Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman [PG-13]

Part 4 of the DC Entertainment Universe (DCEU)

Action, Adventure, Fantasy

June 3, 2017 - Warner Bros.

Directed by Patty Jenkins

Grade A-

Up-graded from B

Par: Cast (featuring Gal Gadot as Diana/ Wonder Woman, Chris Pine as Steve Trevor).

+1: Amazons fighting.

Par: Story - the origin of a super-hero.

Par: Slow-motion battles.

+1: Franchise contribution.

[synopsis on IMDB]

Art by Bryan Mon

Logan

Logan [R]

Part 10 of the X-Men movie franchise

Action, Drama, Sci-Fi

March 3, 2017 - 20th Century Fox

Directed by James Mangold

Grade A-

Up-graded from B

+1: Story and screenplay (James Mangold, Scott Frank, Michael Green).

Par: Cast (Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Daphne Keen).

Par: R-rated violence.

Par: Clone fighting.

+1: Franchise contribution.

[synopsis on IMDB]

Art by Bryan Mon

Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast [PG]

Family, Fantasy, Musical

March 17th, 2017 - Disney

Directed by Bill Condon

Grade A-

Up-graded from B

par: Screenplay (Stephen Chbosky & Evan Spiliotopoulos).

par: New songs (Alan Menken & Tim Rice).

+1: Costumes design (Jacqueline Durran) and production design (Sarah Greenwood).

par: CGI characters including Beast.

+1: Franchise contribution.

[synopsis on IMDB]

Art by Bryan Mon

LEGO Batman

The LEGO Batman Movie [PG]

Animation, Action, Adventure

February 15, 2017 - Warner Bros.

Directed by Chris McKay

Grade A

Up-graded from B

+1: Fun with the history of Batman in the movies.

par: Batman legacy.

+1: Will Arnett (voice: Batman/ Bruce Wayne) and Michael Cera (Robin/ Dick Grayson).

par: Theme: Family.

+1: LEGO builds and “LEGO-mation.”

[synopsis on IMDB]

Art by Bryan Mon

Hidden Figures

Hidden Figures [PG]

Drama

January 6, 2017 - 20th Century Fox

Directed by Theodore Melfi

Grade A-

Up-graded from B

+1:  Stories of person bravery.

par:  Cast including Taraji P. Henson (as Katherine G. Johnson).

par:  Historical drama.

+1:  Soundtrack (featuring Pharrell Williams).

par:  America’s space exploration program.

[synopsis on IMDB]

Art by Bryan Mon

Star Wars, No. 9

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story [PG-13]

Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

December 16th, 2016 - Lucas Film, Ltd./ Disney

Directed by Gareth Edwards

Grade: A

Up-Graded from B

+1: Putting “War” in “Star Wars”.

par: Characters.

+1: Sassy droid (K-2SO, Alan Tudyk voice).

par: Story and plot.

+1: Franchise installment.

[synopsis on IMDB]

Art by Bryan Mon

Moana

Moana [PG]

Animation, Adventure, Comedy

November 23, 2016 - Disney

Directed by Ron Clements, John Musker, Don Hall & Chris Williams

Grade: B+

Up-graded from B

+1: Characters including Moana (voice, Auli’i Cravalho) & Maui (Dwayne Johnson).

par: Songs (by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foa’i & Mark Mancina).

par: Story.

-1: Cute pig quota.

+1: Art direction (Ian Gooding, Production Design).

[synopsis on IMDB]

par: 3D effects.

+1: Post-credits bonus scene.

Art by Bryan Mon

Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange [PG-13]

(Marvel Cinematic Universe, phase 3, part 2 of 10)

Action, Adventure, Fantasy

November 4, 2016 - Marvel Studios

Directed by Scott Derrickson

Grade B-

Up-graded from C.

+1: Cast including Benedict Cumberbatch (as Dr. Stephen Strange).

par: “Bad guy” Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen), motivations.

+1: Visual effects.

par: Story.

par: Installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

[synopsis on IMDB]

+1: 3D effects.

par: Mid-credits & post-credits bonus scenes.

Art by Bryan Mon

The Magnificent Seven

The Magnificent Seven (2016, remake) [PG-13]

Action, Adventure, Western

September 23, 2016 - MGM

Directed by Anton Fuqua

Grade B-

Up-graded from C.

+1: Cast including Denzel Washington (as Chisholm), and Chris Pratt (Jon Faraday).

