists down a peg. You'll laugh and cringe at the over-the-top bigotry the Klan and "Ron Stallworth" display. The film's Klansmen include the idiotic Ivanhoe (Paul Walter Hauser) and the psychotic Felix Kendrickson (Jasper Pääkkönen). A few lines are purposefully ironic given recent events. It even ends with footage of last year's Charlottesville rally and its aftermath. It's a dark reminder that racism hasn't really gone away.

Washington is as great a screen presence as his father, Denzel. Stallworth is a good man trying to change the system from within. He wins over the audience with his determination and quick wit. His romance with Patrice presents a compelling dilemma. They're great together and her discovery of the truth drives them apart. We're rightfully outraged as crooked cop Landers (Frederick Weller) antagonizes Ron and cheer when he's busted. His denunciation of Duke was another hilarious and awesome moment. And after all those highs, the abrupt end of his operation is a bummer.

Driver is also great as Flip Zimmerman and "Ron Stallworth." We buy his "Ron Stallworth" act even if he's not a 100% imitation of Stallworth. We're on edge as he nearly gets exposed as a cop or Jewish several times. We empathize as he learns to work out of his comfort zone and become friends with Stallworth. 

There's never a dull moment here. We're on edge as editor Barry Alexander Brown builds tension and laughs. One powerful moment sees "Ron Stallworth" inducted into the Klan, while Ron Stallworth listens to activist Jerome Turner (Harry Belafonte) tell an utterly horrifying story of vigilante justice. Felix's first attempt to expose Flip is tense, and we're relieved when Stallworth's quick wit saves the day. The climactic rush to stop the terror attack is a memorable movie moment.

BlacKkKlansman is one of the best films of the year. It's a tense, funny, powerful story of a man who took on the Klan and pretty much won. It sticks with us long after the movie ends. It's a movie I'm eager to see on home release. It deserves whatever praise comes its way.

Christopher Robin

Oh, Pooh. It's you.

A.A. Milne's bear of very little brain saw his creation depicted in last fall's Goodbye Christopher Robin. We now have the similarly titled Christopher Robin. It's sentimental and simple but it's a nice romp through the Hundred-Acre Wood.

The film opens as Christopher Robin bids his stuffed animal friends adieu. He's off to boarding school. He and Pooh promise not to forget each other. Years later, Christopher (Ewan McGregor) is worn out by his stuffy job at a luggage factory. His bosses force him to work one weekend to save the company from failure. He was supposed to go to Sussex with his wife, Evelyn (Hayley Atwell) and their daughter, Madeline (Bronte Carmichael), but they'll have to go alone.

Pooh Bear (Jim Cummings) finds Christopher pondering the situation. Pooh needs Christopher to find his missing friends. He also thinks a Heffalump is around. Christopher reluctantly agrees to help. He's not happy with this diversion at first. But he learns to have fun again as he saves the day.

Director Marc Forster works from a screenplay by Alex Ross Perry and Allison Schroeder. The opening credits bring us nicely to speed with Christopher Robin's life post-Pooh. That even includes a stint in World War II. You won't be surprised with his jaded outlook on life after that. The truth behind the Heffalump is a big nothing, but it's not out of character for Pooh and friends, so that's something. Any scene with Pooh and friends is the best one. You'll get the references to the first Disney shorts even if you haven't seen them in ages.

McGregor is good as Christopher Robin. He's convincing as a dour workaholic who learns to have fun again. As I said before, you'll understand his outlook after the credits. Atwell and Carmichael are strong in their supporting roles; the latter takes the lead in the action-filled climax. The voice cast is especially good in their parts. Cummings reprises his roles as Pooh and Tigger and does it awesomely. The best new casting is Brad Garrett as Eeyore, who fits in the role perfectly. If only the film had more of Rabbit (Peter Capaldi) and Owl (Toby Jones).

There's plenty of technical goodness in the Hundred Acre Wood. The visual effects are great for a $70 million movie. Pooh and company look like actual stuffed animals rather than obvious CGI. Their interactions with the human cast are believable. Cinematographer Matthias Koenigswieser sets the story to a sentimental mood. Geoff Zanelli and Jon Brion emphasize the mood with their score. And Disney legend Richard Sherman provides a few new catchy songs, including one he performs in a mid-credit scene.

Christopher Robin is sentimental and sweet and sometimes slow. Its story will resonate with adults right away but might take longer with kids. But it'll be worth it if and when it does. It's a story of finding your lost happiness in adulthood. I can relate to that. Its 2 hours are an easy summer breeze in a season of big blockbusters.

