The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes

Actors: Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Peter Dinklage, Jason Schwartzman, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andrés Rivera, Viola Davis.

Rating: 7 out of 10, An interesting look at the origins of the main villain of the earlier films, President Snow. Rachel Zegler once again shines as a spiritual forerunner of the Mockingjay. The young cast truly delivers and I was prepared to dislike this film as a needless grab for more moviegoers' money, but it works. The supporting cast ably deliver as we learn the origins and see early version of the Hunger Games in all their barbarity. A surprise, in a very good way..

MVP: Zegler as the songbird

The Creator

Actors: John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Ken Watanabe, Sturgill Simpson, Allison Janney

Rating: 8 out of 10, A very interesting sci fi epic film, despite the obvious Chinese influence. John David Washington once again proves that he’s that rare son of a renowned actor who can more than hold his own. He plays a disaffected former soldier called back into service to hunt down a doomsday weapon developed by the enemy. The enemy is AI which seems to be the latest cinematic trend towards not offending any one ethnic group. Superimposed on the plot is an unconventional love story as well as a true test of parenthood. While the movie takes a while to get to the point, the acting and special effects make the wait more than worth it. There is also a very funny moment involving an automatic language translator, highlighting a love of mother. A well done and thoroughly enjoyable sci fi flick.

MVP: Watanabe is great even with only half a head

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

Actors: Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Randall Park, Dolph Lundgren, Temuera Morrison, Martin Short, Nicole Kidman

Rating: 8 out of 10, I know this latest version of Aquaman is not getting a lot of love from the critics which to me means it was probably pretty good. I was right. I truly enjoyed this latest venture into the undersea world which Jason Momoa has made his own. He continues to own the role and injects just the right amount of humor, danger, and recklessness. They brought back Patrick Wilson as his brother and they make solid chemistry with each other. The story moves right along with top notch special effects and a truly crazy final battle. I thought they missed a little by not giving the villain any redeeming qualities but everything was moving so fast that was a minor issue. This is a full-blown superhero epic that got misplaced from summer somehow but it certainly works. Critics wrong again, go figure.

MVP: Momoa effortlessly carries film

Anyone But You

Actors: Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell, Alexandra Shipp, GaTa, Hadley Robinson, Michelle Hurd, Dermot Mulroney, Darren Barnet, Bryan Brown, Rachel Griffiths

Rating: 7 out of 10, I wasn’t prepared to like this movie as much as I did. I will admit the chance to see Ms. Sweeny in various bikinis did a lot for me but this movie is an equal rights teaser as my wife is now in love with Glen Powell. They both make a hugely attractive couple jumping through the rom-com hoops as required. I laughed a lot more than I thought I would and the setting of Australia was beautifully shot. The two stars meet in a Boston coffee shop (meet cute all the way) and spend a glorious day together only to fall afoul of fate (otherwise, no movie) and end up hating each other. They are thrown together with an invite to the Australian wedding where the predicable happens despite all the roadblocks they as well as their friends and family throw up. It was about an inch deep but a thoroughly enjoyable, harmless romp. The screen credits at the end were absolutely hilarious.

MVP: Sweeny’s bikinis

Equalizer 3

Actors: Denzel Washington, reprising his role as retired U.S. Marine and DIA officer Robert McCall, with Dakota Fanning, Eugenio Mastrandrea, David Denman, Gaia Scodellaro, Remo Girone

Rating: 9 out of 10, It's tough to string together three quality movies in a series. It helps immensely if you have Denzel along to make it happen. This one starts out with an entire mafia complex learning to their eternal rest that it wasn't a good idea to cross Robert McCall. He sticks around Italy for the rest of the film assisting a village on the Amalfi coast against even more mafia types, who hadn't gotten the word. A very picturesque setting for a blood bath. It was cool to see Denzel and Dakota Fanning reunited so many years after their Man on Fire epic turn. It did make me feel old. really good action movie with Denzel once again, dominating, but you expect that, still so cool he delivers each and every time.

MVP: Washington as the eminently dangerous Robert McCall

Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part 1

Actors: Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, alongside an ensemble cast including Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Mariela Garriga, Henry Czerny

Rating: 9 out of 10, Delivers exactly what you expect from an MI film and damn it, they make you love it anyways. Cruise is still amazingly doing his own non-CGI stunts and providing the needed pathos as he goes about trying to save the world yet again with his merry band of misfits. The stakes are predictably astronomical but this is the IMF we’re talking about. The fight on top of a moving train has been done so many times, but someone they make it fresh and scary. Hayley Atwell, Captain America’s (and my) crush, arrives on the scene with appropriate dash and adds a lot to the already talented cast. I just cannot dislike a movie when it delivers exactly what it promises and forces you to enjoy it. I certainly did.

MVP: Cruise as Ethan Hunt, just for the motorcycle jump

Night of the Hunter

Actors: Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Lillian Gish, James Gleason, Evelyn Varden, Peter Graves, Don Beddoe, Gloria Castillo, Billy Chapin, Sally Jane Bruce

Rating: 8 out of 10, Mitchum plays against type as a homicidal bible thumper in Appalachia during the depression. He is so cooly evil that he’s genuinely scary. The film itself is incredible as the staging of some of the scenes grabs the eye. Mitchum is hunting for money hidden by a soon to die father with his two children. Mitchum slimily inserts himself into their mother’s life and the killing begins. Gish is particularly effective as the counterpoint to Mitchum’s pervasive evil. A great watch.

MVP: Mitchem as the deranged Harry Powell