The Big Sick - 4 smiles

"The Big Sick," is a romantic comedy with a surprising amount of depth. The film, directed by Michael Showalter, is based on the life of Kumail Nanjiani, a Pakistani immigrant and comic and his wife, Emily V. Gordon, a television comedy writer. The couple co-wrote the screenplay and Nanjiani plays himself in the film while Emily is played, wonderfully, by Zoe Kazan. Kumail is introduced doing his stand-up routine at a Chicago club. Emily, whom he's never met, gently heckles him, breaking his focus. This meet-cute moment leads to a one-night stand that, despite their protestations, leads to a serious relationship. But there's a big problem: Kumail's parents (Zenobia Shroff and Anupam Kher) are strict Muslims who would never approve of his involvement with a white American girl. So he doesn't tell them about Emily, but when she discovers his subterfuge, she's devastated. It's clear to Kumail that if he marries Emily, he will lose his family. Emily has a right to be angry with Kumail, but she doesn't understand the gravity of what's at stake for him. Several weeks after Kumail and Emily have broken up, she is suddenly diagnosed with a mysterious infection that requires her to be put into a medically induced coma. Kumail, acknowledging the depth of his feelings for Emily, becomes so steadfast in his vigilance at the hospital that even Emily's parents, Beth (Holly Hunter) and Terry (Ray Romano), who have flown in from North Carolina, gradually warm up to him. Unlike Kumail, who had told his parents nothing about Emily, she has told her parents everything about Kumail and his deception.

One of the most moving aspects of "The Big Stick" is the way in which Terry, Beth and Kumail transform their antagonism into a fierce advocacy for Emily and for each other. Terry uses humor to camouflage his grief about Emily's condition and his frustration over not being able to fix the rift in his own marriage. Romano is deeply touching. Holly Hunter is a pint-sized dynamo as Beth, especially when she tries to shut down one of Kumail's hecklers at a stand-up show. Zoe Kazan is a delightfully spirited Emily and Nanjiani pulls of the none-too-easy feat of playing a younger version of himself. It's refreshing to see a movie that makes Muslim American characters three-dimensional people. But most of all, "The Big Sick" stands out for its huge generosity of spirit and its reliance on human relationships, rather than ridiculous slap stick, high-concept plot twists and outsized villains to drive its plot. You can't say that about most movies today, let alone a romantic comedy.


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Maudie - 4 smiles

"Maudie," tells the true story of Maud Lewis (played beautifully by Sally Hawkins), an arthritic woman in Nova Scotia who taught herself to paint and became an internationally recognized folk artist. Screenwriter Sherry White explores Maud's relationship with her husband, Everett (Ethan Hawke, cast effectively against type), a mean often bullying and socially maladroit man who hires her as a live-in housekeeper but over time falls in love with her. Maud suffered from the effects of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, her hands often clenched, her head hunched over and her feet at odd angles, causing a limp. After her parents die, her greedy brother sells the family house and sends Maud to live with their mean-spirited spinster aunt, who barely tolerates Maud in her house. Needing to make her own decisions, Maud takes on the demanding job for Everett Lewis, but even after she marries him, she often feels unwelcome, unwanted and abused in her own home.

Although this might sound like a bleak and depressing story, "Maudie" is one of the most beautiful and up-lifting movies of the year. Directed with grace and style by Aisling Walsh, "Maudie" features a nomination-worthy performance from the versatile British actress Sally Hawkins. Her Maud, who is shunned buy the community and treated as something of a freak because of her physical condition and her eccentric ways, maintains an indomitable spirit, determined to find beauty in absolutely everything. And Ethan Hawke delivers one of the best performances of his career as Everett Lewis, a hulking and surly fish peddler living on the edge of town in a one-room house with only his dogs and chickens as company. "Maudie" is sad and disturbing, beautiful and moving and definitely a must see.