Mission Impossible: Fallout

Tom Cruise and his superspy alter-ego, Ethan Hunt, are still taking missions 22 years after Mission Impossible made its big screen debut. For the sixth mission, Fallout, the franchise's revolving director's chair sits stationary as Christopher McQuarrie returns from the last film, Rogue Nation.

This time, Hunt and his fellow spies Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) and Luther Stickwell (Ving Rhames) are hunting the supervillain John Lark. Lark and the Apostles, remnants of the last film's The Syndicate, want some nuclear cores to make weapons with. Our heroes try and fail to stop them at first. But they can try again in Paris. That's where the arms dealer The White Widow (Vanessa Kirby) is to sell the cores to Lark. CIA director Sloane (Angela Bassett) sends the brutish August Walker (Henry Cavill) to make sure the mission works.

The mission mostly works. But the White Widow wants our heroes to extract The Syndicate's Solomon Lane (Sean Harris) in exchange for one core. They do. The Apostles have already made weapons with the other two. Our heroes have to find the weapons and disarm them. It gets complicated when Hunt is suspected of being Lark. Hunt has to find the real man and save his ex-wife, Julia, from the nuclear attack.

McQuarrie's screenplay gives plenty of insane stunts for Cruise to do. There's his HALO jump during a lighting storm. A lengthy car chase in Paris. And a helicopter chase for the climax. Of course, there are plenty of writing stunts McQuarrie pulls masterfully, like how Hunt tricks an Apostle scientist (Kristoffer Joner) into giving his secrets. A few plot details might flyby during the film's 144 minutes. It's especially so if you're not familiar with the entire film series. Those are minor compared to Sloane's decision to act like an obstructive bureaucrat at the worst possible time.

All the action and drama is paced nicely by editor Eddie Hamilton. The cinematography of Rob Hardy makes the movie worthy of the big screen. The HALO jump looks and sounds great. Hunt and Walker's tag-team against a Lark decoy is a memorably brutal fight. The climactic rush to stop the bombs is a thrilling set piece. It helps that Lorne Balfe's score emphasizes the action spectacularly.

I wouldn't know if Mission Impossible: Fallout is the best of the series or one of the best sequels ever. But it is one of the best films this summer. Its action scenes are sure to be icons in the genre. Its cast of characters (especially Pegg) make the long run time worthwhile. See it at any price in the largest screen available. 

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies

DC's young superhero team, the Teen Titans, made a name for themselves with their animated series in 2003. Their 2013 revival, Teen Titans Go!, took the show's goofy side and ran with it, allegedly, in the wrong directions. Few thought one such direction was to the big screen. But that's where they went in Teen Titans Go! To the Movies.

The Teen Titans - Robin, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Raven and Starfire - are Jump City's resident childish superheroes. Nobody takes them seriously, not even DC's other superheroes. Film director Jade Wilson (Kristen Bell) is making movies of DC's superheroes; even Batman's Batmobile and Utility Belt have movies. Robin decides to increase the Titans' prestige by getting their own movie. But first, they must have an arch-enemy.

Slade (Will Arnett), a gruff, armored supervillain, enters the scene. He wants to use a crystal to take over the world. The Titans want to stop him. But Slade doesn't take them seriously. But the Titans' efforts get Jade to take them seriously. That Teen Titans movie might finally get made. But fame and fortune might split them up before the premiere. How will they get out of this one?

The film's goofy humor has its hits and misses. There's not many misses, though. A few bits of childish humor and loud goofiness went a bit longer than needed. But the hits are plenty. A darkly funny scene has the Titans prevent, then un-prevent numerous superhero origins, including Superman's (Nicolas Cage), Batman's (Jimmy Kimmel) and, though their names aren't mentioned, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Batman v Superman's most derided moment gets a welcome mocking. And even Stan Lee gets to cameo here. It's that kind of movie.

It does know when to get serious, though. You'll feel it when the Titans are mocked by the other heroes. The Titans' temporary break-up was sad even if you knew it was temporary. And their home movie was silly but it had a good pay-off at the end. It's not an Oscar-caliber screenplay but at least it admits it.

The production values are a bit bigger than the TV show. Its characters look the same but the backgrounds are more elaborate. It even changes animation styles for a few scenes, including a surprising parody of The Lion King's Circle of Life number. Jared Faber's score is pretty good, but its best moments incorporate the 2003 show's famous theme. There were a few musical numbers, some forgettable, with the best one featuring Michael Bolton and a funny closing gag.

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies is a delightfully silly superhero parody for kids. It goes by pretty good at 88 minutes even if it drags a bit at places. It's both a louder, longer and smarter episode of the TV show. Doesn't that sound weird? It's at least worth a matinee.

