The Lego Batman Movie

I quite enjoyed the Lego movie, not as much as others, but I found it amusing.  Batman in that movie was fantastic, so why not make a whole movie featuring him?  Well, they did, and it's good.  The movie is very self aware, and the callbacks to older versions of Batman from the 60's to Christopher Nolan's adaptations are fantastic.  It has a nice story for kids about family/friendship and it's incredibly easy to follow.  I heard my son tell his mother the next morning every plot and subplot. He liked it, as did I, perhaps he a little more than me, but that's the target right?  Recommend.

Doctor Strange

I went into this movie with relatively low expectations and while the film surpassed what I expected of it, I can't say I overly enjoyed it.  I struggle with high fantasy films, but can get behind Sci-Fi. Unlike Thor, which I found surprisingly charming, I just couldn't get behind the multiverse in Doctor Strange.  There are some stunning visuals, and I think Benedict Cumberbatch did a really good job playing a really smart person again, but the whole premise just didn't click for me.  Pass.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Funny thing, I remember really liking the original "Rise of" movie in this series, but now looking back, it appears I didn't.  Well, I can say with certainty, that this one is good.  Really good. The CG has come a long way and the apes look photo-realistic.  It's amazing really.  This is not a special effects showcase though, the plot is good and (most of) the characters are really likable. This is a popcorn film at it's finest.  Recommend.

The Founder

I'd heard tales of how McDonald's was founded, but this movie really brought to light how sinister Ray Kroc was in his pursuit of wealth, fame, and self indulgence.  At the start of the movie, you actually find Mr. Kroc and his pursuits quite admirable, but as things get rolling, you realize he's not a snowball slowly gaining steam rolling down a hill, but a wrecking ball stopping at nothing to get what he wants.  The story is well told and translates well to film.  Keaton does a fantastic job as Kroc and the movie clips along at a good pace.  It's as enlightening as it is entertaining.  Recommend.

The Arrival

I'd heard this movie was good.  It is good.  It's not great, but good.  It's a unique spin on your "Aliens come to Earth" narrative, it's slow and methodical but doesn't drag.  It has a unique twist to it that I did not see coming which is always nice.  I like Amy Adams, I feel like she could have played Pam in "The Office" ... and now that I think about it, I do believe she was Jims Girlfriend in one episode.  Alast, this is the Arrival, and it's pretty okay too.  Recommend.

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Dunkirk

Christopher Nolan, known for "thinking man's films" takes this movie in a completely different direction.  There is little plot, most of the dialogue is washed out, and we're left with what?  An action film"?  Kind of.  I can't say I didn't like it, it's a fine film with some great visuals and amazing audio. When the planes fly over (which is a lot) it's like a horror movie, they sound like monsters (for lack of a better term).   Dunkirk didn't change my life, but I'm glad I saw it.  Recommend.

The Discovery

I’ve been tracking this movie since I heard about it shortly after watching “The OA”, and while they share some similarities, they’re actually quite different, for one, this one has a nice tidy ending.  HOORAY!  It’s a fine movie, it has a quite secular view of what the afterlife may consist of, and it all wraps up in a couple hours. No ambiguity, no create your own ending.  It’s not great, but I didn’t feel like I wasted my time.  Recommend.

Pixels

I chose this as I didn’t want to think after coming off a few hours sleep between night shifts.  I chose wisely.  While I originally appreciated it’s respect for old games, the new mantra of [new games] “do whatever you want” was the key to success and ruined everything.  Honestly, there were a few chuckles, and having watched “The King of Kong” I really liked Peter Dinklage’s impression of Billy Mitchell, but outside of that, there’s not much reason to watch this, even if you are a “gamer”.  Pass.