The Batman

It is a tribute to the quality of a creative work—or perhaps better to say, one seminal creative source—that it can continue to generate consistently solid material despite the vein having been mined so many times before. So with this movie. Here comes yet another new take on the most resilient of the comic book stories, a newly born avatar that comes across as fresh and, if not original, then at least as singular in its own take on the familiar tropes. Once again, DC's greatest intellectual property demonstrates how well the Dark Knight plays in an all-too-realistic setting--unlike the toys being sold by the guys on the other side of the book rack. This outing is gritty, dark, rough and honest in its contextualization of the guy in the cape as a symptom of a greater madness, a societal rot that can birth a hell on earth—one from which no hero, caped or otherwise, may be able to save us. The only flaws here are a slightly too-long running time, and a denouement that delivers a little less punch than expected (presumably, the one problem produces the other). Overall, though, this is an impressive entry in this venerable, seemingly ever(dark)green enterprise.

Green Lantern

A superhero movie that comes with an ironic undertone: beauty is equated with heroism and virtue, lack thereof not so much. No wonder Ryan Reynolds made more of an impact as the antihero Deadpool. The garish nature of that vibe makes it difficult to root for the people you're supposed to like, because you get a distinct impression that they wouldn't like you (unless you're one of them, of course). This story might have been strengthened if it had been more directly tied to an extended universe, a la later flicks in the genre, but there's little evidence of that sort of overarching thinking here. (Released in 2011, this may be the last superhero movie that was designed to be, at least somewhat, a standalone piece.) As it is, the film is mildly entertaining, but with too many stretches that are not engaging--and the climax is somewhat lame, if not downright dumb. We may be safe from seeing a sequel to this one, though a reboot is always threatened in this genre. I think this one effort is more than enough.

The Magnificent Seven (2016)

It's been a long time since I watched Seven Samurai; and I can't remember if I ever even watched the original version of this movie. So really, I can only make assessments on this film in its own right (which is probably as it should be anyway). The immediate impression this film makes is one of absurdity; the opening sequence features a presentation of villainy that exceeds the bounds of psychopathy. It's unrealistic; no one that out of his mind would ever get as far in this world as Peter Saarsgard's Bartholomew Bogue. So the movie starts with a problem right there, and it's a lot to overcome. Fortunately, just when you think 'over-the-top' is going to be the rule of the day, director Antoine Fuqua smartly dials it back--somewhat--and let's the strength of this film--the lead actors--take over. Excellent work by Denzel Washington (of course), Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, and Vincent D'Onofrio--as well as very able support from Haley Bennett--give the viewer solid, dimensional anchors upon which to ground one's emotional attachment. You definitely root for this bunch, especially once the (ample) mayhem starts. Lastly, this movie demonstrates why Western movie cliches became cliches: because they work, very well, at least as storytelling elements. It's not without its flaws, and I can't say whether it lives up to its precursors, but on its own terms this is a pretty good movie.

Flightplan

Welcome to the not-so-friendly skies. The story is run of the mill thriller folderol, and it takes a while to lift itself above its cloudy beginning, but this film has a major asset in Jodie Foster, who still has her top-notch acting chops and remains believable through all the hubbub. Don't expect brilliance--you just get an enjoyable ride.

Boys Don't Cry

Tough to watch, particularly if you have a pathological hatred of rednecks. But Hilary Swank gives a great performance in a very sad story.