As a movie, there’s plenty here to respect. As entertainment, however, this is tough one to enjoy, all of which makes Criminal (2016) a vexing spectacle that’s hard to watch all the way through to its end.
Favreau’s take on The Jungle Book is a revelation certain to thrill audiences for many decades to come, and trust in me when I say the bare necessity is to stroll right into town and be like the other ticket buyers tired of monkeying around with subpar cinematic options. No worry. No strife. Just glorious entertainment the whole family is virtually guaranteed to enjoy.
While there’s plenty about The Boss to appreciate, I’m just not certain there’s a great deal to like, the difference between the two ultimately making the finished film an entertainment business opportunity I’d personally pass on.
While some of the pieces can be a little haggard, more often than not this feels entirely by design, Demolition (2016) a cinematic deconstruction of expectation and cliché, all of which results in a moving marvel of self-actualization I think I just might be in love with.
Everybody Wants Some!! is just so dark likeable, so lived-in and authentic, so lovingly acted by its cast of relative newcomers and unknowns, the fact it is entirely content following the men and only the men ends up being kind of okay. More, the movie respects its audience in a way few of these coming-of-age comedies ever do, and while not a home run for Linklater, it’s still a solid triple off the wall I’m certain to still be cheering for throughout the remainder of 2016.
Eye in the Sky is still an incredibly effective thriller that gets the blood boiling while also challenging the intellect. It does not skimp on thrills, things building to their conclusion with a swiftly building ferociousness that’s impressive.
Midnight Special isn’t as clean, isn’t as tidy as the director’s previous three features, but that doesn’t make it any less tremendous, Nichols proving once again he’s one of the more creative, imaginative and flat-out talented cinematic voices working today.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 isn’t a bad sequel, it’s just a pointless one, and as such spending any additional time dissecting it further can’t help but feel like an exercise in meaningless, if still harmless, futility.
There’s not a lot new to any of this, and the surprising twists and turns that transpire during the final act are hardly shocking. But there is a level of quality to They’re Watching that’s a little unexpected, while all of the actors do a fairly terrific job of exploring their respective characters, at least in so much as much as the genre and storytelling dynamics allow them to.