Dog Day Afternoon

Dog Day Afternoon; Immediately grabs your attention and deftly weaves through tones of comedy, drama and action guided by the superb performances of Pacino and the entire cast. The energy is electric as the robbery deteriorates and the pathos is palpable in how the story is written and directed; A+

Toy Story 5

Toy Story 5; How many Toy Storys are too many? Turns out 5. Coasting on nostalgia & introducing new characters that don’t have the likability of previous films, the formula is tired & no longer inspired. Franchise has been lifted by sum total of toys, but there’s little for most toys to do here; B-

Bicycle Thieves

Bicycle Thieves; Stark filmmaking drops right into the post war desperation of an Italian father & takes us for a ride fueled by despair, pride and hope. His frantic search for what he considers his ticket for survival is compounded by the neorealism style, making his situation palpable. Classic; A-