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Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week.

Blade Runner 2049
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Jared Leto, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis, and Ana de Armas
Synopsis: "Blade Runner" is considered a cult classic and a sci-fi masterpiece. Based on the short story from Phillip K. Dick, the Ridley Scott film wasn't an immediate hit when it was released. But over the past 30 plus years, it's become a classic and revered film. Which is why the idea of a sequel, especially one executive produced by Scott and once again starring original film hero Ford, was met with such excitement. On Friday, we finally got that film. This new one, set 30 years after the original, is directed by Denis Villenueve, and featured Gosling in the starring role as a contemporary Blade Runner, and a new wave of replicant, named K. K is charged with "retiring" an old model replicant, still viewed as a threat, and there uncovers a deeper mystery. It leads him to seek out former Blade Runner Deckard (Ford), who holds the key to uncovering a strange and miraculous twist in the evolution of replicants. This is a film that's beautifully shot and crafted. Villenueve, who previously directed "Prisoners," "Sicario," and "Arrival," has a great eye for crafting films. He plies his craft beautifully with this film, too. And the look and craft are probably the best thing about this film. In terms of story, the plot in this film is slightly more interesting to me than the original, and is a bit easier to follow, I think. Perhaps, too, that's just a credit to the modern style of storytelling. (I recently re-watched the original, and you can easily see it's a product of the 1980s.) I wasn't a huge fan of the original, either, so take it all with a grain of salt. But I've seen similar reviews that praised the look and performances, but cited story as a weakness. That was my feeling as well. I enjoyed the performances, I loved the creative look and world building, and I thought some of the action was well choreographed. But the film is 163 minutes, which is quite long for a modern film, and the material is sometimes dry. I like Gosling's work, and he really carries the narrative. Wright, Ford, Davis and de Armas are good in supporting roles, too. And the film has a satisfying conclusion. But it's a long journey to get there, and that takes away somewhat from my overall feeling for the film. This is a film that has great craft but could have benefitted from a story editor.
Rating: R for violence, some sexuality, nudity and language.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Lego Ninjago Movie
Starring: Dave Franco, Justin Theroux, Jackie Chan, Fred Armisen, Kumail Nanjiani, Zach Woods, Abi Jacobson, Michael Pena, and Olivia Munn
Synopsis: Sometimes you can have too many cooks in the kitchen, and it can dilute the product. That's true of films, too. The best stories come from the passion and clarity of a somewhat singular vision. When you look at the "Lego Ninjago Movie," it's fair to wonder if some of the struggles are the result of group think and multiple iterations. The credited screenplay has six writers. If you include additional names in the story by section, that balloons to nine. That's a lot of people working on a 102 minute animated film. I have been a fan of the Lego cinematic universe. "The Lego Movie" was great fun, and "Lego Batman" was also great fun when it debuted in February. I loved the trailers for "Ninjago," and had some hopes that it would follow in the tradition of the other films. And, at times, it does. There are moments of great comedy and great fun. Like all these movies there are some great pop culture references and some classic jokes for adults. And there are parts of the movie that work great. (I got a kick out of a giant cat being the ultimate weapon, too.) But it drags in parts and doesn't feel consistent, and that's a problem. Again, sometimes that can be the result of too much work revising and re-drafting stories, which appears to have been part of the process with this one. It's not a bad film, just not as good as it could have been, or as good as the ones that came before it.
Rating: PG for some mild action and rude humor.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:
Friday, October 13 - "Happy Death Day," "The Foreigner," "Marshall"
Friday, October 20 - "Geostorm," "Boo 2! A Madea Halloween," "The Snowman," "Only The Brave," "Same Kind of Different As Me"
Friday, October 27 - "Thank You For Your Service," "Suburbicon," "Jigsaw," "All I See Is You"