“Thor: Ragnarok” (Action/Adventure: 1 hour, 10minutes)

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Hopkins

Director: Taika Waititi

Rated: PG-13 (Intense sequences violence and suggestive material)

Movie Review: Still thundering since 2011 “Thor” (Director Kenneth Branagh), “Thor: Ragnarok” is superb entertainment. It is the excellent popcorn entertainment. 

Chris Hemsworth and other members of the cast are enjoyable. They and grand computer-generated effects offer audiences plenty of amusing scenes.

Thor (Hemsworth) faces his greatest foe, Hela (Blanchett), the goddess of death. She derives her power directly from Asgard, the home of Thor. Even more, Odin (Hopkins) tells Thor that Ragnarok, the destruction of Asgard, is approaching. Thor and several others set out to stop the malevolent Hela.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe often feels like a superhero comedy hour. This downplays the seriousness of the superheroes’ tasks but it also makes Marvel movies engaging.

“Ragnarok” is also an adventure. It takes viewers across the universe to watch gladiator bouts, marvelous villains and riveting visuals. The elements make this addition to the Marvel franchise appealing on multiple levels.

Hemsworth has become the part. He is exceptional, making this role his own. His scenes with the talented Tom Hiddleston, who plays Loki with an agreeable exacting arrogance, are some of the movie’s best.

Another nice addition to this screenplay is Cate Blanchett. The two-time Oscar recipient makes Hela a captivating treat. Blanchett appears to have fun. She revels in this role, making her role persuasive.

Director Taika Waititi (“Two Cars, One Night,” 2004) allows his cast to have fun. He allows them room to improvise. This makes the characters appear more personal, and their combined adventure grander.

Grade: B (Thunder still reigns.)

“LBJ” (Biography/Drama: 1 hour, 38 minutes)

Starring: Woody Harrelson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Michael Stahl-David and Jeffrey Donovan

Director: Rob Reiner

Rated: R (Profanity)

Movie Review: Director Rob Reiner’s last presidential movie was “The American President” (1995), a romantic drama. Reiner’s political vision this outing is about actual government officials. 

He offers audiences an adequate but brief biographical sketch of Lyndon Baines Johnson from his days as majority leader of the Senate to his becoming the President of the United States. “LBJ” is a unique glance at the 36th president.

Woody Harrelson plays President Johnson, a man known as the dealmaker. Johnson bullies other politicians into doing what he wants. He uses his power in Congress and as the negotiating vice president. While hardcore in the political arena, he is a loving family man and affectionate with his wife, Lady Bird Johnson (Leigh). 

Johnson’s disdain for the Kennedys, President John F. Kennedy (Donovan) and his Attorney-General Robert F. Kennedy (Stahl-David), is evident, but Johnson never lets that stop him from being Kennedy’s vice president. After Kennedy’s assassination, Johnson’s task as leader of the United States becomes a contemplative existence.

Often President Kennedy overshadows President Johnson because of Kennedy’s dream for a different an America and his later assassination. Kennedy had a dream but Johnson was the force that delivered that dream.

Joey Hartstone’s screenplay presents Johnson as he was, a strong-willed man who cursed often and had some ill-mannered behaviors. For example, moviegoers get to see Harrelson discussing political strategy while in the restroom. Hartstone writing of Johnson is profound, but the rest of the movie waffles some. Hartstone allows the movie to drift some by not keeping his focus on Johnson fully in a manner that explores the complexity of the powerhouse Johnson was.

That noted, Harrelson delivers plenty as Johnson, although his appearance parallels Nixon, too. Harrelson provides plenty, but it is too bad the movie does allow him more time.

Rob Reiner has directed some of the most memorable movies of modern cinemas. He directed “When Harry Met Sally” (1989), “Misery” (1990) and “A Few Good Men” (1992). For those movies, their runtimes were adequate for their story. “LBJ” needed at least another 20 minutes for unfinished works of President Johnson and his relationship with others, including the Kennedys, southern politicians and his family.

Grade: B- (LBJ has his day.)

“A Bad Moms Christmas” (Comedy: 1 hour, 44 minutes)

Starring: Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn

Directors: Jon Lucas and Scott Moore

Rated: R (Crude behavior and sexual content, profanity and drug use)

Movie Review: This sequel to 2016’s “Bad Moms” is more of the same, recycled jokes and excessive complaining. Amy (Kunis), Kiki (Bell) and Carla (Hahn) stop complaining about being unappreciated mothers to complaining about their mothers. With good reason, the women’s mothers are more annoying. 

Just days before Christmas, Amy, Kiki and Carla learn their mothers are coming for Christmas. Amy’s mother, Ruth (nicely played by a regal Christine Baranski), is a perfectionist. Amy feels she can never measure up to her mother, including planning the perfect family Christmas. Kiki’s mother, Sandy (Cheryl Hines), treats Kiki like a child and is needy; the clinginess irritates Kiki. Carla is just like her mother, wild and free. Carla is the only one happy to see her mother, Isis (Susan Sarandon), but worries her mother will abandon her again.

The comedy is a fraternity house, juvenile antics. Mothers complain about their mothers and vice versa. They all become irritating. Humor is present, but the material that aligns itself with elementary schoolyard entertainment. A few inspiring laughs are present but they do not spread yuletide cheer.

Grade: C- (They are still.)