The silliness starts with a new short for DC's girl-centric franchise, DC Super Hero Girls. It was fun even if it ended abruptly. Its mid-credit scene homages the 2003 show. It ends the credits on the Challengers of the Unknown, Jack Kirby's classic, yet relatively obscure super team, whose comical mistreatment made for a funny running gag.

Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again

It's not the first Jukebox Musical, but Mamma Mia! is still the biggest name in the field. Ten years after its big screen run, Universal Pictures and director/writer Ol Parker gathered another batch of ABBA songs (and a few reprises) for another go around. So here I go again for Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again.

The first film had Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), who, having never met her father, invite the three men who might be him - Bill (Stellan Skarsgaard), Sam (Pierce Brosnan) and Harry (Colin Firth) - to her wedding. And hilarity ensued, and the paternity issue was ignored.

Years later, after her mother Donna's (Meryl Streep) off-screen death, Sophie renovates her Greek island Inn into the "Hotel Bella Donna." She has a big grand reopening planned, but it's not going good for her. Her husband, Sky (Dominic Cooper), is away on business. Sophie needs all the support she can to make it.

Meanwhile, young Donna (Lilly James), lives a carefree life after she graduates college. She then meets her future daughter's three possible fathers (Josh Dylan as Bill, Jeremy Irvine as Sam and Hugh Skinner as Harry). It's not that easy but she pulls through.

I'm not sure if this is better than the first film or not. I do know that the ABBA songs, "new" and "old", are entertaining. Even if some exist just to have a spot in the film. There are a few strong moments here, like the finale, so that's good. It's a light plot for 114 minutes, but at least it meant something in the end.

The characters are fine. Bill's first scene involved a masterful fake-out involving a twin brother (also Skarsgaard). Sam's singing, while derided in the first film, didn't bother me here. Sophie's three dads, old and young, are an entertaining, likable trio. Christine Baranski and Julie Walters as Donna's Best Friends, Tanya and Rosie, were funny, as were Jessica Keenan Wynn and Alexa Davies as their younger selves. I wish there was more of Streep as old Donna and Cher as her mother, Ruby. Why did they have to kill off Donna?

The editing by Peter Lambert does a good job at juggling locations. But it can throw people off by juggling time periods. The production and costume designs are good. Robert Yeoman's cinematography of Croatia makes the fictional setting of Kalokairi attractive. There's supposed to be a score by Anne Dudley, but it's overshadowed by the ABBA numbers and instrumentals of them.

Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again keeps up the same giddy attitude of its predecessor. It takes a chance on more of ABBA's catalog. It's not just a way to make money, money, money. You'll thank the filmmakers for the music after a good matinee.

Before I make more ABBA puns, I'll finish by saying it's a fine sequel. It's a super trouper which wants to entertain and succeeds. Just don't think too much about it.

I made another pun...

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation

The Ghouls and Ghosts are ready for another stay at Hotel Transylvania. Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation promises another family friendly spooktacular in 3D and Flatscreen. It gets points for stepping out of familiar territory. Let's see what else it does.

This time, we find Count Dracula (Adam Sandler), proprietor of the Hotel Transylvania, stressed and lonely. His daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez), books him and his monster friends on a cruise ship, the Legacy. Dracula can take "a vacation from  giving vacations" as the ship sails all the way to Atlantis. He's unimpressed by the "hotel on the water" until he meets Captain Ericka (Kathryn Hahn). He falls for her at first sight. Mavis sees something amiss.

Ericka is the great-granddaughter of Dracula's wannabe archenemy, Professor Abraham Van Helsing (Jim Gaffigan). The Van Helsings set up the cruise to destroy Dracula and his monster friends. They just need an artifact from Atlantis to do the job. The scheme is complicated by Ericka falling for Dracula too.

Director Genndy Tartakovsky once again deals with the zany hauntings of the titular resort. The plot isn't a retread of the first two films. You might have to familiarize yourself with the cast, but the film won't punish you if you don't. Its premise is a nice fish-out-of-water story. Its anti-prejudice themes are admirable. Its gags can get delightfully silly. Beware those who seek gravitas in their plot. It's still made for the youngest ghouls in mind.

Let's start with the new characters. Professor Van Helsing starts off an inept, yet funny villain. His multiple failures made for a great montage. He's still funny when he becomes a threat. Ericka is goofy and likable, even when she tries to kill Dracula. Her turning good was a believable story.

The returning characters are still a good bunch of monsters. Wayne and Wanda (Steve Buscemi and Molly Shannon), the werewolf parents of too many, were great side characters. Tinkles (Joe Whyte), the giant puppy, debuted as the eponymous Puppy! in the opening short of last year's reviled The Emoji Movie. His antics were fun. And of course, there's Count Dracula. He's still a likable prince of darkness.

