“J.J. Abrams and company do their best here, but they are too beholden to fan service and trying to satisfy everyone that the final result is a movie that is a jack of all trades, master of none.”

“Jumanji: The Next Level is exactly the kind of action adventure movie that works well on the big screen and has wide audience appeal and should be a crowd pleaser like its predecessor.”

“If there was a mantle for the legacy of Jimmy Stewart, Hanks would probably be the one to have that mantle. He has an earnestness and sincerity and generosity as an actor that suits him well for this role.”

“Waititi is a gifted comedic mind, as anyone who has seen any of his work outside of Thor: Ragnarok well knows, so it’s not a surprise that he would do something unconventional as his next project. Jojo Rabbit is certainly unconventional, but also of a piece with some of his earlier films.”

Knives Out is a delectable film, full of clever twists and laughs. Rian Johnson and company have put together a masterful entry in the murder mystery genre of film-making.

“Frozen II is sure to be a hit with kids; and for parents, well, at least they will have some newer songs to throw into the Frozen playlist rotation. It’s a little darker, and a little less fresh, but it is a suitable sequel.”

Like most Bong Joon-ho films, Parasite is multi-faceted and a bit of a genre-bender; a dark, bubbling concoction of comedy, drama, and thriller that is loaded with social commentary.

“As good of a movie as Terminator: Dark Fate is, I walked out of the movie more convinced than ever that they never should have made another sequel after T2. Try as it might to paper over the last three films, it ultimately can’t undo that original sin of making any movie beyond T2.”

“Pattinson and Dafoe both give towering, memorable, and haunting performances. This film keeps you off balance all the way through its hallucinatory decent.”

“Joker is a film that wants to challenge audiences, wants to provoke, and wants to be great. Joaquin Phoenix has moments where he is mesmerizing but as compelling as he is there are just as many elements of this film that are problematic or provocative just for the sake of being provocative.”

“The racing is thrilling, the lead performers are engaging and having fun, and it tells a compelling underdog story of the Ford racing team vs. the world. It’s a genuine crowd-pleaser.”

“Brad Pitt gives one of the best performances of his career in this film that may finally start to make director James Gray more of a name that audiences are familiar with.”

It Chapter Two arrives in theaters with some lofty audience expectations. While the sequel floats in some respects, sadly, it sinks in other areas.

Good Boys may not quite live up to the expectations of being Superbad in sixth grade, but it comes close. The three lead kids are individually funny and work well as a group of friends trying to make their way through the hardships of middle school.

As long as Johnson and Statham are game, I suspect we will be seeing a Hobbs & Shaw 2 in 2-3 years’ time. That wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. It’s a reliable summer action flick.

At this point, it seems like we should know what we’re getting with a Quentin Tarantino film, right? There’s going to be loving to old films he loves, great characters with great dialogue, and at least some moments of hyper-violence. With Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, Tarantino manages to keep the formula fresh and vibrant. He’s also expanding his storytelling palate, which is probably going to be slightly divisive for some.

The arc of Pride Rock in the movie feels like it is paralleling how these Disney adaptations are going; at the beginning, it was teeming with life and growth and possibility, but it is now starting to look a little rundown, soulless, and, if things don’t change, it could start to look desolate. Aside from stunning visuals, there is a lack of substance in The Lion King that is becoming much more common in these Disney adaptations.