Star Trek Beyond...

I totally loved it. As my wife said, "They got their interpersonal banter back." To be honest, I think that the new crew has stepped it up to top-notch specifically because this movie not only pay homage to the original cast and crew, but it also memorializes BOTH Leonard Nimoy and Antonin Yelchin, both of whom have worked with this crew in real life. This is not lost on anyone, not Trekkers, Trekkies, or those who made this film. The film has a great plot with a cool twist at the end. Additionally, they were able to recapture the innate sense of goodness, hope, campy humor, and serious social discussion that were a part of the original series, STNG, and the original movies. I haven't loved a Star Trek movie quite this much since they pulled whales out of time and took them into space before putting them back where they belong. 10/10 Oh, the poster? I won a tee shirt in a pre-screening trivia contest by correctly answering "Iowa" to the question "In which State was Captain James Tiberius Kirk born?" Me being me, and the tee shirt being only an XL, not a 2XLT, I traded it for one of the very-limited-edition Carmike Cinemas promo posters tossed into the crowd and caught by a young lady two rows down from us. Of course my lovely wife helped with the negotiations, and everyone went home both happy and thrilled.

The Lady In The Van

Cantankerous. Odiferous. Odious. Outrageous. Outlandish, tetched, schizoid, obsessive, obtuse, obnoxious, and twitchy. These folk can not possibly be muggles, there is just too much magic. Maggie Smith blows my mind, but so does her male...benefactor, for lack of a better word. This film (Because it's too good to be called a "flick") has the depth and breadth of the ocean in one little driveway. I never expected to laugh where I did, but it happened. I have to be careful of spoilers, but the ending is so O.M.G. that I'm still awed. Forget the marigolds, and hold onto your piano for dear life. If there's not an oscar in one of those bags, it will be a canonizing miracle. 10/10, and it will steal your heart.

Where To Invade Next:

Michael Moore's (despite the title) not-so-military documentary goes around the world looking for things the good ol' USA needs, and plants our flag around the world, both literally and metaphorically. This movie espouses a lot of values Christianity should find familiar if it has read the New Testament. Some of the conclusions will shock you, others will uplift you. I walked out with a profound mix of sadness and hope. Personally I feel it's one of Moore's best films. This film is a must-see, and worth bringing your critical-thinking cap to. 9.5/10