Jackie - 2 smiles

"Jackie," starring an amazing Natalie Portman, walks a fine line between historical record and artistic inquiry. Loosely based on an actual interview of the newly-widowed Mrs. Kennedy by Life journalist Theodore White (Billy Crudup), the movie's present occurs approximately one week after November 22, 1963, but jumps around in time to tell its story, hitting key events from Jackie's time as First Lady (with particular attention being paid to the televised White House tour she gave on February 14, 1962) and the hours and days immediately following the assassination.

Much of the film recreates iconic photographic images (such as LBJ taking the oath of office aboard Air Force One) with actors who, for the most part, bear little or no resemblance to the historical figures they're playing. And although the movie doesn't provide a lot of insight into Jackie's character, Portman's performance is probably one of the best of her career. "Jackie" is not an expansive biopic,  and like Camelot, Jackie remains a mythic figure, not a human one.

Passengers - 2 1/2 smiles

At its heart, "Passengers" is an old-fashioned love story clothed in science fiction and special effects. The script requires stars Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence to to do all of the heavy lifting since they are the only people on screen (with an occasional appearance from robot bartender Arthur played by Michael Sheen and a late cameo by Laurence Fishburn). Pratt and Lawrence make a strong couple. They have good chemistry and Lawrence is able to plumb the conflicting emotions that drive Aurora, her character. Jim (Pratt) awakens 90 years early from a 120-year voyage to a distant colony. The ship is a huge empty vessel with all of the people in hibernation sleep pods. These early scenes with Jim as the only character are slow and Pratt fares better when Aurora (Lawrence) wakes. Pratt's alone scenes lack an emotional punch although we can see that he's lonely to the point of desperation.

Initially, Jim tries to find a solution, but he learns there is no way for him to go back to sleep. He will die of old age before the ship reaches its destination. If he wants to stave off loneliness, he will have to wake someone else up. Jim tries to resist this temptation, but he becomes fascinated with one woman, writer Aurora Lane. When he finally decides to wake her, he condemns her to the same limbo existence he is enduring. Jim is a flawed character, but the script goes to great lengths to present his actions as sympathetic. It also helps that Pratt has a lot of on-screen charisma. With 40 minutes remaining, the film kicks into high 'save the ship' gear and once all of the explosive flames have been extinguished, you wonder, with all the complex technology, that fixes the ship? "Passengers" is entertaining enough and lovely to look at.

La La Land - 4 smiles

On the surface, "La La Land" might seem like a fluffy little movie. However, there's a lot more going on: a love letter to old movie musicals, a tribute to various Los Angeles locations, a comment on the consequences of following your dreams. Plus it's writer-director Damien Chazelle's follow-up to his stunning 2014 feature debut, Whiplash. "La La Land" is probably one of the best musicals to reach theaters in a very long time. Chazelle has turned back the clock with the camera work, the color palette, the style - it's straight out of the 1950s. And stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone seem to be channeling Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The opening number is a prime example of complexity and long takes - it opens on the 105/110 interchange, where drivers exit their cars and use singing and dancing as an antidote to impatience and road rage.( Other settings include the Hermosa Beach pier, the Watts Towers, the Colorado Street Bridge, Grand Central Market, Griffith Observatory and Angel's Flight.) The setting is modern day, but the feel is old-fashioned, which is enhanced by Chazelle's use of primary colors.

The two central characters, Mia (Stone) and Sebastian (Gosling) are stuck in that traffic jam and their screwball first meeting consists of his loudly honking horn and her flipping him the bird. They continue to run into each other over the next few weeks around town. Mia is a would-be actress who works in a corner coffee cafe on the Warner Bros. lot. Sebastian is a jazz pianist who's fired from his gig at a restaurant when he refuses to limit his playlist to Christmas tunes. Mia and Sebastian are both independent-minded, stubborn, goal-oriented people whose idealism about their art is in conflict with their desire to succeed at it. Nonetheless, they fall in love and the rest of the movie chronicles their journey to achieve their goals. Chazelle requires tremendous range from his leads and Stone and Gosling are up to the challenge. They have to sing and dance (which they do well enough) and have to be able to handle drama and comedy. More importantly, there has to be chemistry and Stone and Gosling really light up the screen. All of the musical numbers are well-produced and masterfully choreographed and the songs are not only entertaining but memorable. (The soundtrack should do well.) And the final 15 minutes of the movie are not to be missed as Chazelle combines flashbacks, flashforwards, dream sequences and multiple musical reprises into a dazzling time-spanning montage. It's in this finale that Chazelle's skill as a director is so evident. "La La Land" is not to be missed.

Sing - 2 1/2 smiles

"Sing" has a great soundtrack, but a fairly generic story that's disjointed at times. Moana and Kubo and the Two Strings are better animated movies. Even Zootopia has a more creative story. Thematically, the movie relies on the standard, 'follow your dreams.' And while it's hard to criticize an animated movie that embraces such a kid-friendly idea, it feels shallow and left me wanting more. Most of "Sing's" creative energy is invested in the musical numbers and this is where it shines. Nearly all of the purported 80+ sings featured in "Sing" are pop hits of the past and present. There's only one new song: the Stevie Wonder/Ariana Grande duet, 'Faith' and Tori Kelly does a moving rendition of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah.' Other notable songs re-sung by members of the cast include Seth McFarlane's Sinatra trio ('My Way,' 'Come Fly with Me,' 'Fly Me to the Moon'); Reese Witherspoon doing Taylor Swift ('Shake it Off'), Katy Perry ('Firework') and Survivor ('Eye of the Tiger'); Matthew McConaughey's unusual rendition of 'Call Me Maybe'; Nick Kroll doing Gaga ('Bad Romance'); Taron Egerton crooning Sam Smith's 'Stay with Me' and Scarlett Johansson breaking loose with 'Set It All Free.'

The plot is fairly simple: koala Buster Moon (McConaughey), a theater owner on the brink of bankruptcy, comes up with a singing competition to bring in some funds. The finalists for the show include Mike (MacFarlane,) a sleazy mouse; Rosita (Witherspoon), a stay-at-home mom with two dozen piglets; Ash (Johansson), a punk rock porcupine; Johnny (Egerton), a gorilla with a bank robbing father; Meena (Kelly), a teenage elephant with acute stage fright and Gunter (Nick Kroll), a flamboyant pig. "Sing" is undeniably a crowd pleaser, but only for its soundtrack.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - 3 1/2 stars

"Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" is a spin-off from the Star Wars movies, a stand-alone tale that's very entertaining. In terms of timeline, "Rogue One" is a prequel set before Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, the film that first introduced us to Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker and company. Felicity Jones plays Jyn Erso, a tough fugitive who leads a band of rebels to steal the plans for a new weapon dubbed a 'planet killer,' aka the Death Star. True to Star Wars lore, there's a familial tie here that brings Jyn into the fray between the Rebel Alliance and the evil Galactic Empire led by Darth Vader - Jyn's father Galan Erso (Mads Mikkelsen) happens to be the lead scientist designing the weapon. Together with her ragtag crew, including spymaster Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), Jyn embarks on a suicidal mission to retrieve the schematics so the rebels can defeat the Death Star.

Jones brings a gutsy confidence to her role as Jyn, much like Carrie Fisher and Daisy Ridley did before her. Rounding out the cast is an impressive list of diverse actors: besides Luna, there's Riz Ahmed, Donnie Yen and Jiang Wen. Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy's screenplay leaves little room for subplots and, unfortunately, character development of any of the characters other than Jyn. But "Rogue One" mainly works because of director Gareth Edwards keeps things so narrowly focused. And you know going in that there will not be a sequel to this story. So you can enjoy two hours of escapist fun and then anticipate the release of the next Star Wars adventure in December, 2017.

