The Marvels

The Marvels; Super appealing trio are given little to work with, up against an uninteresting villain whose plans are neither memorable nor engaging. I’d rather watch the three go to lunch w/Nick Fury and talk about comics. Some cool use of light powers in fight scenes but feels too lightweight; B-

Thor: Love and Thunder

Thor: Love and Thunder; Tries to tonally tie together parental grief, a rom com, Norse mythology & deity exploration into a MCU film, w/about as much success as one can expect. Cast is fully on board for fun, while Bale gives a master class in acting, in an entirely other film; B

Sorry To Bother You

Sorry to Bother You; Social commentary by way of creepy comedy that busts conventions in shocking ways. It’s a capitalist critique for our times with some cutting barbs while being equally entertaining on account of a great cast; A-

Men in Black: International

Men in Black: International; Script and direction seriously fails the talent of the leads. Would love to watch Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth in anything but this disaster. Retains none of what made previous MIB films fun or visually interesting. Unfortunate misfire; D

Annihilation

Annihilation; Annoyingly abstract, in a way that promises payoff from stunning visuals and a perplexing set up, yet ultimately doesn't deliver. Perhaps more to unearth than one unfocused Netflix viewing can give it, Portman and cast are certainly deeply intriguing to watch; B-

Thor: Ragnarok

Thor: Ragnarok; Innate fun that seems removed from the Marvel Universe, a capsule of sci-fi fromage from the past packaged for our present sensibilities. Nice to see Indigenous actors in speaking roles; B+