The Batman (2022) - 4/5

This movie is yet another reinvention of Batman, this time both more grounded and more gritty than Nolan’s trilogy. It chooses style over convention many times, which could have made the chase scenes hard to follow, for example, but the direction masterfully guides the audience to keep up with the action. Pattinson is good as Bruce Wayne but really shines as Batman, and the script focuses on the intimidatingly silent detective more than the super-human super-rich super-hero. The Riddler’s riddles aren’t sublime, but they’re more than good enough to carry keep the audience intrigued until the answers are revealed. This film’s primary sin is its length, clocking in at four minutes shy of three hours, when a deft editor could have trimmed it down by a solid half hour if he had been allowed to do so.

Closest comparison: It’s like Batman Begins by way of Joker (2019).

Setting: Crime
Plot: Detective
Tone: Thriller

Artemis Fowl - 1/5

Nothing about this movie makes sense. Multiple times it goes out of its way to make sure the audience understands something, then has the opposite happen as if it were a payoff. The acting is very bad, with the notable exceptions of Josh Gad and Colin Farrell who are doing the best they can with what they’re given. The only consistently good thing about the movie is the set design, which is ruined by terribly choppy editing. There’s nothing to like about this movie, whether you’re a fan of the book series or not.

Closest comparison: It’s like Spy Kids by way of The Last Airbender (2010).

Setting: Hidden World
Plot: Ransom
Tone: Kids Adventure

The Gentlemen - 4/5

This is the slick new crime action comedy from Guy Richie, and if you like his other films you’ll probably like this one, too. It’s a funny and suave take on the British criminal underground scene with a pert editing style that keeps the pace upbeat and moving. Unlike many of his other films, however, this one starts off with a lot of exposition, but once it finds its footing it does not disappoint. The actors all seem to be having a blast and the ending wraps everything up so neatly that it’s hard to find fault with the slower beginning. It’s great to see Guy Richie back doing the modern gangster films he does best.

Closest comparison: It’s like The Godfather by way of Baby Driver, but without the musical choreography.

Setting: Crime
Plot: Blackmail
Tone: Action Comedy

Dumbo (2019) - 2/5

This movie has some fatal character problems. While Colin Farrell is excellent and Danny DeVito steals every scene he’s in, the young girl (Nico Parker) shows the personality of a plank of wood. The villain only does villainous acts when the plot calls for it, and it’s never consistent for his character. Telling the most powerful person in the movie who has always treated his employees well until today that he has never had any power is weak and trite, and is emblematic of the scene-centric approach to this film that ignores character development. Of course the CGI elephant is good and the costuming is great, but movies live and die on plot and character.

Closest comparison: Just another in a line of poorly-conceived Disney live-action remakes.

Setting: Musical
Plot: Super hero
Tone: Drama

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - 3/5

The visual effects are great, so if you are going for them or you're already a Harry Potter fan then definitely go see this movie; I'm sure you'll love it. For me, there were several things that didn't work plot-wise and each spell they cast really only raises more questions, like "Why didn't they do this sooner?" or "Why don't they do this all the time?". I didn't really like any of the characters except one. He was fantastic and definitely put the movie up to a 3 for me.