Avatar: Fire and Ash

Avatar: Fire and Ash; No mistaking, the movie looks gorgeous & the world continues to be magnificent to look at. The craftspersonship is undeniable. Yet it still suffers from unremarkable characters, who are also very unlikeable at times, rehashing the same scenarios to justify action scenes; A-

Moana

Moana; Surprisingly good for a live action remake of a 10yr old film. Seeing the real life Polynesian people is quite impactful & the new Moana is exquisitely cast. Having realistic depictions heightens scenes of peril, while reimagining of fantastical elements still play really well. Enjoyable; A-

A Minecraft Movie

A Minecraft Movie; Battles between a banal attempt to craft a comprehensible story out of nonsense and Jack Black and Jason Mamoa rollicking along in a bromantic fantasy. The absurdity teeters from sheer boredom to incredulous eye gouging visuals. None of it really works but what could we expect?; D

Moana 2

Moana 2; Near impossible task of living up to the original ultimately fails on account of lesser songs, story beats and animation. Cravalho does some heavy lifting, as her vocals and humour guide the film through patchy moments, even when the script, lyrics and music aren’t up to the task; B+

Avatar: The Way of Water

Avatar: The Way of Water; Technically astounding. Finale has elements of Terminator, Aliens & Titanic. Some story moments are silly. The film struggles to overcome the fact that most of the Sully family isn’t very likeable. A remarkable visual feast from the peerless Cameron; A

The LEGO Batman Movie

The Lego Batman Movie; Sends up company properties w/love & affection but has more heart than humour surprisingly. Cast to best effect; B+

Moana

Moana; Solid music and a focus on few characters allows Disney to hit another home run. Animation is top notch, story told beautifully; A+

The BFG

The BFG; Welcome update to 1989 cartoon version of Dahl's silly bedtime tale. Worth seeing for a single tears of laughter inducing scene; B+

Rio 2

Rio 2; Same strengths as Rio; SAmer rooted music & animation yet lacks any semblance of story. Feels like 5 min. set pieces sewn 2gether; C+

Men in Black 3

Men in Black 3; Fun yet not fresh. Baker aliens & Clement's villain invigorate unnecessary sequel, auto-pilot entertainment from stars; B+