Murder on the Orient Express Mostly Stays on Track

Strangers on a train, trapped in an avalanche, with murder afoot and the world’s greatest detective on the case: in a career full of classic mysteries, Murder on the Orient Express ranks among author Agatha Christie’s most brilliantly conceived stories. Naturally, it’s already been adapted more than once, including a 1974 big-screen version directed by Sidney Lumet and boasting some of the most famous actors of its day — an all-star ensemble spirit recaptured in the Kenneth Branagh version pulling into theaters this weekend. The award-winning director also leads the cast as renowned detective Hercule Poirot, whose dreams of a leisurely ride on the titular train are dashed when a passenger (Johnny Depp) approaches him for help, and is subsequently found stabbed to death by one of his fellow travelers — a group that includes characters played by Judi Dench, Michelle Pfeiffer, Penélope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, and Daisy Ridley, just to name a few. With all the talent assembled, it’d be a surprise if Branagh’s Orient was less than entertaining, so the good news is that critics say this retelling makes solid use of its source material and its sterling cast. The bad news? While it has its moments, it hardly feels essential — and for anyone who already knows the story, Christie’s twists will have lost their ability to surprise. Don’t be afraid to buy a ticket for this voyage, in other words, but you might want to temper your expectations, especially if you already know whodunit.

‘Tis the season… for holiday-themed sequels adding an older generation of actors to play the parents of the original stars! Ho, ho, ho. One week after A Bad Moms Christmas sought to double down on the laughs by introducing the bad moms’ moms, here comes Daddy’s Home 2, the second chapter in the comedic saga of mild-mannered suburban Brad (Will Ferrell) who’s learning how to coexist with his stepkids’ father Dusty (Mark Wahlberg). After spending the first film largely at odds, the two have struck up a friendship — which is put to the test in the sequel, thanks to Christmas visits from Ferrell’s PDA-dispensing pops (John Lithgow) and Wahlberg’s uncouth old man (Mel Gibson), not to mention interference from the biological father (John Cena) of Dusty’s stepchild. It’s the stuff holiday nightmares are made of — or big laughs, if the cast and the screenwriters play their cards right. Unfortunately, we can’t tell you which is which yet with Daddy’s Home 2, because reviews are still embargoed. While we wait to determine this sequel’s critical fate, how about a round of Guess the Tomatometer?

Damnation‘s complex character driven mystery is intriguing, though it occasionally feels like homework.