MOVIE REVIEW - In Theaters Now

Arrival

Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker star in this Sci-Fi flick out this week.  To it's credit, this is not a special effects fest, and this focuses far more on story, than on computer art.  This story dwells on how would two worlds try to find a way to communicate upon contact.  This is smart, and very well done.

Although this is a bit drawn out, and does take a bit too long to make its point.  Our performances are good and solid and the writing is sound. This is not perfect, but this is a thinking man's Sci-Fi, and not the Star Wars variety.

Well Done.


Dr. Strange

This latest Marvel flick is fun, and totally quirky.  And it gotta admit, Dr. Strange is a bit...weird.  Even the star has a weird name, Benedict Cumberbatch.  Good to see Rachel McAdams, and Tilda Swinton along for the ride here.

This flick though IS loaded with special effects.  In fact, that is about 90% of what's going on here.  It is a celebration of what can be done by the computer geeks, and it delivers.  This is fun, funny, and very creative at times.  Perfect? No. But this is worth a ticket. In fact, I saw this is 3-D and I seldom recommend it, but here I do.

This is just fine.


Hacksaw Ridge

Mel Gibson directs this true story out of WWII and this is darn good.  Up front, this is as violent at Saving Private Ryan, but not as good or as long.  But, this is a powerful movie about a simple man named Desmond Doss who did some incredible things on the battlefield in the South Pacific.

This is a story so worth telling, and this movie is getting some Oscar buzz.  I am not sure that's in the offing but this is very good. This is very adult, and this is not for everyone. But in the new style of war movies, this is authentic and true to life - and death.

This is very, very good. 

Inferno

Tom Hanks again in the continuing saga of the DeVinci Code books.  They cut his hair this time and that helps.  This story is very much like the first two. If you like watching people chasing people and being chased at the same time, this is your movie.

The twist is, there is a madman who wants to wipe out half the worlds population with a man made virus, and only our favorite professor can stop it.  Moves along nicely, but looks a whole lot like the first two. 

Not bad, just nothing new to see here

scott@wqmx.com