The self-aware crassest superhero delivers again on everything we expect. If crass humor and ultraviolence don't bother you then you'll have a blast with this film. It's just about as good as the first one and in my opinion better in several regards, like better action scenes and more flushed out treatment of the villain(s). Surprisingly good performances where you least expect them with a few dashes of cameos for the fans. But you already knew whether you were going to see it before you read this.
Avengers: Infinity War - 5/5
This film has all the great cross-over action scenes we've been waiting for. Each character gets a time to shine and dialogue that fits them well. If you haven't seen all of the other movies leading up to this I think most of it will still make perfect sense, but you'll miss some quips and inside jokes. Also, be aware that while this film is mostly fun there are some much darker moments, including a torture scene. All in all, though, the film is certainly worth the hype.
John Carpenter's The Thing (1982) - 4/5
It's a classic for the horror genre, and the creature effects clearly demonstrate why it's still relevant 36 years later. Though the practical effects are definitely antiquated, the editing very cleverly conceals an impressive amount of what could otherwise have been flaws. This movie would have done better to provide enough information that The Thing could be traced upon repeat viewings, and the ending is anticlimactic. These do not detract from the flim as much as they are missed opportunities. Sill, I would be excited to watch it again so I have to give it the 4/5.
A Quiet Place - 5/5
This is one of the easiest ratings I've ever given. This movie is on par with the best of Hitchcock, Shayamalan, or Stephen King. The sound editing easily deserves an Oscar, and John Krasinski is amazing both as an actor and director. All the performances are deep and heartfelt, making the tension that much greater. The tension never really lets up for the duration, which would normally be a detriment but in this movie it's perfect. Very scary, very good, definitely worth watching if you like that kind of thing.
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.
Ready Player One - 3/5
This movie is a fun popcorn flick, but there's no real depth to it. It's pretty, has lots of fun references, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Since it's Universal Studios and Steven Spielberg, they were able to get a staggering number of intellectual property licenses, and it's fun seeing them all interacting like they would if the Oasis were a real place. The plot provides enough reason for there to be car races, dance numbers, and massive battles all in the same movie, but it's about as philosophically deep as National Treasure (that is to say, not very). If you enjoy pop culture from the 1980's until now, it's definitely worth a watch.
Pacific Rim: Uprising - 3/5
It's the big, dumb, kinda fun little brother of the first one. The talky bits are too long, the characters are shallow, the acting is passable, the writing is poor. But you get to see giant robots punch giant monsters (and sometimes other robots). Honestly this movie barely clears the 3/5 threshold for me. If you go in with low expectations you can have a lot of fun. But it's not a good movie.
The Cloverfield Paradox (Netflix) - 3/5
This is a fun sci-fi disaster movie and wisely moves fast enough to keep the audience questions to a minimum. By avoiding specifics the plot is able to adopt a 'here's what's happening, just go with it' attitude that works well enough. Lots of fun sci-fi ideas, most of which have been done before. Like many disaster movies it suffers from character contrivances that put themselves in more danger than necessary, but if that doesn't bother you then you may really enjoy this one.
Krull (1983) - 4/5
This movie is definitely campy, but once you accept that it's gem after gem after gem, from plot to writing to cinematography to acting to special effects. Of course, there are flaws in all of these areas, too, but the great moments far outshine them. It's a wonderful fantasy sci-if romp, and criticizing it for its campiness feels like faulting a geode for being rough around the edges.
The Punisher (Netflix, 2017) - 4/5
It's ultraviolent and there's too much sex, but ultimately it's all used very powerfully to tell an intense but good story. A few great twists and one exceptional episode in particular make it rise above the lesser Marvel Netflix crossovers. I rank it just below Daredevil (Season 1) and just above Luke Cage. If you can stomach the violence, definitely give it a try.
Black Panther - 4/5
The design in this movie is awesome; it's a pleasure to look at. It's Guardians of the Galaxy-level colorful (if not more), and the costume design is some of the best Marvel's ever put on screen. The fight scenes are choppier than they needed to be, but they're not bad. The message is solid and well delivered, which is difficult to do in such a shaky social and political climate. It's a relief they took the high road.
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016) - 3/5
This is a solid action flick that feels like a '90s action movie, but updated to the 2010's. Sure, there are some situational conveniences that expediate the plot but they're not glaring and make for fun, exciting action sequences. It's about as good as the first one, so if you liked that you'll probably like this.
