Ready Player One

Spielberg’s excessively non-self-referential spectacle races to the starting line then struggles to maintain the virtual velocity of its opening antics. Loaded with loving movie and pop-culture references the shining Oasis is effectively Imaginationland re-animated and vastly more satisfying than the grainy real-world parallels, including mustache-twirling Mendelsohn and Inceptionally illogical finale.

The Post

Equal parts history lesson and current events commentary, this President’s Men (and Women) prequel delivers a good lead but fails to follow it up compellingly. Hanks and Streep easily traverse their tiny character arcs, while lesser roles are occupied by TV regulars, all on a quest to break something bad.

Bridge of Spies

A crisp and fascinating true story, backlit by brilliant cinematography and filled in with Coens’ comedy.  Hanks walks a narrow bridge between emotional detachment and raw likeability.  Film inverts interrogators by delving deeply into Rylance’s able Abel while all but ignoring less powerful Powers.  Weirdly over-happy ending, but hey… Spielberg.

The Adventures of Tintin

Spielberg infuses 3D animated venture with the energy and tone that Crystal Skull sorely lacked.  A clever fast-paced story with witty dialogue and clever exploitation of motion-capture technology make for a fantastically fun film.  Bad guy who looks like Spielberg and good guy Peter Jackson evoke questions of producer-director relationship.

War Horse

Saving Private Stallion is long and meandering and while a few beats fall flat, plenty of others hit intended emotional chord.  Great effects and brilliant horse-action carry audience on a ride through all facets of European World War II.  Shameless stabs at heartstrings hit all-time high in orange silhouette finale.

The Blues Brothers

Far too long but appropriately iconic. SNL brothers on mission from God flee Nazis, Cowboys and Princess Leia in this oddball epic. Contains two feature length car-wreck scenes, not to mention musical numbers from an army of Jazz cameos such as James Brown, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and Steven Spielberg.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Campy action, lame dialogue, and freaky aliens illustrate Lucas’ involvement in this incredible desecration of an iconic series. Shia the Beouf nicely compliments the worst performances of Blanchett, Hurt, and Ford’s careers. Digital ants, Shia of the Apes, and a moronic waterfall car chase add to this colossal Crystal Skullf**k.