Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - 3/5

This movie is conflicted. The first half is standard super hero fare, the second half tends more toward Sam Raimi-brand horror. The pacing is very flat, which robs the ending of some of its impact, but the fight scenes are creatively conceived and excellently executed. The character of America Chavez is mostly fine, but some of her trappings and backstory are downright leftist propaganda. The good parts of this movie are pretty great, but there’s enough that doesn’t work to bring the film movie down to mediocre.

Closest comparison: It’s like Doctor Strange (2016) by way of Evil Dead (2013).

Setting: Super Hero
Plot: Mentorship
Tone: Super Hero, then Horror

Ingrid Goes West (2017) - 2/5

This is an Instagram stalker story that flirts with the idea of having a point. It’s more interested in having a conversation about the dynamic between reality and unreality in modern social media than it is in forming any conclusions about the topic. It’s always fun watching Aubrey Plaza’s awkward humor, and Elizabeth Olsen is great in everything, but this film just putts along like it’s just trying to fill the runtime.

Closest comparison: It’s like Social Network by way of SwimFan.

Setting: Adventure
Plot: Stalker
Tone: Dramedy

WandaVision (Disney+) - 3/5

Most of the draw of this show was its mystique and intrigue. The premise was so outlandish that it kept the audience in a state of wild speculation during the two months it was coming out. But by the end it neither crashed nor stuck the landing, sticking it in the bottom half of Marvel productions. There’s a lot of content here from a lot of angles so mileage may vary on your enjoyment, but if you like a curiosity definitely check it out.

Closest comparison: It’s like The Twilight Zone by way of Too Many Cooks.

Setting: Sitcom through the decades
Plot: Aftermath
Tone: Sitcom / Super hero

Avengers: Age of Ultron - 4/5

This movie is fantastic, but introduces too many metaphors to pay off by the end. Director Joss Whedon stated in an interview that he challenged himself to make it shorter than The Avengers (2012), and it shows. This movie tries to do more in less time, and although it does an incredible job with what it has, an extra 10-20 minutes could have made this a 5/5. That being said the action is dazzling, the concept is solid, and they even managed to squeeze in three new characters that went on to appear in other MCU movies. With so much crammed into one movie, it definitely improves with multiple viewings.

Closest comparison: It’s the troubled middle child of the Avengers franchise.

Setting: Super hero
Plot: Super hero
Tone: Super hero

Wind River (2017) - 5/5

This is a 'Crying for the State of the World' film, and I can say to things about it: 1) It's very well made 2) Don't watch it. It's the kind of movie that's definitely either a 5/5 or a 1/5, depending on if you base it on how well the film was made or how it leaves you feeling by the end. It's slow and it's sad, but if you're going to make a movie like this, this is the way to do it.