This was supposed to be a quiet week. Instead, I ended up reviewing seven movies … though about half of them were TIFF holdovers, which  took the edge off.

Let’s ride!

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs: The Coens go West, with ambivalence.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald: Second Potter prequel. I’m so tired. [Rad]

The Front Runner: Jason Reitman misses the point, again.

Green Book: Viggo and Mahershala make sublime music.

Instant Family: Adoption comedy, based on real lives.

A Private War: Rosamund Pike’s great; movie’s just okay.

Touched: A good little Montreal ghost story.

Widows: McQueen remakes BBC series, kicks ass.

The Woman who Loves Giraffes: Before Goodall and Fossey: Anne Dagg.

I’ve heard good things about the giraffe movie, too.