+1: Big gun battles of cowboy armies.

par: Mythic Hollywood storytelling including bullet-proof heroes and all-powerful Gatlin guns.

par: Character development.

par: Story - entertainment vs. commentary.

8/10 against the original source film “Seven Samurai” (1954, Dir. Akira Kurosawa)

[synopsis on IMDB]

Art by Bryan Mon

Storks

Storks [PG]

Animation, Adventure, Comedy

September 23, 2016 - Warner Bros.

Directed by Nick Stoller & Doug Sweetland

Grade B+

Up-graded from B

par: Story.

-1: Logic and physics.

+1: Characters including Tulip (voice: Katie Stoller).

+1: Wolf pack as Transformers.

par: Humor of emotionally manipulative kids.

[synopsis on IMDB]

Art by Bryan Mon

Kubo

Kubo and the Two Strings [PG]

Animation, Adventure, Family

August 19, 2016 - Laika Entertainment

Directed by Travis Knight

Grade A

Up-graded from B

+1: Stop-motion animation.

+1: Characters including Beetle (voiced by Matthew McConaughey).

par: Story.

par: Music.

+1: Fighting a giant skeleton, witches and a moon worm.

[synopsis on IMDB]

Behind the scenes footage in credits.

Art by Bryan Mon

Suicide Squad

Suicide Squad [PG-13]

DC Extended Universe (DCEU), part 3

Action, Adventure, Comedy

August 5, 2016 - Warner Bros.

Directed by David Ayers

Grade C+

Up-graded from C.

+1: Character introductions in music video flashbacks.

par: The Joker (Jared Leto) and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie).

+1: Amanda Waller (Viola Davis).

-1: Story line in second half including the climactic battle with the big baddie.

par: Installment in the DCEU franchise.

[synopsis on IMDB]

Batman v Superman (2016): B

Man of Steel (2013): C-

Art by Bryan Mon

Star Trek, Vol. 2, No. 3

Star Trek Beyond [PG-13]

Action, Adventures, Sci-FI

July 22, 2016 - Paramount Pictures

Directed by Justin Lin

Grade: B+

Up-graded from B

+1: Moments for each main character.

par: Villain, Krall motivations.

par: Space ships.

par: Low tech solutions to high stakes futuristic problems.

par: Installment in the Star Trek movie franchise.

[synopsis on IMDB]

Art by Bryan Mon.

X-Men, Vol. 2 No. 3

X-Men: Apocalypse [PG-13]

Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

May 27, 2016 - 20th Century Fox

Directed by Bryan Singer

Grade: B-

Down-graded from B

+1: Mutant powers moments including Quick Silver.

-1: Large cast.

par: Story.

-1: “Bad” guys standing on a mountain getting new costumes.

par: Installment in the X-Men movie franchise.

[synopsis on IMDB]

Captain America 3

Captain America: Civil War [PG-13]

(Marvel Cinematic Universe, Phase 3, Part 1 of 10)

Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

May 6, 2016 - Marvel/ Disney

Directed by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

Grade: A-

Up-graded from B

+1: Fight Choreography including team of here fighting in an airport.

+1: New heroes including Spider-Man #3 (live action movie) and Black Panther.

 -1: Reasons for fighting including the Sokovia Accords.

par: The “villain”/ opponent.

+1: Installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise.

[synopsis on IMDB]

The Jungle Book (live action)

The Jungle Book [PG]

Adventure, Drama, Family

April 15, 2016 - Disney

Directed by Jon Favreau

Grade: A-

Up-graded from B

par: Cast including Neel Sethi (Mowgli) and Bill Murray (Baloo voice).

par: Story including Mowgli’s fate.

+1: Character animation.

par: Animals talking.

+1: City of monkeys.

[synopsis on IMDB]

Batman v Superman

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice [PG-13]

DC Extended Universe (DCEU), part 2

Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

March 25, 2016 - Warner Bros.

Directed by Zack Snyder

Grade: B

Up-graded from B

par: Story targeted to DC comic fans.

+1: Characters including Batman (played by Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot).

+1: Big battles.

-1: Multiple (prophetic?) dreams scenes.

-1: Sparse expository dialogue and story cues.

+1: 3D

[synopsis on IMDB]

screened Thurs. Mar 25, 2016, and in 3D Wed. Mar.31, 2016