The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar; Russian doll story within a story within a story climbing back out of itself is expertly performed by a most exquisite cast. Dahl’s clever and fun prose is hard to transfer to the screen but the way Anderson uses sets and framing to unfold it all is perfection; A
 

Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness; Horror/witchcraft genre comes to Marvel with mixed results. Much like Raimi’s previous work, it straddles hokey/horrifying by way of interesting/cheesy visuals. Acting talent of Cumberbatch and McAdams shine above all once again; B

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Spider-Man: No Way Home; Much more emotional than action packed, the theme of making the most out of second chances is well played out by the entire cast. Mirror verse imagery and multiverse possibilities make for some fun dynamics. Final credits are super cool too; A

The Grinch

The Grinch; Completely unnecessary retelling of Dr. Seuss tale is well done but ultimately adds little to the existing cartoon and live action editions. Better suited to a TV special or better yet, give Max his own story treatment; B-

Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange; Visual trip that earns its moments through brilliant casting. Mystic aspects are a welcome addition to Marvel universe; A

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies; Epic Carnage. Fights galore. Almost outpaces the story and characters in its battle orgy; A-

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug; More merriment & character building results in more engaging moments. Still, middle film let down; B+

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey; Peter Jackson=his own worst enemy. This time around seems less magical, more expected. Humour works; B+