Movie reviews of Jeremy Lebens

47 Meters Down: Uncaged is a slick sequel, playing off its new environment to maximize scares and expand the killer shark sub-genre of horror. Director Johannes Roberts successfully blends elements of claustrophobia and paranoia with trademark slasher moments to make a worthwhile PG-13 horror film that absolutely brings the kills.

André Øvredal's Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is the perfect balance of atmosphere and terror, blending together author Alvin Schwartz's frightening tales with the behind-the-lens talents of horror master Guillermo del Toro. This is one of the most effective PG-13 horror movies ever made, never sacrificing a good scare for the lesser rating. This movie will scare both young and old.

It's wildly entertaining and so damn over-the-top, but it gets the job done, aside from a few unneeded characters and tie-ins.

It's meaty, full of colorful characters and gorgeous set pieces that make for a wild trip down memory lane. It might not be Tarantino's best, but it's definitely his boldest and most ambitious.

Crawl is a fast-paced gator ride that absolutely thrives in worst-case scenarios.

Michael Dowse's Stuber is the funniest film of the year, meshing together Dave Bautista's straight-faced tough guy machismo and wit with Kumail Ninjiani's rapid-fire humor.

Annabelle Comes Home is one of the very best Conjuring Universe installments. Gary Dauberman's directing brings the atmosphere and scares, while the cast delivers likable and reliable performances that makes for the best Annabelle movie to date.

Spider-Man: Far From Home improves on the downfalls of Homecoming with more action and adventure, but struggles balancing its characters with a lifeless story that borrows from other MCU films. Tom Holland is ultimately a likable, yet air-headed Spider-Man that has no plans of maturing.

Toy Story 4 delivers some emotional punches that are heartfelt and earned, but most of the film's existence gets by on characters we've grown to love mostly doing nothing.

Men in Black: International represents a series low, failing to ignite the usually-magnetic chemistry between stars Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, resulting in a film that's very unfunny, often-times falling completely flat on its face during its painfully dull bits of comedy.

Dark Phoenix is a disappointing conclusion to a mostly successful prequel series that once gave us career-best performances from James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender. Unfortunately, this installment feels forced, lacks focus and squanders all talent involved.

Michael Dougherty's Godzilla: King of the Monsters is a worthy sequel that increases the monster mayhem in a large way, but still struggles to connect its characters to the overall story. Those invested in the Monarch Cinematic Universe will be pleased with its world-building and epic introduction of the mighty Titans.

Guy Ritchie's live-action take on Aladdin isn't horrible, but it skirts on the question of necessity as the film mostly recreates the animated classic, with very little alterations or adjustments. It's well-acted and mostly harmless, but struggles balancing its own take with the established property.

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum trades storyline and plot points for continuous non-stop action and inventive gunplay. Keanu Reeves solidifies himself as an action superstar, while director Chad Stahelski comes up with even more ways to fist fight, car chase and shoot out in the most adrenaline-fueled sequel of all-time.

Long Shot is another on-point balance of comedy and sincere emotion from director Jonathan Levine. Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen are the cinematic pairing that we never thought we'd need, yet are sure glad that we got. Long Shot will make you laugh in ways that you didn't know were possible.

Avengers: Endgame is the greatest cinematic achievement of our lifetime. Directors Anthony and Joe Russo manage to stick a landing that's taken over ten years and 22 movies to make, providing a thrilling conclusion to the Infinity Saga that's full of surprises and all ranges of emotion.

Michael Chaves is no James Wan, but he wields the camera with a purpose that captures the tension and scares to their fullest capabilities, despite the yawn-inducing script that wastes most of its potential on repeat jumps and very minor plot development.

Neil Marshall's Hellboy is shambled collection of excellent creature designs, awesome R-rated action sequences and trying performances attempting to capture the heart and soul of the character, blended together with humor that absolutely doesn't land and a script that could use a few more once-overs. Consider this one a mixed bag of bad ass.

Harmony Korine's The Beach Bum is a meandering exploration of genius, anchored down by an all-in performance by Matthew McConaughey. The Beach Bum might squander its running time with repetitious drunken endeavors, but it has a lot to say for a film that appears to be about so very little.

Captain Marvel may not be an Earth-shattering movie, but its doesn't need to be. It's a solid origins story that kicks all sorts of butt, thanks to Brie Larson's grace and vigor, combined with a memorable Samuel L. Jackson performance.

Dean DeBlois' How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is a likable conclusion to his animated trilogy, which features a mixed bag of storytelling. The Hidden World isn't a bad movie, but far from a memorable one, especially when compared to the likes of the first film. Still, it occasionally tugs at the heartstrings and reminds us of the sweet characters created and enjoyed over the years.

An effective sequel, capitalizing on what worked so well in the first film, its characters and blend of humor and horror, to deliver a worthy successor that leans heavier on the sci-fi side.

A lukewarm disappoint, failing to capture that same creative magic as the original film. This time around, the jokes aren't funny, the story is convoluted and everything is definitely not awesome.

Features dazzling 3D and impressive world building that almost makes up for the weak franchise starting ending.