The essense of epic is an idea not lost on Ridley Scott. In recent years, he has reapproached those opuses that have stood the test of time with varying degrees of success. With "Gladiator II", the heart and approach is in the right place. This is definitely a better outing than "Napoleon." He is anchored by great actors and they are up to the challenge.

Holiday movies always have an interesting irony in that they are made for a very specific time of year but can also move along and be timeless in a certain way. The judgment behind making "Red One" is sound. As a producer and star, Dwayne Johnson does understand the math but there is also a boundary which should or could be done.

Using forced perspective as the basis for a film is one thing but when director Robert Zemeckis does it, it can take on a whole other level. Here he tries many things and has a fantastic script but only achieved an elative level a few times and once when it simply allows itself to be lyrical.

The perspective on a current Venom film is usually a bunch of random scenes with the possibility of maybe some interesting character work smelted inside in some way shape or form. The question is how does this integrate into a bigger fabric or does it? “Venom: The Last Dance” does nothing really to bring this to bear.

The progression of a horror film that is both in the mind and on the ground is an interesting juxtaposition. The problem with “Never Let Go” is that it never quite defines what it is. Mama (Halle Berry) and her children are seemingly the only survivors of a world gone mad. But the actual perpetrator, even in the finale, doesn’t quite come to bear.

Anticipation for a film like the Beetlejuice sequel has built over a long while especially with stops and starts over the years. “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” tries to do many things and work on the same auspice as the original but it doesn’t fire quite right. Part of it might have been the time period. Part of it also might have been the writing. A lot of it might have been the time inbetween..

The essence of “The Crow” is always going to be shadowed by Brandon Lee. “The Crow” [1994] was a product of its time and had a mythical edge of sorts to it which is understandable which was only heightened by its circumstances. The new iteration starring Bill Skarsgard and directed by “Snow White and the Huntsman” helmer Rupert Sanders is remarkably beautiful in many ways.

“Alien: Romulus” tries deftly to walk the line but has the odds stacked against it. Its greatest attributes are its two would-be leads in Cailee Spaeney and David Jonnson as Rain and Andy respectively who each have their own approach but in their own relationship work against the ideal of what we expect.

The essence of an M. Night Shyamalan film rests many times where the filmmaker is in his own head and where that path might take him. With ”Trap,” there is a weird essence of dual personality not unlike his lead character Cooper (played by Josh Hartnett) who begins the movie taking his daughter to a concert. The irony is the way it is built.