Greta

Writer/Director Neil Jordan’s Greta is a creepy thriller about a maniacal woman, who lures young women into her life and, eventually, kills them, if they try to leave her.

Composer Javier Navarrete’s haunting music helps to build tension during the story’s slow build.  And, thanks to Maika Monroe, who plays the roommate of Chloё Grace Moretz, the early interest is sustained until the craziness of Isabelle Huppert’s character begins to unmask.

Though Huppert, Moretz and Monroe are all excellent in their performances, there are times when Jordan’s and Co-Writer Ray Wright’s script seems to be tanking.  However, ultimately, it builds to a fitting climax.

If you’re into creepiness and feeling like you need to take a shower after seeing a film, then Greta is for you.

I give it a 3.5 out of 5.

How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

 Writer/Director Dean DeBlois’ How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is a fine end to this franchise.

A dastardly dragon hunter (voice of F. Murray Abraham) is trying to capture Toothless, the Alpha Dragon, and force him to lead all the dragons living in harmony with the Vikings under the leadership of Hiccup (v. Jay Baruchel) to their doom.

The interesting aspect of this all-family film is that it turns into a dual love story between Hiccup and Astrid (v. America Ferrera) and Toothless and the female Night Fury, all of which seemed more of a nod to the adults in the audience.

The animation is great and the resolution is quite wonderful. 

I give How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World a 3.9 out of 5.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

 Co-Directors Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse has more action than any animated or live-action film in memory.

It, also, has more diversity of characters with Miles Morales (voice of Shameik Moore), a young African-American/Hispanic mix taking the Spider-Man mantle after being bitten by an radioactive spider and the original Spider-Man, Peter B. Parker (v. Jake Johnson), being killed by Kingpin (v. Liev Schreiber).

Together with Peter B. Parker from another dimension and characters from still other dimensions, including Gwen Stacey (v. Hailee Steinfeld), Spider-Man Noir (v. Nicolas Cage), Peni Parker (v. Kimiko Glenn) with her robot SP//dr and Peter Porker (v. John Mulaney), the multi-verse team tries to prevent Kingpin’s Super Collider from destroying the world.

I give Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse a 4.5 out of 5.