2018 Movies Revisited

We're coming up on the end of another year, so that means it's time for my annual ranking. 2018 was a phenomenal year for movies. It's been quite a few years since I saw anywhere near this number of new releases, and the vast majority were at least good. Only the bottom three were out and out disappointments, and at least the top eleven were films I absolutely loved.

As always, I'm ranking from least to most favorite, not from better or worse. Where applicable, I mention if a great movie is held back by this system or if I think a mediocre movie is being elevated.

Most of these lists ignore movies that are bought by Netflix or Hulu without a theatrical run, but I'm a little less picky. A lot of movies that end up streaming were intended for the big screen, but the studios decided they'd be better off selling the rights. If I believe a movie was at one time being developed for a theatrical release (like Mute or The Christmas Chronicles), it shows up, while films clearly produced for TV or the like (such as Santa Jaws) are omitted. I realize that's a bit arbitrary, but so are these lists.

28. Pacific Rim Uprising

There were a handful of moments and elements in Uprising I genuinely liked: the opening chase scene with Scrapper, the weird twists with Newt, the Jaeger/Kaiju hybrids... these were neat. But every time I thought I was about ready to get on board, something stupid or dull would pop up and distract me.

This wasn't an awful movie, and aspects were fun. But overall I just couldn't connect with it.

27. Ready Player One

It's not that there's nothing good about  The Live-Action Lego Movie  Ready Player One: there are absolutely cool visuals, a few great fight sequences, and some cool moments. It's just that, despite all that... it's... Just. So. Stupid. Plus, the movie's theme and premise are entirely at odds (leading to the real world being bright and sunny and the virtual escape looking like a post-apocalyptic wasteland).

Yeah, there are moments of magic, thanks to Spielberg. And the extended homage to The Shining was pretty great as a meta love letter from the director. But overall, I wasn't impressed or entertained.

26. Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle

"Not quite as good as I'd like, but easily the best live-action adaptation of The Jungle Book we've ever gotten or are ever likely to get."

...Is what I'd be saying if Disney hadn't just released a brilliant version two years ago. You kind of have to feel bad for Andy Serkis - it's not his fault a far better movie was made simultaneously, released first, and buried any hope for his production.

And there are definitely good aspects of his movie - I honestly think I preferred his Baloo, for one. But overall there's just no comparison: Mowgli feels like the knock-off made-for-streaming flick it turned into. There's just no magic or myth here.

25. Mute

It's essentially an exercise in tone and genre, but at least it does that well. It would take a long time to list all of Mute's flaws, but it's worth noting none of them really detract from the experience all that much. Overall, it winds up feeling more like a pilot for a really good TV series than a movie, but given the fact it was picked up by Netflix, I'm fine with that.

I enjoyed watching this, and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes SF noir. If I'm being honest, I'd have to add I probably enjoyed this MORE than Moon (but if I did that I'd have to admit to not really getting why everyone's head-over-heels in love with what feels like a pretty mediocre SF flick, and I really don't want to pick that fight, so... I'll lie and pretend I agree with the critical consensus that it's tragic how Duncan Jones's career hasn't been living up to his promise).

24. The Grinch

Eh. It's fine.

I know that's hardly a ringing endorsement, but honestly it's about as good as any feature-length adaptation of The Grinch was likely to be. This isn't a story meant for this format, and the changes necessary to make the transition aren't going to improve it.

If anything, I'm shocked this wasn't an outright disaster. Some lovely designs and decent gags elevate this to the level of mediocre kid's entertainment.

Again, not a ringing endorsement, but the thought of watching this again doesn't fill me with despair. I can't stress enough how large of a step up that is from the Jim Carrey version.

23. Teen Titans Go! To the Movies

I skipped this when it was in theaters - it felt like I'd be paying cinema prices for television quality. And in a sense, I think this was the right call, for me at least. There's a degree to which we have a right to expect spectacle from the movies. That's all they still have over TV.

