Hoppers

Hoppers; Story, message and entertainment blend in the same Pixar manner we’ve cherished for three decades now. The 30th film comes in just below the studio’s legacy best, but right on par with some of its greatest hits. Fun and silly while still grounded in emotional reality, it’s pure enjoyment; A
 

Transformers One

Transformers One; Surprisingly fun with some great vocal performances. Animation looked great and if you look past the sheer lunacy of this being an origin story (do Transformers grow up?), the jokes land well and the core story comes across with emotional resonance. More than meets the eye; B

Mean Girls

Mean Girls: Eschews comedic beats for more emotional ones. None of new cast disappoints while also reaffirming how great original cast was. Cravalho excels along w/Spivey. Changes don’t seem to add much while omissions from stage are sadly missed. Odd choices head scratching but still enjoyable; B

Confess, Fletch

Confess, Fletch; The return of the wise cracking, identity creating investigative reporter with a nose for trouble is in great hands as portrayed by Hamm. He hits all the right notes in a script that balances action, comedy and romance perfectly. Bring on the sequels please!; A-

Baby Driver

Baby Driver; Original high octane heist based love story uses its cast to great effect. Action is kinetic, romance sweet & unpredictable; B+

Minions

Minions; Aims to please a target audience of 2-12, with adult asides that fall flat. Less inspired than despicable, exactly as expected; C+