the flip from how we know them (Thompson as Valkyrie, Hemsworth as Thor), giving Hemsworth the seniority, experience, and more troubled past than Thompson is a new dynamic for them. Thompson is a strong lead as Agent M, a woman who is top of her class brilliant, but convinced the MIB exists, which keeps her from landing in the government job she seeks. Hemsworth, who we all know and love when it comes to his comedic side, plays Agent H - once the hero of the universe, now somewhat of a joke. 

There are plenty of little tricks to keep you intrigued, as well as in-jokes and new jokes. The graphics are great, and Kumail Nanjiani's "Pawny" is a delight.

The Negatives:
If you're expecting Shakespeare, Will Smith, or something you've never seen before...why are you even planning to see this movie? 
The one downside, in my opinion, is how predictable the movie ended up being. I kept waiting for a final twist, but a final twist did not come. However, the person I went with didn't feel the same way and was pleasantly surprised with how things ended up.

The Rating:
3.5 solid feathers.

Final Verdict:
There's no reason NOT to see this movie if you're a fan of the franchise. It's better than MIB:II and competes with MIB:III for me in the rankings.

The story - we all know Aladdin, and while there will be a few surprises along the way, this story stays true to the original. What it does best is expand on the original in regards to Jasmine. Already one of the strongest Disney princesses with a defiance toward being treated as a side-character, Jasmine has long been a feminist icon. Disney charges forward, giving Jasmine (played by the incredible Naomi Scott) more screen time, more music, and more chances to rebel against the man.
Jasmine is the best part of this movie, but she isn't alone. Aladdin, Genie, Carpet, Abu, and all the rest are along for the ride, and the story had a few minor twists and turns to keep things fresh.

The acting - Naomi Scott is queen of the screen, but Mena Massoud is another up-and-comer who cannot be ignored. His turn as Aladdin is charming, delightful, and has just enough of a rough edge to make him real. Together, Massoud and Scott are dazzling on the screen as the young couple.
Will Smith may have seemed controversial to some as Guy Richie's choice for The Genie, but he does a fantastic job honoring Robin Williams and creating something all his own. 
Marwan Kenzari has been called "Hot Jafar," and I wondered how he'd work on the screen as the maniacal, unhinged, evil Jafar. After all, can someone so lovely really play someone so dark?
The answer is yes. Yes he can. Kenzari brings a craziness to Jafar that defies his good looks and brings the same squirm-ish sense of "no" that we got from the original. 

The feels - this movie isn't perfect. It isn't the greatest movie ever made. But it DID make me feel great. It gave me childhood and adulthood rolled in one, and I think it's perfect for everyone in the family.

The directing - the music, dancing, color and life were fantastic. Choosing to use a cast of people of color who fit the world Agrabah lives in was brilliant. I loved the casting choices and shots Richie chose to use...for the most part.

The Negatives:
No movie is perfect (though plenty come close).

The acting - I really wasn't sure what to do with the handmaiden Dahlia, played by the hilarious Nasim Pedrad. When she was on point, it was hilarious, but getting used to her strange way of talking took me a few scenes.

The story - I love they they honored the original so well in all ways except one: the second wish.  I'm fine with how it was done - it was even updated and improved upon. Yet I wish they'd gone a different way. I wish (hah) that they'd made a different choice simply to freshen up the plot. There are so many wishes that can be made, but that one, I think, could have changed.

The directing - I have a love/hate relationship with Guy Richie. He's done some incredible things (Man from U.N.C.L.E.) and some boring things (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword). Unfortunately, there are a few scenes in Aladdin that aren't quite there, and it's because of a choice Richie made in filming these scenes. These scenes, I'd bet my hat, were sped up in post, and it feels just a *smidgen* forced. It's the little movements we make in real time that make these moments glaring for the trained eye, but, in the end, I don't think most will notice.

The Rating:
4 solid, strong feathers (4.5 even).

Final Verdict:
Don't you know? Go see Aladdin! In fact, take me with you.

The Positives:
I wasn't a huge Pokemon fan - I had the Gameboy Blue game, but I never got into the cards. Because of this, I didn't know a lot of the names of the pokemon. This never seemed to be a problem, and I had a great time. 

The acting - Ryan Reynolds is always fantastic. There's something about his irreverent humor that goes well with everything. Even as a fluffy, CGI pikachu he's cracking jokes and adorable.  I have to admit that the pokemon were my favorite part of the film, not the humans. Justice Smith won me over eventually with his heart.

The story - Pokemon make things unique. The story isn't technically anything new - a parent dies, the child follows the clues to solve the mystery, all is not as it seems. I've been watching a lot of detective movies lately, so I had the ending pegged pretty early on, but there was still a twist or two I didn't see coming that made it fun. The ending was sweet and touching, and it tugged at all the heart strings.

I wasn't sure if this was for adults or for kids, but I will throw out that Pikachu says a few curse words and adult jokes, so if that makes you uncomfortable for your kids, don't go.
However, if you're comfortable, it's very bright and colorful - kids will love how fun it is.
There are also a few scary Pokemon, but unless you have a very sensitive kiddo, you should be fine.

The Negatives:
The acting - Lucy. Wow. I don't even know how to begin. I'm not sure if her character was just poorly written, if the director rushed a few of her earlier scenes, or what, but I was instantly antagonized by Lucy's character. She rubbed me the wrong way in all manners. She felt forced, silly, and shallow. I didn't see Tim's attraction to her, but I liked her psyduck.