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation is a fine summertime spooktacular. Its 97 minutes are fun and fast-paced. It's not a milestone in storytelling but it's worth a matinee. This entry keeps its predecessors' good, spooky mood. Let's see what they'll do if they make a fourth one.

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

It's been ages since I watched Mister Rogers' Neighborhood on TV. If only I can remember when. Anyway, Mister Rogers himself, Fred Rogers, is the subject of Morgan Neville's (20 Feet from Stardom) new documentary, Won't You Be My Neighbor? You won't feel lost in this neighborhood if your last visit was ten, twenty or thirty years ago. Its story will welcome you back with open arms.

Fred Rogers started his show as counter-programming to loud children's programming. His cast of human and puppet characters educated children about life and wisdom. But it wasn't so easy. He dealt with depression for much of his life. He wondered if his show was worth it in the end. All the interviewees agree that it was.

Its 93 minutes are slow but steady. It details the origins of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood from its start as The Children's Corner to its official start in 1968. It also shows us the real life man, who was no different than the TV man. Except that he had a bit more adult sense of humor. And he was also frustrated with the cynicism of this world. But he stood to his principles and welcomed everyone in his neighborhood.

And no, Mister Rogers was not a sniper. The film debunks that and other rumors about him.

It's also a great re-introduction to the show. You'll get to know its puppet characters, like King Friday XIII and Daniel the Tiger. You'll also learn how they reflected Rogers' life. You'll also see how the show defied convention by talking about major issues, like death and war, in a kids show. There's that time King Friday built a wall to keep people out. The interviews with its human cast and crew portray the good life on the set as he made them feel welcome.

Won't You Be My Neighbor is a great portrait of a man who meant everything he said on TV. You'll mourn not just Mister Rogers, but his humanity which some prominent folks lack these days. It's certain to inspire interest in visiting the neighborhood. See it before Mister Rogers' life becomes a narrative film. That film, You Are My Friend, is now in production with Tom Hanks as Rogers.

Ant-Man and the Wasp

We now have ten months to see the epic conclusion to Infinity Wars's cliffhanger. And Marvel still hasn't given a title. In the meantime, we have the size-changing misadventures of Ant-Man and the Wasp. It's a simple adventure...

... At least until the end-credit scenes bring about Infinity War's apocalyptic ending. Ten more months till Part 2 seems like an eternity. At least the second scene has some good comic relief.

Anyway.

Scott Lang (Paul Rudd): ex-husband, ex-con, and ex-superhero Ant-Man (sometimes Giant Man). He's been under house arrest ever since his unsanctioned super-heroics in Civil War. He and his buddies run a security company while he waits out the end of his sentence. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), the former Ant-Man and his daughter, Hope (Evangeline Lily), are fugitives because of Scott's aforementioned Civil War action. But they need his help.

Pym's wife, Janet, the super-heroine The Wasp, vanished into the subatomic Quantum Realm thirty years earlier. But Scott went there in the last movie and came back. His trip there left him quantumly entangled with Janet. Pym and Hope, the new Wasp, grab Scott to help them build a quantum tunnel to locate Janet and get her out. Easy?

No. They're pursued by the FBI, including agent Jimmy Woo (Randall Park), crooked arms-dealer Sonny Burch (Walton Goggins), and a masked woman, The Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen). Burch and the Ghost want Pym's quantum technology for themselves. Our heroes are running out of time to get Janet out. Scott has to get home before curfew. It's a tall-order for a hero who grows small ... and big.

Rudd and his co-writers, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari, make sense out of Scott's adventures. He's still a likable superhero and father who wants to do the right thing if not for that ankle-monitor. His ordeal is understandable. His mission provides great tension and humor as complications arise. The resolution to this caper was a good one. And yes, Hope proves herself a great superpartner for Scott. 

Scott's buddies are still awesome comic relief. Burch is an acceptable antagonist; not that memorable but he's a capable threat. Dr. Bill Foster (Laurence Fishburne) is a welcome presence here. The Ghost is perhaps the most benign Marvel villain; she's antagonistic but her motives are sympathetic. Pym's ego drives the backstory but the exposition felt rushed at times. This is most apparent with the story of The Ghost's father, Dr. Starr (Michael Cerveris, in a cameo). That's the only real flaw of this fun super adventure.

All the size-changing effects make the humor and action as fun as the first film. Scott's mishaps with his suit provide a few laughs and impressive visual effects. His upscaling to Giant Man is cool. The Ghost's intangible effects are also flawless. The Quantum Realm is an amazing CGI environment.

Ant-Man and the Wasp seems like harmless filler for Infinity War Part 2. But its end credit scenes set Scott up for his role there after he missed Part 1. The revelation will hit you hard. The movie itself is a fun sci-fi adventure with an atypical, yet capable antagonist. Its moral dilemmas felt right at place in a classic Star Trek episode. You won't get antsy during its 118 minutes. Just after...

