American Assassin:

This movie has excellent bones, based on the series of best-selling spy thrillers by Vince Flynn, directed by Michael Cuesta (Dexter, Homeland, Six Feet Under), and written by Stephen Schiff (The Americans, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps), all of whom have significant knowledge of their subject matter, that being the business of spying, counter-spying, and protecting the world.  Shot mostly in Europe it is filled with international intrigue, heroes who might be enemies, and enemies who might be heroes.  Dylan O'Brien (Maze Runner, Deep Water Horizon) is Mitch Rapp, a young man of 23 whose life is turned upside down when a terrorist attack on a tropical beach wounds him severely, and kills his fiancée.  Mitch vows to track down the terrorists and extract revenge.  Recruited by the CIA he is plunged into a new training regime at the hands of Stan Hurley, well-played by Michael Keaton. The action is gritty and cruel, the story is one to which you have to pay close attention, especially where "Ghost" (Taylor Kitsch) is concerned - he is ex-CIA, and it takes us a long time and a lot of water under the bridge to determine who's side he is really on.  Very good movie, satisfying outcome, and one that will appeal to action-thriller fans at every level.  Rated 14A.

Despicable Me 3:

Steve Carrell once again voices the character of Gru, a bad guy who became a good guy, and who know learns he has a twin brother he didn't know existed ... and he may become a bad guy again just for old time's sake.  Carrell voices both characters, and the story picks up seamlessly from the second Despicable movie from 2013.  I have seen other reviews suggesting the movie is not as good as the previous iterations.  But I have also sat  in a theatre full of kids and their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and nannies, and have heard them laughing uproariously.  This is not a film that can be properly criticized unless you are in the presence of such children and escorts.  Yes, the surprises are mostly gone - we know what to expect from the funny little Minions, from Gru's foster children, and from his new wife - but it's seven years since the first of these movies, and this one is directed at an entirely new generation, and it works just fine!  Rated PG.

Better Watch Out:

This is a small movie that didn’t get much play on our side of the water – it’s Australian – and it’s difficult to offer a big description because things are not what they seem, and I don’t want to spoil the surprises.  Olivia De Jonge is Ashley and she’s a babysitter looking at what is a pretty standard job when the parents go on a night out … but soon, there is a home invasion, and Ashley must do what’s necessary to care for her young charges.  But this is no ordinary home invasion.  The movie is billed as a horror-comedy, and that’s a good description – there are some funny scenes, there are some very scary parts, and there’s an outcome that will surprise you.  Geared mostly for a teen audience, this works at every level – well-made and nicely done. Rated 14A.

Band Aid (2017):

Zoe Lister-Jones is one of the cast members of the TV series "Life in Pieces) and she has written, directs, and stars in this Netflix original about a married couple who bicker, fight, and just don't get along.  Rather than end up divorced, they decide to form a band, and choose to write aggressive songs about their arguments.  Colin Hanks (Tom's son) also stars.  Rated 14A.

The Dinner (2017):

Laura Linney and Richard Gere star in this film based on the book by Herman Koch about two families who meet for dinner to discuss what should be done with their respective teenage sons who have committed a violent crime, but have not yet been identified on the security video.  When this movie premiered at a film festival in Berlin last February, the book's author walked out, saying that, of the three films made about his story, this was definitely the worst.  You'll have to be the judge of that.  Rated 14A.