The Bob’s Burgers Movie: I recorded the first episode of Bob’s Burgers on a DVR and have kept up with the Belcher Family ever since, for their humor and hijinks but also their empathy. The songs… those are OK. Here they traveled to the big (streaming) screen and delivered a good standalone movie and great gift for fans of the show. I teared up at the end. ****
The Duke: Matthew Goode! I haven’t seen him in forever, though my wife watches the TV series he’s starred in since 2018. He played the lawyer for Jim Broadbent’s main character, and I just think it’s really nice that there are still films like this being made where some older British actors get to act away in plots about things like paintings and TV licenses. ***1/4
Lightyear: Buzz is back. Well, the Buzz from Toy Story was based on a movie that only existed in Toy Story’s world… until now. So, that Buzz was back. Though he wasn’t here to begin with. Here’s the thing. The first half-hour of this with the rapid world-building followed by the time-traveling is quite frankly incredible, but as it extended out to a whole movie it lost plenty of steam. ***3/4
Turning Red: Is Pixar back? Did they ever leave?? Yeah, they kind of did, but this was great. It felt more “Disney” than Pixar, less distinguishable than some of the classics, but fun was had and secrets were revealed before a genuinely amazing monster movie battle served as the crescendo. ****
Cha Cha Real Smooth: They’re saying this Cooper Raiff — actor, writer, director — has some real talent. I’m saying that now too. I’m a part of them. This is a good movie, a fun movie, one that unfolds in ways both pleasant and surprising. Most impressively it’s just such a gosh darn kind movie, one that rarely if ever lost its sense of empathy for its complex and interesting main characters. ****1/2
