“Searching”

3 stars

The film works both as a smart and fascinating thriller and a wonderfully creative way to tell the tale. The best part is writer/director Aneesh Chaganty never had to resort to any unfounded leaps just to get to the conclusion. He establishes a compelling story, spreads the clues in plain sight and brings it all together in a satisfying and tantalizing finale.

All the plot points are delivered through a cinematic format that has never been used to this extent. Chaganty opts to tell his story as if the viewer was seated at a computer screen next to the distraught dad (John Cho).

The images are a mix of computer screens where the frustrated father searches for information with conversations held via Skype. Watching the film at home on a smaller screen makes the approach even more enjoyable than seeing it in the theater.

“Mission: Impossible – Fallout”

4 stars

The latest offering in the franchise born out of the ’60s TV series has Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team (Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames) facing a nuclear threat at the hands of an old enemy. Their efforts to keep the world from exploding gets some assistance from familiar allies such as Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), who was a big part of “Rogue Nation.”

The film is wall-to-wall action with Cruise at the heart of each scene doing his own stunts. He spent a year learning to fly a helicopter just so he could make the final chase scene as realistic as possible. Instead of the standard long shots or camera views from the back of the pilot’s head, there is no doubt it is Cruise manning the controls. The same goes for the high-speed motorcycle chases and the high-altitude parachute jump.

“Crazy Rich Asians”

4 stars

It’s incredibly important to recognize that “Crazy Rich Asians” is the first major modern-day Hollywood release since “The Joy Luck Club” in 1993 to feature a predominantly Asian cast. There has been much furor in the film world over the lack of diversity in movies and the Asian community has been one of the most slighted.

There’s also an argument to be made that “Crazy Rich Asians” should not be thought of as a film filled with Asian actors but looked at as merely one of the best romantic comedies in general to come along in years. The movie could have as easily been called “Sleepless in Singapore” as there has not been a romantic comedy this good since Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan used to steal our hearts.

"The Equalizer 2"

3 stars

Denzel Washington completely commands a screen, whether his character is ushering in the calm before the storm or ends up being the force behind the storm. He gets multiple opportunities to show both sides in "The Equalizer 2," the follow-up to the 2014 movie that was based on the '80s TV series with Edward Woodward.

Normally, it would be impossible to forgive the writing, but "The Equalizer 2" works because of the intensity Washington brings.

“Smallfoot”

2 stars

Director Karey Kirkpatrick (“Over the Hedge”) offers a twist on the myths and legends about Bigfoot. In the Himalayas, a community of Yeti has been living a hidden existence from the world. Only rumors and legends exist of a creature who has invaded their world known as the smallfoot.

A young Yeti, Migo (voiced by Channing Tatum), risks his life and goes against the rules to search for a smallfoot. This takes him to a small village where he meets Percy (James Corden), a wildlife adventurer. The smallfoot is proof their existence isn’t just legend. What Migo doesn’t realize is the truth may be more dangerous than legend.

The animation, writing and music are neither good nor bad, making it a project that envelops itself in mediocrity. “Smallfoot” will leave a tiny footprint on the film world.