Ballerina

If someone could be as inventive about solving the world’s problems as this movie is about killing people, we’d probably have a paradise in no time. There wasn’t nearly as much thought put into the movie’s plot; you just get a relatively thin story that serves as a skeleton upon which the movie’s meat is hung—that "meat" being extended and audacious fight sequences. Those are done with this franchise’s usual aplomb, and are enough to satisfy any moviegoer's thirst for mayhem. Ana de Armas already has the human pincushion thing down to a T (as in "trauma") here, displaying admirable survivability even in the face of some truly savage stuff. Indeed, that is the element that makes this feature very much a guilty pleasure; you only hope and pray that no one out there takes this exercise in bad behavior seriously, or indeed as a template for how to engage in such behavior IRL, as the texters say. This movie does stand as a model for how to artfully present action sequences (a hallmark of the franchise going back to the very first Wick flick). Indeed, the aforementioned Baba Yaga makes an appearance here, one that is actually surprisingly deep and lengthy for an off-the-main-storyline work. I don’t know if this qualifies as an actual good movie, but it does deserve props for mostly living up to expectations via its expertly choreographed carnage. Light as a feather, perhaps, but this one does move in an appealing way. Hard to ask for more than that. 

Toy Story 4

I guess there’s a reason why they usually stop movie series at three entries. It becomes impossible to not experience, when watching a fourth installment of a franchise, a sense that you’ve seen all this stuff before—that you are looking at a paper or a picture that has been copied a few times too many, or copied from a copy of a copy. That’s the sense I got watching this film. The familiar characters are there, a somewhat familiar storyline is there—this series has done both new character introductions and finding a long-lost friend in prior sequels—but at this point they just don’t have the same impact as they originally did. Not surprising, really; it requires a ton of fresh creative input to keep old characters and scenarios feeling even relatively fresh, and there just isn’t a lot of vibe that the studio was up to that challenge here. Thus, it was not a surprise that my attention started to wander long before this flick reached its climax, let alone the potentially series-altering denouement. I know they’re planning yet another sequel for this series—perhaps without Hanks, though that issue probably wouldn’t be insurmountable—but I suspect the only thing that will come of the attempt will be further proof of Disney’s current creative bankruptcy. Oh, I suppose I should note that the uncritical among us—like children, the target audience here—will absorb this outing with the same level of pleasure the first three provided. But for the rest of us, I think we should expect a bit more for our time and attention. It just might be time to put away these childish things.

John Wick: Chapter 4

Undoubtedly, this is the funniest movie in the series—which is saying something considering its denouement. But really, everything here is so over the top that you can’t help but laugh. It becomes clear here, if it wasn’t already, that these films are really live-action cartoons with a healthy dose of first-person shooter video game thrown in. One might be tempted to be dismissive of such a project, but there has always been something akin to art hiding within this mayhem, and that too comes out clearly in this outing. Director Chad Stahelski puts on an extraordinary display with several of the sequences in this flick, long stretches of screen time where well-choreographed action is shown within visual contexts that are skillfully composed, including one case—an extended overhead shot of an in-building gun battle—that displays a dazzling degree of vision and control. But it’s not all flash and visuals; this movie also has something on its mind. It’s actually a theme that has run through a lot of this series, but the concept really comes to the fore here, where so much of the action takes place in scenes of opulence: these assassins exist in the realm of the ultra rich—a caste that, according to these films (and the evidence of reality) is comprised wholly of true monsters. Oh, yeah, and on top of all that, Keanu is still Keanu; his title role remains an indelible character, vulnerable and indestructible at the same time. All in all, it’s a satisfying way to end one hell of a ride, one of the most unexpected and surprisingly enjoyable journeys in cinematic history.

The Matrix Resurrections

You can run computer programs over and over again; it's their nature. So I suppose from that perspective, this sequel makes sense. From a viewers perspective, I'm not sure it's quite so sensible, as it doesn't seem to break any real, new ground. (I know, I know--what is real?) And, but for the two principle stars, most of the rest of those who made the original trilogy what it was--with one exception--are missing and presumed too expensive to buy back in. That's part of the problem here: suffering via comparison, and this outing actually shoots itself in the foot--presumably in slow motion--by making the comparisons itself explicitly. Still, it's not entirely bad; just overly familiar, no longer groundbreaking, and perhaps unnecessary. On the plus side, there's a cat, so hisses are not entirely in order. Fine for a brief diversion, but not exactly the best catnip available.

John Wick -- Chapter 3: Parabellum

There's an inherent contradiction in writing a review of a movie like this. The thing is almost all action; words are largely superfluous. Which is not to say it isn't enjoyable. The flick is exactly what you expect it to be, and there's a certain virtue in its simplicity and lack of pretense. If you've got the bloodlust, you'll dig it, few questions asked. The only real uncertainty here is how long these well-cast actors will be willing to reprise these particular roles (with at least one more sequel obviously set up on the horizon). Speaking of casting, a side note for the producers: sign those dogs up for a long term deal; they're real scene stealers. Taken as a whole--a bullet hole, no doubt--it works. As long as this crew can avoid the Baba Yaga of bad box office, one supposes this run will go on. I for one am good with that.

