The Shallows (2016)

The Shallows (2016)

[6] Blake Lively stars in this claustrophobic thriller about a woman trapped by a great white shark in a shallow ocean cove. Director Jaume Collet-Serra (Orphan, House of Wax) captures the beauty of the Australian surroundings (passing for Mexico in the…
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016)

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016)

[5] Two loser brothers are forced by their parents to bring dates to their sister's wedding. Zac Efron and Adam Devine (mini-Jack Black) play the losers, channeling goofy male leads from every romantic comedy you ever saw. Anna Kendrick and Aubrey…
The Neon Demon (2016)

The Neon Demon (2016)

[7] Fans of Drive and Only God Forgives director Nicolas Winding Refn should find his latest effort beautiful and interesting. Outsiders may find it frustrating. Elle Fanning headlines a strong cast, playing an underage model trying to make it big in Los Angeles.…
Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)

Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)

[4] The first Independence Day is one of those films that strikes just the right tone, something between earnest and goofy-as-hell, genuinely terrifying and gloriously indulgent. It was like the best possible kind of Irwin Allen disaster movie, where the…
The Conjuring 2 (2016)

The Conjuring 2 (2016)

[4] I thought the first Conjuring movie was moderately entertaining (for a warmed-up rehash of horror cliches), and was hoping for an improvement the second time around. The sequel could have entertained me by being more about Ed and Lorraine…
X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

[8] Bryan Singer returns to helm his fourth film in the X-Men series, and he hits another home run. This one picks up some number of years after the events of Days of Future Past, as an ancient all-powerful baddie…
Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

[7] It's the third Captain America movie, but since most of the Avengers cast is reunited, it feels more like Avengers 3. Not that it matters -- these movies all start to feel the same anyway. I like how this…
Green Room (2016)

Green Room (2016)

[7] After witnessing a murder, a punk band gets trapped by skinheads at a rural dive bar in this survival/revenge tale from writer/director Jeremy Saulnier (Blue Ruin). Anton Yelchin (from the Star Trek and Fright Night remakes) and Imogen Poots…
Fantasia (1940)

Fantasia (1940)

[7] Walt Disney was somewhat ahead of his time experimenting with music and animation in Fantasia, an astounding achievement of artistry, craftsmanship, and innovation in animation. I dig Fantasia, but it's an uneven mix. The host segments do not stand…
Mimic (1997)

Mimic (1997)

[6] Mira Sorvino, Jeremy Northam, Josh Brolin, and Charles S. Dutton star in this creature feature about evolved cockroaches that threaten to overtake New York City. Director Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth) admits that the film's narrative was watered down…