Tolkien: Rings true

So here we have Nicolas Hoult as J.R.R. Tolkein, author of the insanely popular Hobbit and Lord of the Rings books. His World War I experiences fed the fantasies he wrote.

And then we had Nicholas Hoult in "Rebel in the Rye" playing J.D. Salinger, author of the wildly popular "The Catcher in the Rye," whose World War II experiences shaped one of the most beloved and enduring fictional characters: Holden Caulfield.

And the similarities don't end there. Both flicks were panned by critics. And both were thoroughly enjoyed by the Movie Slut.

You don't have to be a Hobbit fancier to like this movie. It's about Tolkein's childhood, early adulthood, and the events that led him to write his fantastic fantasies.

Long Shot: A sure bet

So, you can't see Charlize Theron and Seth Rogan as an item? Throgan is just not doing it for you?

Well, see this flick and chances are you'll change your tune.

So what if he's a slovenly, plodding member of the Fourth Estate and she—one of the most powerful (and beautiful) women in the world—is about to launch a bid for the presidency.

We believe.

And the fact that we believe is a testament to the smart script and the top-notch acting skills of the two stars. The laughs are a bonus.

Avengers Endgame: Let's hope so

Hail, hail, the gangs all here. Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, Captain America, Valkyrie, Spider Man, and a battalion of other Superheros, who show up for cameos at the end of this tiresome three-hour megaplex bore. There's a plot of sorts. It involves time travel, a Movie Slut favorite. But alas, even this usually inspired plot twist falls flatter than Captain America's shield.

Diehard fans of the Avenger flicks claim to love this movie. As for the rest of us, we're hoping it really is The End.

Penguins: Awwwwwwww!

Meet Steve. He's a five-year old Adelie penguin about to embark on his first mating season. As if that's not daunting enough, he lives in Antarctica, the most forbidding climate on Earth.

 Luckily, he can talk, or to be more accurate, has borrowed the voice of Ed Helms to tell us about his fascinating, frightening, fabulous adventure full of dangerous foes like killer whales and leopard seals. But it's all worth it when he meets the love of his life in Disneynature's latest contribution to our knowledge and understanding of our planet and its inhabitants.

The kids will love this flick. That's kids of all ages, including those well into the double digits, read grandma and gramps.

Amazing Grace: Aretha sings

After more than four decades, Aretha Franklin fans can finally see the concert she gave in 1972 at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Los Angeles. The two-night concert was well worth waiting for.

You won't hear "Respect," "I Say a Little Prayer," "A Natural Woman," or any of the hit songs she'd already made famous. This concert served as the recording for her album, "Amazing Grace," which became the best-selling gospel music album of all time.

Even if you're not a diehard gospel fan, you'll recognize some of the songs, including "You've Got A Friend," "My Sweet Lord," and, of course, her heart-stopping rendition of "Amazing Grace."

Missing Link: Find it. See it. Love it.

It's been a long time since the Movie Slut has given a flick a no-holds-barred RAVE. Now she can't contain her enthusiasm for this visually stunning and fun family film.

Sir Lionel Frost (Hugh Jackman's voice) is a stuffy British explorer at a time when stuffy British clubs were the place to hang out when not out searching for mythical creatures. To everyone's surprise—including his—he discovers Big Foot, a lonely missing link and consents to help find Mr. Link's long lost relatives.

An odyssey follows that takes Sir Lionel and Link to the Pacific North West, back to England, through India and on to the Himalayas. The Movie Slut is sure you'll want to tag along on their journey.

Little: It's no "Big"

When Regina Hall is on the screen in this disappointing flick, she elevates it to an acceptable level of entertainment. Alas, she's absent for most of the film about a bad boss who learns the errors of her ways when she's magically returned  to middle school and discovers there's more to life than making big bucks.

The Movie Slut was hoping for a funny, smart film that added something to a bevy of movies about bad bosses and repeat childhoods. But it was not to be. But don't take her word for it. Here are comments from her movie companions.

Sid, 8. "I think the movie was super-duper predictable. On a scale of one to ten, I give it a zero, and,"Sid added, piling on a bit, "it was too long."

Annie, 13. "Maybe if I hadn't seen "The Devil Wears Prada," "Freaky Friday," and "Big," I would have liked it, but I thought it was cliched."

Barbara S., aka Nana, "I thought that the characters were very shallow and it was very predictable."

As usual, the Movie Slut found redeeming value in one department: Wardrobe. All the characters were impeccably dressed in interesting fashion-forward styles. Too bad they weren't also given a quality script.