That said, when I finally caught this on DVD I was pleasantly surprised. Not because it was good - I'd seen the numbers on Rotten Tomatoes - but because it managed to justify its existence. Both the narrative and theme were structured around the medium. This had be on the big screen for the premise to work.

In contrast, I don't think you can say the same about the LEGO Batman Movie, the My Little Pony Movie, The Simpsons Movie, or the Powerpuff Girls Movie. These all relied on scale to sell the decision to release on the big screen. And, for what it's worth, I liked most of them. But you could have cut their budgets and released any of them direct to DVD or as multi-part episodes. This actually belonged as a movie.

On top of that, it delivered a good story and some great laughs. I was surprised how fun this was. But while it's fun enough to make it this far on my list, it wasn't quite memorable enough to climb any further. It pulled off what it set out to do beautifully, but its goals were somewhat less ambitious than I'm used to.

22. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

If I were ranking these objectively, as a critic rather than a fan, this would come in just ahead of Pacific Rim Uprising. In no world and under no definition of the word is this a "good" movie. But sometimes a bad movie comes along that just appeals to your sensibilities. I pride myself with being able to tell the difference between one of those and an underappreciated gem. And while I really liked The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, the critics were right to tear into it.

Yes, this movie's a mess. The dialogue's bad, the story is underdeveloped, the showdown is underwhelming, and it's obvious at a glance it was torn apart and stapled back together by executive mandate. And yet, there's a giant clockwork mech run by a woman aided by a swarm of mice who form together into a giant mouse-man. And on top of everything else it's set at Christmas?

Honestly, it's a testament to how many (actually) good genre movies came out this year that this isn't ranked even higher.

21. The Cloverfield Paradox

I didn't watch the Super Bowl, but I did catch The Cloverfield Paradox that night. And while I don't think anyone would seriously call it great cinema, it was a lot of fun. It embraced its B-movie roots and went in some bizarre directions. The severed arm alone is enough to make me recommend this one.

Yeah, it could have used more of that. It could have really cut loose and thrown in genre elements blatantly outside the boundaries of those they were ostensibly using. And, had they done that, this would have fared better on this list.

But as it is, I still really enjoyed the experience of watching this intentionally cheesy, impressively fun throwback to a type of movie that's all but died out. More please!

20. Sorry to Bother You

Obviously this deserves a higher spot than it's getting on this list. Objectively, this was a fascinating, inventive movie. It was weird and creative and...

And it just didn't connect with me, at least not completely. I don't know - maybe it was too weird in a way that didn't align with my tastes. I generally found it funny, and I certainly thought it was clever, but I couldn't really get caught up in the world the way I wanted to.

If you've got this at or near the top spot of your list, rest assured I agree you have better taste in art than I do.

19. A Wrinkle in Time

This was mixed. I loved the characters and the emotional moments. The film was pulsing with sincerity to a degree that's rare in children's entertainment. Sadly, there was something missing in the worlds being created, and that "something" was substance. Nothing felt real or lived in - instead, the alien planets came off as CG set pieces.

Ultimately, I enjoyed this movie - I'll take sincerity over believability any day - but the flaws definitely held it back, both at the box office and in my personal assessment. But who cares? This was crafted to be streamed by preteen girls for decades to come - don't make the mistake of thinking it was in any way a failure.

18. Upgrade

This was a really solid, engaging cyberpunk flick. I'm not convinced the end twist worked with everything that came before (at least not without really straining the limits of rationality), but it was still a extremely satisfying experience.

The reason it's not higher on this list is less a complaint than an acknowledgement that movies, as a form of media, have gotten bigger. As a result, things like this feel closer to great TV than film. I'll be the first to admit that's completely unfair, but if you asked me whether this felt closer to Blade Runner 2049 or Mute, I'd have to say the latter (though, just so we're clear, this is a far better movie than Mute).

