The Transformers franchise is hardly great with maybe only the first two being passably entertaining, the rest just action-porn with non-sensical plot and CGI vs. CGI fights that were more tiresome rather than exciting.
Bumblebee was a pleasant surprise with a genuine heart at its core, the relationship between a robot and a girl, each one finding the other at the right time. It’s what was missing from the last several of the Transformers movies.
Pitch Perfect 3 is the conclusion to a trilogy that honestly didn’t need one. I can’t precisely remember why I enjoyed the first two only to say that I did (according to my ratings on IMDb) but this one was pointless and even the music doesn’t overcome a disorganized plot, even though the cast at least seemed to be having a good time.
The Edge of Seventeen might not be the second coming of the John Hughes teen-dramedy, though Kelly Fremon Craig was certainly inspired by the late great writer/director, but with such an obnoxious main character, it was hard to care about her however portrayed by Hailee Steinfeld, it does make the movie more tolerable.
Term Life for sure is not a good movie but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was at least moderately entertained. At only 90-minutes long, it’s a decent enough time-waster but that’s about the extent of it for a movie that will easily be lost in the shuffle of the numerous STV releases.
Barely Lethal, although hardly anything extraordinary, is at least a passable ‘tween spy thriller that’s heaps better than any of the Spy Kids movies (granted, not that big of an accomplishment). The cast is mostly good with Hailee Steinfeld doing a fine job carrying a thin script. It’s probably worth a rental, nothing more.
Begin Again is one enjoyable movie about the music industry without too many inclusionary or referential backgrounds, unlike something like High Fidelity (which is a great movie on its own), and instead is a light-hearted character drama with some catchy songs and actually, Knightley isn’t a half-bad singer. Basically, this is a fun movie that’s neither challenging nor forgettable at the same time.
3 Days to Kill is yet another Luc Besson-scripted, plug-n-play movie that doesn’t really offer anything new to the genre and yet despite all its problems, still manages to be at least a serviceable action-thriller worth a look.
Ender’s Game is a perfectly entertaining yet safe sci-fi action/thriller. Asa Butterfield is splendid in his follow-up to his breakout role in Hugo. That said, the rest of the movie borders on mediocrity and only saved due to some impressive visual effects and a story that was compelling enough to keep one’s attention until the end.