The Book of Henry - 1 1/2 smiles

"The Book of Henry" gets an extra half smile because of the engaging cast, all doing their best to make sense. Otherwise, it's really, really hard to suspend disbelief and go with the plot. [There are going to be spoilers, so if you're planning on seeing this movie, skip the rest of this.] This is the only feel-good family comedy where a mother (Naomi Watts) lets her older son, Henry (Jaeden Lieberher - playing a genius), control her life. He does her finances and makes sure she goes to bed at night instead of playing video games. There don't seem to be any consequences to this arrangement, which means that when Susan realizes that her son is just a child and she doesn't have to do what he says, it feels like it comes from left field. While Henry is played with engaging charm by Jaeden Lieberher, he doesn't seem like a real person. He has over $600.000 in a checking account from playing the stock market, everyone likes him and he's a genius inventor. You wait to see how his inventions fit together to influence the story and director Colin Trevorrow shoots the various parts of the contraptions as though they have a significant part to play later on.

The subplot that gradually takes over is Henry's obsession with proving the girl next door, Christina (Maddie Ziegler), is being abused by her stepfather, Glenn (Dean Norris). The film doesn't bother to show us Henry building his case other than Henry looking out his window and seeing Glen enter Christina's room late at night. We don't know either, but we're supposed to infer that Henry is right. And Henry dies midway through the movie. What?!! Why? But don't worry. He's left his mom detailed instructions for how to kill Glenn. That's right. Kill him. This is a feel-good family comedy, huh? And when the end arrives, there's another, What?!! Why? In "The Book of Henry," everyone involved want to do something meaningful, but it doesn't make sense.

Megan Leavey - 3 1/2 smiles

Based on a true story, "Megan Leavey" is an affecting story about love, sacrifice and the forging of identity. Megan (Kate Mara) signs up for the Marines as a way out of her dead-end life. There she finds a purpose, and a soul mate, in Rex. As a female K9 handler in Iraq during the height of the conflict in the early 2000s, she is out in front of the front lines before women were even allowed in combat and director Gabriela Cowperthwaite captures the queasy sense of unease and terror of walking out into unknown territory, bombs potentially anywhere under foot. Wounded in an explosion, Leavey is awarded a Purple heart and leaves the Marines, but is separated from Rex, who is redeployed. Fighting PSD and grief over losing Rex, she beings an odyssey to reunite with and adopt her best friend.

Writers Pamela Gray, Annie Mumolo and Tim Lovestedt keep the world and perspective honed in on Megan and Rex. The unspoken yet ever-present undercurrent running throughout is the theme of mental health struggles. Her depression is what motivates her to join up, her trauma bonds her to Rex and her postwar grief spurs her into action. The movie is about a woman who finds her best self after bonding with her bomb-sniffing dog and vice-versa. Mara and the dog convincingly portray the life-or-death bond necessary for their job. Although Cowperthwaite focuses on the human-dog relationship more than human relationships, this is a minor problem (especially if you're a dog lover). "Megan Leavey" is about how loving a dog can make life meaningful and it's an inspiring story.

The Mummy - 1 smile

Universal's "The Mummy" is the first (they hope) of several re-made monster movies under the 'Dark Universe' banner. Javier Bardem has signed on to play Frankenstein's Monster and Johnny Depp will be the Invisible Man (Huh. He's still a box office draw?). Also planned are reboots of Van Helsing, The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. These films will share a world of 'gods and monsters,' with the probable goal of bringing these iconic characters together to face off or fight a greater threat, like some superheroes we know. It's safe to say the studio desperately needs "The Mummy" to be a box office success, which is probably why Tom Cruise plays the lead, but that makes this movie less of a thriller and more of an action flick.

The movie opens in modern-day Iraq, with Nick Morton (Cruise), his sidekick Chris (Jake Johnson) and Egyptologist Jenny Halsey (Annabelle Wallis) discovering an ancient Egyptian tomb, which turns out to hold the sarcophagus of Princess Ahmanet (Sofia Boutella), who awakens to complete her mission to bring the Egyptian god of death Set into a human body. Much of the first section is bogged down in exposition, including Dr. Jekyll (Russell Crowe) and his organization, 'Prodigium,' which tracks monsters. Later we get just plain silly zombies chasing the amoral Nick, who just might be redeemable, and an ambitious ending. Boutella, known for her roles in Kingsman and Star Trek Beyond, turns in a solid performance, perhaps the best thing about this awful movie. Cruise is Cruise. For the beginning of an ongoing series, "The Mummy" is a misfire.

