What an impossibly high bar that has been set for director James Cameron, where each new film he makes is expected to reinvent cinema all over again or be casually dismissed as a disappointment.

The early criticism aimed at "Avatar: Fire and Ash," that it feels “too similar” to its predecessor, says far more about our warped expectations than it does about the film itself. Since when did consistency, coherence, and a director confidently expanding the world he created become a flaw? With "Fire and Ash," Cameron has once again built, refined and deepened his cinematic universe, delivering another immersive, meticulously crafted chapter that reminds us why Pandora remains one of the most fully realized worlds in modern blockbuster filmmaking.

Full disclosure: I don't have vast knowledge of the Predator Cinematic Universe, nor am I a dedicated fan of this series. What I can tell you is that the Predator franchise has now spanned six live-action stand-alone movies, an animated film (2025's "Predator: Killer of Killers") and two crossover films. They've collectively grossed over 550 million, and on the heels of "Predator: Killer of Killers" and Hulu's surprisingly great 2022 entry, "Prey," the series seems to be headed in a positive direction.

The new life breathed into the franchise can perhaps be credited to Dan Trachtenberg, the writer/director of "Prey" and "Predator: Killer of Killers," who now brings us "Predator: Badlands." Unfortunately, this latest effort feels like a blatant, soulless attempt to try to broaden the series' appeal.

When Disney released the original "Tron" back in 1982, it wasn't considered a financial success when all things were considered. It was groundbreaking for its special effects, even landing a pair of Oscar nominations for Best Costume and Best Sound, and over time has undeniably become a cult classic.

Disney was so committed to keeping the Tron IP alive, it released a 2010 sequel, "Tron: Legacy," which was a modest box office success, despite a lack of critical enthusiasm (it currently holds a 51% Rotten rating on RottenTomatoes.com). It even opened a Tron roller coaster at its theme parks, further proving that Disney has no intention of moving on from this seemingly promising franchise.

"Tron: Ares" carries on the unfortunate Tron tradition of being visually dazzling without containing even a modicum of soul beneath the hood. With a loud, pulsating, high-octane score by Nine Inch Nails (apparently not just composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, but the whole band), it is a nonstop onslaught on the senses...a merciless, relentless attack that may have been worth the punishment, had it been attached to anything remotely resembling human emotion.

"The Bad Guys" - based on the children's book series by Aaron Blabey - has quietly grown into one of the more beloved family franchises in recent years. The first film adaptation in 2022 grossed over 250 million dollars and proved to be a pleasant surprise for the studio. And while I wasn't a big fan (see my review of the first film at the link below), its success led to follow-up Holiday and Halloween specials on Netflix, so a theatrical sequel felt inevitable.

The good news? "The Bad Guys 2" isn't all bad. It's diverse cast of misfits have gone from mildly annoying to surprisingly fun to be around.

Things have never been worse for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as so-called "superhero fatigue" has seemingly taken over the moviegoing audience. That is, until earlier this month when rival DC Studios rejuvenated the box office with James Gunn's take on "Superman," a movie that has gotten raves from critics and audiences alike, and has grossed (at the time of this writing) nearly half a billion dollars at the box office.

Maybe it wasn't "superhero fatigue," but Marvel burnout instead?

With the odds stacked against them, Marvel relies on one of their oldest superhero groups to finally right the ship...and wouldn't you know, the Fantastic Four save the day.

Superman is not just an alien, he's from another time. And until James Gunn's "Superman," no other filmmaker has had the courage to lean into what has made him one of the most - if not the most - aspirational character in the history of American fiction.

A key question one must ask themselves when going into a "Jurassic Park" movie is: What do I truly expect? Expectations - and where we set them - play a major part in how we experience any film. Sometimes, aiming too high can almost guarantee disappointment. That's not to excuse a movie that sets a low bar for itself...rather an acknowledgement that much of our reaction depends on the mindset we bring to the theater.

Taking into consideration that the first "Jurassic Park" movie was a ground-breaking, earth-shattering blockbuster and a global phenomenon - and considering just how TERRIBLE many of the sequels have been - it's safe to say that "Jurassic World: Rebirth" is a bona fide success. It draws on our nostalgia without feeling manipulative. It simplifies things to the core of what made the first one a hit, without merely trying to recreate it.

You could say - in a fitting parallel to the film's plot - that this installment extracts a bit of the original's DNA, in a noble attempt to finally do something worthwhile with it.

The mere mention of the word "Pixar" used to bring with it an expectation of exceptionalism. And while the studio still is capable of producing magic from time to time (see last year's "Inside Out 2"), "Elio" contains very little of it. 

It would be impossible to overstate Tom Cruise's impact on Hollywood. A bona fide mega-star, one of the finest actors of his generation and a certifiable mad-man when it comes to the Mission: Impossible movies.

With "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning," we are now eight movies deep into this unlikely franchise...and it feels more like a long-winded farewell rather than going out with a bang. It was of course based on the popular TV series that aired in the late 1960s-early 1970s, but Tom Cruise and his undeniable drive, charisma and vision is what initially propelled the first film in the franchise into a box office smash...propelling the rest of the films to push the boundaries of what an action movie is capable of.

The first seven films have grossed over 4 billion dollars at the box office, and we arrive at "The Final Reckoning" with the loftiest of expectations both financially and creatively. Can it possibly live up to the previous chapters? Will Tom Cruise - like he did with "Top Gun: Maverick" back in 2022 - rejuvenate the movie business and instill a boost of much-needed confidence into a once-again struggling industry?

"Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning" is a difficult movie to assign a letter grade to. It's by no means a bad movie, although it may be the weakest entry in the series. Its third act is exhilarating and on par with anything the franchise has given us to date, but those first two hours are a slog. 

I can deal with "implausible"...let's face it...implausibility has been baked into the formula of this series from the very beginning. But the choppy, overcomplicated first two hours feels like a missed opportunity.

There's little question that "Thunderbolts*" is one of the better Marvel films of the past few years...but that's a very low bar to clear.

Taking a cue from the legendary film critic Roger Ebert, all movies should be judged "relative to genre," meaning we shouldn't, say, put "The Minecraft Movie" on the same grading scale as "The Godfather."

With that in mind, "Thunderbolts*" may feel a bit more inspired than recent Marvel movies. But even accepting it for what it is - a teen-targeted superhero team movie - any praise quickly crumbles when you hold up against nearly any other film in the same category. I'll explain.