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The Dark Tower (2017)
Underwhelming Movie
This movie deviates significantly from the source material, and I would say to the extent that it is a retelling or reimagining of the books. It is not a mere book-to-film adaptation. I mention this only to say that I am rating and reviewing it as a film and not the books; and, as a film, it is not strong. There is an antagonist who is trying to destroy the one thing holding demonic (chaotic?) forces outside of a multiverse: the dark tower. But why? What is the man in black's motivation? We are never told. Where did the demonic forces come from? Why would they want to destroy all universes? Is the material world(s) good and the spiritual beings outside the world bad? The movie never addresses these issues. There is a bad guy, he's really powerful, and he knows how to destroy everything. But why would he? Why is Roland immune to his mental powers? Why did Roland quit caring about protecting the tower? Is it believable that, as the movie suggests, he quit because it's bound to happen at some point? Let's get more specific: Why were the bad guys looking for Jake in NY when the man in black left a mental trap for him in Jake's apartment? Why not just wait for him there in the first place? Why didn't anyone notice a gun fight in a gun shop in NYC? Anyways, I'll stop, the plot holes and unanswered questions could be addressed all day. The bottom line is that the audience is never made to care about anyone but Jake because he is the only character even somewhat developed. Therefore character interactions are not meaningful. Losses are not significant. Events are not important. Now back to the source material. It's a shame that too much artistic license is taken. Presumably, someone deemed the source material good enough for a film (or films). If so, then why abandon the source material so drastically when it is what inspired the film in the first place. The result is an inferior story and a film that demands no investment by the viewer because everything that happens is so inconsequential. That is ironic when you think about it since the universe is at stake. 3/10
A Bundle of Trouble: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery (2017)
So bad it's good!
From start to finish, this low budget movie displays a glorious convergence of terrible acting, plot holes, curious facial expressions, overly simplistic dialogs, inexplicable animosities and attractions, unrealistic and hilarious reactions to what should be traumatic events like finding a dead body or discovering a baby left in your home, etc. Somehow the confluence of these failures add up to a surprisingly entertaining "fail comp" experience. Thus 2 stars instead of 1.
Logan (2017)
Best X-Men movie to date
Overall the "X" franchise has not been as good as, say, the MCU or the Dark Knight trilogy IMHO. Logan, however, is up there with the best comic book movies of any franchise. Tons of heart. Solid pacing and directing. Solid performances by the main characters. Variety of settings. A strange combination of beauty and brutality. It's one of the only comic book movies where the end came and I was like, I don't want this to end! Thankfully a perfectly chosen Johnny Cash song helped me transition from the film back to the real world.