Game Night

We laughed all the way through this; a comedy version of the Fincher movie The Game. And it's not like the premise is all that original, but it's the delivery of the actors -- the perfectly timed jazz of Bateman, McAdams, and Jesse Plemons is so smooth it could settle your stomach. Lots really funny riffs on twist-endings, too. A blue-chip farce. Huzzah, etc.

Black Panther

Beautifully imagined and rendered comic-book saga with all of the necessary ingredients. African and racial politics work their way in occasionally, but they don’t really drive the plot and they don’t get resolved in any kind of interesting way. The cast is great but the action feels par-for-the course. It’s the typical running and driving and chasing and fighting stuff. What this movie lacks (and what all the super-hero movies really lack now days) is suspense, because you know that Black Panther can’t really die. This is a dilemma for all the comic-book, superhero movie-makers I suppose. How do you ratchet up the stakes?? Be that as it may, it’s a great, big feline leap for black heroes, no longer relegated to being supporting characters or starring in b-movies.

The Darkest Hour

Gary Oldman is undoubtedly impressive in this. His technique, along with the great makeup, makes this performance muy authentic. But this is not a very personal or emotional movie. It’s all about important speeches and Churchill screaming at the minions. There’s very little insight into who Churchill was as a person. As a history it’s fine, but as a drama, it’s a lot like British food: it needs a little salt.

Call Me By Your Name

What if Brokeback Mountain had turned out well? Well, not “well” but better? Here you have a love story about acceptance. The stakes are low, mainly because the setting is isolated; away from the hate speech and the AIDS crisis of the era. When you strip away all of the socio-political hullaballoo, what’s left is a nice, warm-hearted travelogue through the small towns and swimming holes of Northern Italy. While the pace is meandering, the main character makes several interesting choices in his assent to manhood.