The Batman – A Cut Above your Typical Super-Hero (4.5*)
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The Batman is one of this year’s best movies. While nominally an action film, it also is thrilling detective story, told at a human level.
Visual Effects
Avatar: The Way of Water – (Superb Spirit & Beauty) (4*)
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Avatar: The Way of Water is a visual spectacle, a story setting up the next three sequels, and, yes, long.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Beautiful but Oddly Unsatisfying (2.5*)
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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever starts with the death of the former Black Panther and moves through nearly three hours of sometimes beautiful, sometimes action packed, scenes but with so many obligations to fulfill that it is ultimately unsatisfying.
Top Gun: Maverick – Well Structured and a Blast (4*)
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Top Gun: Maverick is this year’s most popular movie. It tells a relatively simple story well, bursting with visual and aural excitement. First of this year’s “popcorn movies” and worth every kernel. (4*)
All Quiet on the Western Front – A Gut Punch Focus on War (4*)
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A German production, All Quiet on the Western Front re-adapts the 1928 novel of the same name, adding some distinctive scenes and commentary to the story of a young German man, and his friends, thrust onto the “Western Front” to fight the French in the final months of World War I. Accompanied by some stunning cinematography, dominating sound and music, and visceral visual effects, the film reaches new heights in presenting the horror of war. It also adds another, very important message about how events are felt differently depending on where you stand on the social ladder.
Free Guy
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(2.5*) Free Guy – Some good acting can’t quite save this fairly shallow movie.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
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(3.5*) Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is thrilling and a lot of fun to watch. It also involves a compelling story of family dynamics.
Spider-Man: No Way Home
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(4*) Spider Man No Way Home has great visuals but also tells a human-level story. A surprisingly good comic-book movie.
No Time to Die
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(3.5*) No Time to Die is exactly what you expect from a Bond film. Sixty years after Dr. No, the franchise has changed, but lives on.
Dune
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(5 Stars) A stunning sensory experience and quite likely the next Star Wars.
The One and Only Ivan
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(1.5 Stars) Might work for families with small children.
The Midnight Sky
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(4 Stars) Much better than the critics say. Beautiful imagery and sounds and a story with a twist.
Tenet
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(3.5 Stars) A sensory delight, but if you want to follow the plot, bring a notepad.
Mulan
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(2.5 Stars) A disappointing remake when it could and should have been much better.
Irishman
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(4.5 Stars) In addition to what you expect, it shows that old folks still have huge creative talent. Still one of the best pictures of 2019.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
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(3.5 Stars) I suppose if you are a Star Wars buff, you will be disappointed. But for the rest of us, it is just plain fun.
Lion King
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(2 Stars) A retelling of the original story with amazing computer-animation technology. Watch it if you, or your family, didn’t see the original.
Avengers: Infinity War
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(3.5 Stars) Amazing Visual Effects, but the story, with 72 characters, is too big to wrap your mind around, unless you already know the comic book world well.
Ready Player One
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(4.5 Stars) My favorite action / adventure movie of the year with an intriguing story that bounces between a real dystopian future and an elaborate role-playing VR game.
Christopher Robin
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(2.5 Stars) I’ve loved Eeyore all my life, but this movie doesn’t move me in any particular way. Might be appropriate for families with small children.
Solo: A Star Wars Story
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(3.5 Stars) Star Wars fans will enjoy this origin story of Han Solo, with excellent visual effects. If you’re not into Star Wars, though, well it may not appeal.
First Man
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(3 Stars) Another tale of Neil Armstrong’s life and walk on the moon. Won the Visual Effects Oscar.