Elio

Elio; Seemingly less ambitious than Pixar’s previous films, while still striving to push animation into realms only existing in our imagination. Story is sweet and possibly tear inducing, with an affirming message but lacks the start to finish quality that classic Pixar films had in its prime; B+

A Minecraft Movie

A Minecraft Movie; Battles between a banal attempt to craft a comprehensible story out of nonsense and Jack Black and Jason Mamoa rollicking along in a bromantic fantasy. The absurdity teeters from sheer boredom to incredulous eye gouging visuals. None of it really works but what could we expect?; D

How To Train Your Dragon

How to Train Your Dragon; Impeccable casting allows this remake to succeed when it had no business being as good as its source material. Somehow the blending of really scary looking dragons + the characters being cute & goofy in the face of death works on a different level. A great companion film; A

Ballerina

Ballerina; Ana DeArmas works wonderfully in the world of John Wick. She has always had an ability to kick ass while looking artistically beautiful. Her savage mission takes us through a series of gloriously staged, spectacular action scenes, culminating in a fireball of violent destruction; A
 

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning; Serves up 2x tense stunt sequences, w/a greater emphasis on dramatic high stakes w/somber reverence for the series/characters as a whole. It’s great entertainment, but main stunts are so far removed from what we will experience, thrill is more detached; A-
 

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre; A Wild Journey taken by a trio of men who differ greatly in how they handle desperate times and moments of crisis. Bogart’s character is so very frustrating to stomach, a testament to his over dramatic turn butting up against his stellar costars. Great adventure; A-
 

Casablanca

Casablanca; Classics become one on account of their individual elements excelling on all fronts. This film has the writing, acting, directing, mise-en-scène, and music to last a lifetime. With quotable moments and a stark, ominous setting, it’s one for the ages; A