17. The Christmas Chronicles

While Netflix may not have been all that subtle in their attempt to generate a Christmas classic, the writing in this was surprisingly clever, as I covered in depth over at Mainlining Christmas. All of that is in addition to the inspired casting of Kurt Russell in the role of Santa Claus. I enjoyed this quite a bit and expect to revisit it numerous times in future Christmases (and I doubt I'll be alone in doing so).

16. Deadpool 2

This was an absolutely fantastic comedy - I almost fell out of my seat laughing more times than I can count. That said, I was slightly - only slightly - disappointed by just how committed Deadpool 2 was to mocking the superhero genre. While the first leaned towards a self-aware superhero movie with humor present, this definitely embraced all-out parody, exemplified by the rather quick and brutal resolution to the X-Force subplot. I already thought X-Force was kind of a silly concept, but I'd have preferred getting a movie that challenged that preconception, rather than killing them off as a punchline.

15. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

This was a movie with a lot of issues, from poor plotting to bad characters. But for all its faults, it was well designed and directed, which made for an enjoyable experience. The Gothic mansion made for a fantastic change of scenery, and the erupting volcano even made the old island feel new again. The whole thing had a great 80's Amblin vibe. The blend of light horror and adventure reminded me of movies like Gremlins or Poltergeist, even if it couldn't quite match those in quality.

Would I have preferred better writing? More interesting characters? An even more outlandish story? Of course. But considering the franchise's limitations, this delivered something far better than I'd anticipated.

14. Solo: A Star Wars Story

Full disclosure: this is a full spot higher because of that surprise cameo at the end. And I don't even like that character all that much. But I do like extended universes and fun connections. And I love surprises, which that moment absolutely delivered.

Beyond that, Solo was a lot of fun. It had its issues, granted - I'll acknowledge there were serious problematic implications to L3-37's fate (though I loved the character so much, I was willing to overlook them). Likewise, the movie wasn't exactly inspired. But I enjoyed it regardless as a fun summer adventure.

13. Ant-Man and the Wasp

This wasn't one of the year's most memorable films, but it was a joy to watch. It delivered a light, enjoyable tone, coupled with some of the MCU's funniest moments. It wasn't exhilarating or suspenseful, but then it wasn't supposed to be.

Instead, it was a character-driven comedy adventure. What's not to love?

12. Mission: Impossible - Fallout

One hell of a ride. There's a lot more to say about Fallout, but I think that sums up why it's as high on this list as it is. This movie was start to finish action and intrigue with a relentless, exhilarating pace. Oh yeah, it also managed to mine the previous installments and cobble together a character for Ethan Hunt and still find time to sell the idea this series is a connected story, as opposed to a disjointed set of movies with the same lead.

I don't quite think this lived up to Rogue Nation, but that's more a compliment to just how good Rogue Nation is than any kind of condemnation of Fallout. It was an effective, exciting summer action flick.

11. Annihilation

I really wish I'd seen this in a theater.

I honestly meant to, but I was busy and just didn't get around to it. But I put it in my Netflix queue as soon as it was out, and the minute it was over I regretted not doing everything in my power to catch this on the big screen.

It was a freaky, tone-driven sci-fi dream; almost a fairy tale. Just the sort of thing I love.

I'm not sure if it would have ended even higher on this list if I'd seen this the way it was intended, but it's a definite possibility. Even on the small screen, this was immensely enjoyable, but I'll add it to my mental list of movies I failed.

10. Isle of Dogs

This is a hair away from being three spots higher. Honestly, if the ending had been a little less awkward (not even a lot - just a hair would have done it), I'd have placed it higher. I really, really liked this movie - it's easily my new favorite Wes Anderson film.

That's not an endorsement of his decision to set this in Japan, nor am I denying there are some very questionable script choices. But, right or wrong, I just loved the dogs and the story (excluding the resolution, which felt a little too deus ex machina). But this managed to deliver Anderson's style while also adding some heart and tension, two elements he's typically ignored.