The story - There were a few moments where the story lagged and my mind started to wander. I think they could have tightened it up as opposed to throwing in pointless scenes (and especially Lucy scenes) for the sake of scenes. However, this may go over better with true fans who love everything Pokemon.

The Rating:
2.5 feathers

Final Verdict:
If you love Pokemon, Ryan Reynolds, or silly fun, go see Detective Pikachu. If you're lukewarm on any of these things, wait for Netflix.
If you have kids, be aware that there's cursing and some adult humor coming from Pikachu. While the jokes will go over your kids' heads, the cursing likely won't. If you're sensitive to that, you've been warned.

The Positives:
So many things, and without spoiling anything, let's talk about them.
The acting - on my second viewing, I was able to pick up (in a technical sense, and because I was looking for it), where the actors may not have been filmed together. So much of Endgame was a secret, that many scenes were filmed with characters in front of green screens, not even knowing who they're talking to.
That's kind of a big deal.
Especially since you can't tell when it comes to the end result. I knew what to look for, and so I could spot moments that were likely filmed separate, but on my first viewing (and even on my second), I didn't care. The acting is phenomenal. They did their job - they made me feel what they were feeling.
I want to give a special shout out to Scarlett Johanssen. She's never been my favorite actress, mainly for the parts she plays, but she had me in her grip every scene she starred in. In the end, her performance was one of - if not the - strongest in the entire film.

The directing - Infinity War had some CGI issues that felt awkward and out of sorts (I'm looking at you, Thanos, Rhodey, and Banner), and actually pulled me from the story. Because of this, I felt a bit nervous on how the Russo brothers would tell their final story.
Happily for me, whatever hiccups there were in Infinity War, they made no appearance in Endgame. This movie outdid its predecessors in scale and ambition when it came to the visual feel, and every single scene shone like diamonds. The Russos pulled out all the stops and gave the greatest work of their careers thus far. I want them to top Endgame, because I want to see more movies that make me in awe of cinema the way they did here.
As I said before, many of the actors were filmed separately from each other, but the way the Russos handled this it's only possible to tell if you know what to look for. Genius.

The story - Obviously I can't actually tell you anything about the story.
What I WILL tell you is that it's compelling, interesting, and well told. As you know, I struggled with the plot holes in Infinity War, and I feared Endgame would follow suit.
It didn't.
No plot holes.
Solid.
Clean.
Beautiful.
I haven't seen a story told this well in this genre in ages. Decades. It hit every spot it needed to. It was funny at the right moments and sad at the right moments. Serious and silly. Somber and action-packed. It does everything it needs to do to be a fulfilling and satisfying end to a 22 movie arc. 

The Negatives:
For 3 hours and 2 minutes long, I expect a lot out of each scene chosen to partake in the final story. I will say there's 1-2 scenes that feel unnecessary. They don't move the story forward. They are gratuitous (and once even acknowledged as so). Yet, for as long as the movie is, I still found myself wishing for five more minutes when it ended. That's a powerful thing.

There are no end credits scene. I REPEAT: there's nothing after initial credits or post credits. 
I don't have a problem with the movie not having them, but I do have a problem with sitting through 25 minutes of trailers, 3 hours of movie, and another 20 minutes of credits only to find out there's nothing there. I'm telling you so that YOU can get up and get your legs moving. You're not missing anything. (Except a weird tinking noise like a blacksmith at work.)

The Rating:
4.9 feathers (those gratuitous scenes lost that .1)

Final Verdict:
If you're any sort of Marvel fan, you're already planning when you're going to see this movie (if you haven't already). If you're not sure where you stand on superhero films, make sure you've seen Civil War and Infinity War before stepping into the theater (or risk being super lost).
Go see it. Just do it.

The whole point of acting is to make your audience believe you - your words, your emotions, your plight.  I believed everything that came out of Alex's mouth as he accepted the mantle he'd been given. Just as compelling was Merlin - a teenager on the outside with an old man on the inside. Imrie played Merlin to a T, convincing as both old man and boy, and quirky as all get out.

Though these two shone brightest, their accompanying troupe of young actors left nothing wanting (if Lancelot and Kay were a bit on the wooden side once or twice, it was forgiven).

The directing - I loved the scenery, the cinematography, and the CGI. Nothing felt fake, and the stakes remained high throughout the film.  Joe Cornish presented a world I wanted to be part of.

The story - King Arthur isn't just any old legend you can toss up on the screen. It's a British child's rite of passage. Everyone knows the story of King Arthurt - even in the States.  Taking on a new and fresh telling had to be compelling, intriguing, action-filled, fast-paced, exciting, and daring.

The Kid Who Would Be King hit all the marks. 

I loved being taken for a ride as Alex takes his noble character and broadens it, emboldening himself and his friends while making his enemies join his cause. I loved Alex. I rooted for him Bedivere as they strove to accomplish their task. It's a movie I will repeat watch with not a hint of guilt.

The Negatives:
It was over too quickly. There were some scenes that were surprisingly violent. In the UK I'm sure no one bats an eye, but in the USA, everyone spends so much time shielding their children from EVERYTHING that I think it might go too far for some parents.

The Rating:
4 solid feathers. Maybe even 4.5

Final Verdict:
Why are you still reading this? Go get your King on!