The Edge of Seventeen - 3 1/2 smiles

Being 17 is full of anguish and drama and so is "Edge of Seventeen," a movie with a smart script from first-time director Kelly Fremon Craig and a powerful performance by Hailee Seinfeld. The course of the movie follows Nadine (Hailee Seinfeld) during her junior year as she learns that the most important thing is not popularity, getting good grades or losing her virginity, but being comfortable in her own skin. Nadine, an outsider all of her life, is cursed with having a popular older brother, who is a top athlete and loved by everyone. Nadine and Darian (Blake Jenner) have a fractious relationship that isn't helped by their mother's obvious preference for her son. Nadine has found solace in the friendship of Krista (Haley Lu Richardson), the sister she never had. But when Krista starts dating Darian, Nadine's world comes apart.

Nadine often comes across as petty and self-absorbed (like most 17 year olds), but she's also sympathetic. And with typical teenage drama, she tells her teacher, Mr, Bruner (Woody Harrelson) that she's going to kill herself. He doesn't believe her and neither do we although she may think she's semi-serious. Nonetheless, we get most of the humorous dialogue when Nadine is talking with Mr. Bruner. And as Nadine grows and changes, she begins to see things more clearly: betrayals that aren't really betrayals, perfect lives that aren't quite so perfect and people hurt by her actions who don't deserve the pain. It's a strong script that can make the characters and circumstances seem real. "The Edge of Seventeen" is certainly worth seeing.

Miss Sloan - 3 smiles

"Miss Sloan" is about money and power in Washington DC and validates the public's cynicism about how things really work in the Capitol City. And the person willing to walk the closest to the edge and slip through all the loopholes is the one who usually wins. And that person is Elisabeth Sloan (Jessica Chasten), who has mastered all the methods of how to lose friends and alienate people, but is an especially effective lobbyist. When a group working for a bill designed to close gun sales loopholes approaches her, she surprises everyone by resigning her current position and signing on with millionaire philanthropist Rodolfo Schmidt (Mark Strong), who admires her results (but not necessarily her tactics). She soon finds herself matching wits with her former colleagues and is eventually the center of a congressional subcommittee looking into some of her previous activities.

Jessica Chastain's powerful performance as a career-obsessed lobbyist who is smarter and slicker than all other contenders is the best thing about "Miss Sloan." Elizabeth is driven to win at all costs and moments of humanity are infrequent. The supporting cast is top rate. Guru Mbatha-Raw has a showy part at Esme Manchurian, the liberal assistant who becomes the face to the media of Elizabeth's campaign. Allison Pill is her former right-hand who is now part of the team opposing her. That team is led by Michael Stuhlbarg's Pat Connors. Veteran actors Sam Waterston plays George Dupont, the head of the NRA's lobbying firm and John Lithgow is the congressman Dupont has in his pocket. "Miss Sloan" is less about being pro- or anti-guns than it is about exploring the lobbying forces arrayed for and against the NRA. As a dramatic thriller, it keeps you involved and interested, even if you really don't like Miss Sloan very much.

Moonlight - 2 smiles

"Moonlight" has received so much critical acclaim that, maybe, I was expecting too much. Director Barry Jenkins's script is sharply divided into three sections, emphasizing certain aspects of the African-American experience: extreme poverty, drug addiction, single motherhood and rendering them only in the most basic, narrative forms. Each section follows Chiron at various points in his life (Alex Hibbrt as a shy child, Ashton Sanders as an awkward, searching adolescent and Trevante Rhodes as a cynical adult) as Chiron comes to understand and accept his homosexuality. Unfortunately, the details of the story are so broadly sketched that it left me with a lot of unanswered questions. And the camera work, dizzying around and around shots, and shaky, hand-held shots, drove me crazy. I guess that in itself was enough to put me off of this movie.

However, the acting does elevate the script into something approaching excellence.  Mahershala Ali as a drug dealer with a heart of gold is excellent as an understanding father-figure to Chiron, but scenes later he's gone and you're wondering why. Hubert has the least to do of the three Chirons, but his nearly mute performance is compelling for the pain etched onto his face. And later in the film, the adult Chiron reunites with his friend Kevin (Andre Holland) and the chemistry is palpable. Nothing in the film is as moving as this reunion scene. "Moonlight" has already won awards and should do well come Oscar time.

Moana - 4 smiles

"Moana," Walt Disney's latest animated release, is an absolute delight. As the story opens, the chieftain's daughter Moana (Cravahlo) is perpetually vexed that her father (Temuera Morrison) will not allow her to venture beyond the reef encircling their island home. But the island and the ocean around it are slowly dying because long ago, a capricious demigod named Maui (Dwayne Johnson) stole - and subsequently lost - the precious stone 'heart' of the fertile goddess Te Fiti. When the sea itself entrusts that heart to young Moana, she knows that she must set sail beyond the reef, find Maui and, with his help, restore Te Fiti's heart. Obstacles along the way include a horde of pirates, a treasure-loving monster crab (Jemaine Clement) and the lava monster Te Ka, who also wants the Heart of Te Fiti. But the principle obstacle for Moana to overcome is her demigod partner, Maui, who is vain, selfish and utterly uninterested in her mission.

Directors John Musker and Ron Clements stick to a bankable formula with just enough innovation to feel current (be sure to check out the chicken sidekick). And the musical numbers by Opetaia Foa'i, Mark Mancina and Lin-Manuel Miranda are memorable, with the ensemble introduction 'Where You Are,' Clement's hilarious 'Shiny' and the show-stopping 'How Far I'll Go' (sure to garner an Oscar nomination). Dynamic CGI, lush greens, sunlit golds and deep blue sea, enhance the experience. "Moana" tells the story of a modern heroine, a smart, resourceful leader and it's a movie that's sure to garner kudos from everyone.

Allied - 1 smile

"Allied' has the star power and the look of a hit. Unfortunately, Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard's scenes together fail to ignite (more his fault that hers. He seems to be sleepwalking throughout). And the drama that takes place for the rest of the film is supposed to be full of suspense, but if you haven't figured out the ending long before it happens, you're not paying attention. Director Robert Zemeckis gets in some action; unfortunately, it's mostly the first quarter of the movie. Pitt plays Max Vatan, a Quebecois agent working for British special operations. He parachutes into French Morocco to rendezvous with Marianne Beausejour (Cotillard), a French resistance worker who will pretend to be his wife. Together they plan to assassinate the German ambassador. Then their fake marriage becomes real and Max and Marianne live in London. The plot kicks in when Max is told that his wife is possibly a German spy.

Most of the acting falls to Cotillard, who even in an artificial house of cards, manages to suggest a woman of heart. Pitt looks very good (and I have to wonder if his looks were enhanced artificially), but his good looks can no longer compensate for his lack of acting skill. Of course, there are some scripts that allow for a certain mischief in his roles, like Inglorious Basterds that enhance what acting he can do. But "Allied" is not that movie. In addition, "Allied" is overly long with plot twists that are questionable. They certainly don't make sense.

Dr. Strange - 31/2 smiles

Except for a thin plot, "Dr. Strange" is a fun movie, a fitting entry into the Marvel Universe. Dr. Stephen Strange is not the most distinctive of the Marvel characters, but thanks to Benedict Cumberbatch, he might be the most entertaining (Robert Downey Jr.'s Ironman not withstanding). When we meet him, Dr. Strange is a neurosurgeon, the best in his humble opinion, which makes him insufferable to his colleagues and his ex-girlfriend, fellow surgeon Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams). Then he drives his car off a cliff, disintegrating the bones in his hands. When surgical options prove fruitless, he seeks alternative methods, ending up under the tutelage of a Nepal-based bald woman of indeterminate origin called the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton). Strange must accept that his former sense of mastery was an illusion, that there are infinite number of universes and that the spirit can exist apart from the body in a timeless and immaterial realm. He also finds himself fighting the Ancient One's former protege Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelson), who seeks, of course, to destroy the world.

The CGI is impressive, as it takes the notion that the physical world is a reflection in a mirror and that mirror can be shattered and reassembled and shattered again, or compressed like an accordion or expanded so that buildings become giant structures that fold in on themselves. The always effective Chiwetel Ejiofor is the Ancient One's second-in-command, Mordo. (A post-credits teaser suggests that he'll have a bigger role in the next installment.) Although what Mikkelson says is mostly gobbledegook, he makes a good villain and his look is inspired. His eyes seem to have been gouged out and replaced with shards of glass. And Cumberbatch makes a perfect Dr. Strange with his secret weapon, a cape with a will of its own. I'm looking forward to a "Dr. Strange" sequel.

