Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice; Does an excellent job respecting the original while providing decent justification for revisiting the themes and circumstances all over again. The new blood meshes seamlessly and fits right in perfectly. Ortega is a draw unto herself, but O’Hara and Keaton are legendary; B+

Poor Things

Poor Things; Wild production design + eccentric performances establish a framework for the bizarre story of Bella Baxter on a feminist awakening from woman child to expressing agency in her own affairs. The film has to be seen to be believed, and not for audiences who are adverse to the perverse; A-

The Boy and the Heron

The Boy and the Heron; These films are not for me. They look beautiful and the characters are insane but the way the story goes in fits and starts, annoys me more than it appeals to me. The randomness and fantasy side quests and diversions simply don’t add up in a cohesive way that’s satisfying; C+
 

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Spider-Man: No Way Home; Much more emotional than action packed, the theme of making the most out of second chances is well played out by the entire cast. Mirror verse imagery and multiverse possibilities make for some fun dynamics. Final credits are super cool too; A

Zack Snyder's Justice League

Zach Snyder’s Justice League; If thought of as a six episode superhero series, this is an improvement on the original (can’t complain about more Flash & more Cyborg). Expands the characters & lives longer in the moments. Like we’ve grown accustomed to from premium television; B+

Death Note

Death Note; Interesting premise offers enough to entice us into the story. Dafoe’s performance is fun to watch (like a Groot Green Goblin) and the mix of supernatural and morality tale is thought provoking. Film favours conventional story beats to entertain a broad audience; B 

To Live and Die in L.A.

To Live and Die in L.A.; Violent, gritty noir set in sunny California. Casting is phenomenal, as characters convincingly straddle the line between good and evil. Wang Chung score seems dated, yet gives the film its flavour. Action scenes are absolutely thrilling and shocking; A-

Aquaman

Aquaman; Presented in all its 80s Heavy Metal album cover glory with modern video game action aesthetics, DC manages to make a movie that takes a mockery of a superhero, and turn him into an imposing force. Excellent casting, combined with highly kinetic direction; A-

John Wick

John Wick; Stripped down, no nonsense violence makes for a stylistic, but not flashy film. Acting support is top notch. Thrilling 100 min; A