Fantastic Beasts

and Where to Find Them. But wow, that title is too long.

Short version: This was a fantastic return to the Potterverse. While it may not be a top-shelf movie in general, it easily sits in the upper tier of Potter movies, and I look forward to watching it on ABC Family FreeForm for years to come.

Arrival

Arrival is a smart sci-fi movie that is far more about us than it is about the aliens. How do we communicate with aliens? How do we react to them? And, very importantly, how do we trust them when we can't even manage to trust each other?

I highly recommend seeing this movie before the twist gets spoiled for you. Well, twists. There are a few. It is one of those, like Sixth Sense, in which the shock is important for the full emotional impact.

The Privilege of the Sword (WW)

(I started a bit before this site went into hiatus called Writing Wednesday, in which I review a book instead of a movie. Here is an attempt to resurrect that bit.)

If you frequent Audible, you have likely run across the series of Neil Gaiman Presents. One of fandom's favorite authors is using his celebrity to call attention to, and provide some excellent dramatic readings of, books he particularly likes. I recently listened to The Privilege of the Sword, by Ellen Kushner.

Short version: You have to take this on faith, but bear through the first third of the book. This one is a slow burn, but you will end the book in love with it.

Trolls

If you have seen the trailers, you know what kind of movie this is. If you haven't seen the trailers, do yourself a huge favor and watch them first.

If the trailers didn't make your ears bleed or make you throw things, then you will enjoy the hell out of this movie. It is a pixie stick movie. Pure sugar rush, with nothing really substantial underneath. Yet somehow, when we're done, we just want more.

Doctor Strange

The latest entry into the MCU introduces an element that we haven't seen much of: the mystic arts. And, of course, we have to begin with the master, Doctor Strange! But did Marvel manage to bring the magic?

The short version: Yes. It wasn't a brilliant tour de force, but it was a good movie and a solid entry into the MCU. It managed to introduce a complex character smoothly, a complex piece of world-building smoothly, and make it all still feel like a superhero movie.

Zootopia

As you may be aware, I am a huge Disnerd. So I've been anticipating this movie for a LONG time. And it did not disappoint. This could arguably be the perfect Disney movie. (Note, that doesn't make it a perfect movie, just a perfect expression of the Disney formula.) Believe in yourself? Check. Friendship will conquer all? Check. Tolerance is better than hate? Check. Animated animals are totally cute? Check.

Seriously, go see this movie. Right now.

London Has Fallen

(Much like this blog.)

A few years back, we had the terribly disjointed and horrifically unrealistic (especially for those of us who live in DC and actually know how this stuff works) Olympus Has Fallen. This weekend, we got the sequel. Sort of. In that we have the same characters, but no one ever mentions that time a terrorist managed to take over the White House and nearly initiate WWIII. Weird.

This time around, we're dealing with Middle Eastern terrorists who aren't really terrorists. And a plan of breathtaking scope and dubious probability of success. And a change of venue. Honestly, it improved the concept considerably.