Note: There are two post-credit teasers. Be sure to catch them both.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - 2 smiles

You don't have to be a fan of the Harry Potter series to enjoy "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them." But Harry Potter fans will be reassured to see that we're still in the same universe although the continent and era have changed. We are now in the mid-1920s New York City. British wizard Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), disembarks at Ellis Island. He carries with him a battered brown briefcase that's more than a simple suitcase. Instead, it's a portal into another dimension where his collection of 'fantastic beasts' resides. When several of his creatures escape as a result of an accident, he co-opts the help of a 'No-Mag' (aka Muggle) named Jacob Kowalski (a delightful Dan Fogler), who owns a briefcase almost identical to Newt's. Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston), an agent for the Magical Congress of the United States of America watches Newt's activities and decides to bring him in for unlawful importation of magical creatures. Percival Graves (Colin Ferrel), the Director of Magical Security, takes an interest in Newt's case because his arrival occurs just as the carefully concealed existence of wizardry is threatened with exposure.

The scenes inside Newt's magical suitcase are among the film's most engaging. The magical menagerie includes a platypus-like animal with an appetite for sparkly things (my favorite), a winged snake that 'expands to fill all the space,' an invisible entity and a giant creature in heat looking for a mate. The biggest weakness seems to be director David Yate's inability to balance the scenes of whimsy with the animals with the struggle between the forces of good, led by Newt, and the forces of evil, led by the Dark Wizard Gellert Grindelwald (wait for it .... Johnny Depp). (At this reveal, the audience laughed!!) There are other plot strands that involve a dangerous wizard who doesn't realize he's a wizard, a rogue wizard who wants magic in America out in the open and a sadistic woman who runs an orphanage and wants all magic wielders destroyed. As an origin movie, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" has too many plot strands and not enough character development. We have to hope that the next one will be a little more focused. And I certainly hope Dan Fogler's Jacob Kowalski will take his place beside Newt Scamander.

Deep Water Horizon - 2 smiles

"Deep Water Horizon" is an effective disaster movie, plunging you, the audience, into the middle of explosions, fires and seemingly, no escape. What's not so good is it doesn't really delve into what caused this epic disaster other than 'corporate greed.' Director Peter Berg is meticulous in reconstructing the largest environmental disaster in American history and that's a gripping experience. In a broad sense, the screenplay, by Matthew Michael Carnahan and Matthew Sand, blames BP, the oil company that contracted the Deepwater Horizon to drill 60 miles off the coast of Louisiana. John Malkovich plays the chief villain, engineer Donald Vidrine who urges employees to drill on despite their safety concerns. But he is a stand in for the evils of an entire industry that is willing to cut corners to save money and years of deregulation.

Experienced workers Mike Williams (Mark Wahlberg), Andrea Fleets (Gina Rodrigues) and Caleb Holloway (Dylan O'Brien) prove to be ineffectual in trying to stop Vidrine from getting his way. Even the tough supervisor of Deep Water Horizon, Mr. Jimmy (Kurt Russell), can't stop events from marching on to its ultimate conclusion. Meanwhile, Berg builds tension as he cuts to the ocean floor, which is pouring out dangerous bubbles of methane that will eventually burst into flames. Once the explosions happen, the movie gets better, telling the stories of real-life-heroes, who jumped into action during the crisis. "Deep Water Horizon" is successful as a disaster movie; if you want more, you'll be disappointed.

The Girl on the Train - 2

Since I read the book, "The Girl on the Train," before seeing the movie, I wasn't surprised by the twist at the end and I still didn't like Rachel even though I like Emily Blunt, who plays the central character. The book, by Paula Hawkins, depends on the 'unreliable narrator,' which doesn't work in a visual medium. In the book, you're not sure if what Rachel reports is true or not. In the movie, director Tate Taylor employs blurred images which are likely not 'real,' but the confusion is whether this is from Rachel's perspective or a more neutral omniscient point-of-view. Nonetheless, Emily Blunt's performance is strong and sympathetic and the best thing about the movie. The rest of the cast falls into predictable stereotypes, including Justin Theroux as the controlling ex-husband, Rebecca Ferguson as the self-absorbed new wife and Haley Bennett as the femme fatale who gets in over her head.

Rachel (Blunt) spends long stretches of each weekday riding the train back and forth into New York City. Along the way, there's a particular house she looks for. Living there is her version of the ideal couple: pretty, blonde Megan (Bennett) and her husband, Scott (Luke Evans). Every time she sees them, the seem so much in love. She feels betrayed when she glimpses Megan sharing a kiss with a man who we later find out is her psychiatrist, Dr. Abdic (Edgar Ramirez). We also learn that Rachel used to live a couple of houses away from Megan and Scott. That was before alcoholism claimed her marriage. Now, her ex-husband (Theroux) lives there with his new wife, Anna (Ferguson). Things become complicated when Megan disappears. "The Girl on the Train" is watchable, but it wasn't the thriller it was supposed to be.

Accountant - 3 1/2 smiles

I really liked "The Accountant," starring Ben Affleck, an off-beat thriller featuring a math whiz with autism. Affleck, a two-time Oscar winner, plays Christian Wolff, a shy, soft-spoken accountant. He has a strip-malloffice where he helps ordinary folks get great tax refunds from the IRS. But Wolff isn't your run-of-the-mill CPA. He does most of his number wizardry for some of the world's most dangerous cartel bosses, warlords, terrorists and corporate crooks. He washes their dirty money and avoids getting assassinated by his psychotic employers who worry that he knows too much about their business. That's because Wolff is an assassin in his own right, a crack shot who uses military-grade sniper rifles like most use water pistols. Plus, he's one of the world's top practitioners of pentjak silat, a deadly, lightening fast martial arts discipline from Indonesia. Oh, he also has an expensive art collection.

Working from a clever jigsaw puzzle of a script by Bill Dubuque, director Gavin O'Connor jumps back and forth from the present to Christian's childhood, with Seth Lee playing young Christian. We learn how Christian was molded into a fighting machine he's become. Anna Kendrick's Dana Cummings, a talented accountant at a bio-medical robotics firm, notices a serious discrepancy in the books, which causes the head of the firm (John Lithgow) to bring in Christian to go through 15 years of ledgers. Dana recognizes something of herself in the outsider Christian, and he develops a fondness for her. Jon Bernthal, a wisecracking assassin named Braxton, seems destined to cross paths with Christian and Jeffrey Tambor is effective as a convicted mob accountant who mentors Christian in prison. An always top-notch J.K. Simmons is the head of the Treasury Department's Crime Enforcement Division, who has been trying to learn the true identity of The Accountant for the last decade. "The Accountant" works best when Christian is outsmarting the bad guys and proving that super heroes don't need to wear capes and masks. (A little irony here, since Affleck also plays Batman in the new DC Comics reboot.) This is an immensely satisfying movie and here's hoping for a sequel.

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back - 2 1/2 smiles

Tom Cruise does a fine job with the fights and stunts that go along with playing Jack Reacher. That he does not resemble the fictional character will bother fans of Lee Child's books. For me, I like seeing Jack Reacher on the big screen and if takes an actor of Cruise's stature (both literally and figuratively) to get the movie made, then more power to him. The pacing keeps you from getting bored and the dialogue, with humorous quips from Reacher, are appreciated. And the ending to the movie is so much better than the book.

"Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" is a follow-up to One Shot (2012) and finds our hero helping a colleague, Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders), who has been imprisoned on charges of espionage, mere hours after talking with Reacher on the phone. Reacher breaks Turner out of military prison, making both of them fugitives of the US Army and from a shadowy organization bent on killing them. As they search for the reason behind framing Turner, a subplot, Reacher's possible fatherhood, threatens to overshadow the main plot. Interestingly, Cruise hands the spotlight over to Smulders, much like he did to Emily Blunt in Edge of Tomorrow. Smulders gets to run and fight just like the guys and she proves her character is no pushover. The action is not wall-to-wall, but sufficient and the banter between Reacher and all of the bad guys is one of the movie's highlights. "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" is entertaining mainly due to the considerable charm of its leads.

