Old House

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Spires

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Mystery Man

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Many Patterns

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Gone

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Visible Decay

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Love, Simon

The Gist: Simon is a regular teenage guy. He has a nice family, a tight group of friends, and is in high school. He’s also in the closet. Then, one day, a mysterious message on a bulletin board stirs passions in his heart that he finds hard to manage.

Love, Simon is a really, really good movie, and not just if you’re gay or lesbian. It’s a wonderfully written story that talks about love, friendship, family relationships, and bullying.

Nick Robinson is excellent in what will surely be his breakout role, and I also really liked Katherine Langford as his best friend Leah.

The Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a good comedy that also skillfully delivers some important messages, look no further. Love, Simon is a must-see.

Grade: 9

A Wrinkle in Time

The Gist: A young scientist working on a new theory of space travel disappears mysteriously. Years later, his daughter Meg, her brother, and a friend from school receive a visit from three fantastical beings. Meg’s challenge will be finding her long lost father somewhere in the universe.

I am a fan of director Ava DuVernay’s work, so I was looking forward to her latest film. Unfortunately, A Wrinkle in Time is not a good movie. The best thing about it are arguably the eye-popping visual effects, and that’s hardly enough to salvage it.

Relative newcomer Storm Reid does an admirable job in the lead, as does Levi Miller as Calvin. Two promising young actors. Alas, Deric McCabe, who plays the younger brother, came across as stiff and not believable. Maybe in time he’ll get better.

Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, and Oprah Winfrey clearly had quite a bit of fun playing their roles, but the characters felt a bit empty. Chris Pine and Gugu Mbatha-Raw are perfectly cast as the loving couple.

The Bottom Line: While pleasant enough to watch and likely sufficiently entertaining for a younger crowd, I’d recommend to wait for the DVD to come out. I haven’t read the book this work is based on, but I can’t imagine it not being far better.

Grade: 4

How Dark Patterns Trick You Online

A very interesting and informative video:

Tomb Raider

The Gist: Young Lara Croft refuses to accept that her father, who disappeared 7 years earlier, is dead. The sudden discovery of some mysterious notes and maps sets her on a dangerous albeit exhilarating adventure whose outcome is bound to change her life.

Hollywood’s infatuation with superheros is a well known ailment. Whether human or alien, originating in a comic book or a videogame, these movies bring in so much cash from all over the world, studios never miss a chance for another helping. Given that premise, a reboot of Tomb Raider, one of the most successful video game franchises of all time, and a one-time vehicle for Angelina Jolie, was inevitable.

The baton has been handed to Oscar winner Alicia Vikander, who comes across as eminently likable. She is believable in her grief and longings and has enough physicality to pull off the most daring stunts, a must for our heroine.

Dominic West and Walton Goggins are good, as always, while Daniel Wu and Kristin Scott Thomas are excellent in too-small roles. Director Roar Uthaug proved his mettle in this surely first-of-many installments in the series.

The Bottom Line: Critics weren’t enamored with the finished product, but I found it quite enjoyable. Naturally, you have to go with the flow with this kind of movie, and this being a reintroduction of sorts, the character has to be established. That said, Ms. Vikander is well cast and the new Tomb Raider is fun enough to watch.

Grade: 7