Jim Vejvoda

Mission: Impossible - Fallout is a fun but very familiar entry in the long-running franchise.

Guillermo del Toro’s engrossing fairy tale The Shape of Water offers so much to be enamored of in terms of performance, execution and design that it’s disappointing when its story veers into formula.

EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert is a riveting, immersive experience that brings the King back to life for one last show.

The respective performances of DiCaprio and Pitt and the film’s meticulous attention to period detail are all great and keep you invested in where this cruise around Tinseltown will ultimately take you.

While Soul offers food for thought and has heart, it’s never quite as funny, engrossing, or emotionally rewarding as Pixar’s best.

Annihilation isn’t always as consistently well-executed or involving as it might have been, and it’s told in a manner that robs the story of some much needed life-or-death suspense, but overall it’s a bold undertaking that doesn’t play it safe and features some strong performances.

1917 is an expertly crafted and emotionally exhausting thrill-ride behind enemy lines. Gloriously shot, deftly paced, and striking in its gruesome recreation of the time and place, Sam Mendes’ 1917 wisely never loses sight of the smaller, intimate elements in a fast-paced story with immense scale and action.

Francis Ford Coppola has tightened up and retweaked his final Godfather film, but the original's inherent flaws remain.

A goofy, kitschy- but- fun romp and the most purely entertaining of the three Thor movies, marked by its distinctive designs, ‘80s synth score, and assemblage of spirited characters. It’s carried by the excellent chemistry between Thor, Hulk, and Valkyrie, who give humanity to a visual effects-heavy spectacle that finally makes good on Thor’s title of God of Thunder.

Chock full of inventive set-pieces and brutal kills, while also providing new facets to the intricate underworld lore fans of the franchise have come to enjoy, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum pushes its title character to his breaking point and back while offering fresh information about his backstory.

Spider-Man: Homecoming is sweet, witty, and fast-moving fun.

While the fun had at the expense of the internet isn’t exactly the freshest material, Ralph Breaks the Internet works well not because of where it sends its two main characters physically but rather emotionally.

Director John Krasinski delivers that rare horror sequel that (almost) stands toe-to-toe with its predecessor.

The Sheep Detectives is a very sweet, and often quite moving, family comedy about grief and death. I know that sounds weird, but director Kyle Balda and screenwriter Craig Mazin are mostly successful at threading that needle, with the broad humor of some of the human characters being the film’s weakest aspect. The sheep characters Lily and Sebastian have compelling arcs that highlight the movie’s themes of acceptance and growth. As dark as the story can sometimes get, there’s still enough warmth and wit to make The Sheep Detectives appropriate for younger audiences.

Shazam! is a lot of fun and it further proves how, in the wake of the success of Wonder Woman and Aquaman, DC’s movie future is indeed bright. Zachary Levi was born to play this superpowered man-child, delivering lots of laughs alongside sarcastic but amiable co-star Jack Dylan Grazer.

Spider-Man: Far From Home is great fun, filled with heart, humor and lots of cool stuff for fans to geek out over.

Crawl is a fun albeit familiar human vs. beast movie, one that gets plenty of mileage out of its setting and people’s deep-set fear of being eaten.

While no entry in the franchise has surpassed the original film, this Halloween sequel is truly a cut above the rest and a great piece of horror entertainment even for those unfamiliar with the series.

The Transformers franchise gets a much needed tuneup in Bumblebee.

Bill & Ted Face the Music is a pleasant escape for the quarantine-stricken, a sweet and entertaining romp that defies expectations by largely recapturing what worked about the series so many years later.

Featuring one of Tom Cruise's best performances in recent years, American Made is a darkly funny, dizzying crime film that nevertheless ultimately feels inconsequential and overly familiar.

The charming, skillful storyteller George Lazenby himself is the best reason to watch Becoming Bond. The reenactments, while often funny and involving, simply can't hold a candle to the man and his anecdotes.

Although its rapid pacing doesn't always allow for the dramatic moments to resonate for as long as they could, Baz Luhrmann's Elvis biopic is a heartfelt and moving tribute to the late rocker.

Solo may not really develop its title character or justify why it needed to exist, but it still delivers a fun time.

Annabelle: Creation is the rare horror sequel that improves upon the original, featuring more engaging protagonists and a far less problematic ending.

Bad Times at the El Royale may overstay its welcome a bit, and it never realizes the potential of its villain, but it’s still an engrossing, well-made crime flick bolstered by several fine performances from its ensemble cast.

When the film works, it can be very engaging but it is simply too inconsistent.

Ultimately, an artsy crime film like this depends on the power of its central performances and how compelling the story’s main point is. Sevigny and Stewart make a good team, keeping you invested in proceedings even when the narrative bogs down.