Allied (2016)

Allied spy Max pulls an undercover assignment in Casablanca playing husband to Marianne, a French resistance fighter, during World War II. They fall in love, then move back to England where they marry and start a family. But is Marianne on the up-and-up?

This should've been romantic and thrilling, but it was just basic. Marianne's character in the Casablanca scenes serves as a "how to spy" tutor, which was not only annoying but also quite weird seeing as Max shouldn't need the help. And, somehow, none of the action scenes felt in any way dangerous. It was just so very meh.

C

Harley & Katya (2022)

Harley (Australian) and Katya (Russian) each had trouble finding a skating partner good enough to keep up with them. So, despite being from across the world from each other and not sharing a language, they clicked immediately on the ice. It didn't take them long at all to start being a competition threat. But, in order to succeed, Katya -- just 16 when they met -- had to come to Australia to live and train. 

I am only a casual viewer of figure skating, so I had no idea where this story was going, but it wasn't hard to predict that it was not going to be to a happy place. Katya's without anything familiar, always struggling to decipher what's being said, and too young to have strong coping strategies in place. The money was tight, which forced her to live with her coaches, which should've been an obvious "no" to the adults making arrangements.

It's a weakens the story that we can't get deeper into Katya's side of the story here, though I realize the impossibility of that ask.

B-

The Passenger (2023)

Randy is a sheltered and shy kid, making him an easy target for a bully at his fast food job. Benson, another co-worker, is fed up with the bullying and takes care of the situation in the most over-the-top way possible. The rest of the pair's day is spent driving around town with Benson forcing Randy into exposure therapy-type situations confronting traumas from the past.

It starts off with such a bang -- I mean, there's nothing I love more than seeing an asshole get his come-uppance -- but that's where the excitement stops. It quickly becomes ridiculous and frustrating.

C-

Somewhere in Queens (2023)

The Russos are a big Italian family who are constantly together. There's a family business where the men all work as contractors and there are regular Sunday dinners and constant celebrations. Leo has taken the path of least resistance and joined the family business despite the fact that he's never really been comfortable there. And -- though he's the star of his high school basketball team -- his quiet son Matthew doesn't fit the loud "bust your balls" Russo mold either. Leo sees a future for his son when a scout gets him a tryout for a basketball scholarship and can't help but intervene when he fears that Matthew might blow his chances.

I loved this story and could identify with Ray Romano as a father who fears that his son is going to get lost in adulthood. The parental instinct to smooth the path is so strong that it's difficult to tell when you're going too far. I was also absolutely on board with Laurie Metcalf as the mother who exists in a constant state of simmering annoyance which serves to mask her own concerns.

B+

The Bourne Identity (2002)

I saw this more than 20 years ago and had a great time -- even citing the acting as "uniformly good." But this time I was constantly taken out of things by Potente's underwritten character and less-than-convincing line readings. The action holds up pretty well, though!

B-

The Motive (2017)

Alvaro, an aspiring author without much talent, is at a crossroads in his life. His marriage to his best-selling-author wife falls apart, he is forced on sabbatical from his job, he moves into an apartment, and is given some harsh truth from his writing instructor. Told to observe natural life, he begins taking an interest in his neighbors. And, when there's not enough drama in what he sees, he finds ways to stir the pot.

It's a tantalizing idea that never really soars. Alvaro's character is mostly to blame as he's a blank: I never knew what he was actually thinking and didn't much care. Also, the film ends with a death resulting in Alvaro's imprisonment, but I wasn't clear on who actually committed the crime. Unfortunately, I also wasn't interested enough to go searching for an explanation.

C

Frank (2014)

Jon is an aspiring musician who finds himself in the right place at the right time to play the keyboards for a band's gig. The band is avant garde, both in sound and personnel, but the most noteworthy thing about the group is that the lead singer wears an oversized paper mache head, which he never takes off, even when not on stage.

The aggressive weirdness of the set-up probably would've been alright with me if anything else about the story made sense or even if the music was any good. I just didn't really get any of it and the ending, especially, was a letdown; it just made me feel like I'd been tricked. I'm flabbergasted to learn that the Frank character is based on an actual person.

C

Terminal (2018)

I am not a fan of dark, grimy, near-future nonsense movies in general and this one is no exception. It's got a lot of twists, turns, fake-outs, and convoluted backstory but it adds up to nothing but a waste of an hour and a half.

D-

High Fidelity (2000)

In the wake of getting dumped, Rob decides to reconnect with other women from his past who'd broken his heart in hopes of finding clarity. Meanwhile, he's still dealing with his day-to-day: running his record store along with his two employees who share his passion for music. A lot of the time, Rob is speaking directly to the camera, as though we're the only friend who's truly interested in what he has to say and it really works. I kept asking myself "Where has John Cusack gone? He's so good!"

But Cusack's not the only thing working here: Jack Black & Todd Louiso as the record store employees are terrific, as are the women in Rob's life. I also loved the practical destination of Rob's journey. He figures some stuff out and is also able to take an honest look at his own behavior. His speech about the fantasy of other women vs. the actuality of relationships and their real-life issues was insightful and showed real growth.

Also: it's a musical feast. Next time I watch this, I'll set aside 5 or 6 hours to do so so that I can pause and play the music being discussed -- I have loved this despite not catching all the references, but I can only assume I'd be even more enchanted if I could sink into the music as well.

A-

Queenpins (2021)

Connie is a lonely suburban housewife whose only satisfaction comes from her extreme couponing habit. When she realizes that people will pay her for "free item" coupons, she (along with a friend) figures out how to procure them in bulk to sell online. The fun really starts when a righteous loss-prevention agent realizes that something's not right and eventually gets the post office involved.

I was really entertained by this. It's interesting and well-paced and really succeeds in the couplings on both sides of the law. Kristen Bell & Kirby are believable "opposites attract" buddies who have complementary skills to pull of this scam. But the real fun is in the team of Vince Vaughn and Paul Walter Hauser as the postal inspector and loss-prevention agent. Though Hauser's role could've been over-the-top, he made me really root for this weird little guy.

B