The French Dispatch

One of the worst half-movies I’ve ever seen. How bad is it? I watched, stopped watching about a third of the way through, later went back and tried to finish watching it, and had to stop watching it all over again, getting no further than halfway through. Hence, worst half-movie. The second half could rival Casablanca for all I will ever know, but I saw more than enough to make this call. The performances are dreadful all around, the script is an unfunny pastiche of unrelated and uninteresting vignettes, director Wes Anderson’s penchant for meticulous framing and visual design goes far overboard (he can’t even settle on an aspect ratio), and his usual wit—always in danger of falling too far into preciousness—is either well past the limits of tolerable or just outright absent. And all of the above comes from a viewer who typically counts himself as a fan. The over self-indulgence here is just too much, so much so that this can’t even count as a noble failure—it’s simply a disaster, and a waste of everyone’s time. It had better be back to simplicity and honest effort for this auteur, or else this misstep could signal a career that has reached its lovingly crafted denouement.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Life is weird; why shouldn't it be backwards? Beyond that pithy observation, we must ask, what lessons are to be learned from this Gumpian journey? Take your pick; ideas and aphorisms abound in the script. How well they mesh with real life, as opposed to the world of fantasy and fable, is hard to say. Your mileage--and chronology--may vary. What is undeniable is the visual wizardry that takes Brad Pitt from little old kid to big young man, as well as the story's strong use of grand scope to tell what is, ultimately, a very intimate tale. Not to mention that the film looks fabulous; there was at least as much thought put into cinematography as into computer graphics and special effects. That mix makes this movie better than average and worth some of your precious, forward moving time.

Doctor Strange

I heard someone's planning on doing a remake of The Matrix. Why bother? Someone already did. That's what you're getting here, if you're able to look close enough and see the similarities that are hidden under a few small particulars and many mountains of special effects. It's hard to discuss a superhero movie in terms of its believe-ability, but in this case that metric is strained to the breaking point. It isn't a total disaster by an stretch, but the motivations of the characters--especially some of the tertiary characters--seems to be a muddle, the battles with conjured "weapons" just look absurd at points, and the whole thing comes across as the "mutant and god" crowd trying to merge their thing with some old Harry Potter vibes (and trying to pull in some of that franchise money to boot). The best part comes from Benedict Cumberbatch's assured performance, and Rachael McAdams provides solid support in the second fiddle role. The Marvel run has been a lot of fun, but if it doesn't rise above this level from here on out, that run will probably end soon--much sooner than anyone expected.

Hail, Caesar!

Sometimes it’s good; sometimes it’s not. Everyone is so given over to Coen Brothers hagiography at this point that mumbling a bad word about any movie they make is likely to elicit strong reactions...which is, in a lot of ways, what this movie does not elicit. There are moments, highlights, that are quite good and make you want to give this effort more credit than you ultimately are comfortable doling out. Perhaps if one of the subplots--I’m looking at you, Scarlett--had been left on the cutting room floor, this might have turned out to be a stronger, tighter movie. Alas, the boys overreached, probably because they were too interested in paying homage to classic movies and moviemaking--perhaps they noticed that such things burnish a film’s Oscar-bait credentials--and the overall work suffered accordingly. It’s definitely worth watching if you’re a fan, of the old days or the brothers; otherwise, it may not pass muster.

Moonrise Kingdom

More cinematic mischief from the Quirkmaster General. Like other Wes Anderson movies, this film should be too precious and self-aware to be impressive, yet once again the final product is not just offbeat, but funny, charming, and highly entertaining. And if that’s not enough, this flick would be a delight based on its brevity alone--the end comes long before you’re ready for it. Most definitely worth a look.

Michael Clayton

The impressions grow throughout the running time: disparate, unconnected, confusing--though still interesting enough to hold the attention. And then it comes together in the climax, the plot's blurred lines resolving into a final, striking image in the film's jaw-dropping denouement. You're left with a terrific walk-away movie--something you're thinking about long after the final credits roll. Not to be missed.

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.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

A faithful and honest rendition of the C. S. Lewis classic. Special props go to Georgie Henley, who plays Lucy Pevensie--she is adorable and delightful in the story's central role. Some of the Britishness might confuse American viewers, but it's actually a positive that they stuck to their guns and left that stuff in--more power to the filmmakers for remaining true to author and the story's origins. And no, the Christian stuff, as in the books, does not pound you over the head. Bottom line: if they want to make the whole series, I'm in.

Adaptation

That is a very purring Bad Cat over there; this film could have been knocked down a grade. It will not be everyone's cup of tea, and that's putting it mildly. The blurring of reality and fantasy is bound to be confusing for some, as well as off-putting. But there are redeeming features here: good performances, a script that's offbeat, intelligent and very aware, and a willingness to take risks. Try it if you're in the adventurous mood.