While nowhere near the superlative achievement The Force Awakens, Rogue One and The Last Jedi proved to be, this latest anthology effort is nonetheless easy to enjoy, the joyful exuberance of Solo: A Star Wars Story difficult to rebel against.
I cannot get past the simple truth that, in the end, as bad as it all appears, as amazing as the heroics might be and as astonishing as the fighting is, nothing happens in Avengers: Infinity War, all of the answers to the various questions aggressively put forth by the filmmakers to be answered in future MCU endeavors yet to be released.
A Wrinkle in Time might not be as magnificent as L’Engle’s novel (and I can’t say I expected it to be), but even so DuVernay’s adaptation is still a spellbinding family-friendly adventure worth venturing out to see.
Black Panther becomes a movie that grows beyond its comic book roots, Marvel allowing Coogler the freedom to craft a vital, representative, culturally authentic and universally reflective adventure almost certain to be enjoyed, debated and discussed for many years to come.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle might not be a great movie, but sure as heck it’s an entertaining one, and unlike its forerunner this is one kid-friendly action spectacular I wouldn’t mind watching again.
Unlike the last film, The Last Jedi uses nostalgia and one’s knowledge of this universe against the viewer, ideas as to what can happen, who can and cannot survive and where things go from here as they head into the ninth and final chapter blown into smithereens like a fourth Death Star.
Thor: Ragnarok proves to be so creatively loopy, not to mention so consistently hysterical, I found it hopeless not to enjoy myself while sitting in the theatre watching things play themselves out to their conclusion. Waititi delivers the goods, and for fans of the MCU his arrival ends up being a breath of fresh air worth getting excited about.
I find that I want to like Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets more than I actually do, even if the stuff that’s great about the film is downright extraordinary.
Spider-Man: Homecoming might just be the most adorable motion picture I see all summer.