Inferno - 2 smiles

Although I'm a huge Tom Hanks' fan, there's no denying that "Inferno" has a 'been there, seen that' feel to it. Direct Ron Howard has created an adequate pursuit thriller based on the Dan Brown novel of the same name. The action begins in a Florence hospital, where Harvard professor Robert Langdon (Hanks) awakes with a wound to his head and no memory of what happened. Bilingual physician Sienna Brooks (Felicity Jones) conveniently happens to know all about the distinguished art historian and symbolist Langdon. The plot heats up quickly when a female Italian police office shoots an orderly, intent on getting to Langdon. The doctor quickly spirits Langdon out of the hospital...and the chase is on. The rest of the film deals with a mysterious artifact and figuring out the clues relating to Dante's epic Hell-envisioning poem. The future of the planet is at stake (of course).

Howard, coming off the unfortunate In the Heart of the Sea, delivers a competent popcorn-selling flick. But the premise of the whole thing is shaky. Why does our villain, an intense Ben Foster as billionaire biologist Bertrand Zobrist, not unleash his plague (to fix our over population problem) at the start of this whole thing,  instead of setting up a complex time-delayed search for clues? Anagrams are solved and Dante's death mask plays a part as agents of the World Health Organization  and other bad guys chase them from Italy to Turkey. The cinematography is beautiful as we see Italy's Palazzo Vecchio and Boboli Gardens and Turkey's underground cisterns. "Inferno" is diverting if you have an afternoon free. Otherwise, I'd wait for cable.

Snowden - 1 smiles

"Snowden," directed by Oliver Stone and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is surprisingly dull. However, make no mistake: Snowden's motivation for blowing the whistle on the US government's spying on everyone is simple: He was watching his fellow citizens' privacy made extinct by a shadow government he was helping to created. He was abetting a crime and he knew he had to do something. You have to wonder by Stone felt the need to make this movie since the definitive film had already been made. The 2014 Oscar-winning documentary, Citizenfour, directed by Laura Poitras, is a movie with all of the drama and thrills you could want because it was shot in real time, when the world was just learning about Snowden and the information he had. It seems Stone assumes you've seen Citizenfour so he doesn't take time to take you into the real world of Edward Snowden.

As Poitras knew, the story of NSA's mass collection of information from the laptops and cellphones of private citizens is a complicated one and there's no way to make it simple. Nonetheless, "Snowden" relies on every manner of movie convention and emotional shortcut. Snowden, played by an earnest Gordon-Levitt, is an eager-seeming, vaguely cocky 20-something, not the cerebral Snowden of the interviews Poitras did with him in a Hong Kong hotel room in June 2013 that went global just as the first stories by The Guardian's Glenn Greenwald (Zachary Quinto) and Ewen MacAskill (Tom Wilkinson) were being published. The romance between Snowden and Lindsay Mills (Shailene Woodley), who now resides with him in Russia, takes up too much of the running time, but that contributes to the 'conventional movie' feel. "Snowden" is about what a citizen owes his country when that country's actions are criminal. Stone's filmmaking is so off that you are likely to forget what the real issues are.

Sully - 3 1/2 smiles

"Sully," written by Todd Komarnicki and adapted from the book Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters (co-written Chesley Sullenberger and Jeffrey Zaslow) and directed by Clint Eastwood, is a movie more interested in offering a complete portrait of Captain 'Sully' Sullenberger and the investigation that followed his landing an airplane on the Hudson River on January 15, 2009 than simply retelling the situation and offering praise for his actions. Tom Hanks stars as the title character, a pilot who faces the toughest 208 seconds of his life on the day that his plane is struck by a flock of birds, knocking out both engines. Alongside his co-pilot Jeff Skiles (Aaron Eckhart), Sully makes an intense water landing; the passengers are safe but Sully's reputation isn't. It's clear from the NTSB investigation that follows, Sully's decisions are so scrutinized that it looks like they're determined to find pilot error. After all, computer simulations say that he could have made it back to La Guardia or to nearby Teterboro Airport in New Jersey.

Hanks is excellent in showing how the pilot handled the incredible stress, doubts and mental anguish as he faces an onslaught of media requests; that he was plagued by lack of sleep and nightmares and suffered post-traumatic stress syndrome. In the media, Sully was often portrayed as a resolute hero. In the story, we find an introspective Sully to can't help but relive those 208 seconds, wondering if he endangered lives when he could have made it back to an airport. Nonetheless, as one character says to Sully, his heroism was the best news New Yorkers had heard in a long time 'especially with an airplane in it.' With "Sully," we see a true story of human goodness and skill during a time of possible catastrophe.

Kubo and the Two Strings - 4 smiles

I enjoyed "Kubo and the Two Strings" as much as I liked Finding Dory and I would hope that this serious animated fantasy adventure film is included in the Best Animated Film category. The story takes place in a mythical feudal Japan and produced by US-based Laika, whose previous movies include Coraline and The Boxtrolls. This one uses stop-motion animation (as opposed to the more popular CGI) and is an extremely polished example of the style. "Kubo" begins with a prologue that introduces a young woman with a baby arriving on a desolate coast following a harrowing sea voyage. Ten years later and the one-eyed baby Kubo (voiced by Art Parkinson) has grown into a self-sufficient boy who cares for his mother and uses a strange sort of magic to breathe life into origami creations. He uses these characters in stories he tells the local villagers. One night, Kubo stays out later than he's supposed to and forces from his past, his two evil aunts (Rooney Mara) who have been searching for him, seek to take him to his grandfather, The Moon King (Ralph Fiennes). To save himself, he must go on a quest for three items (a sword, a breastplate and a helmet) which will help him fightThe Moon King. His only companions on this journey are an animated monkey charm (Charlize Theron) and a human/beetle hybrid (Matthew McConaughey).

"Kubo and the Two Strings" incorporates themes about the importance of family and choosing the right life path and, while an engaging story, is not light and fluffy like Finding Dory. A village is destroyed and there are scary monsters, including a giant animated skeleton, underwater eyestalks and a flying, fire-breathing dragon, making older children the target audience. And although the images are not perfect Pixar, "Kubo and the Two Strings" is magical.

Anthropoid - 1 1/2 smiles

"Anthropoid," based on a true story behind two Czechoslovakian operatives' mission to assassination S.S. General Reinhard Heydrich, should be more engaging and suspenseful than it is. In December, 1941, when Czechoslovakian loyalists Josef Gabcik (Cillian Murphy) and Jan Kubis (Jamie Dornan) parachute from London into their nazi-occupied homeland, they must devise a way to implement 'Operation Anthropoid.' As the logistical architect of Hitler's Final Solution to eradicate the Jewish population, Heydrich was known as 'the butcher of Prague' for his ruthless brutality. The narrative lags from their attempt to contact what's left of the Czech Resistance, represented by Ladislav (Marcin Dorocinsk) and 'Uncle' Hajsky (Toby Jones) to their dubious reconnaissance cover of romancing two local girls (Charlotte Le Bon and Anna Geislerova). The only excitement takes place at a local church, where there's a final, six-hour shoot out.

This vital snippet of history warrants more than a simple rehashing of the basic story. The script, co-written by director Sean Ellis and Anthony Frewin, asks us to care, to invest ourselves in the seldom-explored tale of the Czech resistance. But the forced dramatics and lack of character development weakens the movie. No time was spent exploring the personal and psychological toll of war.

Note: A second film about Mission Anthropoid is scheduled later this year, starring Jack O'Connor and Jack Reynold.

