Godzilla vs. Kong knows exactly what it wants to be, and invests every minute of its two hours living up to that promise. Somewhat understandably the humans are overshadowed by their enormous co-stars, but it is a glorious love letter to these iconic characters’ collective histories, a satisfying culmination of the arc leading up to it, and, hopefully, a jumping-off point for more stories set in this universe. Let’s hope it’s not another half-century before these two crazy kids get together again.

For as much love, passion, and nostalgia is evident in this movie, it’s also a film very palpably made from a place driven by fear of disappointing the audience, and that anxiety fuels a lot of the story’s curious creative choices and unwieldy execution.

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

While not as powerful as its predecessor, An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power is a compelling documentary.

Alpha (think Bear Grylls’ meets The Incredible Journey: Ice Age Edition) is a welcome end of summer surprise that will tug at the heartstrings and delivers a visual spectacle that will wow. It’s just a shame that it tips more towards spectacle over substance.

Vivo's animated musical sequences are gorgeous to look at and fun to listen to, even if the plot loses the rhythm about halfway through.

Sing 2 is more of the same, which is dandy.

Bright could have been something truly special if it had slowed down the pace of its narrative to allow for a fuller exploration of its engaging world.

The Girl in the Spider’s Web has essentially refashioned Lisbeth Salander into a superhero.

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.

What’s frustrating is that with better lead performers and a tighter script, Wingard could have made a great adaptation. Instead it settles when it should have soared.

The New Mutants didn’t deserve to be locked away for years. It’s not some unwatchable mess but rather a perfectly fine, entertaining, if at times formulaic small-scale genre movie.

Frozen 2 has amazing animation and great new songs but also a muddied message and some continuity issues.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again knows exactly what it is, what its target audience wants, why and how. Changing things up, ticking boxes and tapping toes, it’s charming, entertaining and way better than many may be expecting it to be.

Working from a script written by original helmer Romero based on a trilogy of lesser works by King, Creepshow 2 is a satisfying little anthology of terror that won't scare you so much as entertain you.

Towards the end of the ride you are ready to get off... but if ride films are your thing, you'll be surprised at how much you enjoy this, even if you don't remember much about it afterwards.

Men in Tights does work more often than not, even if the jokes are a little cheaper than normal.

I was at least able to follow the plot (which is not to say it wasn't as ludicrous as any Bond film -- just that I could follow it). But most of all this movie has camp value -- it's fun to sit there and make fun of every last detail, and that redeems it quite a bit.

Live and Let Die isn't the best of the series by far, but it's not the worst either. The fun doesn't last due to the interference of the flimsy plot, centered around one of the least threatening Bond villains ever.

Top Gun: Maverick is an out-of-bounds blast of afterburner fumes and thrillseeker highs that's sure to please audiences looking for a classic summer blockbuster.

The Bad News Bears isn't the greatest film ever made, but it's definitely better than its two sequels and worth its cult classic status.

At its best, All the Money in the World is a rich and exciting story about a woman trapped in a universe of apathetic and powerful men, fighting her way out any which way she can. At its worst it’s a well-shot but ultimately middling thriller.

The direction is kinetic and frequently beautiful, especially through the fantastic opening act, and the supporting cast is largely great, but this is Craig’s film through and through

If you're a fan of revenge fantasies, The Wraith will likely whet your appetite even if it isn't the smartest or best film out there.

If Licence to Kill added more than just scenes with Q to lighten the load, if it provided a love interest as compelling as Vesper and more engaging than Lowell's whiny Pam Bouvier, this Bond could have been one of the instant greats, instead of one that is better appreciated with age. The movie is not perfect, but a lot of what works now in the series got its start in Dalton's last mission as James Bond.

Admittedly, I Spit on Your Grave is a gruesome, deplorable little exploitation picture that, on the surface, seems to enjoy it's rape sequences just as much, if not more, than the vengeance-filled finale. But on a more subtle level, the film is a surprisingly well-executed revenge story that plays like a brutally raw nerve – a terrifyingly stark view of the real horror of rape, painted by bizarre, skewed cinematography, gory violence, and a keen sense of creeping atmosphere and dread.

Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner are wonderful together. They look great when they're in bed together and they look even better when they're fighting. Throw Danny DeVito into the mix and you've got a very enjoyable, watchable trio of heroes.

Meow, it may feel familiar, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have fun along the way with Super Troopers 2.

Directorially, last minute replacement director Jeannot Szwarc has done a nice job and there's some really nice photography here.

Wheelman has a few great action sequences and one interesting idea, but is let down by a mediocre screenplay.

The familiar story and underdeveloped characters aren't nearly as magical as the animation, but there's still a lot to enjoy in Mary and the Witch's Flower, even if it's not Hiromasa Yonebayashi's best.

There are still plenty of scares and things to enjoy in It Chapter Two even though it can't quite stick the landing.

Tommy Boy is one of those films that you can watch over and over again. It seems to be on every "Buddy Movie" list and it's always out at Blockbuster.

A wonderful slice of pulp alien-invasion sci-fi with a dash of conspiracy thriller tossed in for good measure. It plays as a clever X-Files knockoff and as a funny camp classic all at the same time. Low budget sci-fi pictures like these are rarely this entertaining, or good for that matter.

