Annihilation

Actors: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, Oscar Isaac

Rating: 8 out of 10, I was interested to see how this very complex novel would be translated to film. It’s always a challenge when a very dense, albeit excellent, novel has to be condensed into a two hour movie. I was more than pleasantly surprised to see the basic story line survive but modified enough to keep the audience fully involved. If anything, I liked the movie’s take better than the book’s; that is rare indeed and a tribute to the screenwriter. Natalie Portman plays a scientist on an all-female team sent in to investigate a mysterious extraterrestrial zone that is threatening to encompass the earth. Her husband recently returned from an earlier effort into the same zone and lies stricken by the effects. As soon as they enter the zone they’re exposed to time distortion as well as fantastically mutated plants and animals. This was science fiction done well without sliding into the trap of over emphasis on CGI although there is plenty of that. It was a little jarring to see Jane the Virgin (Gina Rodriguez) swearing like a sailor but she was excellent as were all the members of the team. The women were all kick ass and it was nice the filmmakers didn’t feel the need to have men come to their rescue. I also really liked the ending.

MVP: Portman as the very reserved Lena

Red Sparrow

Actors: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Charlotte Rampling, Mary-Louise Parker, Jeremy Irons

Rating: 8 out of 10, I’d watch Jennifer Lawrence in anything (well except mother!) and she is at the top of her game as a Russian ballerina turned spy. She is very good (as expected) in a very subtle way as she works her way through training as a “honeypot” to seduce enemy agents. There are double and triple crosses involved once she is sent to the field and I honestly didn’t know which side she would end up on until the final, startling conclusion. It was all very Russian. The only miss in the casting was Joel Edgerton as the American CIA agent. He was clearly fighting well above his weight trying to serve as a love interest for Lawrence, absolutely no chemistry between the pair. This wasn’t an action flick, if you discount Lawrence’s bathing suits, but exuded a very cool style throughout. It’s one of those movies I want to see again to see all the seemingly harmless clues that were provided throughout that come to bear at the end. I’m convinced Lawrence can do anything.

MVP: Lawrence as the deadly Dominika

Game Night

Actors: Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Billy Magnussen, Sharon Horgan, Lamorne Morris, Kylie Bunbury, Jesse Plemons, Michael C. Hall, Kyle Chandler.

Rating: 9 out of 10, This was really funny and not in the usual raunchy, adult manner of so many of today’s R-rated comedies (not that raunchy is a bad thing). Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams play a hyper-competitive married couple who host a weekly game night with equally competitive friends. A supposedly staged kidnapping turns out to be the real thing with the game players only gradually coming to realize it. Each of the ensemble cast has their moments to contribute and the snarky one liners are almost non-stop. I was afraid this was one of those movies where all the funniest lines were spent in the trailers but that was not the case. Jesse Plemons as the creepy cop neighbor steals virtually every scene he’s in but this movie belongs firmly to Bateman and McAdams. This type of quick witted comedy is right in Bateman’s wheel house but McAdams is more than up to the challenge of keeping up with him. It’s a smart, adult movie that never takes itself too seriously.

MVP: McAdams as the wifely side of the competition

Black Panther

Actors: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis
Rating: 10 out of 10, It is one of those rare films that exceeds deafening word of mouth hype. It’s clearly one of the best Marvel films ever which is rarified air for a dedicated geek like me to assign it to. It is well plotted, fabulously acted, and perfectly paced. The cast is the real strength of the movie but not because of the title character. While he is very good, Boseman is probably the fifth or sixth best actor in this movie. The women and Michael B. Jordan dominate! Lupita Nyong'o and especially Danai Gurira were mesmerizing in their roles as key players for the Black Panther. Jordan’s screen presence as the villain is undeniable and he almost gets you rooting for him despite constantly showing you why you shouldn’t; just charisma to spare. The movie takes on a lot of social issues without beating you about the head and shoulders. There’s also a lot of subtle humor, most of it at the Black Panther’s expense. It’s obvious Bosemen wasn’t a prima dona and uniformly gracious in sharing the screen with this fantastic cast. This is a superhero movie with a soul. This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a long time. There was a huge crowd there for a Tuesday night showing mostly African-American which I would definitely recommend as a viewing environment. It was a party as young kids, up well after their bedtimes, devoured this new hero. While everyone wants to make this a socially conscious event it is still a damned fine movie. It says way too much about our movie history of inclusion that it is greeted as such an event in the first place.
MVP: Jordan as Killmonger

Girls Trip

Actors: Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Tiffany Haddish, Jada Pinkett Smith

Rating: 9 out of 10, I avoided seeing this until hearing some good things and I wish I could hug the recommenders but that would probably be inappropriate. Inappropriateness is what this movie is about and it revels in it. Four college African-American girl friends reunite in their late thirties for a thunder run to New Orleans. This movie is completely stolen by Tiffany Haddish who is hilarious in every scene she blesses with her presence. This is truly an ode to friendship and the audience is brought inside the tight circle of these close friends to be part of their hilarious interaction. I have not laughed this hard at a movie in all too long - almost too funny. Are women the only ones capable of making raunchy comedies funny anymore?

MVP: Tiffany Haddish as the irrepressible Dina- scene stealer extraordinaire

12 Strong

Actors: Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Michael Peña, Navid Negahban, Trevante Rhodes, Geoff Stults, Thad Luckinbill, William Fichtner, Rob Riggle

Rating: 8 out of 10, An interesting look at the initial deployment of Special Forces Soldiers into Afghanistan following 9/11. While I’m sure Hollywood took some extreme license with some of the events it seemed to follow pretty much what I knew about the actual timeline. Chris Hemsworth continues to display amazing screen presence in whatever role he pursues and he nails the character of the Special Forces team leader charged with cooperating with an Afghan warlord to take the fight to the Taliban. Hollywood never gets all the military techniques and strategies right but the mission of the SF team rang true due to the solid supporting cast, especially Michael Pena. I’m convinced Pena is incapable of doing anything bad. It was interesting to see a couple of guys I knew from my time in the Army depicted as senior leaders but I’m sure they’re a little pissed the actors didn’t know how to properly tailor their uniforms. If nothing else the film is a fitting tribute to these heroes who started the payback process that unfortunately continues to this day.

MVP: Hemsworth as the A Team Leader in an almost impossible situation

Greatest Showman

Actors: Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya.

Rating: 9 out of 10, I comfortable enough in my skin to admit that I love movie musicals and I really liked The Greatest Showman. It provided a nice lift on a cold winter night and had me tapping my feet several times. The film involves a highly fictionalized story of the life of PT Barnum the quintessential American showman. I’m always surprised to see Hugh Jackman sing and dance instead of skewer someone with adamantine claws. He’s the life blood of this and exudes charisma ably assisted by Michelle Williams and Rebecca Ferguson. I’ve always been a fan of Zac Effron but this was the first time he was clearly fighting well above his weight; strong testimony to just how good Jackman can be. I liked the story of inclusion and rejection of class distinctions. Barnum is such an American character which may explain why I liked it. There was a very clear rejection of prejudice from both ends of the political spectrum – aimed squarely at both Trump and the elites alike. The first half drags a little bit but whenever Jackman is surrounded by his circus troupe the movie soars. I couldn’t help smearing an unlikely smile on my face throughout.

MVP: Jackman as the Australian playing the American everyman