9. Christopher Robin

Cards on the table: I'm pretty sure I love this more than it deserves. It's certainly a good movie, not to mention a great use of nostalgia (for a discussion of crummy uses of nostalgia, reread what I said about Ready Player One).

But I can't deny a big part of why this is as high as it is has less to do with quality and more to do with my childhood associations with these characters. But, hey, this is a "favorites" list, so here we are.

8. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Spoiler warning: I've been to the future, and this won the Oscar for best animated picture.

This movie feels like something new, and I honestly don't know the last time I could say that about an animated US production. Sure, Pixar keeps delivering near-perfect films, but they all feel like they're made from the same template.

This honestly doesn't feel like it comes from the same universe. Its use of color, motion, editing, references... they're all different from anything else out there. And that alone is worth celebrating.

Throw in some fantastic characters, wonderful designs, a great script... yeah, this is fantastic.

Is it my favorite movie of the year? Nah. Is it even my favorite animated movie? Once again, the answer's no. But that's all preference. Speaking objectively, when this wins the aforementioned Academy Award, it'll have earned it.

7. Mary Poppins Returns

I could almost copy and paste what I said about Christopher Robin, with a few caveats. I think Mary Poppins Returns was technically a little better, but of course that isn't why it's a few spots closer to #1 than CR.

Ironically, the issue is I have more of an attachment to Winnie the Pooh than Mary Poppins, and in this case that worked against the Bear of Very Little Brain. Both movies have a problematic side to their construction, but I was far more bothered by the the issue with Christopher Robin.

Regardless, this a fantastically well-made throw-back to the era of musicals. I had a lot of fun watching this.

6. Aquaman

This is probably the second most ambitious movie made this year, and it would easily hold that title any year an Infinity War wasn't being fought. Sure, the movie falls far short of those ambitions - this really would have needed another hundred million or so to actually pull off the scope it was going for, but...

God bless them for not backing down. They delivered a bizarre, quirky film with moments of astonishing beauty and scale. And, yeah, moments of clearly blue-screened CG with silly hair effects: this wasn't a perfectly immersive experience. But between fun dialogue and a fast-paced script, I found it impossible to focus on the movie's shortcomings. This was a great experience, and I loved every minute.

I'll add that I spent a great deal of time torn on whether to put Mary Poppins ahead of or behind this. In the end, I decided to break the tie by counting the number of Julie Andrewses in the film.

5. Bumblebee

While the plot isn't particularly original, the movie delivers a heartfelt character story about a girl dealing with depression stemming from the loss of her father as she tries to put her life back together, make friends, and learn to experience joy again.

Oh, and there are Transformers.

The fact I was just as riveted by the human characters as I was by robots I've waited three decades to see faithfully realized in live action is nothing short of astonishing. I loved this movie and hope it becomes the template for dozens more.

4. Avengers: Infinity War

In some ways, Infinity War is everything I've ever wanted out of a superhero movie. It's brightly colored, funny, and surreal, yet still emotionally powerful. This is a movie that has weight to it, that understands that the subjects of a story don't dictate whether it's serious or not.

God, I just respect the hell out of this. And those fights are incredible. We've never seen heroes and villains clash like this. Forget Thanos for a minute - the battles with his lieutenants alone are amazing.

So why am I holding this back? Why isn't it in the top 3?

The thing is, while I completely respect the movie's gutsy, risky decision to end a summer blockbuster by killing off 50% of the heroes - including arguably the company's two most significant characters - I can't deny feeling a bit unsatisfied. Yeah, that will probably change in hindsight when I see the next installment, but until then, it leaves a mixed taste in my mouth.

I love the studio for being willing to do that to me, but it does hold this one back a little on my favorites list. Just a little, though.