Certainly, the performances are cheesy and the scripting decidedly non-Shakespearean, but the film remains a terrifying and entertaining offering to the god's of 70's/80's horror. And those gods were good, indeed.

A movie that takes a while to get going, but once everything starts to come together you end up having a good time. If you're into detective films or are just looking for something atmospheric, then Hammett is a safe bet for a quiet night of mystery and intrigue.

Theo is an engaging character – for the most part well played – and his journey is both entertaining and heartbreaking. Meaning much like the painting at the centre of this tale, Theo’s story both survives, and endures. despite the fragmented film’s shortcomings.

Even though the use of one particular plot device ends up feeling unnecessary and Will Forte can often appear miscast in the lead role, A Futile and Stupid Gesture still conjures up enough real emotions and inventive moments to feel like a worthwhile addition to Hollywood’s often tired biopic subgenre.

While hardly high cinema, Kickboxer: Retaliation is an enjoyable fight epic with some awesome fighting, great cameos, and hugely impressive stunts.

The Transformers franchise gets a much needed tuneup in Bumblebee.

Does The Man Who Killed Don Quixote live up to the anticipation built by a nearly 30 year-long wait? Probably not. Is it still a film worth seeing, with something to say about following your dreams and being a filmmaker, with meta commentary about its own production? It’s hard not to say yes, if only to witness a man’s decades-long obsession finally bear fruit.

It takes Death on the Nile far longer than it should to reach its most impactful moments, but actor-director Kenneth Branagh cares deeply enough about Detective Poirot to make it work.

Sonic’s first foray into live-action is a fast-paced joyride that’ll ring in entertainment for both fans and children.

No, it's not the final movie in the series, but it's the end of a particular era for Jason, and it's a good way to go out for the hockey masked killer.

It lacks guidance or any real momentum. When Bill Murray isn't on screen, the air is sucked out of the picture, leaving audiences anxiously waiting for his next scene.

Partially filmed on location in Chicago, the movie benefits from a snowy, urban setting that gives it a very different feel from most films in its genre. Hicks and Chris Sarandon (as the cop who killed serial killer Charles Chucky Lee Ray in the first place) are solid actors and brought a nice adult presence to the story.

The effects might not hold up, but the performances by the likes of Smith, Olivier and other classically trained British actors, as well as Ursula Andress, elevate this to something more than a throwaway fantasy adventure from the early '80s.

Taken for what it is, Logan's Run delivers a fun ride and a glimpse at another era, even if it's probably not the time frame the producers had in mind.

Though it’s too long, and not every action scene or comedy bit works, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, and terrific rising star Vanessa Kirby ensure that there’s fun to be had in a Fast & the Furious movie not centered around cars or racing.

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.

Design and artistry here is the primary draw of The Dark Crystal, not necessarily the writing or the performances or the direction (Henson and Frank Oz shared the directing responsibilities for this one), although the are no glaring missteps in any of those areas.

Some of it is a bit too goofy – I could do without the overly slapstick antics of the goofy paintballer who finds out a paintball gun is not much use against Jason – but the comedy is still an appreciated aspect of the film, and it's nice to finally have a Friday the 13th film where someone says they've seen enough horror movies to drive away from the scary guy in the mask standing in the road.

Impressive visuals and a very watchable cast make this a fun popcorn fantasy flick that's at its best when it leans into its genre roots and aims to create a truly fantastical fairytale world.

What's so great about Brain Candy is what's great about every classic comedy: it's thoroughly quotable, infinitely watchable and so rich with detail that you'll be laughing at something new every time you watch it.

A genuine masterpiece of B-movie awesomeness. It's surprisingly imaginative, ambitious and off-the-wall. It's got goofy puppet creatures, it's filled to the brim with nudity and sex, and padded with plenty of gags, gore and graphic violence. It's the stuff of B/C-movie dreams.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers is an excellent movie about paranoia, conformity, and the need to "stay awake," or else become jaded, emotionally dead.

Hellbound is gorier, larger, and more accessible than the first. It rehashes the original at the outset so people can grasp it whether or not they'd seen the first and as a result is an easier film to enjoy.

Antlers is a satisfying, unsettling, and rather bleak horror movie when it focuses on its main creature. It’s also a thought-provoking character drama when it deals with parental neglect, but the two never properly mix, keeping it from being as great as it could’ve been.

It's pleasant, and while it's a bit sloppy, I rather enjoy the unclean look of the animation.

A harmless and fun dark comedy that you'll enjoy casually watching from time to time.

The movie is not Oscar caliber by any means. The acting is spare and without much passion.. Sure the movie is worth one or two stars at best. But it's a hell of a ride nonetheless.

It's a fun film that presents an interesting scenario and raises a unique possibility. What it lacks in depth and acting skills it more than makes up for as a thoroughly enjoyable popcorn film.

The words "overblown" and "pompous" often came to mind. At other times, though, everything comes together-- music, images, and theme-- to really make a stoner go "whooooah."

Enemy Mine is one of my favorite sci-fi films.