The Hero - 2 smiles

Co-writer (with Marc Basch)/director Brett Haley (I'll See You In My Dreams) looks at aging from the  male perspective in his second film, which, unfortunately, is far more formulaic than the first. Not content with having their aging star, Lee Hayden (Sam Elliott), contemplate his mortality, the screenplay also throws in an estranged daughter (Krysten Ritter), a friendly ex-wife (Katharine Ross) and a romance with a much younger woman, Charlotte (Laura Prepon). Haley's recurring motif of death, where Lee wanders through scenes from his past movies is awkward and clumsy, seemly thrown in without much thought. And then there's Charlotte's uncharacteristically cruel stand-up routine that feels wholly at odds with everything established about her character up to that point.

The highlights include a pot-smoking buddy (a funny Nick Offerman) and a different kind of awards ceremony hosted by the Western Historical and Preservation Society, where Lee and Charlotte are so high that their giddiness spreads to the rest of the audience. Haley has demonstrated a willingness to grant older characters center stage. This time around, it's unfortunate that the story isn't as strong as Elliott's striking lead performance.

Beatriz at Dinner - 3 smiles

Before "Beatriz at Dinner" gets down to its serious topics, it starts as a seemingly innocent comedy of manners. Beatriz (Salma Hayek) is a Los Angeles-based Mexican immigrant whose spiritual affinity and natural empathy has led to a career as a header, a profession that allows her to combine traditional massage therapy with a holistic approach to maintaining health. After she is called to a Newport Beach mansion for a massage for Kathy (Connie Britton), a liberal whose daughter Beatriz helped through a bout of cancer, Beatriz's old VW fails to start and she is invited to stay for dinner while she waits for a friend to come to fix the car. As it turns out, the dinner is a celebration of the closing of an environmentally damaging real estate development deal and the guest of honor is John Lithgow's Doug Strutt, a well-known billionaire. When Strutt meets Beatriz, he mistakes her for the help and orders a drink, confirming for her that she has just encountered evil. Her fears are confirmed when, halfway through dinner, Strutt shares a cell phone snapshot of a dead rhinoceros, a big game quarry killed on an African safari. That's when the humor script writer Mike White has sprinkled throughout and the tension director Miguel Arteta has been building explodes. Nonetheless, all of everyone's hard work is in jeopardy of becoming undone by an ending that strikes out not once, but twice.

Both Beatriz and Strutt would be caricatures in the hands of less skilled actors, but Hayek and Lithgow give masterful performances. Hayek carries the pain of her patients (and the recent loss of one of her pet goats) in her wounded eyes. She approaches the strange world of capitalistic greed with curiosity, heartbreak and finally anger. Lithgow portrays Strutt in a logical way; he is a man who sees hunting as a primal experience, using patience and perseverance as a way to bring order to chaos. Strutt is in charge of all things and he knows it and likes it. Then there's the ending. An overwhelmed Beatriz makes choices (twice) that fundamentally betray the character Hayek has so thoughtfully constructed. And when the director must explain the ending, it's an ending that's not effective at all. Beatriz deserves better.

My Cousin Rachel - 3 1/2 smiles

There's a lot of atmosphere in director Roger Michell's "My Cousin Rachel," with fog-shrouded marshes, flickering candles, muttering servants and a broken pearl necklace tumbling down a staircase in slow motion, which definitely sets the scene for a mystery. We learn in the opening sequence that an orphaned Philip was taken in as a child by his benevolent cousin Ambrose and brought up in luxury at the family estate, which he will eventually inherit. When Ambrose goes to Florence for his health, he falls in love with Rachel and marries her, but then, in a series of letters to Philip, refers to her as 'my torment' and begs Philip to rescue him. By the time Philip gets to Florence, Ambrose has died of a brain tumor and Rachel has disappeared. Believing his cousin was killed by Rachel, Philip vows vengeance. But when Rachel finally shows up at the estate, Philip quickly becomes infatuated, but he continues to wonder, Is Rachel innocent or guilty?

