“Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” is a very enjoyable and engaging movie sans filmmaker Michael Bay, who dropped out of the series after “Transformers: The Last Knight” in 2017 to direct people movies like “Ambulance” with Jake Gyllenhaal of 2022. Steven Caple Jr. (“Creed II,” “Transformers: Earthspark” on TV) slips into the director’s chair for the new “Transformers” chapter. This sci-fi action-adventure takes place in the 1990s. This one involves a likable kid named Noah played by Anthony Ramos (“In the Heights,” “Hamilton”), who’s trying to make it in New York City.

The Best Actress category has a lot of surprising choices this year. For starters we have Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe in “Blonde.” Andrea Roseborough from “To Leslie” rode a social media push to land her first nomination. Michelle Williams, who plays the matriarch in “The Fabelmans,” is also in the running. Cate Blanchett, who won this award for “Blue Jasmine” in 2013, is back in the race as a troubled orchestra conductor in “Tár.” My money is on Michelle Yeoh for the time jumping, universe switching action-comedy “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”

Based on the novel of the same name by author Kevin Kwan, “Crazy Rich Asians” is an exciting flick to see and widely considered the first Hollywood film to feature Asian-Americans in leading roles since 1993’s “The Joy Luck Club.”