Evan’s Summer Movies to Catch (and Miss)

Evan D

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I know its been a while since I last posted a review, life happens. Instead of writing a full fledged deep dive into something that came out a couple months ago, I thought I could give a quick rundown of movies you can still see in theaters. There are plenty of great movies out right now from mega blockbusters to limited release indies. In order of their release (oldest to newest) here is what’s still playing and if you should check it out:

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Have you ever wondered how Han Solo got his name? No? Yeah me either. ‘Solo’ was actually a fairly fun fun movie but it bogged down by being the Han Solo movie. Star Wars has created such a rich universe but continues to tie itself to the same characters whose stories have already been told. It’s frustrating because Alden Ehrenreich is actually pretty good and the supporting cast more than carries their weight for a film that could have been good were it about anyone but Han Solo. I’ve seen a lot of speculation that it did poorly because of a ‘Last Jedi’ boycott. Two thoughts on that; ‘The Last Jedi’ was good and if ‘Solo’ was any good people would have seen it. Easy to boycott a bad movie. 6/10

American Animals

I was really hyped for this one. The trailer made it seem like a good old fashioned heist movie, promising lots of action and calamity. Instead, ‘American Animals’ is a quasi documentary telling an almost definitive account of a botched heist that none of the participants can seem to agree on. Failing at what a film like ‘The Tale” masterfully succeeds, the best moments of ‘American Animals’ are the fleeting examinations of memory and its faults. Sadly we don’t get enough of those moments and instead are left with a pretty boring movie. 5/10

Hereditary

Were you starting to worry that there was nothing out worth seeing? Fear not, or be very afraid, because A24’s latest dive into the horror genre is phenomenal. A brutal examination of loss and pain, ‘Hereditary’ devilishly shows that no matter how much we may want to, we cant escape our family. Toni Collette is at her absolute best and may wrangle an Oscar nomination out of this performance. ‘Hereditary’ is bereft of most of the jump scares of the genre, instead opting for suspense and uneasiness, but it remains as scary as anything in recent memory. If you have the chance make sure to see this one before it leaves theaters. 9/10

Ocean’s 8

A star studded summer heist starring an all female cast, ‘Ocean’s 8’ is a lot of fun even if it doesn’t have all the depth of the Soderbergh films. Sandra Bullock is fine, Cate Blanchett is amazing in everything, Anne Hathaway and James Corden, I know, steal the show. Ultimately the latest installment of the ‘Ocean’s’ settles on being safe, not the best choice for a movie about a high profile robbery, but regardless its still a fun ride and worth your time. 6.5/10

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Incredibles 2 - Disney/Pixar

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Incredibles 2

Fourteen years and well worth the wait. If you haven’t seen this one yet, go now. The original Incredibles is right up there with the very best Pixar movies and its long awaited sequel is equally impressive. Predating the MCU, The Parr family remain the most human of super-humans. As much about parenthood and upending gender norms as it is kicking bad guy butt, ‘Incredibles 2’ strikes a perfect balance of heart, humor and action. The scene with Jack Jack and the raccoon alone was worth the long wait. 8.5/10

Tag

‘Tag’ was a movie that I never had high hopes for. Even from the previews it seemed like a buddy comedy with some funny parts but that ultimately would be forgettable. I wasn’t even going to see it until a few friends convinced me to give it a shot. “Its as good as ‘Blockers’” they said. I was not prepared for how much I did not like ‘Tag.’ Certainly it had humorous moments, but those were too few and far between to compensate for the forced narrative of the power of friendship. At least I think thats what they were going for. All Ed Helms talks about is how their game of tag is about being close to each other. But when it comes down to it these people don’t seem to give a shit about each other. I might write a whole review about the problems I had with ‘Tag.’ 3.5/10

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

This movie sucked. One of the worst things I’ve seen this year. I really don’t have much else to say about it. 1.5/10

Damsel

Almost certainly going to write a full review of this film. One of the best movies I’ve seen this year. ‘Damsel’ is a western that attempts, most of the time successfully, to subvert the entire genre. It’s got a dry and wicked sense of humor all while challenging expectations of what the movie is. With a strong female lead and a plot I wont spoil, this is a film that feels incredibly timely through the current lens of the ‘Me Too’ and ‘Time’s Up’ movements. If you can find a theater playing it, I can’t recommend ‘Damsel’ enough. 9/10

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Wont You Be My Neighbor - Focus Features

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Wont You Be My Neighbor?

This is another one I want to take a deeper dive on. It wasn’t anything groundbreaking or even all that revealing, but doesn’t it feel like we could really use Mr. Rogers right now? With the current political climate breeding anger it’s nice to sit and watch the story of a man who spent his life teaching children about kindness. Our current administration too often feels fluent in xenophobia and intolerance, ‘Wont You Be My Neighbor?’ certainly acts as a rebuke to that line of thought without explicitly taking a side. I wont say this is a cant miss documentary, but it is undoubtedly worth your time, especially if you grew up with Mr. Rogers. 7/10

Ant-Man and the Wasp

Everyone’s favorite fun size hero returns for a sequel that catapults co-star Evangeline Lily into a leading role. ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’ follows up the very heavy ‘Infinity War’ with a charming story that feels tangential to the other goings on of the MCU. This is a good thing. A breath of fresh air after an Avengers mega-blockbuster that at times felt suffocating. The antagonist is one of the better ones in the franchise, Paul Rudd still looks 25 and Evangeline Lily is a badass. Definitely worth checking out 7.5/10

Sorry To Bother You

This was a really weird movie. I can warn you about how weird it is and you’ll still be surprised by how weird it gets. That said, ‘Sorry to Bother You’ leaves no doubt about the message it’s trying to get across. This is a workers rights film through and through and Director Boots Riley has his knives out for Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and their ilk. It may go a bit far to make its point, but Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson and Armie Hammer shine to make this a movie worth checking out. 7.5/10

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