Mini Review - The Darkest Minds
The Darkest Minds (out Aug 16) is a teen orientated sci-fi drama with similar themes to the X-Men and Divergent franchises. A group of kids develop special powers and the result of the population, who see them as a threat, try to take them down. I struggled to get into this. Characters make dumb choices (to obviously prolong the narrative) and there isn't enough time to explore the complexity of this world inside of two hours. Grade: C+.
Mini Review - Submergence
Submergence (out Aug 16) is a sluggish drama from director Wim Wenders about a couple who fall in love but are separated in unusual circumstances. The film tries to devote a similar amount of time to the two characters but her narrative becomes dreadfully dull as she jeopardises her work and waits for a text/email. Grade: C.
Mini Review - The Meg
The Meg (out Aug 16) is complete trash... but I think that was the intention and so it's mildly entertaining. Don't go in expecting a Jaws-style thriller. This is a shark "comedy" where the film mocks the genre by deliberately using dumb characters, well worn cliches, and farcical escape acts. It loses its way in the final act in trying to become more serious. Grade: B-.
Mini Review - BlacKkKlansman
BlacKkKlansman (out Aug 16) is based on some “fo’ real shit" and is the story of an African American police detective and his white partner who infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan in the late 1970s. It's a fun, uncomfortable ride and you won't know whether to laugh or cringe at the absurdity of the situation. It's likely to spark debate about how much America has changed… and not changed over the past few decades. Grade: B+.
Mini Review - On Chesil Beach
On Chesil Beach (out Aug 9) is an unorthodox love story. Set in 1962 (just prior to the cultural revolution of the late 1960s), we follow an insecure married couple who try to harness the courage to have sex of the first time. This is a moving character study with newcomer Billy Howle and three-time Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn, Lady Bird) both delivering exquisitely awkward performances. Grade: B+.
Mini Review - The Spy Who Dumped Me
The Spy Who Dumped Me (out Aug 9) could have been funnier but on the plus side, it does a great job mixing genres and it throws in a few surprises. It's the story of two not-so-bright women who become de facto spies and must deliver an important parcel to a contact in Vienna. Grade: B.
Mini Review - Knock
Knock (out Aug 2) is the tale of a middle-aged man who gets a new lease on life by becoming a doctor in a small French town. There's something odd about the whole film. The leading character is tricky to like and the inclusion of the villainous priest only adds to the silliness. Grade: C+.
Mini Review - Summer 1993
Summer 1993 (out Aug 2) is a Spanish drama about a 6-year-old who loses her mother and struggles to fit in with her new family. There's an authenticity to the performances of the young actors but in trying to be an intriguing character study, the film doesn't quite get there. A touch slow. Grade: B-.