Sicario: Day of the Soldado

Taylor Sheridan continues his story of the war on drugs in Sicario: Day of the Soldado. His sequel to the bleak crime thriller, Sicario, discusses some politically sensitive topics. But its story is too murky to touch a nerve.

Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) and his right-hand gun, Alejandro Gillick (Benicio del Toro), fight dirty against the drug cartels. A group of suicide bombers strike a Kansas City supermarket. The Government suspects that the cartels smuggled them across the border. They send Matt and Alejandro to retaliate against the cartels. They decide to turn the cartels against each other. Their main tactic is to seize Isabela Reyes (Isabela Moner), daughter of cartel kingpin Carlos Reyes, the man behind the brutal deaths of Alejandro's family.

It all goes well until their Federal Police escort turns on them. The firefight causes an international incident with Mexico. The Department of Defense disavows the mission and orders them to scrub Isabela. But Alejandro sympathizes with Isabela's predicament. He'll do what it takes to keep her safe.

Director Stefano Sollima (Suburra) makes his English-Language debut here. The screenplay mixes in several stories for 122 minutes. The Islamic suicide bomber subplot is forgotten about when their true, more local origins, are revealed. Carlos Reyes was never mentioned in the first movie, yet he's mentioned like he's always been there. Reyes himself never appears. Miguel (Elijah Rodriguez), a good kid caught up with the cartels, gets a compelling subplot with a questionable resolution.

Benicio del Toro is still the star of the show. His Alejandro is still formidable but he shows his lighter side here. The same goes for Brolin's Matt Graver. Isabela Moner as Isabela Reyes was compelling, as was the aforementioned Elijah Rodriguez. Matt's DOD superiors (Catherine Keener and Matthew Modine) were barely memorable jerks. The cartel bad guys were mostly forgettable.

Hildur Guðnadóttir's score was a great successor to the late Johann Johannson's unforgettable soundtrack from the first film. It punctuates the intense moments perfectly. It's helped by the sound design and editor Matthew Newman. The Kansas City attack and the police ambush were standout sequences. Cinematographer Dariusz Wolski's use of long takes worked well for them.

Sicario: Day of the Soldado is a dark film but it's not as bleak as the first film. Alejandro and Matt's more sympathetic portrayal helped blunt any darkness-induced audience apathy. Its logic is questionable but its tension is good. There's currently talk about a third Sicario movie. Let's hope it answers a few questions this one raised.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

It's been three years, and I still haven't gone to Universal Studios Hollywood. I don't think I'll get to it before its Jurassic Park ride finally closes down. Instead, I'll review a film about a dinosaur park, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

Is it the world's greatest dinosaur movie? I don't know, but it's a good summer blockbuster.

Isla Nublar, site of the ill-fated Jurassic Park and Jurassic World, is about to go volcanic. World's former operation manager, Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) is recruited by billionaire Benjamin Lockwood (James Cromwell) and his aide, Eli Mills (Rafe Spall), to rescue its endangered clone species. Blue, the last Velociraptor, is one of Lockwood's priorities. Claire recruits Raptor trainer Owen Grady (Chris Pratt), paleo-vet Zia Rodriguez (Daniella Pineda) and computer wiz Franklin Webb (Justice Smith) for the mission.

Our heroes discover that Mills has a less-altruistic motive for saving the dinosaurs. That motive is the Indoraptor, a new super dino cloned from the first film's Indominus Rex. They have to keep it and the other dinosaurs from the wrong hands. 

Derek Connolly and Colin Trevorrow return as the writers. Trevorrow, however, gave the director's chair to J.A. Bayona. The story has several strong scenes, from the escape from Isla Nublar to the revelation of Lockwood's granddaughter Maisie's secret. But there are some problems. The evil mercenary Wheatley's (Ted Levine) fondness for dino teeth wasn't properly explained. The Indoraptor doesn't factor into the plot until about halfway through. The clash with the Indoraptor and its aftermath felt rushed. The overall plot was long for 128 minutes.

The characters made it a good sit. Claire and Owen are still funny and capable action heroes. Franklin and Zia are fun new characters. Mills and the auctioneer, Eversol (Toby Jones), are fine villains. Lockwood and Maisie's story is good and the housekeeper Iris (Geraldine Chaplin) is memorable. BD Wong's Dr. Wu was a sympathetic villain, but he apparently never learned from the Indominus Rex incident. Jeff Goldblum made a welcome return cameo as Ian Malcolm. But the star of the show is the Indoraptor, a villain who has fun being vicious.

