Ghosted

Ghosted; Excellent action flick keeps getting derailed by attempts to make a RomCom happen. Script’s arguing banter seems forced between two extremely charismatic leads. Still, there’s enough surprises to entertain while obvious odes to action romances of the past are valiant; B+

The Gray Man

The Gray Man; Solid spy thriller that Russos have shown a special talent for. Refreshing to have action sans superheroes. Gosling and de Armas are fantastic, both at the action and the humour. Franchise ready from the outset due to excellent execution from all involved; A-

Lightyear

Lightyear; Fine animation with several nods to space adventures past and present. Never cared for the character much and this doesn’t change anything but there’s mild fun to be had and a few great action moments. Missed seeing the usual Pixar short film beforehand; B

Snowpiercer

Snowpiercer; Riveting, thought provoking and intriguing. Class stratification and warfare set on a train has all the obvious metaphors yet doesn’t fail to entertain while reflecting on our society. Action is raw & bloody. Bold performances help sell the story. Excellent film; A-

Knives Out

Knives Out; Layered murder mystery mixes up all the elements of movie making to concoct a pleasure trove of nods and odes. Brilliantly played by the cast, working at multiple levels, political, social, theatrical, without a missed beat. Delightfully entertaining; A+

Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame; Brilliantly displays why extraordinary actors were cast to play these roles. Emotional payoffs aplenty alongside the witty humour we’ve come to enjoy from the MCU. Lovingly crafted to close out character arcs 10 years in the making. Truly impressive; A

Gifted

Gifted; Exceptional acting elevates what could be a syrupy flick. Instead, characters are honest, real and fully formed. Enjoyable film; A-

Captain America: Civil War

Captain America: Civil War; Great cast delivers note perfect beats in their limited on screen moments. Earns its punch up moments; A

Avengers: Age of Ultron

The Avengers: Age of Ultron; Darker and less fun than one. Excellent character moments seek deeper emotional depths but make mood dour; A-

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Captain America: The Winter Soldier; Makes great use of Cap's grounded Avenger 4 realistic action & spy games. Black Widow adds sass; A-