Continental Drift: "John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum," reviewed.

Unretired assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) still mourns his wife (Bridget Moynahan).

In one of these John Wick movies we’re going to learn he killed that dead spouse he’s been pining away for, aren’t we?

Forgive my cynicism. On the day I saw the new, double-punctuated John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum, I walked past the taped-off scene of one violent crime on my way to the subway that morning, and past the taped off scene of another violent crime on my way home from the movie 12 hours later. So I’m not sure it’s correct to call this celebration of ultraviolence escapism.

I sure did enjoy it, though. You can read about my enjoyment and my hand-wringing in my NPR review.

Double-Oh Snap! Kingsman: The Golden Circle, reviewed.

Taron Egerton, the very model of a modern British nongovernmental superspy.

Would you believe that John Denver's 1971 encomium to backwoods livin' "Take Me Home, Country Roads" is been featured in two 2017 films starring Katherine Waterston and two starring Channing Tatum, and not the same two? 

That's the kind of piercing observation I had no room for in my review of the new sequel Kingsman: The Golden Circle, which reprises "Country Roads" from Alien: Covenant and Logan Lucky. I had the privilege of discussing both of those on Pop Culture Happy Hour in addition to writing about them. Anyway, I like British superspies. And I liked The Golden Circle. With reservations.