Batman Begins

Batman Begins; An origin that leans heavily into the comics & the psychological aspects of the Batman mythos. Plays characters and world as if it were real, grounding it in what would most logically replicate the fiction in reality. Cleverly uses two rogues new to the films to serve Wayne’s story; A

Cars 2

Cars 2; Setting the Cars characters in a James Bond/M:I spy genre is an inspired choice. Too bad Mater’s stupid schtick is the driving force of the film, as his annoying dumbness is infuriating to watch. Some good jokes, some great animation but the clueless guy mistaken for suave spy falls flat; C+

Tenet

Tenet; A film that seems to demand a second viewing, yet without enough to entice us to actually want to do so. Some scenes certainly look cool, and Washington is as cool an actor as there ever was. The time muddled plot works if we care to follow along, and that’s a big “if”; B-

Interstellar

Interstellar; Nolan gives us a thought provoking, emotionally driven, visual tour de force. His vision is unmatched & trendsetting; A-

Now You See Me 2

Now You See Me 2; Over the top tricks makes this less enjoyable as plot spirals around the players too conveniently connected. Still fun; B

Now You See Me

Now You See Me; Fun film full of misdirection that isn't as clever as it wants to be. Cast is superb and elevates the drama and suspense; B

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island; Surprisingly green lit what w/ the flat dialogue & actors trying to overcome ridiculous story lines; D+

The Dark Knight Rises

The Dark Knight Rises; Thank you, Mr. Nolan, for truly getting ALL the characters of the Gotham universe & for a trilogy w/o a weak film; A-