Roofman

Roofman; Ripped from real life robber romance that would be difficult to believe if it weren’t true. Having Channing Tatum portray the charming criminal certainly doesn’t hurt the story & becoming emotionally invested. Not a happy tale, but an interesting one to watch unfold via a stacked cast; B+

To Catch a Killer

To Catch a Killer; Stellar acting by Woodley & Mendelsohn, along w/stylish direction elevate this entry into the FBI manhunt genre. Screenplay offers tension w/touches of moralizing societal treatment of trauma & cattle. Concludes too quickly as we are accustom to 10 eps of TV; B+

Spies in Disguise

Spies in Disguise; Enjoyable bit of entertainment due to fun voice cast. The animation utilizes the medium to stretch scenes silly yet also delivers explosive action scenes. Could have spent more time on story and character development but seems to expect a sequel for that; B-

Captain Marvel

Captain Marvel; Larson has a lot of fun in the role, making the character playful, strong, vulnerable and complex. Marvel continues to find the right balance of tone between action, comedy and drama. Nice to see Jackson’s role increased; A-

Ready Player One

Ready Player One; This Spielberg guy knows how to pace a film and play in a future setting that feels familiar and possible. Deftly bounces between the virtual and real worlds with intensity while referencing childhood touchstones with great emotional resonance; B+

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story; Complexity of story makes for a slow beginning that builds to thrilling yet still underwhelming finale; B