3. Black Panther

We've gotten comic book movies that transcended the level of a Hollywood blockbuster before. And we've seen comic book movies that manage to capture the tone and flavor of their source material. But I don't think we've ever once gotten a movie that pulled both off at the same time, at least not the way Black Panther did.

The movie is inventive, genre-crossing, fun, and intelligent. The characters and setting aren't tethered to reality in the way many of its predecessors were - the source material is truly unleashed. We're treated to a world where super-science, mysticism, and espionage intermingle. And, obviously, it's a profoundly important cinematic work that delivers long overdue representation, along with an unapologetic exploration of the evils of colonialism.

I have a hard time thinking of anything negative to say. I guess it felt a little rushed at times, but "this movie felt too short" is a pretty good flaw to have.

2. Paddington 2

I kind of wish this hadn't been the first movie I saw in the theaters this year, because it set an absurdly high bar. Like its predecessor, this was an absolutely, astonishingly brilliant movie. It's progressive, intelligent, perfectly structured, beautifully shot, painstakingly enhanced... honestly, I can't think of a single aspect to critique. The few areas it didn't live up to part one weren't due to failure; they were wise choices on where the sequel should or shouldn't focus its time.

I've been reviewing movies as a pastime for about a decade now, and not surprisingly, I find myself reusing phrases and ideas. One cliche you'll see me use in reviews for movies I like is, "It's not a perfect movie."

But you won't find that one in my review of Paddington 2, because - frankly - it kind of is a perfect movie. There's very little (if anything) that could be done to improve it. I loved every second.

1. Incredibles 2

Some of this movie's placement is due to personal preference, but it's worth noting this was, by any objective metric, a goddamn amazing film.

But let's not lose sight of the fact I love superheroes, and it doesn't get much better than this family. Brad Bird's original remains one of the best in the genre, and the most critical thing I can say about the sequel is it's probably not quite as good. I think?

But even if that's true - even if this isn't as good as part one, I honestly think I enjoyed it more. If there's one thing I wanted more of after the first movie, it was Elastigirl. She was already awesome, but she didn't get anywhere near as much screen time in The Incredibles as her husband. Apparently I wasn't alone in wanting an Elastigirl spin-off movie, because that's more or less what this was. A street-level, superhero detective story in the vein of a Batman adventure, complete with a villain who feels like they stepped out of DC Comics.

God, this movie was a joy to watch. I hope they make more of these, preferably closer than fourteen years apart.

Wrap up

So. That's 2018. This has been an amazing year for genre in general and superhero movies in particular. There were nine theatrically released superhero movies this year, and all but one (Venom, which I still need to see) were fresh on Rotten Tomatoes (hell, of the remaining eight, only Aquaman was below 80%). On top of that, two of them (Black Panther and Into the Spider-Verse) are being heralded by many as the best live-action and animated installments in the genre ever made. And while I'm not quite ready to endorse that title for either, I think there's certainly at least an argument to be made.

If you're looking for a brief summary for the year in cinema, that's probably a good place to start. It's also worth noting that nostalgia was once again a major factor. Much of that was geared towards the 80's (Ready Player One, Bumblebee), but it also expanded to include earlier properties (Mary Poppins Returns, Christopher Robbin) and even the early 2000's (Incredibles 2).

Once again, it was an extremely lucrative year for Disney - they hold the top three highest grossing movies domestically, and just barely lose the #3 spot to Fallen Kingdom worldwide. Already, four movies released this year have surpassed a billion dollars worldwide, and there's a decent chance Aquaman will be the fifth.

That said, several movies were overlooked. I'll own my share of the blame around Annihilation and Isle Of Dogs - both were phenomenal films I regret waiting for DVD. Likewise, Bumblebee really deserves more attention than it's getting (though I kind of think Paramount has no one to blame but itself - pitting it against both Aquaman and Mary Poppins was a major misstep).

