Jurassic World: Dominion

The gang's all here. I suppose that's a good thing, and I found the presence of the original cast members an enjoyable part of this outing. The action set pieces are also quite good. And I appreciated the story's vision of a modern world where dinosaurs are just a part of the usual landscape, even to the point where you're feeding them at the local pond like the ducks; it makes sense given the progression charted by the previous movies. (As we know, things can spread quickly in this world.) So there's plenty to enjoy in this work. But it also comes across as very much rehashed, recycled, thin on motivation and, ultimately, not especially impactful. The spectacle of realistic looking dinosaurs fighting each other--not to mention the human actors--on the screen just can't have the same impact anymore. It really make sense to let this thing--to say nothing of those things--be a thing of the past, a thing we can appreciate as an object of history and memory, rather than as something that was kept alive long past the time when it should have gone to its rest. Such is life, and it's time here to let life find its way to that end.

The Commuter

See, this is why I work from home. Most people already think their commute is hell, so it's a perfectly plausible premise that Liam Neeson's ride would get a little bumpy. Fortunately, he's just the guy you want for a trip like this, and as he has through a slew of similar movies over the last X number of years, he pulls off the task nicely, with a good balance of heroism and everyman stature that makes it impossible not to root for the guy. There may be some holes in the plot--the film indulges the typical trope of an all-too-omniscient villain--but you don't mind that so much with the movie's good pacing, well-portrayed characters, and solid action sequences. Neeson will eventually get too old for this shit--really, he's already there--but as long as he feels up to making this kind of flick, he'll probably keep pulling off just this sort of role. His career may be one track at the moment, but for now it's a pretty good track.

The Piano

More like "The Pian-Ho." Even setting aside the storyline's ugliness, there's way too much pretentiousness and self-awareness in the direction. Practically every shot screams "this is deep and significant" in an overly obvious way. None of the characters are particularly sympathetic either. An award-winning mess that, in these eyes, hits all the wrong notes.

Restoration

An excellent screenplay, lavishly reproduced late-Stuart settings, and a rich cast (even in supporting roles) makes this film worth a look. And just in case you needed the reminder, here's the proof that Robert Downey Jr. is more than just a punch line; in his controlled moments, the man can really act.

Bicentennial Man

It deserved better reviews than it got upon release. Nice work by Robin Williams--an actor who always depended upon showing his humanity--as a robot trying to be human. Worth a look.

Children Of The Revolution

Weird, occasionally funny and interesting. The goofy plot (centering on the Australian love child of Josef Stalin--no, really) keeps it lively. Check it out if it shows up on your favorite niche cable channel.