Vice

An interesting question arises when watching this movie: was Dick Cheney the most or least likely person to rise to such heights of power? The presentation seems to argue, or at least provide, evidence in both directions. Most of what you see here is pretty much boilerplate for anyone at least vaguely well informed on the subject; not much new ground is broken in the exploration of Cheney's life (other than, perhaps, that he was a rather rough roughneck early on). That means the life presented, or the case being prosecuted (if you will) pretty much follows the course you would expect. One failing that does pop up is overreach, especially in summary; certain events and trends are laid at the old man's feet for which, at best, he only deserves tangential blame. At least the performances are top notch, but given the principals involved--Bale, Adams, Rockwell--that's hardly a surprise. This one is definitely worth a look, but I don't think you need to make permanent room in your man-sized safe for a copy, on whatever may be your preferred media.

Justice League

I've generally been more on board with the DC stuff than Marvel's overwhelming orgy of comic book movies; they've generally been more grown-up in feel and more realistic in presentation (realistic being a relative term). So I'm not one to jump on the bashing boat just for the sake of piling on. Then again, it's clear that this entry in the largely Batman-driven movieverse is not quite up to snuff. The villain seems to have come out of nowhere, and has little anti-appeal. The proceedings follow a template that's well-worn by now, particularly in "get them together" flicks, up to and including the over-the-top violent ending. What saves this movie is the presence of a large number of likeable actors; the female triumvirate of Gadot-Adams-Lane alone builds a lot of goodwill. Besides, it's an Entertainment with a capital 'E'--not really trying to be anything else, and thus you're seriously off-kilter if you don't enjoy this thing at least a little bit. Not great, but nothing to be ashamed of. Mellow out.

Arrival

Is there anyone out there who doesn't love Amy Adams? She's the current leader in the clubhouse in the chase for "current best American actress," and this movie really shows off her talent to the maximum degree. Adams really owns this thing; she commands virtually every scene of the film--a rarity for a woman on the silver screen--and this work is substantially better than it might otherwise be because of it. The storytelling has some problems: there's trickeration going on with the timeline that doesn't seem to justify itself, and the reveal at the end is pretty obvious after a certain point. On the other hand, the presentation is quite stylish, and is commendable for showing a creative approach to what is, at this point, almost a sci-fi cliche (the muddle of first contact). But, ultimately, this is the lead's show, and Adams makes what might have been an otherwise run-of-the-mill aliens flick into something special.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Again, I find myself liking a movie more than the general population, and more specifically the group--geeks--for whom it is mainly intended. I didn’t expect this film to hew so closely as a sequel to Man of Steel, which it very much is...and that turns out to be a good thing. Like its predecessor, this is darker, moodier, more thoughtful, more grown-up, than the rest of the superhero flick flock. That appeals to me, however much it turns off the adolescent brains who keep bemoaning this storyline. If this group wants to keep going, I’m in for more.

Man of Steel

A surprise, in that it was much better than I thought it would be. By this point the Superman story is so played out that it seems impossible to make a movie out of it that will actually have any ability to impact the viewer, yet this one does so. The film accomplishes this by tapping into the fundamentals of the story--Superman being clearly the most messianic of all the comic book stories--and laying bare the reason why these movies have become such a huge part of the zeitgeist: our growing desperation and ever-burgeoning desire for someone to come and save us. It’s almost heartbreaking, in that sense, since we don’t live in a movie and can’t expect such a person to truly arrive--but at least we have these few hours of film during which we can dream that dream.

The Master

Here’s a film that seems to have been made with the belief that it is the journey, not the destination, that matters--and a good thing, too, since this story doesn’t seem to really go anywhere. P.T. Anderson is no slouch at the moviemaking thing, and this piece does have its interesting moments. But filmmakers forget, at their peril, that most audiences do not want to engage in deep introspection; they want to be able to form some kind of bond with the characters presented. That can’t happen here; we never know enough about Joaquin Phoenix’s character to judge him adequately. The mere mechanics of character creation will hold the audience’s attention, and perhaps even admiration, in the hands of a brilliant actor--witness Daniel Day-Lewis in Anderson’s There Will Be Blood--but Phoenix does not hit that mark here (nor do his castmates, for that matter). Ultimately, this one falls into the noble failure category.

The Muppets (2011)

This is a very difficult call. Today's kids will undoubtedly be able to enjoy this movie in a very straightforward way, but if you're old enough to remember the original Muppet Show--and those people are in many ways this film's intended audience--watching this movie is very much a mixed bag. A lot of the film is a downer--a necessary component, perhaps, given the fall-and-rise plot--but still, this story can be surprisingly depressing. It's very easy to get caught in memories of the faded glory that was our youth, and that's a harsh juxtaposition against the presumably light-hearted romp a Muppet movie should be. But then again, it is the Muppets, and there is still something there, in those characters, in the very idea of the Muppets. You probably should watch it, but just go in knowing it may not be what you expect.

The Fighter

A revelation, gleaned from this movie: it actually helps not to be a fan of the real-life sport being depicted in a movie; that way, you don't already know the outcomes, thus heightening the drama. That's how this film played for me; I never knew if Micky Ward was going to win his big bout or not. Credit too must go to director David O. Russell for his canny decision to make the filmed fights look visually like the original HBO broadcasts, heightening still further the verisimilitude of the proceedings. Those facts, combined with terrific performances by Wahlberg, Bale and the rest of the cast, make for a deeply satisfying, deeply engaging film.

Catch Me If You Can

Almost a tough call; should you really recommend a movie about a criminal, especially one that celebrates its subject? Perhaps not, but apparently Frank Abagnale was not so bad, as criminals go. Some of this film is a little too cutesy--a Spielberg weakness--but most of it is just goofy fun. Overall, we have here an entertaining homage to cleverness, in all its forms, and that makes it worth it.

Drop Dead Gorgeous

An often hilarious look at beauty contests. Check this one out, regardless for your tolerance of sequins and parade waves.