My Rating: 3.89/4 (aka Super Fun and Complex)

One line summary: The Protagonist must race through time to save the world from implosion.

The Deets: Ok, I have now watched this film three times (twice very recently), and I am excited to watch it again very soon. It’s the latest from a true visionary writer/director, Christopher Nolan, whose other works include “Inception” and “The Prestige.” Nolan obviously loves to explore the depths of the mind, how we perceive reality, and – in this one – the construct of time. I don’t want to give away the narrative, but I will be shocked if you actually understand it the first time through (I definitely did not); but Nolan’s pace is so on, his characters so smooth, the tone so slick, it’s basically impossible to not get sucked into the story wrapped around some super cool action. It has the grandiosity of “Inception” and this time includes some pure evil (an excellent Kenneth Branagh). But it’s John David Washington who steals the show – we can’t keep our eyes off him as he (literally) struts and fights his way through time to rescue civilization. The more I think about it, the more I believe that Nolan doesn’t want us to “make sense” of his narrative, that the fluidity of time is impossible to grasp and – within the space of a movie – we should suspend our belief system and simply enjoy the ride.

Perfect for: Anyone who already enjoys the films of Christopher Nolan, if you like mind-bending stories, and if you’re in the mood for a total departure from reality.

Where to watch: HBO Max (I may have too many streaming subscriptions, but glad I have this one).