I.S.S.

I.S.S.; The Among Us susness premise is not overly drawn out, and the key pieces and relationships are quickly established enough for us to believe in the individual character motivations and to care about these people in space orbit. Nicely paced bit of creepiness and tension on a budget; B
 

Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero

Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero; Nicely ping pongs btwn his real life family & behind the scenes moments & stage performances that reveal how each element relates/ties into songs’ content or themes. Nicely spotlights tour’s supporting team of artists while still focusing on the burgeoning musician; B+

Bodies Bodies Bodies

Bodies Bodies Bodies; Enticing cast goes overboard in increasingly ridiculous ways which makes me wonder what was in those drugs they did. Playing werewolf at a party is interesting but the face slapping is a questionable choice. Mood & energy over actual intrigue & suspense. Ludicrous yet fun; B-

Problemista

Problemista; A hilarious yet sad story that reflects and exposes the dichotomy of privilege by birth right versus the immigrant experience and all the injustices that entails. Swinton in a maddeningly Anna Wintour from literal hell turn, the sweetness of Torres counterbalances her wonderfully; A-

Batman Begins

Batman Begins; An origin that leans heavily into the comics & the psychological aspects of the Batman mythos. Plays characters and world as if it were real, grounding it in what would most logically replicate the fiction in reality. Cleverly uses two rogues new to the films to serve Wayne’s story; A

Argylle

Argylle; Give in to absurdity of this premise & enjoy the ride. Ignore the horrible casting of Howard & relish in Rockwell & rest of cast executing this work to a level Vaughn is envisioning. Hilarious, preposterous & fully in on the joke, by the time the skating happens, you’re either in or out; B

The SpongeBob Musical: Live on Stage!

The SpongeBob Musical: Live on Stage; Apart from sheer joy in the lunatic absurd show/songs, this filmed Broadway musical is a let down, as cuts to great songs & moments are made to fit a runtime instead of highlighting the best bits fully. Poorly shot on a budget does not do justice to the show; B-

Sherlock Jr.

Sherlock Jr.; Visionary, exploratory filmmaking w/romantic plot at its core, there’s something for everyone to enjoy & thrill at in this feature. From the brilliant dreamlike “entering the movies” conceit to high stakes parlour tricks that seem like magic, Keaton threads it all to amazing effect; A+

One Week

One Week; Filled w/physical stunts & sight gags galore, the dynamic between the two leads & the quickly established villain is exploited w/great comic effect. The genius of Keaton is all on display here early in his career, w/4th wall breaking and many more audience expectation smashing tricks; A+