A very calm, reasoned take on police violence. Possibly too calm; but in a world where exaggeration, vilification, and magical thinking is everywhere, I value work that feels anchored. It's full of people trying to do the right thing as they see it, but in some cases making things worse.

It's like a more successful version of Syriana, showing how someone could transform from an average minding-their-business bystander into a figure others would consider a hero or a villain, without…

Pro: This is easily my favorite of the MCU movies. I love the look (there's one repeated shot that kept reminding me of the first GI Joe movie, but that's not necessarily a bad thing), and the opening sequence is a great and very clever way to begin this story, paying off in a big way mid-movie and a smaller way at the end.

Con: By being the best, this movie suggests that there's a ceiling on how much I…

Having not read the book, I wasn't aware of the crimes this movie probably committed against it. So I generally thought it was an effective kiddy-horror thrill ride, with Jack Black and Cate Blanchett holding the center well as the weird grown-ups and Kyle MacLachlan biting into a small but pivotal role. Some of the action is not as imaginative as it could be, and a modified poop joke gets repeated several times too many, but for the most part…