Late Night (2019): A late-night talk-show host suspects that she may soon lose her long-running show.

I had a chance to see this Sundance hit early, (and as an official member of the Cincinnati film press, if I may humble brag) and upon leaving  the theater, I was actually pretty torn about it. On the one hand, it is a lovely little film, another peg in this surprising resurgence of American comedies we've seen over the past 2 years, (that's right, there's been enough of these American comedies that have been good that I'm officially calling it a resurgence) but on the other hand...... there's something off about this film. I think it has something to do with the film's somewhat insidious message. On the one hand, it's a film about female empowerment, but on the other hand, it's main female character can't be a strong, independent woman - she has to have a very shoddy boyfriend storyline. On the one hand, it's a film about a middle-age Hollywood star trying not to be cast aside because she is no longer 25 and "beautiful," but on the other hand she has to have a sex scandal and be a super mean person. (There's a word for that that I won't dare utter here.) On the one hand, there has to be a statement on a frat-like work environment. On the other hand, none of the men are ever punished for their actions and overall repulsiveness. (not even the writer at the focal point of the sex scandal gets anything short of a nice "zing" moment) Because of this somewhat muddy message, I'm quite surprised this was a hit at Sundance, one of the most liberal watering holes on the planet, as some of these moments definitely fall into the realm of "cringe." THAT SAID, the cast is wonderful. Mindy Kaling and Emma Thompson are great, both together and separately, John Lithgow is FAR better here than he was in freaking Pet Sematary, and of course I continue to love Paul Walter Hauser and everything he's in.  The jokes are great, the formula (which we've seen a million times) works, and you feel good about yourself and the world around you by film's end. I just wish it didn't have as much underlying spite for progressiveism as it does. Seriously, why are you so afraid to have your lead female character just be #singleandproud? 

My Number: 6/10

Ma (2019): A lonely woman befriends a group of teenagers and decides to let them party at her house. Just when the kids think their luck couldn't get any better, things start happening that make them question the intention of their host.

This is one of those examples where it's better to let the mystique of a film envelope its persona versus actually seeing it. The marketing behind Ma has been nothing short of incredible. From "receiving texts from Ma" to the short clips of Octavia Spencer being hilariously passive aggressive, it was hard not to at least slightly elevate the bottom-of-the-barrel expectations going into this film…….. and I wish I hadn't. The latest horror / thriller from Blumhouse Productions is a vehicle for Octavia Spencer to be in a role that you would NEVER see her in otherwise, and sadly that's all it is. The film shines when Ma (Spencer) is on the screen, but is otherwise a mediocre horror film with very few actually scary moments and a horrific L on the psychological aspect. Seriously - the message conveyed here about one person's approach to dealing with childhood trauma is pretty messed up. Director Tate Taylor and writer Scotty Landes make the fateful decision to try and make the viewer actually sympathize with Ma, attempting (and failing) to ground this film with a sense of humility. If Ma had just been a near omnipresent being with a connection to the supernatural, the journey would've been far more enjoyable. But nope! She just had a vendetta, obsessed with delivering the exact wrong message of how to deal with your problems to viewers everywhere. Also, if you think you'll find solace in the rest of this cast, think again. Everyone else besides Diana Silvers has NOTHING to do, (Allison Janney puts in one of the most phoned-in performances I've ever seen) and Silvers is still too young in her career to know how to carry a film. (She delivers the exact same "inquisitive look" approximately 47 times.) In short, Octavia Spencer is great, and everything I hoped she would be, but the character is written terribly, and there's NOTHING else here to keep you vested. Hard pass.

My Number: 4/10

Her Smell (2019): A self-destructive punk rocker struggles with sobriety while trying to recapture the creative inspiration that led her band to success.

What a purely creative film. Buoyed by an iconic performance from Elisabeth Moss, Her Smell is the latest from director / writer Alex Ross Perry. The film showcases Elisabeth Moss in EASILY her best performance to date - an emotionally unstable creative that has fallen into a destructive pattern of harm to both her and her fellow bandmates. Becky Something (Moss) is as unpredictable as she is unstable - an unforgettably genuine performance from the already successful Moss that gripped me from the first moment she was on screen until the credits rolled. This performance from Moss completely floored me - it was so unexpected, yet despite the outlandishness of it all, was grounded in an undeniable sense of humility. This zany performance was absolutely necessary, as the rest of the film left much to be desired. It's such a whimsical film that it was downright impossible to follow at points, moving so quickly from one idea to the next it was impossible to keep up. But the characters, each bursting with individual and genuine traits, keep you more than invested throughout the lengthy 134 minute runtime. All wrapped up in that Elisabeth Moss performance which is easily the best performance I've seen all year to this point.  Just be prepared to be questioning what you just heard. A lot. 

My Number: 7/10

Men in Black: International (2019): The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest threat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organization.

​This one makes me sad. The latest from the GREAT F. Gary Gray, (Straight Outta Compton) the 4th installment in the Men in Black universe is somewhat enjoyable, but otherwise depressingly lifeless. Look, corporate Hollywood loves its sequels. There's no denying that. And if the sequel is done well (see: any Mission: Impossible film) the end result is glorious. But this sequel feels corporate-mandated, soul-less, and devoid of any real meaning. A lifeless husk that lumbers through each scene with little passion or intent. Not even its leads feel dynamic, Tessa Thompson is playing herself, (which, admittedly, I'm fine with) and Chris Hemsworth is playing every charismatic lead actor ever. Rafe Spall is horrifically miscast, and Liam Nesson is just playing himself to. Which is significantly less welcome at this point compared to Thompson. The only character here with any semblance of depth is Kumail Nanijiani, who's voice is basically the only entertainment to be found in this film. Once he shows up, basically halfway through, there's some entertainment to be found here, but it's very little and very far between. While there are a few decent moments, (it's not the worst sequel I've ever seen by any means) there are also vastly superior films to watch right now. (See: Rocketman and Booksmart for starters) Go see one of those.

My Number: 4/10

Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019): Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man must step up to take on new threats in a world that has changed forever.

The latest installment in the Spider-Man universe and first film to drop from Marvel in a post-Endgame world, Far from Home lands with a hard thud and makes me very worried about what the MCU will look like going forward. Director Jon Watts (who also directed the last entry, Homecoming) is very aware that he's making a new Marvel film, and his constant reminder to us, the audience, about it is far more frustrating that it is funny. Additionally, Mysterio is a very frustrating character. The first act of this film is totally wasted on a meaningless storyline that goes absolutely nowhere, and by the time the meat of the film kicks in, it's already too late. At least Jake Gyllenhaal is having a good time portraying the character. The rest of the cast seems... exhausted and uninterested in reprising their characters again. Even Zendaya seems to be merely going through the motions with her vastly superior portrayal of MJ. (compared to the previous iterations) As does the rest of the events of this film. If this is a sign of what we're in for in a post-Endgame world…. I am very worried.

My Number: 3/10