I will be the first to admit that I generally don’t love movie musicals and films like Cyrano (affiliate link) ​are the reason why.

Cyrano (affiliate link) is a musical drama based on the play Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand. Peter Dinklage stars at the title character who is in love with the beautiful Roxanne (Haley Bennett). When the pair meet early in the film, Roxanne professes that she has fallen in love at first sight and asks Cyrano to arrange a meeting with the man in question, the new soldier Christian played by Kelvin Harrison Jr. Cyrano is heartbroken at Roxanne’s confession, but agrees to set the meeting.
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Christian is similarly smitten with Roxanne, but fears he cannot adequately profess his love. Cyrano works with Christian to write love letters (professing his own love) that Christian can pass off as his own writing.

For a movie musical, the music itself was not very memorable. The one exception was the heart wrenching “Wherever I Fall,” sung by the soldiers on the eve of battle as they write home to their loved ones.

In the end, despite the visual appeal of the movie, I can’t come to love it. As with most movie musicals, I think I would have loved this had I seen it as a live performance on stage where the limitations of space require more ingenuity and creativity to tell the story than on film where you can shoot in numerous locations and sound stages.

7 out of 10

Just like the title suggests, this film is a great show piece, and while it attempts at finding a deeper meaning and message about acceptance and being oneself, the film ultimately falls a bit flat in telling the story of P. T. Barnum (P. T. Barnum) and his rise to circus fame.

Don't get me wrong, there are sequences in this film that look fantastic and the way things transition from one phase to the next is seamless. It's clear that the filmmakers took great pains to show the way Barnum's showmanship intersected with his personal life and vice versa. All of the typical circus sideshow oddities are there from the "bearded lady" to the "dog man" and everything in between. It was even a bit surprising that in the 21st century, these characters were treated as callously as they were at the beginning of the film, set up as being true oddities even though we have a much better understanding of the conditions that make people unique today.

The film shows a young Barnum working as a tailor's apprentice before meeting the girl of his dreams, the rich Charity Hallett (Michelle Williams). They marry and have two children before Barnum loses everything and opens his museum of wax figures in New York to dismal sales before eventually bringing in the "freak" performers. His willingness to employee these individuals is ridiculed by critics, but enjoyed by (most of) the public which eventually leads to bigger and bigger successes.

But despite all the spectacle, the film is terribly predictable. There are attempts at being profound and inspiring, but they are covered over with the music throughout, which often takes over scenes that feel like they should have a little more space to be quiet and breathe. The frenetic pace of the various performances and dance numbers make the 105 minute run-time feel stuffed full and forced.

That said, there are a few scenes where some brilliant acting shines through, specifically one very touching scene between Zendaya's trapeze artist Anne Wheeler and Zac Efron's Phillip Carlyle. Unfortunately, this only further exposes the problem plaguing the rest of the film by showing there can be quiet moments of reflection. Jackman's performance, while nothing extraordinary, is entertaining and fills the screen, proving who the true showman in this piece is.

6 out of 10​​​​

The Greatest Showman is available on Blu-ray, DVD, and on demand as well as streaming on Disney+.

In a world where everyone is just like you, is it possible to believe in people who are different? Trolls World Your attempts to answer that question albeit with plenty of bright colors and glitter.

Following up on 2016's widely successful film Trolls, World Tour brings back all your favorites from the cast including Anna Kendrick's Poppy, Justin Timberlake's Branch, and James Corden's Biggie. Just like the first film, there are plenty of sing-a-long moments, many of which are pulled from the hits of the 70s and 80s and will bring a smile to the faces of adults, even though they'll be unrecognizable to younger audiences.

​That said, the music is arguably the best part of the film since the story itself is a bit flimsy. Poppy has taken over as queen of the trolls, but receives a note from Barb (Rachel Bloom) who leads the Hard Rock Trolls. It turns out the trolls once live in harmony, but eventually split off into rival factions, each liking a different kind of music. Each tribe has their own story of what happened to cause the breakup, some claiming the Pop Trolls were to blame, while others claim it was a mutual parting for all tribes.

What can't be mistaken is the crystal clear message the film is sending. It doesn't matter what music you like, or what you look like, you can still all be friends and get along. And while it may be a message that we need to hear in the world a bit more these days, the film constantly bashes you over the head with it and it gets a bit tiresome. I understand trying to make a film with a message, but this is one that may fly over the heads of younger viewers.

While it's a fun film and does have some great tunes, if you're going to watch a Trolls film, stick with the original.

Trolls World Tour is available on Bluray, DVD, and on demand.

6 out of 10​​​

Disney manages to make this story fresh and new, while paying homage to the memory of Robin Williams that made the original an instant classic.

I was initially very skeptical of this reboot, but i think it's one of my favorites that Disney has done in the last decade. The traditional songs and set pieces are still there, even down to the story being framed around the freed Genie (Will Smith) telling the tale of Aladdin (Mena Massoud). As expected, there is plenty of spectacle, from Smith's version of "Friend Like Me" to Aladdin's entrance into Agrabah to the pomp and circumstance of "Prince Ali."

As with many of these Disney live action remakes, there isn't a whole lot new here. Many of the changes are minor. Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott) remains a strong female figure in the story, but beyond not wanting to marry the bumbling idiots paraded before her as suitors, she actually yearns to be sultan when her father's time is done. She has a fellow female character in her handmaid Dalia (Nasim Pedrad) who seems more like her friend than servant.

There has been some criticism of the changes the film made, but I generally approved. This is not the cartoon version of the story from 30 years ago. Smith's Genie is uniquely his own, paying homage to the original character, but diverging onto his own path and ultimately imbuing the character with a bit more humanity, even though the desire for freedom remains.

Overall, this is a good remake. I'm glad it wasn't a shot for shot remake like The Lion King nearly was and allowed development of several characters beyond their arcs in the original.

8 out of 10