“I, Frankenstein”. No. You, generic fantasy action movie with miscast prettyboy lead, terrible dialogue, and limp story that drags Mary Shelley’s good name and timeless themes through mud. You, 90 minutes I wish I could get back. You, worst Frankenstein movie I’ve seen. Skip it

Ending a lengthy day by geeking out with a friend over a very middle of the road movie is my kind of night.

”Good Fortune” delivers solid laughs and sees good performances from Aziz Ansari, Seth Rogen, Keke Palmer, and a divine Keanu Reeves. There’s a nice sprinkling of sweetness to it as well as it’s a good way to spend 100 minutes. 3 out of 5 stars. Check it out.

I love Superman. For escapism, for optimism, for team-ups with other heroes, etc. I love that he’s a hero built specifically on seeing the best in people and improving the world. I also wish some of the loudest voices in his fandom weren’t so defensive over differing opinions.

I love how Sam Raimi lights his horror movies. While they can look appropriately dark for scary sequences, he also knows that juxtaposing them with brighter daytime scenes keeps us on our toes and adds welcome visual variety.

“The Martian” combines optimism and emotional storytelling in a funny, thoroughly entertaining sci-fi film with near-perfect casting, a well-chosen soundtrack, strong direction, and an engaging story. Miscast Donald Glover aside, I love it. 5/5. We need more feel-good sci-fi. See it on Netflix!

“Tron: Ares” is a limp corporate thriller whose weak story, constant ping-ponging between undercooked ideas, and generic action make it a chore. The film contradicts itself and its predecessors, and as much as Greta Lee and the Nine Inch Nails score try, they can’t save it. 2/5.

“Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” doesn’t feel Grand for the uninitiated, but I imagine fans will be happy to see their favorite characters one last time. The acting’s good, it has moments of levity, and plays directly to its audience. 2/5 for me, but fans should see it.

Spooky season is here! What are you favorite scary movies?

“Fear Street: 1994” plays like a gory, R-rated Goosebumps. The ‘90s references and lingo are mostly well-done and the relationship at its center provides some welcome heart, but the kills are standard and it sometimes focuses too much on table setting its sequel. 3/5. Netflix it.

AI has many positive uses, but you can’t replace a full human being with a machine and expect good results. As many stars as I’ve criticized over the years, I’d watch any one of them onscreen over a robot any day of the week.

I was watching a film yesterday that reminded me of “Sinners”, but “Sinners” outclassed it. Specifically, the lead of the film in question felt distractingly modern for the period piece setting, whereas Michael B. Jordan immediately fits into “Sinners”’ time period. Kudos to him.

Choosing which DVDs to donate is fun. Sometimes I know I’ll never get around to watching something, sometimes I did watch it and it wasn’t entertaining for me, but whatever the reason, I’d rather donate them to be found and enjoyed by someone else than have them take up space.

“Holy Man” has a strange, dated premise (remember Home Shopping Networks?) only carried to the finish line by an oddly subdued Eddie Murphy and Jeff Goldblum Jeff Goldbluming. It has decent laughs, but I’d only recommend it for Murphy completionists. 2.5/5. How bizarre this is.

“A.I: Artificial Intelligence” is a cynical sci-fi horror film that doesn’t realize that. It’s constantly at war with itself over Spielbergian sentiment and a depressing tone, but it’s shot beautifully and Haley Joel Osment and William Hurt are excellent. 2/5. Not for me.

As much as I utilize streaming services, I’m also a firm and eternal believer in physical media. This way, I pick and choose what I own, for how long I own it, and have no fear of studios editing things out at random. While discs can get scratched, it’s a risk I‘m willing to take:

A note to anyone watching “Bedazzled” on DisneyPlus: For some reason, the English subtitles for Brendan Fraser in the Spanish section of the movie won’t appear unless you have the English subtitles turned on.

I admire Jordan Peele as a horror director for understanding how and when to use weird imagery in his films. He knows that everything shown must service the themes, characters, or story, lest we disconnect from it. This, among many other reasons, is why his films rock.

RIP to Robert Redford. I remember seeing “All The President’s Men” with him in high school and immediately being drawn in by him. While I’m severely underexposed to his work, I know he was a titan of the industry and look forward to discovering more. Rest in peace to him.

What films were your introduction to the sci-fi genre? Mine were:

”Saltburn” is yet another tepid clap-back at the rich with two-dimensional characters and nothing new to bring to the table. Archie Mandekwe makes his character feel real, Jacob Elordi impresses, and the music and camerawork are solid, but it’s mostly glitz without depth. 2.5/5.

I wrote a 25-page paper on “Frankenstein” in college. No version I’ve seen thus far has fully captured Mary Shelley’s complexity or varying ideas she explored. I hope Guillermo Del Toro can deliver the definitive onscreen adaptation.

Happy Star Trek Day! Whatever your preferred show or film or whoever your favorite Captain, Star Trek has continuously evolved, challenged us and itself, and remained entertaining through the decades. I’m happy I found it when I did. Live long and prosper.

I’m just a few days away from DragonCon! It’s something I’ve had on my nerd bucket list for awhile and I can’t wait to see what’s in store.

“The Curse Of La Llorona” is a solid spookfest. Linda Cardellini fits in the lead, the ghost design is eerie, and the scares are effective. It’s 90 minutes in and out, and with ghost horror movies like this, sometimes that does just the trick. 3/5. Spook it up on HBOMax.