However, the dynamic between men and women is at the heart of "My Cousin Rachel" and the true source of its mystery. If we watch the movie only wondering whether Rachel is good or evil, we are limiting our perspective to Philip (Sam Clafin), the protagonist, and limiting our understanding of the story. What's actually going on is bigger. And Rachel Weisz's performance as Rachel is truly exceptional -- because her Rachel really isn't hiding anything although she is manipulative and calculating. And Clafin's Philip bounces from one extreme to another, trying to wrap his brain around something that's beyond his limited experience to comprehend.  Because Michell forces us to stay within Philip's limited vantage point, we only see Rachel when he does, but we must understand that he is an unreliable narrator. "My Cousin Rachel" isn't so much a murder mystery, but a story of a woman desiring independence at a time when they are considered chattle.

The Exception - 3 1/2 smiles

Although a little clunky in places, "The Exception" is a beautifully filmed World War II-era romantic thriller, enlivened by outstanding performances and inspired by a little-known footnote to history. Christopher Plummer is phenomenal and the main reason to see "The Exception." He turns 90 in December and he still has great acting chops."The Exception" is set in 1940 at a 19th century estate in rural Netherlands, where Germany's past imperialism collides with the new ruthlessness of the Nazi regime. Caught between this clash of values are a loyal German soldier and a Jewish woman spy who confront their beliefs and establish a cautious relationship. Director David Leveaux successfully combines a strong acting ensemble with fictional and historical figures. Christopher Plummer perfectly embodies the past as Kaiser Wilhelm II who exiled in November 1918 when the Allies and German mutineers forced his abdication to end the first World War. The octogenarian monarch can now only influence his environment by chopping wood and feeding the ducks. His ineffective military campaigns are symbolized by a closet full of formal uniforms from units of which he was only the titular head. Prone to dry monologues, he has all of the prejudices and mannerisms of his time and class. Yet Plummer's Wilhelm offers a droll kindness toward his staff, from his loyal aide de Camp Colonel Sigurd von Ilsemann (Ben Daniels) to a comely new addition, Dutch maid Mieke de Jong (Lily James), who he can tell hasn't done this kind of work before. His haughty second wife, Princess Hermine Reuss of Greig (Janet McTeer), still lives in the high society of pre-1918 and is petitioning Hitler for restoration of the monarchy, but carefully because she wants the Third Reich to keep paying their allowance while she prepares for their triumphant return to Berlin.

Into this archaic atmosphere comes hunky Captain Stefan Brandt (Jai Courtney), who didn't even know his ex-emperor was still alive. He's assigned to protect the Kaiser, but is really there to report on his household to Gestapo Inspector Dietrich (Mark Dexter), who warns him that a British spy is in the area and they are closing in on the transmitter. Brandt keeps his eyes open although he's smitten by Mieke, who confesses she's Jewish. Things become more complicated when the head of the SS, Reichsfuhrer Heinrich Himmler (Eddie Marsan) visits. Leveaux stresses the romance, adventure and character and underplays the horror, although one of Himmler's dinner conversations is appalling. "The Exception" works as a love story and adventure. If only Leveaux didn't feel he needed multiple endings.

Wonder Woman - 4 smiles

"Wonder Woman" is a wonder. It's a movie that moves at its own pace, taking enough time to explain our heroine's deeply held beliefs of justice and morality and Gal Gadot brings thought and nuance to her role (rare for a super hero movie). Credit director Patty Jenkins (Monster) for having a vision for "Wonder Woman" and following through. After a framing device introduces Wonder Woman in modern day Paris, we flash-back to Diana as a young Amazon child raised on a mystical island free of men and full of warrior princesses. Among them are Antiope (Robin Wright), Diana's ferocious aunt and Hippolyte (Connie Nielsen), her protective mother. They impart on her the ways of their people and raise her to be a fierce, all-powerful fighter. However, Diana is also thoughtful and compassionate whose world is turned upside down when American pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crashes into the waters near her island. Diana rescues him and then travels back to London with him, where World War I is underway and she's determined to do her part to end it. Her immediate goal is to find and kill Ares, the Greek god of war. But there are several others in her way, including German General Erich Ludendorff (Danny Huston), and Doctor Poison (Elena Anaya), a chemical weapon's specialist. Diana's venture into 'No Man's Land' is where the movie really takes off, but the film is in no hurry to get there.