Pete's Dragon - 3 smiles

"Pete's Dragon," Walt Disney's soulful remake of its whimsical 1977 animated movie, is a gentle, understated family adventure, full of magic and wonder. A four-year old boy sits in the backseat as his parents drive through the Pacific Northwest forest. 'We're on an adventure,' his mother tells him and when the boy asks if the adventure won't be a little bit scary, his dad tells his son that an adventure often requires bravery. Moments later, the boy watches curiously as everything turns upside down around him, the car rotating off the road and into the woods. Six years after the accident that claimed his parents' lives, Pete (played at 10 by Oakes Fegley) is a wild child living deep int he woods, protected by an enormous dragon, a green, furry, flying creature Pete has named Elliot. The two sleep together, et together and play together, leaping through the trees in unabashed delight. As it turns out, the dragon of Millhaven is a kind of local legend, joked about by everyone but taken seriously by kindly old Meacham (Robert Redford), who likes to tell the story of his long ago encounter with the dragon to scare local kids. When Meecham's dubious daughter, park ranger Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard) discovers Pete out in the forest, she immediately opens her heart and family to him. He responds, and naturally wants his new friends to meet his old friend Elliot.

The plot of "Pete's Dragon" is simple: Pete gets lost, Pete gets found, Elliot gets captured (in a remarkable scene that younger children might find a bit too scary), Elliot gets rescued. With a plot this thin, the movie isn't helped with a villain (Karl Urban, most recently Bones in the Star Trek series) who seems more cartoonish than real. What saves the movie is the on-screen magnetism of 79-year-old Redford who gives the entire enterprise a certain gravity, the beauty of the majestic Northwest and the CGI actions of Elliot, who behaves like a big dog that can fly and turn invisible. "Pete's Dragon" is a genuine family movie that everyone will enjoy.

Hell or High Water - 4 smiles

The bleak, barren Texas terrain is a forceful character in director David Mackenzie's "Hell or High Water," starring Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham. Shots of refineries and oil rigs that visually obscure the horizon, deserted homes and businesses, dusty open spaces - a cowboy's dream gone bad. Now the banks seem to be the only thing surviving. This movie is a drama with a lot of gallows humor; it's a road movie; it's a buddy movie; it's about the little guy getting a bit of his own back. The story begins with a low-key bank robbery committed by brothers Toby (Pine) and Tanner Howard (Foster). Although Toby professes non-violence, we're not so sure about Tanner, who is an ex-con. Their motives, which involve reverse mortgages, oil drilling rights and Toby's estranged sons, remain murky. This appears intentional as Mackenzie and screenwriter Taylor Sheridan are content to allow the information to emerge organically. As a balance, the other side of the story is represented by two Texas Rangers - soon-to-retire Marcus Hamilton (Bridges) and his earnest partner Alberto Parker (Birmingham). These two share a companionable enmity with Marcus using Alberto as a verbal punching bag and Alberto holding his own. The strength of the screenplay allows us to see both sides and cheer for both sides and feel sorry for both sides. How cool is that?

Strong acting is another of the film's strengths. Pine, who has become synonymous with being the new James T. Kirk, is given an opportunity to show his genuine acting chops. He's excellent here. Foster, who co-starred with Pine earlier this year in The Finest Hours portrays Tanner as a loose cannon whose love for his brother is his saving grace. Jeff Bridges adopts a laid-back attitude, but underneath this lazy exterior is a savvy lawman. And Birmingham is the perfect foil to Bridges, tolerating the outdated political incorrectness of the older Ranger. The nature of the Ranges' relationship is as crucial to the story as the relationship between the brothers. "Hell or High Water" is a must-see. I hope you don't miss it.

Suicide Squad - 2 1/2 smiles

"Suicide Squad" is about interesting (and, surprisingly, likable characters) looking for a good script. Certainly the one they ended up with should have been better. The premise is good: take the biggest, baddest villains in the DC Comics universe and assemble them on a team whose sole purpose is to save the world from super powerful creatures that normal armed forces can't defeat. Unfortunately, the screenplay is a mix of overcooked action sequences (with an overly loud musical score) and incoherent plot development. Although I'm not that familiar with the Suicide Squad comic universe, I'm sure they could have found a better villain to kick off this series than The Enchantress because the climatic battle at the end is mind-numbingly dumb. The high points of the movie are the engaging performances of Will Smith and Margot Robbie. But then, Deadshot and Harley Quinn are the only two members of the Squad with somewhat fleshed-out backstories.

"Suicide Squad" has its moments, mainly the first third of the movie when the various characters are being introduced. The Squad is a group of misanthropes and sociopaths brought together by tough-as-nails black ops government agent Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) and her second-in-command, Rick Flag (Joel Kinsman). Their recruits include the hitman who never misses, Deadshot (Will Smith); the psycho girlfriend of The Joker, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie); the boomerang-wielding Digger Harkness (Jai Courtney); the human torch-inspired El Diablo (Jay Hernandez); the incredibly powerful mutant, Killer Croc (Adele Akinnouye-Agbaje); and the swordsman Katana (Karen Fukuhara). Their target is the evil entity The Enchantress, who has possessed the body of scientist Dr. June Moone (Cara Delevigne) and seeks to recreate a world that will worship her. In the background is The Joker (Jared Leto), too clever and evil to be incarcerated, so he pops up from time-to-time to save his girlfriend and Bruce Wayne/Batman (Ben Affleck), whose longest appearance is during the mid-credits sequence. "Suicide Squad" is loud, busy and, at times, confusing. If you're a fan, you'll probably see it.

Jason Bourne - 2 smiles

Jason Bourne has always had one mission: to find out who he is. He was a human killing machine who operated on intuition and impulse and by the end of Paul Greengrass' 2007 film The Bourne Ultimatum, Matt Damon's spy finally got answers. But nearly 10 years later, Bourne is dragged out of hiding and given more questions to ponder. In Greengrass' "Jason Bourne," the film ignores the events of the Jeremy Renner-led The Bourne Legacy, and picks up almost a decade after Damon's character fled New York after being shot by the former CIA Deputy Director. Greengrass opens this movie with a flashback sequence of Bourne's last moments with his father. Then we discover he's living off the radar and earning money with underground fights. Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) is working for a hacker in Iceland when she hacks into CIA files and discovers a new training program, Ironhand. She also discovers that Bourne's father had connections to Treadstone. So, of course, Bourne is sucked back into searching for information. The new CIA is led by Robert Dewey (Tommy Lee Jones) wth the assistance of hacker Heather Lee (Alicia Vikander) and they are after Parsons and Bourne to stop them from leaking info about Ironhand. CIA hitman (Vincent Cassel) is hot on their trail.

Although we are happy to have another Jason Bourne movie, the additional backstory about his father is too thin to garner interest and is ignored for much of the runtime. It's been nine years since Matt Damon played this iconic character and Damon looks tired. Maybe it's because Bourne's gotten older, but it also speaks to the superfluous plot. It all seems so redundant and, dare I say it, pointless. On the other hand, "Jason Bourne" does what all Bourne movies do best - action. There's an intense car chases through the streets of Athens, edgy hand-to-hand fights and an over-the-top chase through the Las Vegas strip that demolishes more cars than all previous films. The reunion between Greengrass and Damon should have resulted in a better movie.

Star Trek Beyond - 3 smiles

I'm a big fan of the original Star Trek TV series and I've seen all of the Star Trek movies, including the most recent re-boot. So, I have to say, even though I see some problems with "Star Trek Beyond," I have to give it a fairly high rating. Take that with a grain of salt if you're not a fan. Let me get the weaknesses out of the way first: Idris Elba, who plays the villain, Krall, is buried under too much latex, which makes it hard to understand him at times and doesn't allow for his always expressive face to, well, express. And the script, co-written by Simon Peg and Doug Jung, doesn't bother to explain a lot of things related to Krall (Elba), such as where he gets all of his followers when, at one point in the movie, he says that only three remained.  And if each ship in Krall's fleet is being flown by one of his followers, well.... his fleet has millions of planes (at least, that's what the CGI shows). The movie opens three years into The Enterprise's five-year mission with Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) wondering about who he is and what he's doing. While docking at Yorktown, a spaceport where alien cultures live in harmony, The Enterprise is sent on a rescue mission that turns into an ambush. An enemy horde, led by the fearsome Krall (Elba), blows the ship to pieces, leaving the crew separated and stranded on an alien planet. This set up allows for some playful pairings. Spock (Zachary Quinto) and Bones (a terrific Karl Urban) snipe at each other continuously. Kirk and Chekov (Anton Yelchin, who was killed in a tragic accident) set out to rescue the captured Uhura (Zoe Saldana) and Sulu (John Cho). And Scotty (Simon Peg) matches wits with Jaylah (a scene-stealing Sofia Boutella), an alien notorious for her attitude, black warpaint and combat skills. But Jaylah is a key character and, hopefully, one we'll see in the next installment.

