Christopher Robin

Titular character struggles to escape from his adult tedium in a film that somehow manages to render childhood nostalgia almost as bland as a dull desk job. Creepy animation only further detaches audience from story that should tug at heart strings. Overall, an adorable idea full of nothing but stuffing.

Tale of Tales

Interwoven fantasy yarns featuring an astonishing amalgamation of cheesy dialog and emotionally impressive performances. Big-budget visuals are given an odd tone by slow editing and a monotonous but pretty score. Passionate project allows complexity to consume its own heart and the method of telling is telling but ultimately lacks any

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

For a film with World in the title, the second half is remarkably contained within Bayona’s Impossible Orphanage. Amazing effects manage to compliment cartoonish action to artificially stave off extinction of the franchise. Periodically leans on weaker clichés but then clever twists predictably rush in to rescue each massive moment.

Atomic Blonde

Jane Wick is half bombshell, half monster as she tears through irrelevant baddies and tedious dialog in equal parts. Political Tinkerings, Watchmen music, Birdman continuity & Curiosa sex-scenes can’t heat up this chilly ice bath of action. About as subtle and tasteless as straight vodka, though not nearly as neat.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Apparently the game-makers caught and fired whoever did the Shakicam to part 1, because this sequel is well choreographed and crisply shot.  With deeper character development, larger cast, and imaximum number of digital tricks, the only thing extinguishing this fire’s sure victory is a twisty spoiler of a ship-sized plothole.

City of Ember

If the first fifteen minutes of Blast from the Past were a full film set in a subterranean Who-ville decorated by the Weasley family.  This hungover Hunger Games is interestingly conceived but underwritten, and only escapes the darkness on the strong shoulders of running Ronan.  Murray vs. mole rat melee!

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.

The Hunger Games

Battle Royale: America Edition bourne edits around the gore to market violence to teens.  Clever modifications make for solid adaptation of cerebral action novel to screen.  Technology is a bit forced, as is love story with utterly emotionless baby Thor.  Jones, Harrelson, Tucci, Banks and Kravitz add fantastic fifth elements.

Snow White and the Huntsman

Theron is so wickedly good in the first act that she yells for the entire rest of the film to distract the audience from everything else.  Hemsworth continues to be Thor and Stewart continues to not act as they both continue to look for Tim Burton in another failed epic.

My Week with Marilyn

Williams masters the voice at least, while Branagh proves that he actually is Olivier. An amusing but overly mundane movie about a mediocre movie seems like a compelling snapshot rather than an independent story. Hermione and some Captain America co-stars are underused alongside an unknown hero who holds his own.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Hardy, Strong, Hurt, Oldman. All perform well and names describe Gary perfectly. His performance is top-notch as he rides a Titanic cast-list into a slow and methodical spy quasi-thriller. More tinkering and tailoring than soldiering or spying. One would imagine that a movie this big would be easier to follow.

Captain America

Evans flames on patriotically in this exceptionally simple action flick. Marvelous performances and aesthetic make up for complete absence of plot originality. Basically a fast guy with a strong shield does exactly what he was supposed to do (fights Agent Red), without any internal conflict, plot twists, or historical relevance.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I

A half-satisfying half-movie featuring veritable cameos from the costars of its predecessors. Accurate collection of scene re-enactments strung together by semblance of plot and endless apparations. Hermione’s hotness completely skews the book’s character and Ron Weasley goes Sam Gamgee. Nearly naked aging teens with lack of Hogwarts distinguish this half-film.

The Mist

Darabont and King team up again with a more typical King storyline, but the same Darabont character development. Similar to Pitch Black, both in design of creatures and in ‘fear humanity’ message. Better in black and white, as pink creatures look a bit silly. Regardless of hue, ending is unforgettable.

W.

Alarmingly objective and seemingly fair representation of recent controversial events. Brolin’s performance is incredibly compelling without becoming a caricature. Supporting cast are for the most part impeccable as well, thought Wright and Newton are a bit hard to accept. Objectivity hindered by amusing and unrealistic compilation conversations of so-called Bushisms.