Bill Goodykoontz

It has such lofty ambitions and go-for-broke performances, but never really connects.

Think of "Coyote vs. Acme" as a movie that will make you laugh and, if you squint just a little, serve as a pretty spot-on metaphor for the little guy standing up to authority.

The beauty of “Tony,” ultimately, is that we don’t really care that this character is, or will become, Anthony Bourdain. Thanks to Sessa’s performance, Tony is a wholly unique creation.

As with their previous films, Schoenbrun makes this world their own, and allows us entry into it. It is an invitation well worth accepting.

For one thing, it’s not all that sexy. It is, however, funny, well-acted and may actually have something to say, though I’m still debating that point.

It’s not a full meal of a movie. It’s a snack that is wholly without nutritional value, but it is pretty tasty for the most part. It’s the kind of movie that you’ll be glad it exists, even if by this time next week you’ll probably forget that it does.

It’s great, a star-studded triumph that is at once overwhelming and accessible.

Alcock is outstanding in portraying all of this — the nihilistic party girl with a tortured past, the tough-love mentor, the confused cousin of the Man of Steel. But the direction is messy, and the fight scenes, of which there are plenty, are shot way too dark, making it hard to know what’s going on, and hindered by remarkably poor computer graphics. A couple of scenes in particular look like they aren’t quite done yet. It all adds up to a promising portrayal diluted by sloppy storytelling.

The new film...tackles the perils of technology, and while it has its moments, introduces a great new character, consistently scores with throwaway jokes and asides and finally centers a female character, it’s just not as good as the “Toy Story” movies that came before it.

This is going to be the favorite movie of weather forecasters everywhere. As well it might. For a movie about the weather, it’s pretty exciting. And the cast, which includes Brendan Fraser, Kerry Condon and Andrew Scott, is excellent.