The film's CGI dinosaurs were better realized than the last film. They weren't that obvious this time around. A few animatronic dinosaurs appear and they don't clash with the CGI creatures. The Indoraptor's escape and a Stygimoloch's rampage during the auction of evil were highlight scenes. The escape from Isla Nublar was an intense and tragic sequence. The decayed Jurassic World was a great feat of production design. Oscar Faura's cinematography gives the film an effective gothic look. And as usual, Michael Giacchino has another strong soundtrack.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom isn't a milestone in storytelling or visual effects. But it's a capable blockbuster for a summer matinee. It gives us a lot to think about the subject of science gone rogue. The ending promises big things for the world at large. Let's see what happens when it arrives in 2021.

JETHRO'S AMENDMENT: Remember the first paragraph? Well, I finally went to Universal Studios Hollywood. And the Jurassic Park Ride. Seeing it live is not like seeing it on screen.

And I didn't notice I misspelled BD Wong as BJ Wong for four years. Sorry....

Incredibles 2

A lot has changed for superhero films after The Incredibles appeared in 2004. A lot of it was Marvelous. And now, Pixar's first super family has a sequel of their own. This is Incredibles 2 and it lives up to that name.

It starts where the first film ended. The evil Underminer rises from below to conquer the above. The Incredibles and their pal Frozone take on the subterranean villain and cause some collateral damage. All the world governments decide to ban "Supers" forever after this incident. The Incredibles, in their secret identity of the Parr family, may have to stay normal forever.

Winston Deavor decides to help. He gives Helen Parr/Elastigirl, a sanctioned superhero job to turn public opinion in Supers' favor. The family moves to a nice new mansion. While Elastigirl saves the day, Bob/Mr. Incredible discovers that baby Jack-Jack has a wild assortment of superpowers. The other Incredible kids, Violet and Dash, have their own stuff to deal with. The whole family has to deal with the Screenslaver, a supervillain who decides to "free the masses" of their need of Supers.

Brad Bird returns to write, direct and voice the eccentric costume designer Edna Mode. The film is a super-family dramedy as relatable as a normal family dramedy. Bob and Helen's job troubles are as compelling as their fight against the Screenslaver. Jack-Jack gets the best laughs and his fight with a persistent raccoon is a highlight. You won't get lost in the subplots and it all comes together nicely in the end. There are a few logical questions concerning the film's logic (how did they not notice Jack-Jack's powers before?), but they don't crack it apart.

Pixar's technical excellence continues here. The character designs, new and old, are unique and their environments and costumes look photoreal. Their Super powers provided some Incredible action scenes that fail to bore you. A lot of it has to do with the sound design and Michael Giacchino's score. Both of those audio values succeed with flying colors. The Screenslaver's hypnotic effect, however, might work too well for some viewers.

Incredibles 2 is a welcome sequel to a Super-Pixar film. It stands out proudly with all the live-action superhero films since 2004. It gives its characters plenty to do and none of it stale. I'm ready to see what the family will do next.

It all opens with a new Pixar short, Bao, the story of a Chinese mother and her dumpling son. A dumpling son who grows up into a rebellious young man. The story took a shocking swerve but the ending was nice.

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Word is that Harrison Ford will once again take on the mantle of Indiana Jones for a new adventure. While that's a few years off, we have a prequel starring his first signature character, Han Solo. Solo: A Star Wars Story has Alden Ehrenreich as the galaxy's most famous smuggler. And the Force is OK with this one.

Han and his best friend Qi'ra (Emilia Clarke) were scavengers on the grungy planet Corellia. They try to escape their employers by joining the Imperial Navy, but only Han gets free. Years later, Han's ego demotes him to the Imperial Infantry. He later meets a smuggler crew led by Tobias Beckett (Woody Harrelson). They plan to steal a shipment of Coaxium, a MacGuffin hyper fuel. Han joins their mission along with Chewbacca, who he meets on the way.

The mission goes awry and the crew find themselves in trouble. Their employer, Dryden Vos (Paul Bettany), a crime boss of the Crimson Dawn syndicate, wants to cut his losses by cutting them. They'll have to find another source of Coaxium and fast. Fortunately, suave smuggler Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover) and his ship, the Millennium Falcon, are here to help. As is Qi'ra, who happens to be Vos's trusted lieutenant. But can anybody be trusted?

Director Ron Howard came aboard after the original choices, Phil Lord and Chris Miller, fell out with Lucasfilm. Their comedic style is evident throughout the film especially in a gritty war scene early on. The tone set by Jonathan and Lawrence Kasdan's script doesn't fluctuate too badly. The film's revelations of treachery and double-doublecrossing were hard to follow. There's a subplot involving "space pirates" that could've been improved with one more scene with them. A few scenes made the film's 135 minutes feel longer than they were.

