Atomic Blonde

This is a movie that should have been a slam dunk. A couple big stars, some 80s nostalgia, based on a solid graphic novel, and a lot of high-octane action from a noted action director. So why did it end up with a lukewarm reception? In my opinion, it's going to be hard to pinpoint, because it wasn't any one thing. It had all the right parts, but couldn't get the alchemical magic going to rise above merely parts.

Fated (WW)

(As a reminder, Writing Wednesday is when I slip a book review in between the movie reviews.)

This weekend, my wife and I drove up to Canada and back. Among other things, it gave us a chance to check out an audiobook. We picked Fated, the first book in the Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka. We mostly got the book because we'd heard that there is a Harry Dresden call-out in it.

Cars 3

Pixar has a pretty staggering track record of amazing movies. The first Cars movie was where I decided that I should always trust them. The premise looked thoroughly stupid, but the movie ended up being very good. Then Cars 2 came along and really betrayed that trust. To the point that I never saw Planes, or the Fire and Rescue sequel (and I've never heard word that I missed much). So I had VERY low expectations of Cars 3. To the point of not planning to see it.

But then we got free tickets (because we are giant Disnerds), so we went. And I'm very glad we did. This movie got right back into the groove that Cars set up, and took the story to the logical-but-surprising next step. It didn't blow my mind, or make me cry, or knock any of my favorites out of their place. But it was a good, solid movie that was fun, touching, real, and had some good messaging.