Argylle

Silly, cute and fun. see, this is why you have to take a movie’s aspirations into account. If you approach this flick with the expectation that it will be a towering work of masterful cinema, then you have missed the point from the first few moments. Clearly, we’re in the realm of fluffy entertainment, and given that parameter, this entry achieves what it aims for. Bryce Dallas Howard is the greatest strength here; she’s adorable from her first scene and it’s her presence that makes everything go here. Even when she loses a touch of that luster midway through the story—there’s a tactical error in terms of characterization at that point, but it’s not fatal—Howard still brings enough charm and funny vibes to carry the tale to its satisfying conclusion. Also, there’s a cat who plays a big role, so that’s guaranteed fun right there. No new filmmaking epoch gets started here, but you’ll have a good time with this one if you let it be what it is. Discover that secret and you’ll find the key to being a good movie watcher. 

Richard Jewell

The premise of this film, at its core, is that a couple of pretty people conspired to destroy a fat, ugly guy. Sounds about right. Perhaps I take that lesson away for personal reasons; but for my lack of a Georgia accent, I could be this guy’s cousin, and I watched this flick keenly aware that, had I ever been in the wrong place at the wrong time, I could easily have gone through what the late Mr. Jewell did. Paul Walter Hauser does good work as the title character, but it’s really Sam Rockwell and Kathy Bates who deliver the tour-de-force performances here. His outrage and her emotional depth drive home the personal dimension to a story that has a much larger scope: every time the government abuses its power, there is at least one individual who suffers terribly for that. It’s well worth taking the time to watch this movie and take that reminder to heart.

Jojo Rabbit

Well that's weird. You can say that about a lot of this movie, but I'm specifically referring to the unusual fact that this movie's most notable conceit--Hitler as the protagonist's imaginary friend--was in fact completely unnecessary. This would have been a better film overall without it, if writer and director Taika Waititi had had the belief to just let his young lead go on this journey on his own. One suspects that  Waititi indulged himself, largely to get himself in his own film. (Perhaps someone told him once that he kind of looks like Hitler, and an idea was born--though perhaps not a great one.) There are other issues: a certain unevenness in tone--possibly unavoidable, given the Anne Frankishness of the plot--some of the funny isn't quite up to satirical snuff, and (one of the worst transgressions for this viewer) this is one of those movies that seems to think the world would get better simply through people dancing (it wouldn't--sorry). All that reads a little harsh, probably too harsh in fact; you can watch this one and find it enjoyable and ticklish (except for one very jarring moment); it's just not as good as some made it out to be.

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.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

The desire for catharsis may be even greater than the thirst for revenge. That's not your usual inspiration for a major movie, but it turns out you can do quite well with it. And what kind of movie comes from such inspiration? A challenging film with rawness all over the screen, one with no real heroes, possibly no villain, and no clear resolution--just the brutal realities that life sometimes throws our way. And yet it still succeeds in being frequently and oddly funny throughout. Truly excellent work.

Seven Psychopaths

So here’s a film about filmmaking. Makes sense; that’s been going around a lot lately (see “last two Best Picture winners”). Actually, if you want to get technical, this is more of a film about script writing, but let’s not quibble. And it wants to satirize all of the the cliches of violent, shoot ‘em up movies...mostly by wallowing in those cliches. And it really really really thinks of itself as clever. Unfortunately, that’s not what the audience thinks, and it’s the audience that counts. There are good moments and some quite likeable actors here--if not likeable characters--that keep the thing moving and hold the viewer’s attention through most of the running time. But this film just isn’t what it cracks itself up to be.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Weird. All the jokes are there, almost word for word, yet everything is strangely flat and not nearly as funny as it was on the page. The story starts out faithful, but veers off in some weird directions before coming to an ending which is profoundly false vis-a-vis the books. At least they got the visuals right, and some of the spirit remains. Not worth paying to see, but a forgivable effort. Let your taste for comedic sci-fi be your guide.

Matchstick Men

The story remains engaging throughout, but there are a few too many hairpin turns from light and breezy to somber and serious. I make this a tough call; you won't want to forget it, but it's not particularly memorable either. Toss a coin.

Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind

This is worth it just to see some of those old Gong Show acts coming back for one last wretched appearance. As for the story, you can't help but smirk over the "is it true or not" aspects of Chuck Barris' "unauthorized autobiography." It's preposterous, but just preposterous enough that it may be true. Meanwhile, first time director George Clooney proves himself to be...a first time director, with lots of self-aware camera angles and other directorial hooey. But none of that is too intrusive, and does not get in the way of an enjoyable story

Heist (2001)

This would probably get a worse rating but for writer-director David Mamet's touch. There's some typically clever Mamet dialogue here, in high enough quantities to crack just enough wise smiles throughout the proceedings. That pushes it over the hump.

Galaxy Quest

Even though I don't particularly like Tim Allen, this one was still enough fun to overcome that obstacle. The presence of more appealing cast mates, including Sigourney Weaver and Alan Rickman, helps immensely.