Another Thin Man - 3/5

This movie is the first sequel that starts the franchise heading in a more family friendly direction. The family-centered escapade scenes are quaint and could have been passable in their own right, but are not worth the accompanying decrease in effort that was put into the central mystery. As it is, the mystery is decent and the reveal is a bit obscure, but the story is fun and keeps the franchise going well enough.

Closest comparison: It’s like The Spanish Chest by way of The Thin Man.

Setting: Drama
Plot: Mystery
Tone: Comedy

Guys and Dolls - 3/5

This is a classic musical with a fun style that holds up years later. It’s starting number and some parts later on are surprisingly frenetic for the era it was written, and it comes off (like Gilbert and Sullivan) as being more fun to perform than to watch. That being said, its storyline is as constructed and outlandish as any musical, which will delight musical show enthusiasts but will only serve to drive skeptics of the genre further away with its garish pomposity. Don’t listen to those fuddy-duddies, this is a fun movie.

Closest comparison: It’s like Ocean’s Eleven (1960) by way of HMS Pinafore.

Setting: Crime
Plot: RomCom
Tone: Musical Comedy