Logan :
Logan is Hugh Jackman’s 9th and final time as the tough as nails hero who’s tragic and violent life of heartbreak and anger has come to a finale that was truly unforgettable. In this universe, Logan, a mutant with rapid healing and adamantium claws is slowly getting weaker in his physical and mental state. This universe he’s in consists of desert and a near extinction of the mutant race. Together with his long-time friend and almost parental-like figure Charles Xavier, he must help a young mutant named Lauren cross a border into Canada where the possiblity of other mutants lie ahead. Logan is a gripping, violent, and depressingly powerful film that takes the superhero genre in a very rare direction. The glimmer of hope presented in the protagonists are very bleak and the film smartly chooses to focus on the characters and their mission rather than on stylized action sequences. Jackman and Patrick Stewart are as great as ever in their final appearance in the X-Men universe and the R-rating is handled very well with the brutal violence and content within the story. Logan is a standout comic-book film.
Grade: A-
Kong Skull Island :
Kong: Skull Island is dumb. Let’s make that very clear. The concept, while different from it’s previous versions, is simply made to set up an epic Godzilla v. King Kong smackdown. While some of the action sequences are fun and exciting, Sam Jackson brings his A-game once again as a hard-nosed army corporal, there isn’t anything below or above the surface that makes Kong a standout. The effects are subpar, the editing is subpar, the dialogue is cringy at times, and every character in the film are setup as bland dog-meat for the creatures featured on skull island to eat. What saves Kong from being a complete mess are the spectacular Kong fight sequences which are the best filmed scenes of the movie.
Grade: C
Beauty and the Beast :
Beauty and the Beast is a harmless, entertaining remake that doesn’t necessarily offer anything new, but is still worth the watch if one is a fan of the 1991 classic cartoon. The costume design and production value is stellar, the musical sequences are good, and the performances are solid. Where the weakness lies in Beauty and the Beast is its inability to add anything refreshing to the live-adaptation. It often feels beat for beat and cash-grab but for the moments that do work, they stand out. If having to choose between seeing this at the theatre or watching the cartoon, choose the cartoon.
Grade: B-