Ehrenreich was an admirable choice for Han Solo. He's charming and quick-witted but he knows when to be serious. Glover was even better as Lando; his slick demeanor is entertaining and endearing. Lando's right-hand droid, L3-37 (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), made for the film's best new character. Tobias Beckett made for a fun mentor. Rio Durant (Jon Favreau) made for another memorable character who bit it too soon.

The film's technical standards are alive and well. Its best set piece is the fabled Kessel Run, which involves fleeing from a giant space squid. Cinematographer Bradford Young makes the space encounter perfectly nightmarish. This ought to make an intense ride on Disneyland. On the other hand, the initial coaxium heist was rapidly edited to blurry results. Still, the other action scenes edited by Pietro Scalia were amazing and comprehensive. John Powell's soundtrack mixes in a strong original score and bits of John Williams's classic themes.

Solo: A Star Wars Story is a good space adventure. It's not a milestone in filmmaking but it'll entertain you for an afternoon. It's amazingly cohesive given all the turmoil it experienced. I'm not demanding a sequel but I'd like an explanation for a long dead character's sudden return here. You'll be surprised when you see him. Let's hope Episode Nine will wrap up the main saga, again, in a triumphant way. That'll come in December of next year.

Deadpool 2

Hey there, True-Believers! Deadpool here, and I want to talk to you about my latest movie. That's right, my first movie was such a hit that Fox (which may or not be a Walt Disney company soon), wanted another. It's creatively named Deadpool 2 and...

It's just as fun as the first one. I hope this cameo won't ruffle any legal feathers.

Excuse me. Was I talking to you? No? No! Let me explain.

So I've (Ryan Reynolds) spent the last few years killing bad guys. One of them gets away and he and his guys kill my best gal, Vanessa. On our anniversary, no less! So I do what any sane man would do: blow myself up! But I can't die because of my mutant healing factor!

Colossus of the X-Men helps me get together, physically and mentally. He gets me to join the team. My first mission, which I accept, is to deal with an angry young mutant named Rusty (Julian Dennison). Unfortunately, my (lethal) attempt to save him from his abusive orphanage throws us into the "Icebox." And then, a cyborg badass from the future named Cable (Thanos! I mean, Josh Brolin!) shows up. He wants to kill Rusty because he'll grow up into a supervillain. 

Sounds sane.

What, no, it doesn't! I have to save him before he goes evil! I break out of the Icebox with a plan. I assemble a squad of mutant heroes to break out Rusty before he does something reckless. Like what?! Gee, like, free an unstoppable mutant named Juggernaut and kill his abusive caretakers, which sets him down a path of evil...

He just did that first thing, didn't he? Uhh... Gotta stop him from doing the other thing!

And I gotta step in and review this film!

AHH.... ow.

Reynolds joins returning writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick for this latest screenstory. It tramples on superhero movie cliches as much as its predecessor. It throws in a surprise cameo or two. Even Deadpool's new super team, the X-Force, is an elaborate joke. But it treats its characters' tragedies seriously. At least as seriously as the film allows it. Deadpool's loss is tragic, but his suicide attempt and the subsequent James Bond-ish opening credit sequence is pure black comedy.

What can we say about its characters? Quite a bit. Deadpool is still a fun merc, a sympathetic protagonist and all-around awesome antagonist to the fourth wall. Brolin as Cable plays what could've been a one-note cliche into a believable character. Dennison as Rusty is also believable as an angry mutant youth on the wrong path. Domino (Zazie Beetz) is awesome and her superpower of luck has funny results. The dour Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) and her cheery girlfriend, Yukio (Shioli Kutsuna), are great together.

Director David Leitch has a bigger budget from the last film, and he makes the most of it. Its best use is the motion capture for Colossus and Juggernaut. They look as real as the other actors despite their imposing sizes. The mutant power effects are also nicely done. The action scenes are as entertaining as the first film. Tyler Bates's score stands out from the old standards primarily for Juggernaut's imposing, yet silly theme. The aforementioned opening sequence is set to a strong ballad, Ashes, performed by Celine Dion.

Deadpool 2 is a bloody fun superhero romp. You should still think twice before you take the kids, if at all. You won't be disappointed if you see it. It's a superhero adventure that stands out from the crowd. But it still leaves things open for a spinoff. An X-Force movie is in the works, but after this movie, you'll wonder how it'll take shape. The midcredit scenes trample on Wade's character arc and the fourth wall some more. But it can get away with that easily.

The Death of Stalin

Some films like to spoil the story with its title. And that's what happens with The Death of Stalin. Directed and co-written by Armando Iannucci, this is a darkly satirical history lesson adapted from a French Graphic Novel. Let's see what we can learn here.