On the critical side, I want to mention a trend I find a tad disconcerting. In my opinion, movies released directly to streaming services are being reviewed harsher than those released traditionally. Cloverfield Paradox and Mute are at 19% and 20% on Rotten Tomatoes, and - while these certainly weren't flawless films - I feel like they're comparable to films in the 50% to 70% range. Likewise, I still think Christmas Chronicles is a bit underrated at 70%. It'll be interesting to see if this trend continues.

Next year's already looking exciting. I'm looking forward to Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Alita: Battle Angel, Shazam, and others. There's a lot coming out before the end of June, and I'm planning to catch as many as possible.

After that... I'm going to be busy.

This might be the last year I do one of these, at least for a while. Lindsay and I are expecting a new, miniature human next year with a due date between Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far from Home, and I'm not naive enough to think I'll have time to keep up with current releases. We'll see what that means for this blog - I might go on hiatus for a while, or I might just pare back the number of posts.

Either way, I can't wait to see what 2019 holds.

Movie Review: Mary Poppins Returns

I mean, it's delightful.

What else would you expect? Right or wrong, Disney's mastered the art of planting, aging, and harvesting nostalgia. They pulled it off with Christopher Robin, and they're doing it again with Mary Poppins Returns. Your enjoyment is of course dependent on some familiarity with the original and your ability to either miss or not care that your emotions are being manipulated.

If you push back on the movie's premise, you're not going to have as good a time. And, frankly, I think that's reasonable. I pushed back a bit on Christopher Robin, because it really grated on me that Disney was essentially laying claim to the soul of a real human being who had a troubled relationship with a series of books his father wrote him into. Mary Poppins Returns has a questionable background of its own: this is a property the studio wrestled away from its creator. Maybe that should bother me more, but... honestly, it didn't.

Technically, these movies are marvels. Mary Poppins Returns recreates the feel of the original beautifully while using modern effects to create a brighter, more vivid world than was possible in the 60's. Music from that movie lives on, woven into the score. Meanwhile, there's a lineup of new songs that fit right in.

The cast is wonderful - if Disney wants to make more of these, I'm willing to watch Emily Blunt deadpan Poppins' lines forever. And of course Lin-Manuel Miranda is fantastic in this. On a meta level, I'm not sure this movie could exist without a genuine, recognizable musical super-star, and until Miranda we hadn't had one in decades.

The story here is, of course, fairly light, but that's by design. If you're feeling cynical, you can (accurately) dismiss the ending as a bit of Deus Ex Machina, but then you'd also have to contend with the fact the premise is more or less that of a goddess descending from the sky to help out a family. These movies are less driven by suspense than by the joy of watching scheming bankers unaware they're actually contending with someone at a power level that would make Thanos quake.

My real complaints have less to do with stuff like that and more to do with a handful of scenes that get a little too cute for their own good. There's a sequence with Meryl Streep that didn't work for me, then a number at the end that really felt like it hinged on an actor making a cameo who *didn't* show up. The replacement they went with... okay: I get it, and it's the only other person in the world who'd make any sense in that role, but the connection is a little too tenuous for the weight given to that scene and those lines.

In short, it's a charming, beautiful continuation of the original film. If that sounds good to you, you'll probably be as happy with the finished product as I was. But if you've never really cared for the classic, this isn't going to convert you.

Movie Review: Aquaman

I'm honestly not sure whether I'd characterize Aquaman as good or bad - there are a lot of aspects the movie juggles exceptionally well and others that are technically failures. I'll get to some of that in a moment, but...

Here's the thing. I don't care whether this is a good movie or not, and I have a feeling you won't either. This is one of those movies you smile through, beginning to end. It's a wonderful experience, in spite of its flaws, and my only regret is I didn't spring for IMAX.

There are a handful of reasons this is as enjoyable as it is. First, the pacing in this movie is phenomenal. It moves quickly from backdrop to backdrop, showing off a fantasy undersea kingdom at a scale we've never seen before. The movie features diverse settings that feel like a half-dozen different worlds.

