Birds of Prey

Actors: Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Rosie Perez, Chris Messina, Ella Jay Basco, Ali Wong, Ewan McGregor

Rating: 8 out of 10, This is a really good movie and Margot Robbie owns the character proving she’s so much more than just a pretty face. She plays the Joker’s now ex-girlfriend and has all of Gotham City underworld after her. She forms a bond with several other very dangerous ladies to protect themselves. The villain is played with very cunning style by Ewan McGregor. This isn’t your typical DC Universe trope but laced with a lot of dazzling color as well as Robbie’s personality. The fights are well done and it’s obvious the ladies didn’t shy away from the physicality required. This is as light as DC gets but I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

MVP: Robbie as the completely crazed Harley Quinn

Bloodshot

Actors: Vin Diesel, Eiza González, Sam Heughan, Toby Kebbell, Guy Pearce

Rating: 7 out of 10, Diesel playing, Vin Diesel, only this time he can’t be killed. Actually he was and then resurrected by a garden variety mad scientist to take out the scientist’s business rivals. I’m blissfully unaware of the mythology surrounding this character so I entered without expectations, except for the requisite explosions and assassinations which were delivered in full. Diesel wears the part well although he obviously did no research on how Army special operators work and thankfully that was only for a small part. The rest of the movie has him being shot, blown up and variously dismembered only to have his resident nanites immediately rebuild him. The movie bogs down in the middle but the action rescues it as well as the presence of Eiza González who steals every scene she’s in. It almost felt like we were back in a real movie theater with all the pleasure of a true popcorn flick.
MVP: Gonzalez as KT the underwater breathing scene stealer