Oppenheimer

Oppenheimer; What happens when you gather the greatest talents in the industry & they make something so technically marvellous on every level, one wonders why they chose to make this, of all things. Compelling, but like most Nolan work, more cerebral than emotionally moving; A-
 

Jungle Cruise

Jungle Cruise; Fun, silly, lore filled adventure w/plenty of Disney’s typical F/X action set pieces spectacularly scored. Johnson & Blunt play well off each other & would make a fun comedy pairing in a different film w/less set dressing. A good time but not highly rewatchable; B

A Quiet Place Part II

A Quiet Place Part II; Picks up right where the original left off w/an equal amount of dreadful, eerie quiet suspense scenes that made the first one a smash success. Less Blunt is a minus but more Millicent is a plus, as she conveys so intensely w/her face. Highly effective; A-

A Quiet Place

A Quiet Place; Eerily directed and paced to great effect. The family cast works so well together, so that we believe their interactions and the danger they are living with. Right amount of suspense balanced with timely threat reveals stemming from the actions of the characters; A

Mary Poppins Returns

Mary Poppins Returns; Unbelievably earnest in achieving a sweetness so pleasing it invites diabetes. Lovingly mirrors the original without feeling dated or doting, the songs, animation and performances prop up a fairly obvious story arc; A-

The Huntsman: Winter's War

The Huntsman: Winter's War; Another movie made for the production, set and costume designers. Beautiful to watch, little to invest in; B-

Into the Woods

Into the Woods; Sondheim songs hit emotional depths of humour, horror and sadness. Perfectly cast and performed. Highly entertaining; A-

Edge of Tomorrow

Edge of Tomorrow; Sci-fi Groundhog Day cleverly enacts its conceit. Liman knows how to balance theme & action beautifully.Tightly edited; A-