Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Everything I know about comics comes from movies, which is pretty hilarious, considering I watch, like, one-tenth of the superhero movies out there. But this one required no prior knowledge of what was going on -- it was just super fun, sometimes to the laugh-out-loud point. Jeff Goldblum was amazing. He should be sprinkled into everything. 

B+

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

A mother grieving her murdered daughter rents the titular boards to point a finger at the chief of police for lack of progress in the case. Several fantastic scenes and some truly incredible acting.

But this film strikes a really weird tone. It’s deadly serious, but also tips into farce whenever the doofus, racist cop is in the frame. I liked it quite a lot, but I also wish it could’ve picked a lane.

B+

Marshall (2017)

This is about one of the cases Thurgood Marshall handled when he was the only NAACP lawyer.

A white woman accuses her black chauffeur of rape & Marshall has to defend the man by way of a surrogate lawyer who is 1) local and 2) white. It was so danged square -- reminded us a lot of 42.

D+

Sleeping with Other People (2015)

Boy and girl meet-cute in college, don’t see each other for years, then run into each other and become best friends. It takes a long time for them to realize (drumroll please....) they’re made for each other.

It’s basically a remake of When Harry Met Sally. Not bad at all, but the original is perfect.

B

The Hollars (2016)

Mom has a brain tumor, so struggling artist son who’s having a hard time committing to his very pregnant girlfriend comes home to lend support. There he joins his brother (who's living in Mom & Dad’s basement while his ex-wife dates a pastor) and father (whose business is failing) as they wait for the next step.

There were some incisive and poignant moments here, but mostly it felt like broad strokes that still needed shading.

C+

After the Reality (2017)

Contestant on a bachelorette-type show is called away from taping when his father dies. His sister has been caring for dad and now needs help packing up the house.

I’m not exactly sure what they were going for here, but I’m AM sure they didn’t hit the mark. It’s just meandering and depressing.

D+

A Bad Moms Christmas (2017)

The Bad Moms are visited by their own Bad Mothers for the holidays.

Everything had that muted vibe common in bad comedy -- it felt improvised and just lazy. The only really fun parts were those with Justin Hartley as a smitten stripper.

C-