Baby Driver

Edgar takes Wright turn into traffic and delivers schoolboy’s fantasy, a carfully constructed crime caper with high-octane action but remarkably little beneath the hood. The Foxx and the Hamm vary their bossy roles while cleverly constructed long-shots, impressive choreographic synchronicity and occasional genre subversions keep the mph high despite superficiality.

Howl

Pseudo-documentary court hearing /Waltz with Ginsberg, this small but interesting thing does whatever it’s doing well. Strathairn’s confusion and Hamm’s appreciation are equally applicable to the film itself. Franco performs well as he sucks a last drop from Milk’s teat. Animation may better have suited Burroughs than this Clothed Brunch.

Bridesmaids

Female reboot of tired Apatow formula ends up supergood thanks to remarkable ensemble cast. McCarthy steals the show and countless puppies from army of SNL vets, while well-cast brit roommates fall by the wayside. Byrne burns bridges while unknown male star builds career. Starts with a bang as Hamm porks.

Sucker Punch

Snyder returns from Ga’Hoole and suffuses first original story with his usual sleek cinematic style. Browning, Malone, and high school Hudgens go through series of unfortunate events and Browning Pan’s her way out by imagining I, Robot and LOTR. Alarmingly deep story for Snyder, where exciting action often seems unnecessary.

The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)

Quasi-remake that starts well enough, and features the decades first decent Keanu casting, but then hits a standstill with introduction of Crichton prey bugs, the most dimly-lit McDonald’s ever, and a complete lack of main character motivation. Ends abruptly with simultaneous saving of planet and destruction of original film’s point.

A Single Man

Beautiful and contemplative freeform character study elevated to excellence by sublimely nuanced performance of Colin Firth. Strong supporting cast too; Goode is great, but Moore is better. True surprises are the editor and first-time director Tom Ford, who craft a piece of art. Watch, errr… listen for Jon’s Hamm-eo appearance.

The Town

Ben’s back. In Boston, in action, in more ways than one. Daredevil and Gossip Girl perform uncharacteristically well alongside ever-spectacular Renner. Hamm’s a ham hunting these mad men, and Cooper can’t quite pronounce words wrong right. Tense and exciting, like old Affleck has Heated up Departed and Gone Baby Gone.