Roma: A movie that wants to be brilliant and actually is. It’s a snapshot of a maid in Mexico, but of course it is so much more. Alfonso Cuaron gets love because he does something like this – he takes a step back and has you just watch this woman go about her life, and it doesn’t feel like you are watching some story waiting for the plot to unfold – you’re just letting things happen, naturally. You’re entertained, you’re horrified, you’re charmed. It’s so good. *****
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs: This is basically a bunch of Coen Brothers short stories with actors big and small based in the Wild West. There is some great stuff here, though it’s more a curiosity than an actually well-structured film. ***3/4
White Boy Rick: Newcomer Richie Merritt carries and acts the hell out of a really solid crime flick, while Matthew McConaughey chews all the scenery there is any time he appears as his criminal father. ***3/4
All About Nina: There is a quality movie in here about a woman about to boil over due to past trauma, but the thing is she is a stand-up comedian. And I think Mary Elizabeth Winstead is awesome, but almost any movie that tries to portray a comedian character as actually funny usually has some issues because of it. And this movie did. It was hard to buy a lot of it, and the emotional moments didn’t come off as well as they could’ve because of it. **1/2
Operation Finale: A fine thriller all about revenge for the most vile of human acts, though it still feels a little history book-y. Oscar Isaac and Ben Kingsley are champs. ***
