A Quiet Place

The Krasinski clan Quietly knocks it out of the park with this pulse-pounding sub-sonic thriller. Starts strong with a masterclass in horror movie world-building with swift establishment of stakes and then consistently ups the ante and serves up the inevitable. Sneezes, rumbly stomachs, and sleep-talking aside, a thoroughly breathtaking vision.

Paddington

Escapes the dark jungle of mediocrity from which most animated animal movies hail, by maintaining an attitude of emotional empathy and brilliantly orchestrated visuals tucked under its hat. Despite maleroom and bathtub shenanigans, Kidman’s adult woman still feels a few notches too caricaturish, even for this almost unbearably endearing adventure.

Hostiles

Bale gets predictably Forgiven throughout this expansive episodic Eastward road-trip. Heartfelt performances and sweeping cinematography see the film safely through a plodding plotscape of genre clichés and redundant conceptual explorations. Small subplots carry more weight than overall arcs, but supporting players draw less emotional fire than the principal party members.