The context of a movie like "The Amateur" relies solely in the character work it is trying to approach. This is a type of movie that is really no longer made: a modern day thriller with a mid-range budget and a limited amount of digital work and people though there is some. In making this his first true leading role since winning his Oscar, Rami Malek returns in a way to what made his famous in "Mr. Robot" but from the other direction. He knows that he also needs to establish himself in certain ways as an empathetic romantic lead.

The aspect of a video game adaption comes down to just what a film wants to do. If it is just entertainment with some semblance of sarcastic character structure thrown in, it can do well. "Super Mario Bros Movie" knew what it was but it was a series of sequences. "Borderlands" wanted to be something grand but seriously lost track of itself. "Minecraft" involves something in between. But they all share one thing: Jack Black.

The essence of doing something like "Wolf Man" the Blumhouse route comes down to perspective. Director Leigh Whannell, known originally for his work with the "Saw" franchise, has been smart in building his resume making these lean and mean films for producer Jason Blum when he could have naturally probably gone and tried bigger fare. "Wolf Man," like certain aspects of Ti West, benefits from this approach.

The consistency of an old school action film depends on how seriously you take it and also what the expectation is. "Den Of Thieves 2: Pantera" is the second in another action franchise starring Gerard Butler who had settled in, comfortably and with producing credits, to a series of franchises that are lean and mean and deliver in many respects.

The specific context of this new look at the classic vampire tale is bathed more in gothic textures of grit than romanticism which marked the last time a major director really took a swipe at it. Here, Robert Eggers knows the story he wants to tell but also the bleakness in which he wants to tell it.

The progression of a Sonic movie can be bathed on the notion of a bad guy and getting to the next stage in the ladder of both character and stories. “Sonic The Hedgehog 3” bodes well because in many ways, it takes a structural reference from anime. Sonic now has two of his friends but there needs to be heavier stakes without losing the lightness.

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.

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.