Rest in peace Terrence Stamp. From “Superman II” to “Wall Street” to “Get Smart” to “The Haunted Mansion” and so many more, he always brought a dignified presence to his roles and was equally adept at comedy, drama, and intimidation. I’ll miss seeing him onscreen. RIP

I hope Benedict Wong’s dramatic performance in “Weapons” gains him more notice. It’s a side of him I’ve never seen before and I’d love to see him tapped for more challenging roles. He’s got the chops for meaty material just waiting to be utilized.

Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s my review of “Superman” on Kevinthecritic! Read on to see why this newest iteration of the Man of Steel is one of my favorites to date. Enjoy! kevinthecritic.com/superman-sur...

“Buffy” is also on this list as my original comfort show.

What are comfort TV shows for you? Some of mine: “Gilmore Girls” “Once Upon A Time” “All American” “Smallville”.

“Weapons” is a scary, smartly-structured horror story with great work from Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Benedict Wong, and Amy Madigan and strong cinematography. It’s weirder than expected and I’m not a fan of 2 segments, but fans of dark, serious horror should see it. 3.5/5.

I revisited 2013’s “Carrie” remake last night and think it’s held up well. While the original is a classic, director Kimberly Pierce emphasizes the mother-daughter dynamic and theme that if you tell someone they’re a monster long enough, that’s exactly what they’ll become.

Get Freaky All Over Again on Kevinthecritic for my review of “Freakier Friday”! Read on to see if Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan can bring the magic back for this sequel. Enjoy! kevinthecritic.com/freakier-fri...

Manny Jacinto brings an immediate charm and likability to his character in “Freakier Friday”. I hope he gains more notice for his work in the film and can be a more frequent presence on our screens. I’d totally watch a romcom with him as a leading man.

Happy 75 years to “Sunset Blvd”! This film holds a special place in my heart for being the movie that showed my college self black-and-white films still have value today. It’s funny, tragic, and has evergreen commentary on the fragility of stardom. Happy birthday to it.

I’m finding that as I get older, I prefer comedies to have sweetness in them. So long as a movie is funny, I like having gooey sentimentality in it when appropriate.

The occasional cringey line aside, “Freakier Friday” is a worthy sequel with good gags, a quartet of energetic performances, and a fun, sweet story. The first act is a bit rough, but after that, it kicks into gear and kept me smiling and laughing. 3.5/5. It’s good!

“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” emphasizes its leads’ humanity more than their superheroics and provides some strong music and a story powered by optimism. Some stuff feels rushed, but I liked all of these people as a family first and foremost and the action’s solid. 3.5/5.

I’m pretty sure the first western I saw was “Rango”, which I thought was okay at best. Several years later, I saw “Cowboys & Aliens”, which I liked, then “Blazing Saddles”, “The Good, The Bad & The Ugly” and “Unforgiven”, which I loved. Which film(s) made you a Western fan?

Watching “Together” is like being trapped in a relationship with no chemistry popped up by bodily nightmares. Underdeveloped and unlikable leads poison what could have been a fun time, but the body horror is well-done. 2/5. Seek other cinematic lovers this weekend

I’m the designated film recommender in my family and it feels good.

“My Girl” is a relaxed, funny tearjerker that successfully captures a childlike view on the world while still appealing to adults. Young Anna Chlumbsky is great leading, the episodic vibe works, and I dare you not to cry by the ending. 5/5. This has held up excellently.

I hope the biggest takeaway teenagers and kids get from “Superman” (and to be honest, a Ton of Adults need reminding of this too) is that being a kind person to others is a great thing and something to continuously strive for, even when it’s hard.

“F1” is why we go to the movies. A stirring, feel-good story with thrilling race sequences, a quartet of strong, charismatic performances, and a breakneck pace. Brad Pitt and Damson Idris rule together and the film’s swagger is contagious. 5/5. See it on the biggest screen.

“I Know What You Did Last Summer” (2025) is a slightly lighter slasher with bits of dark humor, good kills, and good performances from Chase Sui Wonders, Madelyn Cline, and Sarah Pidgeon. It’s a solid sequel to the first 2 films that takes a big swing and I dug it. 3/5. See it!

I love Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor so much. Not only is it completely different from any other performance I’ve seen from him in fully subverting his usual heroic image, but his Luthor felt threatening in a way few supervillains do. Pure, hateful evil.

“Superman” weaves a surprisingly dark story for its titular hero, but wisely keeps him as a symbol of hope for a better tomorrow. It’s comic-booky, action-packed, expertly cast, and direct in its theming, but left me beaming and crying. Some tonal whiplash aside, I love it. 4/5

I’m watching “Once Upon A Time” and it’s easy to see why Sonequa Martin-Green eventually found a leading role in “Star Trek: Discovery”. She has a strong screen presence in every scene she’s featured in and sells “OUAT”’s sometimes ridiculous dialogue really well. I can see her as a ship captain.

Stomp over to Kevinthecritic for my review of “Jurassic World Rebirth”! Did this entry (Jeff Goldblum Pause): Find a way to entertain me? Read on to find out: kevinthecritic.com/jurassic-wor...

Happy anniversary to “Lethal Weapon 2”! This sequel is the best of the series for its expert tonal balancing of action, character comedy, and dark drama, fully utilizing Mel Gibson and Danny Glover’s chemistry and maintaining the original’s grit with a lighter touch. I love it.