The script has plenty of action and CGI, but there are humorous fish-out-of-water moments with Trevor explaining the world and human nature to Diana. These are the character-building moments that give "Wonder Woman" such depth and make her feel like someone we care about before she demonstrates her extraordinary qualities. If there's a weakness, it's in the overblown climactic battle, a staple of superhero movies, but it's just a minor one. After all, she is fighting the god of war. Jenkins's biggest coup are her two leads: Chris Pine, as Trevor, brings a self-aware humor to a role that requires him to stand nude before an inquisitive Diana and say things that inimical to his macho pride while wrapped in Diana's glowing Lasso of Truth. We know he's good at the hero part because he's also Captain Kirk. And Gadot is exceptionally good, expressing female power with a quiet focus and an almost nonchalant self-possession. Cool, sincere, she's utterly credible, even when she's effortlessly scaling a tower or bouncing bullets off her bracelets. "Wonder Woman also benefits from a top-notch supporting cast, including David Thewlis, Ewen Bremner, Said Taghmaoui, Eugene Brave Rock and Lucy Davis. Jenkins' "Wonder Woman" has set the bar very high. I hope the upcoming "Justice League" can at least match it.

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword - 2 smiles

"King Arthur: Legend of the Sword" is the story of Camelot according to director Guy Ritchie and because this is Ritchie's version, some of the elements are familiar and some seem created to tell a story that's more action-packed than we're used to. Notably absent are Merlin (though he's mentioned), Lancelot, Galahad and various other knights. The story begins when Arthur is just a child. His father, Uther Pendragon (Eric Bana) rules Camelot and successfully defeats the dreaded mage Mordred. Meanwhile, Uther's brother, Vortigern (Jude Law) orchestrates a bloody coup that leaves Uther and his wife dead. Arthur, smuggled out aboard a small boat, becomes an orphan in Londinium, where he is raised in a brothel. Twenty years later, Arthur (Charlie Hannam) is brought to Camelot like all males his age to see if he can pull the sword Excalibur from a stone, one way that Vortigern can find his lost nephew. When Arthur is successful, he is imprisoned and scheduled for execution. Aided by a mage (Astrid Berges-Frisbey), the knight Sir Bedivere (Djimon Hounsou) and a few of Arthur's friends, Arthur escapes and joins the rebellion, determined to remove Vortigern from power.

There are a lot of battle scenes, all expertly choreographed and Ritchie doesn't allow things to get bogged down with subplots or a lot of exposition. He keeps things moving, even when not a lot happens. The film's look is one of its strengths, providing a fully realized Medieval setting. The CGI is well integrated, even when there are giant battle elephants on screen. Ritchie has indicated that "Legend of the Sword" is the first movie in a cycle although it can stand on its own if the box office isn't strong enough for a sequel. Wait for a reduced matinee price or cable.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales - 2 smiles

"Dead Men Tell No Tales" is the fifth entry in this series and I hope the last. Although it is better than the last two installments (At World's End and On Stranger Tides), that's not saying a lot. Cap'n Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) isn't the charismatic draw he once was - in fact, this time around he is a caricature of his boozy self. Depp has resorted to mailing in his effort and he's just plain tiresome to watch in another movie. Luckily the plot doesn't revolve solely around him. The powers that be realized that when they removed Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth (Kiera Knightley), their stories became weaker and less cohesive. So the 'new Will' is Henry (Brenton Thwaites), Will and Elizabeth's son, and his plucky love interest is astronomer and horologist, Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario). The quest in "Dead Men Tell No Tales" is to retrieve the Trident of Poseidon, a magical device that can impart power and remove curses. For the search, Cap'n Jack and his crew are joined by Will, Carina and the ever-returning Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush). They are pursued by naval officers and a ship of undead, led by Salazar (Javier Bardem).

"Dead Men Tell No Tales" is the shortest of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and feels less bloated. There's plenty of action, some of which is a little to slap-sticky for me (the guillotine sequence, for example). The newcomers, Brenton Thwaites and Kaya Scodelario, hold their own opposite Depp. They mesh well together and Scodelario's feistiness is reminiscent of Knightley's Elizabeth. Less successful is Paul McCartney's awkward turn as Jack's uncle. "Dead Men Tell No Tales" is adequate, but ultimately forgettable. Hopefully Pirates of the Caribbean can be put to rest.