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When an ancient artifact imbued with the spirit of a long forgotten god surfaces in present day New York, the Ghostbusters find themselves called into action as paranormal activity begins to spike in new malevolent ways. It’ll take the wisdom of the ages and several generations of Ghostbusters to put a stop to the evil Graka, lest the frozen empire swallow the earth. Written by Gil Kenan and Jason and Ivan Reitman and Directed by Kenan this nostalgia driven dive into the Ghostbuster universe packs plenty of nuggets and callbacks from across the franchise to impress even the most stringent judges; and, picking up where Afterlife left off, the new ensemble of Spengler’s including Carrie Coon, Mckenna Grace, and Finn Wolfhard, along with Paul Rudd as Gary Grooberson offer up easy laughs and light plot development with assistance from perennials Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts. And, while the cast is larger and more involved than previous installments, at its core, the film still follows the blueprints of success from previous works with attention to special effects and scoring that remains consistent, that is to say, the film sits in good company with its compatriots, and while the high water mark of the original Ghostbusters from 1984 is still untouched, fans will still find plenty to enjoy and re-watch to catch all the details. Will there be a need for another installment, probably not, my advice, enjoy the spook show for what it is and remember what it was like to be an 8 year old cowering behind the theatre seats watching the original, the fun is still there. Running what feels like a slightly long hour and fifty five minutes, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is rated PG-13.

On the planet Arrakis, The House of Harkonnen takes bold steps to control Spice production and please the Emperor (Christopher Walken); meanwhile Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and his mother Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) steal away with the native Fremen people including love interest Chani (Zendaya), and plot a revenge to take back power whilst promising to lead the people to a promised land. Written by Denis Villeneuve, John Spaihts, and Frank Herbert and Directed by Villeneuve this massively immersive experience washes over the viewer continuing the captivating spell and lore of Part One with a rich narrative and subtexts pulling from present day politics and religious experience to build on some of the most well rounded science fiction the world has seen in decades. Serving as the bridge to what has now become a trilogy, the action set pieces and battle sequences play out in grand scale, building one block on top of another creating a visually impressive spectacle. Meanwhile Hans Zimmer’s futuristic and calculated score pounds throughout fully rounding out this gem with transportive qualities. And, the ensemble, strong from start to finish, no missteps. The culmination of all these efforts, the securing of Villeneuve’s crown, scepter, and place on the throne of cinema, even with a runtime of two hours and 46 minutes. Dune: Part Two is rated PG-13.

Growing up in Trenchtown Jamaica, Robert Nester Marley “Bob” (Kingsley Ben-Adir) along with his friends would rise to fame and legendary Reggae status in the 70’s amidst the political unrest of a country learning to stand on its own after British occupation, this is a brief look at that ascension. Written by Terence Winter, Frank Flowers, Zach Baylin and Reinaldo Marcus Green and Directed by Green this abbreviated look at Marley’s life plays out much like a Cliff’s Notes on the subject matter focusing largely on the recording and events surrounding Bob Marley & The Wailers’ album Exodus; perhaps the Sistine Chapel of his career. Sadly, the film speaks in broad strokes, which while stylistic, makes it hard for newcomers to the Rasta and Reggae world to fully absorb, understand, and digest all that’s happening on the screen. Meanwhile, it’s clear that all involved in the making of this film clearly worked with care, respect, and supervision of the Marley family to portray this brief glimpse, but unfortunately the failure to dig deeper into the ethos and motivations that helped to shape the man, his music, and the people of Jamaica leaves the end result a bit hollow. On the positive, definite marks go to art direction, music production, and acting chops, it’s too bad we don’t get more meat on the bone. Running one hour and 44 minutes Bob Marley: One Love is rated PG-13.