War and Peace

Actors: Sergei Bondarchuk, Vyacheslav Tikhonov, Ludmila Savelyeva

Rating: 4 out of 10, Amazing film that is also one of the most boring that I’ve ever seen. This was a gag gift from a good friend so I had to watch it. Having to read subtitles while the Russian and French were spoken was an added benefit.  There were also repeated and very long soaring shots into the sky which I’m guessing must mean something to Russians (escape?). I’m not an astute enough movie goer to see all the craftsmanship that apparently went into this. I know it’s revered in the official movie critic world. It is so long. Okay, now that I’ve got that off my chest, the Napoleonic War scenes were some of the best military action scenes I have ever seen There were literally tens of thousands of extras, all flawlessly synchronized. You all know the plot so I won’t recap the Pierre, Andrei, and Natasha triangle. I guess if you claim to love movies you should see this but God, it was painful.

MVP: Bondarchuk as the hapless Pierre (he also directed)

Dune Part 2

Actors: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, Javier Bardem, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Souheila Yacoub

Rating: 9 out of 10, That rare example of a sequel being better than the original (think Empire Strikes Back level). Dune is a really dense story with so many concurrent themes and plots intertwined. After earlier versions I thought it would be impossible to adequately translate this beloved story to the screen. I was wrong. The director brings home the Atreides comeback story with style, fantastic acting, and landmark cinematography. Chalamet continues to impress as one of, if not the best, young actor around as the central figure of Paul Muad ‘Dib. My favorite characters from the books were the Fremen and they are finally portrayed with all their lethality. While this sets up the inevitable third film , it could also serve as a fitting conclusion. The best movie I’ve seen in a very long time.

MVP: Chalamet, best Muad d’ib Ever

Wonka

Actors: Timothée Chalamet, Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, Mathew Baynton, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Jim Carter, Olivia Colman, Hugh Grant.

Rating: 9 out of 10, The latest film trying to capture Dahl’s immortal candy lord. I’ve never been a big Timothy Chalamet fan but after nailing Paul Atreides in Dune and his performance here, I’m a covert. He’s tone perfect as Willy and ably assisted by a very capable cast. The whimsical setting helps as Wonka’s undefeatable good will cannot fail to capture you. After the last disaster featuring Johnny Depp, this was a welcome return to the heartfelt character. I doubted it going in, but I was totally conquered by this movie. It helped that it was Christmas time and my granddaughter was sitting next to me. Turns out, just as good without accompaniment, just captures you..

MVP: Chalamet, against all odds, best Wonka ever

The Marvels

Actors: Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Zawe Ashton, Gary Lewis, Park Seo-joon, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Saagar Shaikh, Samuel L. Jackson.

Rating: 7 out of 10, A disappointment, which is a disturbing trend on recent Marvel studio movies. The lead three actresses were all great, especially the young gal, as they exhibited a great deal of chemistry. The plot and pace of action really dragged these performances down though. I hear this is one of the shortest Marvel movies but it seemed much longer. There was a determined effort to show empowered women but the same message was much better done in the original Captain Marvel movie. The villainess wasn’t believable and didn’t add anything to the movie. I’m beginning to think the golden age of Marvel has truly passed and this is only the latest example. I feel bad for the actresses because they were very good but even they couldn’t make lemonade out of this lemon. However, much better on a second watch.

MVP: Vellani as Kamala Khan, very funny fresh voice

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Actors: Harrison Ford, John Rhys-Davies, Karen, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Ethann Isidore, Mads Mikkelsen

Rating: 8 out of 10, A truly fitting send off to an old friend. Harrison Ford is still a bona fide movie star and effortlessly carries this action flick despite his age. It was so fun to root for him again, especially since he gets to take on his old tormentors, the Nazis. The first part of the film features Indy back in World War 2 and the de-aging process was amazing. In a few years they won’t even need actors any more if this is where digitization is headed. They followed the tried-and-true formula assigning appropriate references to earlier films while still pursuing a fun adventure in the late 60’s. Phoebe Waller-Bridge is fantastic as the female lead, a goddaughter to Indy and every bit as watchable as in her earlier roles. A very fun film that will serve as an entirely more worthy send off to this iconic character. Loved it.

MVP: Ford, who else, as the indestructible Dr Jones

The Beekeeper

Actors: Jason Statham, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Josh Hutcherson, Bobby Naderi, Phylicia Rashad, Jemma Redgrave, Jeremy Irons.

Rating: 8 out of 10, Statham plays a retired operative who sets out to destroy one of those hacking organizations that prey on the elderly. As he kills his way to the top, he runs up against some serious pollical backing of the bad guys. I was reminded of John Wick as the body count continuously increased but Statham is so adept with action that this was truly his own part. Ayer, the director, who was so good with the tank movie, Fury, shows, once again, he can handle the action with a lots of heart scenario.

MVP: Statham has raised chaos to an art form

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