A strength of the movie is the humor, which mostly revolves around Bones and Spock and Scotty. Guess the latter isn't so much of a surprise given that Simon Peg wrote the script, which also gives him a lot of screen time. Another strength is the cast now seems comfortable with their roles and we see a real camaraderie. Casting Chris Pine as James T. Kirk was a stroke of genius as it's his skill as an actor that holds the movie together. Justin Lin, former director of the Fast and Furious movies has delivered a mix of fast and furious action and old school Star Trek thoughtfulness. "Star Trek Beyond" is definitely a must-see and a must-see on a big screen. Don't wait for cable.

Ghostbusters - 3 smiles

I didn't think this "Ghostbusters" remake was any worse than the original. In fact, I liked it. It's pretty much what you would expect from a collaboration between several ex-SNL comedians and the director of Bridesmaids, The Heat and Spy. It's funny in places and there's decent chemistry among the leads. The highlights are comedic performances from Chris Hemsworth and Kate McKinnon. Perhaps the biggest weakness is director Paul Feig spending a little too much time on the special effects fights between our heroines and the ghosts and not enough story. (Although come to think of it, the original was short on story, too.) If you're a fan of the original, you'll see cameos from Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver and Annie Potts. Plus Ivan Reitman is the co-producer, Dan Ackroyd has Executive Producer credit and there's a bust of Harold Ramis early in the movie. There's even a nod to the Marshmallow Man.

Chris Hemsworth is hilarious as the dumber-than-a-sack-of-rocks secretary, not exactly what you would expect from an actor known for playing hunky roles like Thor and The Huntsman and Kate McKinnon steals every scene she's in. She quirkiness is just the spark that the often humdrum script needs. Surprisingly, the 'big' name stars, Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig are almost understated although they help to make the humor palatable. Was this remake necessary? Probably not, but studios seem to like remakes and sequels. The new "Ghostbusters" work well together. They have a strong rapport and have no difficulty commanding the screen for two hours. And the very end of the film (after all of the credits) suggests that there's going be (guess what?) ... a sequel. If you loved the original, don't see this one. Otherwise, you'll probably enjoy "Ghostbusters."

The Secret Life of Pets - 2 smiles

"The Secret Life of Pets" is more for children than adults although if you're an animal lover, you'll probably find this (just a bit more) entertaining.The animation has a generic quality so it doesn't pop like a Pixar film. And the story is nothing special. The people look like caricatures and the animals have a cartoonish, stuffed animal appearance. Not much of a realistic look here. There are moments of humor and the script does a good job of anthropomorphizing the dogs, cats, birds, etc. A cute bit is Chloe the cat unable to resist chasing a moving light.

The basic story finds Max (voiced by Louis C.K.) having to put up with another dog, bossy Duke (Eric Stonestreet), that owner Katie (Ellie Kemper) has brought home. Their inevitable feud carries over onto the streets during the next day's walk. Max and Duke escape when the dog walker is distracted and are captured by animal control. One rescue later they find themselves in the middle of a gang of abandoned pets led by angry bunny rabbit Snowball (Kevin Hart) and no closer to home. Meanwhile, friends Gidget (Jenny Slate), Chloe (Lake Bell) and some other friends go searching for Max. "The Secret Life of Pets" is strong enough that parents won't fall asleep, but it lacks a strong emotional punch that mark superior animated movies.

Note: The movie is preceded by a new 7-minute short about a quartet of Minions who go into the landscaping business. In no way does it compare to 'Piper,' the animated short that accompanies Finding Dory, but it's a good marketing ploy for a future Minions movie.

The Infiltrator - 2 smiles

I was expecting to feel more tension with "The Infiltrator," a story based on the real life of Customs agent Robert Mazur. The movie does show the fine line Mazur (Brian Cranston) walks as he poses as a money launderer to catch Pablo Escobar in 1980s Florida. He manages to make drug importers, drug dealers and dirty bankers like him and in some cases, even love him. However, the movie in general conveys the basic facts of the story while rarely making us feel for Mazur's plight or peril.

Director Brad Furman and screenwriter Ellen Brown Furman (the director's mother) get most of their material from Mazur's autobiography, but the script introduces so many characters it's hard to keep them straight let alone develop any characterization. And elements of the story feel sloppy: a subplot about the CIA stalking Mazur goes nowhere and a scene in which he submits to a voodoo test in order to earn the cartel's approval makes little sense since he's already handled millions of their money and befriended dozens of Escobar's men. Nonetheless, "The Infiltrator" is mostly saved by its superb cast. Cranston makes both Mazur and his alter ego feel like real people (despite the fact that the script does not give him the opportunity to reveal the psychological toll his undercover work takes). Diane Kruger (another Customs agent) plays his fiancee with grace and ease. John Leguizamo finds the balance between erratic and crazy as Mazur's adrenaline-loving partner. And Benjamin Bratt is excellent as Escobar's top lieutenant. Forman has a compelling true story and an exceptional cast, but a weak script and his bland direction leaves "The Infiltrator" unable to ratchet up the tension.

The BFG - 2 1/2 smiles

The best things about Steven Spielberg's "The BFG" are the lead performances. Immediately likable Ruby Barnhill is perfect as the plucky Sophie. Mark Rylance, working for a second time with Spielberg after winning an Oscar under the director's guidance for Bridge of Spies, conveys a gentle, genial spirit for BFG (Big Friendly Giant).  It's a surprisingly complex performance for a special effects character. The first half of the movie gets off to a slow start as we see Sophie (Barnhill) up late one night and staring out the window. She is surprised to see a giant (Rylance), whom she later names BFG, wandering the streets. Fearful that she will tell people about him, he abducts her and carries her off to his home in the Land of the Giants. Lacking family in her world, she decides she want to stay, but there are problems when the other giants (who are not so friendly) want to eat her. Sophie devises a plan to defeat the giants but it requires that the BFG present himself to the Queen (Penelope Wilton).

The story lacks an emotional impact and while we care about Sophie and BFG's relationship, we're not as invested in it as we should be. Things are strangely muted. Spielberg succeeds in crafting a land of wonder and although his methods are flawless, they are not unique. Hailed for his groundbreaking use of CGI in Jurassic Park, he has been surpassed over the years by others who have pushed the special effects envelope. Perhaps because it's Spielberg, we hold him to a higher standard and expect greatness from everything he does. "The BFG" is pleasant summer entertainment, but not a classic like E.T. or Jurassic Park.

Free State of Jones - 2 smiles

If you're interested in learning more about a real character, "Free State of Jones," which instructs more than it inspires, is something you will want to see. Matthew McConaughey stars as Newton Knight, an 1860s Mississippi farmer rebelling against war and slavery and in doing so, he creates his own militia of former slaves and fellow farmers. The first half moves well enough, with Knight and his conscripts defending their land against both Confederate and Union forces. The story splinters in the second half when too much exposition is crammed in (including a 20th century court case) and momentum is lost.

McConaughey is earnest and noble in the lead role, moreso than history might have you believe about the real Knight. And Writer/director Gary Ross seems to have turned Knight into a superhero rather than telling the tale of an ordinary man in extraordinary circumstances.  Plus Ross stages several battle scenes with a bloody realism that is too graphic and jarring. That the movie wants to draw parallels to today's racial hatred is all too obvious. We get N-word speechifying, the birth of the KKK and a history of voting prejudice, all of which feel crammed in despite the film's laborious 139-minute running time.

