Susan Ellingburg

• Paddington Continues to Delightfully Defy the January Odds
  A sequel that's even better than the original. As sweet as marmalade, Paddington 2 is a welcome antidote to the daily news (real or fake). In Paddington's world, a kindhearted bear can always find...
  Thursday, January 11, 2018
• The Greatest Showman is a Cotton-Candy, Toe-Tapping Spectacle
  A musical spectacle the founder of “the greatest show on earth” would appreciate—especially since it whitewashes much of his life story. P.T. Barnum (Hugh Jackman) and his rags-to-riches story set...
  Friday, December 22, 2017
• Jumanji 2017: JUst fun MAN, GEE
  A fun bit of fluff to enjoy over the holidays. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle has plenty of laughs and enough adventure to keep things interesting. The comedy is broad but mostly family-friendly...
  Wednesday, December 20, 2017
• Darkest Hour Joins Dunkirk as Compelling WWII Cinema This Year
  Gary Oldman is a likely Oscar contender with his portrayal of Winston Churchill. Plagued by public failures and private doubts, Churchill faces an uphill battle—not his last, but one of the...
  Thursday, December 7, 2017
• Adaptation of R.J. Palacio's Book a Certified Wonder
  The feel-good movie of the Fall! Wonder is a gentle, uplifting story for anyone who's ever had to find their way in a not-always-welcoming world. Young Auggie can't help the way he looks but he may...
  Wednesday, November 15, 2017
• 5 Books to Read with Your Kids
  If you’re ready to start, or continue, a family book club, here are five titles you might want to consider.
  Tuesday, November 7, 2017
• Thor: Ragnarok is the MCU's First Comedy
  Thor: Ragnarok offers a swashbuckling good time. With his home threatened by a powerful new (to him) villain, Thor has to find a way to save his people "because that’s what heroes do." The laughs...
  Wednesday, November 1, 2017
• All I See is You and Lots of Plodding, Explicit Content
  If you're hoping for an action-packed, fast-paced thriller, keep looking; All I See is You takes its own sweet time. This artsy, brooding film looks at the dynamics of a relationship and what...
  Thursday, October 26, 2017
• History, Heroism and Legal Drama All Mesh in Marshall
  When a young Thurgood Marshall and Jewish lawyer Sam Friedman reluctantly partner to fight for justice in a rape case, the result is a thought-provoking, uplifting movie. More fun than you'd...
  Wednesday, October 11, 2017
• My Little Pony Should Please Fans and the Bigs Who Love Them
  A cute little movie about cute little ponies, with life lessons and some mighty fine music thrown in as a bonus. There's color and excitement for small viewers, humor and (clean) adult references...
  Thursday, October 5, 2017
• American Made Scores in the 80s
  Barry Seal (Tom Cruise) is not the brightest bulb in the lamp, and his moral compass is clearly broken, but you can't help but root for him. American Made may leave you shaking your head in dismay,...
  Sunday, October 1, 2017
• Stronger an Unflinching Testimony to the Power of Hope
  A real-life story that actually feels like real life, Stronger is an unflinching look at Jeff Bauman—an ordinary man injured in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing who became a symbol of hope to his...
  Thursday, September 21, 2017
• Kirk Cameron, Liberty U. Team Up for Extraordinary with Commonplace Results
  Extraordinary feels like a Christian marriage version of an after-school special. It's pleasant enough if you like that kind of thing, but there's nothing truly extraordinary about this...
  Tuesday, September 5, 2017
• The Hitman's Bodyguard Has a Lot of Brash Buddy Banter and Bad Words
  The Hitman's Bodyguard brings back the Lethal Weapon-style fun buddy movie. Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson have great chemistry, making this a wildly entertaining—if wildly profane—night at...
  Thursday, August 17, 2017
• Story & Style Mesh Perfectly in Emotionally Draining Detroit
  The Oscar buzz has already started and rightfully so. This gripping story feels like a cross between a documentary of days gone by and yesterday's evening news. A visceral retelling of a real-life,...
  Wednesday, August 2, 2017
• The Emoji Movie: Meh
  The best way to describe The Emoji Movie would be with an emoji of the very face its hero aspires to achieve: meh. So many good animated features have come along in recent years. This offering...
  Thursday, July 27, 2017
• Wish Upon Grants Better Teen Suspense Than Most of the Genre
  Have you been wishing for a serving of teen suspense, with a side of bad decisions and bloody consequences? Wish granted! Wish Upon offers relatable characters in a fairly interesting plot with...
  Thursday, July 13, 2017
• This Spider-Man is More of a Puppy... and That's Super Endearing
  Funny, relatable and bursting with action and adventure, this Avenger-in-training saga balances superhero skills with high school drama and brings the fun back to the Marvel universe. Part...
  Wednesday, July 5, 2017