The Holdovers

The Holdovers; Aesthetically breathing like a film made in the time it is set, from its production design, cinematography & pacing to its writing, acting & directing. The characters and their symbiotic interactions delight in their struggle for growth and self actualization. Solid holiday fare; 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

Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond - Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton

Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond; Wholly fascinating and frustrating to watch. Revealing and captivating but a little one sided in its revisionist history. Would like to have heard from more of the players today; A-

The Little Prince

The Little Prince; Paper animation is on point but third act adds unnecessary action detour. Still a sweet retelling of the classic text; A-

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

The Amazing Spider-Man 2; Overstuffed, often teetering btwn Burton Batman/Batman & Robin territory. Emotional heft & good acting overcome; B

Turbo

Turbo; Fun voice casting makes bare bones underdog tale seem entertaining. Wastes no time on plot holes as it races to 2 finish line; B-