The Legend of Tarzan - 3 smiles

When it comes to recycling stories, "The Legend of Tarzan" does a good job. There is a solid story with character development that doesn't rely on special effects and any special effects there are aren't excessive. Flashbacks that provide backstory explanations are seamlessly incorporated into the main narrative and are never intrusive. The movie is respectful of its source material and takes the characters seriously, even adding humor (most of it coming from Samuel L. Jackson). A ripped Alexander Skarsgard plays Tarzan (aka John Clayton, Viscount Greystoke) with intelligence and sophistication. Jane (Margot Robbie) is feisty, forthright and definitely not a traditional damsel-in-distress. Jackson pays Tarzan's sidekick, George Washington Williams and Oscar-winning Christoph Waltz, playing Captain Rom, is an effective sneering bad guy.

After a prologue that explains why Rom wants to catch Tarzan, the movie provides a semi-convincing reason for Viscount Greystoke to leave behind his estate and return to the lands where he grew up. Jane, not wanting to be left behind, decides to go with him. Also long for the ride is the American Williams, a representative of President Benjamin Harrison, who believes the King of Belgium might be promoting slave labor in the Congo. Soon after they arrive, they are ambushed, Jane is captured and Tarzan is almost killed. "The Legend of Tarzan" moves briskly and has the overall feel of one of Burroughs' more entertaining stories. Unlike so many of the disappointing entries into the 2016 big budget sweepstakes, this is good summer escapist entertainment. (I'd see it again.)

The Hunt for the Wilderpeople - 4 smiles

"The Hunt for the Wilderpeople," a New Zealand import that won the audience award at Sundance, is pure joy and not to be missed. It's an oddly affecting take on two misfits finding their way to each other. Ricky Baker (13-year old Julian Dennison) is an orphaned juvenile delinquent, a 'real bad egg' as his social worker (Rachel House) announces. When Ricky is sent to live with foster parents Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and Hec (Sam Neill) Faulkner on their farm, it's not exactly a perfect match. The sullen retain takes one lap around the house and climbs back into the car he arrived in. In time, though, he settles in, eventually going Hec on an epic journey through the wilderness while eluding the predatory clutches of social services, vigilante do-gooders and well-armed police and military squads.

This is a coming-of-age tale, the on-the-run road movie, the mismatched buddy comedy, the boy's adventure story all rolled into one and writer/director Taika Waititi maintains a steady hand and knowing understanding of his characters as this story unfolds. You have your chubby Maori foster kid infatuated with urban rebels (he names his dog 'Tupac') and crusty old outdoorsman who wants little to do with his wife's addition to the household and you know they're going to bond. Although Waititi jumps from the silly to heartstring-pulling melodrama, that's part of the fun of this movie. It's laugh-out-loud funny in places and heart-rending in others. Young Dennison is a delight and Neill soars as a gruff man with a soft center. "The Hunt for the Wilderpeople" is a breath of fresh air. Be sure to see it.

Independence Day: Resurgence - 1 1/2 smiles

After seeing "Independence Day: Resurgence," I have to wonder why some sequels get made. Especially when this feels more like an excuse for special effects (with very little plot). Returning cast members include Jeff Goldblum as scientist David Levinson, Bill Pullman as ex-Predient Whitmore and Judd Hirsch as David's grumpy father. Maika Monroe plays Patricia Whitmore, the president's grown-up daughter and Jessie T. Usher is Dylan Hiller, the son of Will Smith's dead character. Liam Hemsworth is Jake Morrison, a hotshot pilot.

The story is essentially an alien invasion (again) with bigger ships and guns and is supposed to be light summer entertainment. However, thinking of any kind will ruin this experience because it has too many implausible events. Sure, you suspend disbelief with this kind of movie, but when you have Judd Hirsch's character just barely speeding ahead of a huge tidal wave (he's in a small boat, of course) and he survives, you have to say, 'Come on. Really?' Director Roland Emmerich has stated that he plans to make a third Independence Day movie. To which I have to say, Come on. Really?

Finding Dory - 3 smiles

Although "Finding Dory" swims through familiar waters, it's still an enjoyable summer movie. The themes, the importance of friends and family and the value of tolerance, are the same. And the basic narrative, a fish making a long journey to find family, replicates that of Finding Nemo. Dory (voice by Ellen DeGeneres), the good-natured blue tang with short-term memory problems, was a supporting character to Albert Brooks' clownfish Marlin. This time she's the lead with Marlin and Nemo (Hayden Rolence) providing support. Despite her memory issues, Dory realizes she once had a mother (Diane Keaton) and father (Eugene Levy) and a few random memories sends her off to find them, with Marlin and Nemo in pursuit. Her quest takes her to a marine institute where she reconnects with old friend Destiny, the nearsighted whale shark (Kaitlin Olsen) and makes a bargain with Hank the octopus (Ed O'Neill).

"Finding Dory" has a solid emotional core, which is what makes Pixar movies so good. We become invested in Dory's journey. And even when things become a bit silly (like the chase scene at the end), we stay engaged. The best Pixar movies work on two levels - one for adults and one for children; Up is a perfect example. "Dory" works more for kids, but that's not to say adults won't enjoy the movie. And visually, this is one of Pixar's strongest offerings.

Note: "Finding Dory" is paired with "Piper," an animated short that will be an entrant in the Academy Award Best Animated Short category. "Piper," a sure winner, is about an adorable baby sandpiper. It's a story told without words and it delivers wonderful messages, like we can learn from each other and that everyone has something to offer. "Piper" will become a classic. Be sure not to miss it.

The Nice Guys - 2 smiles

Russell Crowe (Jackson Healy) and Ryan Gosling (PI Holland March) have a quirky odd-couple relationship in “The Nice Guys” that plays well for the comedy portion of this noir mystery. However, the scene-stealer is 15-year old newcomer Angourie Rice, who plays March’s daughter Amelia. Her natural performance radiates charm and charisma and her skillful interactions with Gosling and Crowe are high points of the movie. For the most part, the two stars breeze happily along. But everything around them seems slightly off. Director Shane Black hits all the Me Decade buttons – Atari Pong, gas lines around the corner, big hair and the digitally added layer of smog that blankets LA. Maybe because of this the entire film feels greasy. Maybe it’s the porn-industry subplot, which gives Black an opportunity to wallow in breasts and butts. There’s just a little too much slapstick for me and that interferes with the forward momentum of the plot.

Now You See Me 2 - 2 smiles

I really liked “Now You See Me,” having seen it multiple times – in theaters, on cable and. most recently, to and from France on United. I liked the story, the characters, the acting and the sheer joy of watching an effective caper flick. Now to the sequel: I like some aspects, the returning characters (although I miss Isla Fisher) and I especially liked the conclusion. However, the things I didn’t like outweigh the positives. Lizzy Caplan’s character, Lula, is just plain irritating. I think she’s supposed to be cute, but every time she opens her mouth, I want to tell her to shut it. Part of the fun of watching Now You See Me was watching how the heroes would use magic as part of their con and to escape various situations. There’s very little magic in “Now You See Me 2” and in order for the climactic illusion to work, all of the victims would have to be stupid. The script, a high point in the first movie, is a huge disappointment in the sequel.  I hope the next one is better.

Me Before You - 3 smiles

From everything I’d read about this movie, I was expecting to be manipulated into tears. Maybe because of that expectation, I found myself not tearing up at all although there are a lot of moments in the film when the music seems to be signaling a time to cry. Didn’t work with me. Nonetheless, I did like “Me Before You,” mainly because of the two characters. Louisa is played by Emilia Clarke, known worldwide for her portrayal as the fierce would-be queen of Westeros, Daenerys Targaryen in HBO’s Game of Thrones.  Despite their vast differences in temperament and physical appearance, Clarke is able to imbue both characters with life and personality. Her Louisa is shy and flighty, a chatty young woman with a bizarre fashion sense. She’s instantly likeable and we realize that she’s also sharp, witty and courageous. Clarke’s counterpart is Sam Clafin, who played Finnick in three of the four Hunger Games. His Will is dashing and handsome, even in a wheelchair and he is more complex than Louisa. By his own admission, before his accident, he loved live and, so, by comparison, his current existence is intolerable. This movie doesn’t address the morality of assisted suicide, but given this particular situation, the choice Sam makes is understandable. “Me Before You” does have some uneven moments, when the pacing is off and Louisa seems to be trying too hard, but overall, it’s worth seeing. You might need tissue.