The Devil All the Time is made purposely provocative by Antonio Campos imbuing an unrelenting gruesomeness into every frame.

The end result here is comically entertaining, but entertaining nevertheless - although if you are conditioned to enjoy only those very complicated scenes from newer movies this might be laughable in a less enjoyable way.

Tolkien may disappoint fans looking for a LOTR origin but will please those who like stories of art, love & friendship.

Outside of viewing the film as a child or with a group of pals on drunken Saturday night, watching a bunch of loosely stringed sequences of Killer Klowns attacking townsfolk only gets you so far. It's a fun picture. But nothing more.

Dirty Mary Crazy Larry is a classic heist chase picture driven by a somewhat dated premise and paper-thin characters. But the film makes up for its faults with dazzling stunt work and great action.

Even as Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse goes through some familiar paces, it’s elevated by the presence at its center of star/producer Michael B. Jordan.

While Vanishing Point isn't the ultimate car chase movie as Tarantino would make you believe, it's certainly layered with fascinating subtext and few decent chase elements to keep action fans at bay.

Dune is a gorgeous but imperfect epic, a technical wonder that spends too much time setting up a third act that never comes.

Space Jam: A New Legacy enters the 21st century with LeBron James, impressive visuals, more personal stakes, and a fantastic villain in Don Cheadle. Unfortunately, the movie is too concerned with showcasing Warner Bros.’ biggest franchises that Bugs Bunny and Friends get sidelined in their own movie.

It's amusing and enjoyable at the same time, in a wholesome Pleasantville kind of way.

Between Two Ferns: The Movie does its best to coat Zach Galifianakis' dense and dopey TV host with a larger story but, in the end, the best parts are still when it's just him glassily staring into the eyes of a movie star and telling them how much they suck at acting.

All told, it's a terrifically entertaining tale filled with humor, heart, and allusions that are sure to delight fantasy fans.

The Americanization of Emily is worth a look for its fine performances and dynamite writing.

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

Ride Your Wave is the sweetest and most conventional story Yuasa has ever directed. Even with its formulaic story occupied by characters who would have benefited with more development and personality, there’s still plenty to enjoy in this light-hearted romance.

Though its meta-heavy plot gets tiresome after a while, Jay and Silent Bob Reboot is a successful return to form for Kevin Smith. Though it’s a bit rough around the edges, all involved clearly came to have fun and that infectious energy is palpable for the entire runtime. It may be his raunchiest film in years, but it’s also his most emotionally intelligent.

While it has action and humor aplenty, Marvel's Black Widow still isn't quite the stellar solo film the fallen Avenger deserves.

Eternals is beautifully shot and terrifically acted, but it bites off more than it can chew in its third act.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a Sam Raimi movie from top to bottom, for better and worse.

Thor: Love and Thunder is held back by a cookie-cutter plot and a mishandling of supporting characters, but succeeds as the MCU's first romantic comedy thanks to Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman's chemistry.

In spite of the adult material, it’s a genuinely affecting underdog story, and a rallying cry to anyone who has ever dreamed big. Most of all, Dolemite is a heartfelt tribute to a genuine auteur who spent his life spreading laughter and joy, and who made movie magic by always staying true to himself.

Halloween Kills suffers from being the second chapter in a trilogy, but it still delivers gory fun, fantastic performances, and an electrifying score from John Carpenter. There are enough callbacks to the original film to satisfy Carpenter fans while also expanding the mythology around Michael Myers and the town of Haddonfield in meaningful ways.

Crowe is magnificent as Hando, the leader of the gang whose decisions land them all in hot water and Daniel Pollock (who killed himself during post production) is right there with him. It's a tragic, harrowing little film.

Zane is an absolute blast, whether doing a little dance or trying to steal his way into each character's soul, he's having too much fun.

Biehn, in what would unfortunately be the last of his pure good guy roles, shines in the type of role he does best: a hardened and reluctant hero who is bound by honor to do right no matter what the cost.

Cruella's gonzo fashion, complicated characters, and truly bonkers backstory are compromised by obligations to be kid-friendly and its time-consuming need to over-explain everything it does.

The action is thrilling and the science fiction stuff compelling, but there are several occasions where it feels like the screenplay is talking down to its audience, most notably during its heavy-handed climax.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is at its most effective when paying tribute to its fallen king, and strong performances from the returning cast keep it afloat through its occasionally choppy plot.

Last Night in Soho’s biggest strengths and weaknesses come from the same place: its attempts to replicate much better psychological horror from decades past. However, despite everything that doesn’t work, its musical energy keeps it fun.

Synchronic isn't a home run, but a decent time travel triple is always welcome.

Taking itself less seriously and having more fun, its relatively short runtime is packed densely with plenty of action, character development, and campy humor. At the same time, it’s a love story about relationships evolving and learning to grow and trust each other.

While Race with the Devil is a bit slower, it's a haunting, unforgettable experience.

34 years after it opened, this remains a creative and charming family film.

It's more oriented to the kiddies than Nightmare, but if you want something to watch with your little cousins or nieces or something that will give you something to enjoy as well as them, and you've already seen Tarzan 28 times, check this one out.