The Greatest Showman (2017) - 5/5
This movie is amazing. The audio/visual experience is on the level of Moulin Rouge, if not better. Some people will be put off by modern pop-style music and dance in a period piece, but I loved it. For all the great singing and acting Hugh Jackman has done over the years, everyone in this movie was at least as good as him on both counts. And I think if the message resonates with you especially then you will like it even more than I did.
The Shape of Water - 4/5
It's very good, but there's a lot of nudity. Not pointless and in fact used maturely, but I also think ultimately the movie would have been better without it. On the whole the movie's beautifully shot and the story is beautifully told. Of Guillermo del Torro's other works it's closest to Pan's Laybrinth in the sense that it's a fairy tale told in a harsh world. If you like his other works and you are prepared to look away a few times, this movie is great, for the unparalleled set design and costume design at least.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi - 2/5
So much of this movie doesn't make sense, ranging characters' motivations to what people can actually do with the Force. It has a few really good shots of cinematography, and Adam Driver's acting was spot on. Most of the rest was problematic. There were 3-4 times I thought, "That was cool", but there were a good two dozen times I thought, "That was stupid". It's too long, and there's too much talking without people saying anything. Sorry guys, the movie's just not good.
Honestly, this one was right on the border for me between a 2/5 and 3/5. There was just too much that was downright stupid in it. There were three separate times during the movie when I took off my glasses and rubbed my eyes, shaking my head because the movie just made no sense.
Beauty and the Beast (2017) - 2/5
The CGI in this movie is solidy in the uncanny valley, from the Beast to Mrs. Pots. The songs they added don't feel like the original songs and sound like they could have come from Andrew Lloyd Webber's cutting room floor. Most lines they kept from the orignal have intentionally been spoken differently, I guess in an attempt to make it new, but now they sound less like real people saying real things than their cartoon counterparts did. All of that would have put it at a 3/5 for me, but there's a ton of politically motivated material in this movie. It's basically Liberal Virtue Signaling: The Movie, and it hits on enough topics that it's distracting. Every person in the movie we're supposed to like is either gay or a feminist or a cross-dresser or black or in a multiracial couple, etc. Every person who is bad is white, uses guns, doesn't read books, etc. On the whole, the movie is just about as bad as the unwatchably terrible Jungle Book (2016) live action remake, and it's just a big waste of time.
Justice League - 3/5
This is actually being rather generous. It's really a 2.5 but I had to pick a direction. The fight scenes are ok but uninspired and the writing is really really bad, especially in the dialogue. Everything is oversexualized and the way it's edited shows Joss Whedon tried to minimize that aspect as much as possible when he took over directing in the last month or so of film production. On the plus side it's colorful and the Flash has some funny lines with good delivery. Mostly a dud, but not a dumpster fire like Batman v Superman.
Full disclosure, we saw this movie last week but accidentally missed the first 30 minutes and didn't realize it until we got out and it wasn't as late as it should have been. We re-watched it today and my opinion of it actually didn't change that much. If it were a made for TV movie or a 90's direct to video special I would have said it wasn't too bad. But as it's a $300 million blockbuster it's hard to imagine how nobody on the production team threw up the red flag before it was released.
Stanger Things: Season 2 (Netflix) - 4/5
The Duffer Brothers did it again! Season 2 is really good in so many of the ways the first one was: cinematography, writing, acting. The pacing wasn't as good (one episode, though iconic, didn't have a lot to do with the rest of the season), but they managed to subvert my expectations over and over again which is always important. The main flaw comes in the form of what they did with a certain character's story arc, which was just not ok (at the lab). All in all there's lots to like and it is a surprisingly good follow-up to the first season.
The Hateful Eight - 2/5
Quentin Tarantino has always had an eye for cinematography and an ear for catchy dialogue, and this movie is no exception. From the title alone it should come as no surprise that none of the characters are particularly likeable (except for Tim Roth's Oswaldo Mobray who, while a villain, was enjoyable to watch). This movie goes straight for the shock value in a few places, as Tarantino does, but the payoff here is less of a twist and more of a "Yeah, I guess that makes the most sense" climax. I only recommend this if you're a die hard fan of his other movies.
Murder on the Orient Express (2017) - 3/5
It's good. It's fine. There's nothing wrong with it, but it's honestly pretty bland. For all the acting and directing talent available it is not very impressive, except for a few pretty great 'oners' if you're looking for them. If you're familiar with the story this movie holds no surprises for you. If not, it's a classic and this is a solid adaptation.