John Wick: Chapter 2

That "Chapter 2" bit in the title of this film implies a certain amount of literary aspiration. It's may be something of a herring, as most action sequels hardly aspire to the literary levels of a classified ad in the back pages of "Guns & Ammo"--but that doesn't mean this movie is bad. On the contrary, there's intelligence here, as well as the wisdom to tell a story that doesn't just rehash the plot of the first film. This installment certainly delivers its intended aspiration, which is to say, an avalanche of ass-kicking and outright murder on an industrial scale, most of it served with something close to the elan and panache that marked the original. The sequel may lack the surprises and freshness that the first film delivered--though there are a few novelties herein--but overall it succeeds on its own terms, and maybe then some as well. We've come a long way from the days when the second movie in an action series was doomed to be Van Damme-level schlock; this one works, and if they're interested in pulling the trigger again, I'd be up for it.

John Wick

Shakespeare it ain't. And I imagine that a lot of the plot points would not hold up under rigorous scrutiny. But oh, man--is this movie a hoot to watch. You pretty much know everything that's going to happen long before it does, but it's still wonderfully kick-ass, and entertaining to see it anyway. One of the real delights here is the terrifically and comprehensively imagined underworld of violent yet weirdly urbane criminals--a milieu in which everyone understands each other with barely a nod and dirty deeds can get done (though not necessarily dirt cheap) by just speaking one well-known phrase. You may need to check your brain at the door--and not be easily offended by violence; if you are, stay away from this neighborhood--but you will have a rollicking good time with this one.

A Scanner Darkly

I'm two days removed from watching this movie, and I'm still not sure what to make of it. Is the paranoia trip focused on the government? Corporations? Every one of us? It's tough to tell. The performances work, I can say that. And the rotoscoped animation is OK; it serves its purpose in a few places, allowing touches of visual flair that would have just seemed weird in total live action. But...something's missing. You're pretty much on your own here; watch if you must.

Constantine

Round up the usual apocalypse. Another bit of cinematic hokum, one that delivers lots of action and a fine sense of visual style to go along with a keen eye for the dirty gray areas between good and evil. The comic book panache more than makes up for Keanu Reeves's "unique" screen presence, and the lack of particularly big plot holes is a welcome change from what you usually get from these kinds of movies. Mix it together and you get a flick that's well done and fun.

Chain Reaction

I can't remember why I wanted to watch this one. I can say that it's nothing special. The story keeps moving, but some elements are just too obvious, the screenplay is occasionally terrible, and it never really grabs the viewer in any particular way. You can skip it.

A Walk In The Clouds

It's hard not to like this film. Here's what you get: a visually sumptuous movie, with a gentle, lilting story that stays true all the way through and pulls at your  heart without resorting to cheap, manipulative tricks. You know right from the start how it's going to end, and you're still glad to get there. All in all, a movie that delivers on all of its promises.

Something's Gotta Give

The positive review comes largely on the strength of Diane Keaton's energetic performance. She injects such life into her character that it becomes difficult not to be interested in this otherwise slight and predictable story. The biggest quibble: when the happy ending finally comes, you can't help feeling that she wound up with the wrong man. It's a credit to Keaton that you actually care about that.

The Matrix Revolutions

Almost a PURR, but it's not quite that good. The story, particularly in the early part, is too muddled; it clears itself up in the end, but not much new is added to the tableau. On more positive notes, the visuals are phenomenal (naturally), the conclusion comes with some unexpected twists, and some of the philosophy is more clearly expressed (and actually fits in the movie, giving the story's thought-provoking dimensions). And the final confrontation even evokes something of Ragnarök--a nice touch for us mythology fans. Final analysis: not great, but nothing to be ashamed of.

The Matrix Reloaded

Hard to believe the hippest movie on the planet features a hero who spends most of his time wearing a dress. Sartorial disasters aside, this installment has its moments--some entertaining, some audacious--but not enough of them. As I said years ago, there was really not much more to say after the first movie; they probably should have quit while they were ahead. And don't bother spending brain cells on the philosophical ramblings, unless you get your jollies from tautologies.

Hardball

Hmmm...a baseball movie wherein baseball is more of a background element. Interesting concept. It takes a while to find its stride; in fact, it's kind of a "stealth" movie all the way around, but the ultimate result is effective. I'm tempted to knock it down for a fairly cheap, tear-jerking ending, but given the overarching themes, I think I can let it slide.

The Gift

A run-of-the-mill mystery thriller, with a little horror thrown in. Not as good as A Simple Plan, the other Sam Raimi-Billy Bob Thornton collaboration (in this case, B.B. merely wrote the thing). It does reaffirm my position that I will never move to the "deep" South.