Alice Through the Looking Glass - 1 smile

Visually, “Alice Through the Looking Glass” has its moments, but pretty backgrounds and clever special effects can’t hide the incoherent story and a miscast villain. Not to mention the fact that there’s little Lewis Carroll in writer Linda Woolverton disjointed script. There’s no sense of danger for Alice as she strives to save the Hatter and the world. And what’s this about entropy destroying the universe? And going backward in time? Where did that come from? Strangely enough, this film even steals a few scenes from The Transformers. And there’s Sacha Baron Cohen. The mixture of his slapstick shtick and sinister intentions are off-putting. Compared to his performance, Johnny Depp comes across as restrained (really). This could easily be Disney’s worst high profile movie in years. It’s too confusing for children and older viewers will find the time travel poorly developed and the action sequences tedious. Skip it.

Money Monster - 2 1/2 smiles

"Money Monster," directed by Jodie Foster, wants to be a meaningful message movie and a taut thriller. While Foster succeeds in building the tension with the action in the TV studio, once everyone leaves the studio, she is less successful with the action and the message, piling coincidence upon contrivance. The script wants to emphasize the corrupt nature of Wall Street, but ends up illustrating the greed of one individual. Lee Gates (George Clooney) is host of a reality money show where he is more carnival barker than financial adviser and Patty Fenn (Julia Roberts) is his weary director. With the cameras rolling, Kyle Budwell (Jack O'Connell) walks onto the set with a gun and forces Gates to don an explosive vest. It seems Budwell has lost his entire savings with an investment advised by Gates. "Money Monster" wants to be a smart thriller but it's undone by a script that, despite a stellar cast, resorts to hard to swallow contrivances and implausible actions by some characters.

Criminal - 2 smiles

As long as you're willing to check your brain at the door, this action-thriller starring Kevin Costner is pretty good. "Criminal" opens as London-based CIA operative Bill Pope (Ryan Reynolds) is killed before he can reveal where he as hidden an important asset. CIA head honcho, Quaker Wells (Gary Oldman), approves an experimental medical procedure in which the dead man's memories will be implanted in the brain of hardened convict Jericho Stewart (Costner). Of course, things don't go as planned. Costner, in full bad-ass mode, makes this crackpot premise work, assisted by Tommy Lee Jones as the pioneering surgeon, who's concerned only with the patient's welfare and Gal Gadot as Pope's wife. The dialogue is less than scintillating, but what do you expect from a solid action flick?  It's best not to think too hard about what's happening. Just hang on and go along for the ride.

The Huntsman: Winter's War - 1 smile

The costumes and special effects are pretty spectacular and the only reason to see "The Huntsman: Winter's War," the sequel to 2012's Snow White and the Huntsman. The rest of the movie is silly and boring. With its reported $115 million budget, you'd think there would be a better script. No such luck. Instead, plenty was spent on an ice palace and its arctic environs as well as special effects involving liquid gold, the legendary Magic Mirror, Queen Ravenna's (Charlize Theron) transformations and her sister, Queen Freya's (Emily Blunt) icy finger spells. Kristen Stewart does not reprise her role as Snow White, so the focus shifts to the Huntsman, Chris Hemsworth's character. We learn that his village is invaded and all adults killed and the children taken captive by the Ice Queen (Blunt). There, along with Sara (played as an adult by Jessica Chastain), they are taught to be warriors. There's a boring middle section with dwarves that does little to advance the plot, but provide plenty of opportunity for tasteless little people jokes. Theres no character development and little plot, which proves that a lack of good story telling can't be disguised with good special effects. Skip this one.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 - 1 1/2 smiles

The lovable Portokalos family, who charmed audiences in the fluffy 2002 surprise hit, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, has returned. This follow-up is an 80s-style sit-com, where dramatic situations are forced and artificial and the jokes are mostly lame. The caricature quotient has been amped up to an Irritating level. On top of that, there’s not much plot, so the movie seems longer than it is. The film takes place about 18 years after the original and most of the cast is back. Michael Constantine, who was 88 years old when the movie was made, seems not to be in the best of health, so there’s something a little sad about watching him gamely trying to do what the script requires. Nia Vardalos, who was endearing in 2002, is mostly annoying.  The only standout is Elena Kampouris, who plays Paris, the youngest member of the Portokalos family, who feels smothered and longs to attend college far from home. If you’ve got an afternoon free and want to spend it at the movies, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” might fit the bill. But you could wait for it to be on cable, too.

Zootopia - 3 smiles

“Zootopia” is more than I expected although not nearly as good as a Pixar movie. Its underlying themes of inclusiveness and empowerment are adequately demonstrated and it boasts appealing characters. There’s a lot for kids to like and nearly as much for their parents. “Zootopia” is a mismatched buddy film with the two central characters, Judy (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin), a rabbit and Nick (Jason Bateman) a fox, learning to respect one another as they gain an understanding of each other’s strengths. Any lessons about diversity are evident in the animals of different species getting along. There’s enough humor for this to be considered a ‘comedy’ with a few of the jokes being intended for older viewers. I wouldn’t mind another visit to this world with a second ride-along with Judy and Nick.

Concussion - 2 smiles

“Concussion” should cause many to think about our nation’s most popular sport. Based on a true story, Will Smith plays Dr. Bennet Omalu, a Nigerian-born, hyper-motivated corner working in Pittsburgh. He treats the dead bodies he examines as his patients, carefully trying to determine the cause of their deaths. One day, he is assigned the body of a local legend, a former Pittsburgh Steelers and NFL Hall-of-Famer named Mike Webster (David Morse), a man who went from the height of success to living in a broken-down truck. Omalu notices something inconsistent with Webster’s brain, and against the protests of a fellow coroner and Steelers’ fan, decides to run some sophisticated tests, paying for them himself. With the backing of his no-nonsense boss (Albert Brooks), Omalu determines that Webster suffered a litany of concussions over his career, which eventually led to his erratic, irrational behavior. Omalu discovers that a great many football players have had similar problems and other inexplicable deaths have occurred. Thus begins Omalu’s fight, first to be taken seriously by the scientific community, then by the NFL. Helping him along the way is a remorseful former team doctor for the Steelers (Alec Baldwin) and the widows of other NFL players, whose husbands Omalu examines.

“Concussion” spends too much time on Omalu’s relationship with his future wife (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) when it should focus on the science. And while Smith doesn’t look anything like Dr. Omalu, his on-screen charisma keeps you involved in the story. However, the film’s greatest weakness is that the movie never gives Omalu a persuasive antagonist, someone that’s substantive enough for him to push against to create the necessary narrative tension. The NFL remains a vague, largely anonymous presence (the white elephant in the room). Dr. Omalu recently stated in a New York Times op-ed, that he doesn’t believe anyone under 18 should be permitted to play high-impact contact sports. And after seeing “Concussion,” you can understand why.

Hateful Eight - 1 smile

While I’m not a Quentin Tarantino fan, I did think that his Inglorious Basterds took an interesting look at an alternate way to end Nazi Germany. Did he have at least one scene where he goes too over-the-top? Yes, but in that movie he also paid close attention to story. With “The Hateful Eight,” he has too little story and too much excess. Set almost entirely in a snowed-in way station, the story’s so spare it doesn’t warrant its overly long running time of 2 hours and 47 minutes. Fortunately, Tarantino has a genius for casting. Kurt Russell has fun chewing on Tarantino’s florid dialogue as a grizzled bounty hunter, Jennifer Jason Leigh shines through a bloody smile as the outlaw he’s taking to the hangman (though she does get slapped and punched way too much for me) and Samuel L. Jackson is at his best as a surly ex-Union officer/bounty hunter. Bruce Dern, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Walton Goggins and Demian Bichir round out the group. “The Hateful Eight” wears out its welcome well before the halfway point, leaving the equivalent of a whole other movie to suffer through.