There's one location lifted from DC comics that had me staring in wonder and shock at the screen. It's a short bit, and I don't want to give anything away, but it comes right after the most artistically impressive sequence of the film. The movie had already blown my mind with that, then it dropped them into a place I honestly couldn't believe they'd included in a live-action movie. This is the kind of thing even Marvel's too timid to include, and here it's barely a side note.

DC Comics are at their best when they embrace the fact they're composed of fairy tales, modern myths, and absurd premises. And this, more than any other adaptation of any DC property, doubles down on that. This is the first DC movie in decades that feels like it's proud it's based on a comic.

Even if you don't care about any of that - if comics have never interested in you - this is still an engrossing, ridiculous fantasy/adventure extravaganza. It's like a cross between Star Wars and the 1999 Mummy with visuals borrowed from Tron. Imagine an entire movie full of the best moments of Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, and you'll be close.

Is that good film-making? Sometimes. The stuff with Black Manta is incredibly well done. Both his back story and the fight in Italy are incredible. But most of the movie is technically flawed. I'm seeing estimates that they spent around 200 million on this - I'm not sure 300 million would have come close to paying for the effects they really needed. This is one of those movies where you can tell you're watching actors standing or being dangled in front of green screens for 80% of the run time. A lot of it looks, well, cheesy. And a lot of the acting's cheesy. Dialogue: cheesy. Then there are plot contrivances, background that's illogical or under-explained, motivations that don't add up...

And you won't care at all, because you'll be sitting in a theater watching superhumans interact with undersea monsters. I've seen reviewers discuss whether Aquaman is closer to Thor or Thor: The Dark World, and I'd like to weigh in on that debate. For my money, the experience is on par with Ragnarok - I don't care if that's sacrilege.

This movie is silly, absurd, and at times campy... and I really think you'll love it as much as I did.

Movie Review: Bumblebee

I know it's a cliche to refer to a movie as a love letter, but I can't think of a better metaphor for Bumblebee. Only it's not one letter - it's a mailbag full of the things, and each of them was carefully considered and meticulously written.

If' you grew up with any incarnation of the various Transformers animated series, you're going to feel like this movie's a love letter to your childhood. Hell, you won't have to wait long: the opening on Cybertron is going to be one of the best things you see in theaters this year - it's worth the price of admission on its own. It's a short sequence, but if you remember the 80's show, it's a thing of beauty.

Even if you don't have any attachment to this property, don't write this off. This is a movie containing transforming robots, but unlike its live-action predecessors, it's actually still a movie. There are human characters with engaging stories, believable emotions, and genuinely touching arcs. And it's all told with loving nods to John Hughes, Steven Spielberg, and their contemporaries.

Yeah, yeah, it's hardly the first love letter to 80's adventure cinema we've gotten in the past few years. Amblin throwbacks have become commonplace, we've become too attached to 80's nostalgia, and so on and so forth. We should probably address all that at some point, but... maybe not today. Because this one just nails the formula. I mean, it doesn't just capture the magic of 1980's summer adventure movies; it recreates it in a way that should appeal to you whether you're 40 or 8.

There's some fighting in this, but it's not an action movie. The Transformers are part of the movie, but they're not the stars - that role's taken by Hailee Steinfeld, who plays a teenage girl with a knack for cars and some seriously unresolved issues stemming from losing a parent. This is more her story than Bumblebee's, and for once that isn't a complaint. If Christina Hodson's script, Travis Knight's direction, or Steinfeld's acting had been anything less than perfectly sincere, this would have felt like a distraction - instead, you find yourself ready to watch a sequel following the character even if it doesn't include a single alien robot.

Side note: If Hasbro wants to make a movie set a year later with Steinfeld's character somehow getting mixed up with a secret government organization called G.I. Joe, I'm ready to pre-order tickets today. Hell, John Cena could return, as well - if they want to launch a shared universe, they'll never have a better opportunity than this.