It's 1953 and Josef Stalin (Adrian McLoughlin) rules the Soviet Union with an Iron Fist. Anyone who speaks out against him "disappears." Maria Yudina (Olga Kurylenko) is a pianist who hates Stalin. She decides to tell him off in a strongly-worded letter. Stalin gets a good laugh over it and immediately suffers a cerebral hemorrhage which later kills him.

The Central Committe, which includes Nikita Khrushchev (Steve Buscemi), Georgy Malenkov (Jeffry Tambor) and Lavrentiy Beria (Simon Russell Beale), scramble to take command. They have their own self-interests in mind and won't hesitate to advocate them. Their political scheming plays out as they organize Stalin's funeral. Fun times?

It all plays out for 107 minutes. The characters act like estranged siblings squabbling over their late father's estate. They argue over petty things like Bishops attending the funeral and whose car gets to go first out of Stalin's driveway. We get some laughs over their political blundering. But their darkest deeds are played seriously. It seems the point was to make us question laughing at villains. But it felt like jarring mood whiplash.

The cast was a fine bunch of schemers. Tambor as Malenkov was good as the most sympathetic of the bunch. Buscemi's Khrushchev was an unexpected casting choice, but he still made a fine "good guy" who reveals himself in due time. Beale's Beria was pure evil, but his karmic kangaroo court felt excessive even for him. Rupert Friend stole the show as Vasily Stalin, Stalin's bumbling son. Jason Isaacs was also awesome as General Zhukov.

The film's best technical comrade is composer Chris Willis. His classically-influenced score adds some epicness to the satire. The whole soundtrack is just waiting to join a concert set list. Zac Nicholson's cinematography helps accentuate the film's darkest moments. These moments make Cristina Castali's production design feel appropriately claustrophobic. Her recreation of Stalin's Dacha and the Kremlin were visually appealing, as were Suzie Harman's costume designs.

One might question what's so funny about The Death of Stalin, and I did too at times. But its greatest strength is its thematic discussions. Revolutionaries who turn out worse than the toppled. All-Powerful governments that aren't what they're cracked up to be. Nice guys corrupted by power. You'll laugh and cringe at how these issues still persist today. Especially cringe.

Avengers: Infinity War

I talked about it for years and now it's here.

Actually, it's been here.

I didn't see Avengers: Infinity War on its opening weekend because I was preoccupied with a 25th Anniversary screening of Super Mario Bros., a film I've seen plenty of times before since I was eight. It was worth it, just like this movie.

Thanos (Josh Brolin) the Mad Titan believes the universe is overpopulated. He just needs a way to get rid of half the universe. The Infinity Stones are that way but his minions haven't been much luck. So he sets off with his "Children" to get them himself. He already has two before the title appears. All the best Marvel Heroes, including the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy, have to assemble to keep him from getting more. It's not that easy.

I think I've summed up this entire movie. But there's a bit more than that.

The film divides its massive cast into several groups. It's fun to see these disparate characters interact here as much as it was in the first Avengers. My personal favorites involve Thor and Rocket Raccoon's relationship and the banter from Iron Man and Spider-Man. It balances each front rather well considering the scale.  Its large personnel means that this film, perhaps more than any other, requires familiarity with the other Marvel films. Certain characters have less screentime than you'd expect.

The real star of the movie is Thanos. He opens the movie displaying his physical and psychological prowess on The Hulk and Thor. He never stops being menacing from that first scene onwards. He steamrolls through our heroes and is willing to chat with them. His beliefs are understandable even if his methods are madness. He gives us a lot to think about after the film's cliffhanger ending.

Marvel's technical standards shine through. There's plenty of great action scenes set to a rousing Alan Silvestri score. The digital and real environments are perfectly realized. But the best effects are the motion capture used on Thanos and his "Children." Brolin and the other actors strongly emote through their CGI characters, none of whom look out of place with real actors. A few of them, like Ebony Maw (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor), look so lifelike you'd think they were live actors.

Infinity War is probably the bleakest Marvel film around. Literally nothing the heroes do can stop Thanos from unleashing death and destruction. Its 149 minutes seems like needlessly putting off the inevitable. Those expecting the usual heroics will be disappointed. It ends rather quickly because it is part one of two.

On the other hand, I thought it moved along rather well. The character interactions made it worth it. The death and destruction is tragic, but the Infinity Stones can reverse that. Marvel's future lineup means that some of it will get reversed. The darkest part is that we have to wait a year for the epic conclusion. But it'll keep us talking until then. The prerequiste end credit scene sets up Captain Marvel, a major player in Part Two, and who gets her own movie next March.