All of these characters, or nearly all of them, are given backstories, heralded by their names in intertitles, sympathetically letting us in to their private lives. (Not Julian though: he gets to be the bully, and that’s it.) But there are no real ironies or complexities and Miranda’s secret emotional journey is outrageously unlikely. It is a film with all the depth of a fridge magnet.

Too much time is spent creating those stunning visuals as the majestic train embarks on its voyage from Istanbul, when that could be time spent on flushing out the medley of characters that jumped on board for the ride.
That said, the experimental camerawork and the scenic itinerary at least offer some redeeming moments.

The film is blissfully free of any lazy romantic subplots (was anyone actually invested in Thor/Jane?), but unresolved tensions between characters are a welcome addition. In the meantime, some seriously cool battle scenes feature from start to finish, and the use of Led Zeppelin’s militant Immigrant Song will have even the most unenthused of audience members rooting for the God of Thunder and his motley crew of unlikely heroes.

American Made, written by Gary Spinelli, has glossed up the story, of course. Seal’s life wasn’t nearly so shiny as it is as played by Cruise. But then again, whose is?

It looks so unrehearsed, so spontaneous…. just like the film where the characters probably existed long before the writer and director thought about them. We just didn’t know or care.

…flaws aside, it is a darn good heist, and sure to leave you with a smile on your face. We should be glad Soderbergh is back, hopefully this time for good.

Kidnap is a solid and economical piece of filmmaking. It just goes to show: A big budget isn’t necessary to make a big impression.

Theron doesn’t so much as dominate Atomic Blonde as steadily subjugate every other soul in the film — and those in the audience — into her complete command. She is most definitely atomic, but I’d try to do better than calling her a blonde. Don’t miss it

War for the Planet of the Apes is a riveting and surprisingly poignant epic that’s a shade above the rest of the franchise dreck populating every multiplex in the country. It’s as though director Matt Reeves, screenwriter Mark Bomback and the production actually put care and thought into what they were doing with their characters.

Yes, Shakespeare would have had a field day. And so does Hollywood, namely director Scott Cooper and a top-flight ensemble led by Johnny Depp in a performance that reminds us, after a string of uninspiring movies, why he’s one of our most compelling actors. Yes, Depp is excellent. But the star attraction here? That’s the stunning story itself.