Simply put, this is a wonderful movie. It's not a complex movie - you've seen this outline a dozen times, at least - but it's so lovingly constructed, you won't mind. The story's simple, but they use that as a backdrop for teenage comedy and a touch of drama. And, of course, robots that transform into cars and planes.

Right. I should probably mention those.

They're fantastic. Unlike Michael Bay, Travis Knight actually likes the property he's developing. He likes the original designs, he likes the characters, and he likes the audience... and all that comes through. You know what else comes through? What's happening on screen. In addition to Transformers, Knight likes color, so you can actually tell the robots apart for a change. The fight scenes, when they do come up, are fun to watch.

But most of all, I think Knight and Hodson love the fans. They deliver moments and characters (albeit briefly) most of us never thought we'd see done justice in a live action movie. Also, I should note there's a scene that serves as a love letter to a subsection of the fanfic community I really never thought would get a nod in a live-action movie like this.

And it's a touching scene, too.

I'm saying you should go see this movie. Especially if you're a fan of the property, but even if you're not, this is worth making time for this holiday weekend. And... look. I know some of you are probably skeptical, because I'm one of the few people left who will still defend Bay's first installment. But I want to be clear about something: the 2007 movie has its merits, but when it say it's arguably a good movie, that's with a dozen caveats relating to distinctions between technical success versus narrative, movies designed to play for a world audience versus US preferences, and semantics around the term "good."

When I say Bumblebee is a great movie, I just mean it's a really great movie.

Alternative Movie Review: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Longtime readers of this blog will no doubt have forgotten I've breached the boundaries of our dimension in the past to travel to other worlds to watch movies that, sadly, could never exist in our own. In general, I've given up this practice due to the dangers involved (accidentally visiting a world where Brett Ratner directed Episode VII is enough to make one rethink the value of venturing beyond the fields we know).

But I'd burned through the new She-Ra series, caught up on The Good Place, and - frankly - grown tired of the weather, so I decided to drag the old Cosmic Treadmill out of the closet and take it for a spin. And doing so brought me to a world like our own in many ways yet... decidedly different. There, I came across a movie (released theatrically, no less) that was strange, fascinating, and wonderful; a film that seemed a manifestation of contradictions: it was animated but not dumbed-down, action-packed but character-driven, fun but still emotionally powerful. And, strangest of all, a universally acclaimed superhero movie... made by SONY.

I know, I know - what I'm describing seems impossible, but remember that in a multiverse, there are no limits to what can exist.

This movie was called "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," and it delved into the lore and history of Marvel comics to a degree far beyond what would be conceivable from Hollywood productions in our own universe. From the opening credits, it embraced its origins, referencing its past and the mediums it sprung from to a degree that put our Earth's Deadpool to shame. It elicited humor from crossing styles and ideas without sacrificing gravitas. It injected comic sensibilities into its style in ways unthinkable to audiences of Earth-Prime.

This looked and felt like no animated movie I've ever seen.

Can you imagine a movie studio in our world being willing to put Spider-Ham on the big-screen in a film that wasn't a parody? It boggles the mind.

More than that, the film utilized (coincidentally enough) multiversal travel, and,within the context of a cartoon, the filmmakers trusted their audience to keep up. Perhaps it was the meticulously structured script that made this possible, or maybe the people of the world I saw this on were simply better educated than those on our Earth - either way, the crowd followed along and seemed to love it.

If ever there was the platonic ideal of a fantastic movie that could never be made in our reality, this was it. That thought stayed with me as I left the theater, recovered my Cosmic Treadmill, and returned to this world.

And all I can do is tell you how sorry I am that our dimension's film studios are so limited in their capacity for imagination. Because if anything like this ever came out here, I'd like to think it could change everything. It could demonstrate movies don't have to all look and feel the same way, that the range of styles available to storytellers is as wide as the multiverse.

It's a beautiful idea and it was a lovely film. I wish all of you could have seen it with me.