Looking at the concept of "The Fantastic Four." the crux is the aspect of teamwork. A collection of close knit almost family (and pretty much family) is what binds them. Even in the previous iteration (with Jessica Alba and Chris Evans), the team itself tries to be wholesome...though this new version takes it a little farther.

The intention of "Elio" is a good one and there are many factors at play and yet at times there is disconnection. The movie is undeniably inspired by early 80s genre movies. There are exceptional homages (although subtle) to "The Last Starfighter", "Explorers" and "E.T." The issue is that it only keys into those kind of emotions in two specific moments near the end. Granted it sounds like the film went through series of development reworkings but the approach is not ineffective. It seems more akin in style to something like "Onward".

The aspect of the original "Inside Out" was the uniqueness of approaching emotions inside the mind as a sense of self. However, there was a sense of the unknown in the first movie where it was making the mythology as it was building the world. "Inside Out 2" is, in some ways, more complex but in other ways less so.

The context of an Indiana Jones film, actually backed up by a quote from Steven Spielberg, is for the entire movie to have the pace of a trailer. This is a true statement but it also needs to keep within some realm of viability. "Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny" fares a bit better because it both understands its subject but also embraces the aspect of who he is now (as in 1969).

The concept of evolution and circular motion is an interesting motif but also the context of loss and how it creates impact. At certain points in its multi-film progression, "Guardians" has been able to create these feelings in certain moments but it sometimes ebbs and flows. With "Vol. 3" there is an interesting throughline but the ultimately the heartstrings that originally might have been there, don't tug as hard as they might have.

Taika Waititi's approach to story is refreshing but it depends on the level of control and checks and balances. “Thor: Ragnarok” was much more comprehensive and tight per se in its approach of bedlam. “Thor: Love And Thunder” seems more freeform but in many ways is extremely messy in its execution.

"Lightyear" knows what it wants to be and it has it down pat. It needs to be something different from the "Toy Story" movies and that is clear from the outset. It is a film about inspiration and forming a found family, warts and all. That is what "Toy Story" was about.

In "Shang-Chi & The Legend Of The Ten Rings", it is a pendulum swing back and forth melding the aspect of the Marvel Comics with both an Asian sensibility and a Western flair.

"Jungle Cruise" is a fun ride but not really anything new. Its plot points can be pulled almost directly from "The Mummy" with modern inclusion standards updating (which again is understandable).