Movie Reviews

Prepare to be entertained: Peter Quill and his motley crew are back to save the galaxy (again) in this lighthearted romp through space and time. The plot is simplistic at best, but when the emotional pay-off comes I bet you'll tear up all the same. This is a fun night out for almost anyone.

The Circle is an engrossing premise, but fails to deliver in the small moments.

Beautifully filmed documentary Born in China takes you halfway around the world without leaving your seat, bringing you up close and personal with pandas, snow leopards, golden snub-nosed monkeys, chirus, and more. Disneynature has achieved a film that the whole family can enjoy without fear or hesitation.

A consciousness-raiser about the extermination of Armenians at the outset of World War I, The Promise is a noble effort that has some moving moments but doesn't come together in a way that generates an emotional response equal to the atrocities it depicts.

The Lost City of Z (that’s “Zed” for you Americans!) was well-acted, without great flaw in its technical elements or even direction. But fails to justify the necessity of its own existence. 

The eighth film in the Fast and the Furious franchise keeps the series on cruise control, for better or worse. This latest entry should satisfy core fans, while those not already sold on the series may find the one-upping of big stunts and car chases overblown.

Tiny nuggets of wisdom abound in this low-stakes heist flick about three broke geezers who attempt to rob their local bank as a final huzzah before their houses get foreclosed and their health deteriorates too far. A fun but simple genre flick.

Its pleasures are mild, but the latest Smurfs movie—the third film in the franchise—aims to entertain younger viewers without torturing older kids and adults who might get dragged along to the theater. On that score, it mostly succeeds. The story is formulaic but surprising in providing a sweetly moving finale.

The latest entry from Pure Flix Entertainment, The Case for Christ breaks the mold of Christian films, delivering a rich and compelling narrative along with the steadfast message of Christ's love.

Heartwarming, sassy, and funny, Gifted has it all: Family drama, a cute kid, tough life questions, even a one-eyed cat. It's a story about intelligent people who don't always make smart choices. Bonus: you're likely to leave the theater smarter than you came. How many movies do that?

If not for a committed performance from Alec Baldwin, The Boss Baby would probably be languishing in a $1 DVD bin at Walmart. The film isn’t completely devoid of laughs, but they run out long before the credits roll.

The Zookeeper's Wife extols the actions of a husband-and-wife zookeeping team who use their zoo as a way station for Jews during World War II. But as admirable as these characters are, the film assumes familiarity with the stakes of the drama rather than generating pathos convincingly through the narrative.

In a futuristic world where humans can be “enhanced” and nothing is quite what it seems, Major (Scarlett Johansson) is a “miracle”—a human brain in a machine body. Maybe her lack of an actual heart explains why this visually stunning movie fails to connect on an emotional level.

Despite the absurd source material, Power Rangers manages to create a story that's fun, thrilling, and at times, even poignant. Whether you're an old fan or simply looking for an enjoyable pastime, this movie won't disappoint.

A delightful live-action retelling of a much-loved story, Beauty and the Beast looks like a picturebook come to life with music and dancing. Yes, there is a controversy, but judge that for yourself and for your family. 

A spectacular monster movie that gives you everything you're looking for from a popcorn adventure: shocks, laughs, and thrills, all impressively rendered on a huge big budget scale. Some scares really push the PG-13 limits, as does brief strong language, but this is a well-crafted thrill ride interested in pushing only one agenda: fun. (Even the post-credits bonus sequence is worth waiting around for.)

Like the book it's based upon, this cinematic story about a grieving man encountering God is almost certain to stir up controversy among Christians.

I imagine the pitch meeting for Collide went something like: “We’ll crash as many cars as possible in 90 minutes, hire a couple of great actors to ham it up, and maybe no one will notice the gaping holes in the plot." It kind of works but… not really. Wait to rent this one. You won’t wait long.

Priceless does an admirable job of helping us see and sense the danger of the carnal world of human trafficking while still steering visually clear of its true horrors. It's a well-acted and involving story that should continue to help raise awareness about his important social justice issue.

Raises some interesting ideas about trust, sacrifice and purpose, but not even an international cast led by Matt Damon can compensate for an overall failure of imagination in this slack, detached story.