Mini Review - Dunkirk
Dunkirk (out Jul 20) is an intense, unrelenting drama that follows members of the British army, navy and air force as they try to escape the beaches of Dunkirk, France in May 1940. Great use of sound, music and time combined with a noticeable lack of dialogue. I was a sweaty mess by the end. Grade: A.
Mini Review - Paris Can Wait
Paris Can Wait (out Jul 20) follows a married woman (Diane Lane) who goes on a road trip across France with a movie producer intent on seducing her. Those that have been to France might enjoy the look of the food and the scenic landscapes but for those after a character-driven drama, this comes up empty. Grade: C.
Mini Review - Spider-Man: Homecoming
Spider-Man: Homecoming (out Jul 6) is a super fun reboot that, thankfully, isn't another origin story. Michael Keaton is great as the believable villain and Tom Holland is full of personality in the lead role. Grade: A-.
Mini Review - Baby Driver
Baby Driver (out Jul 13) is about a quiet, mysterious young man who acts as a getaway driver for a group of criminals. I wasn’t fully sold by the ending but this is still a super fun action film from director Edgar Wright that uses music as its hook as opposed to over-the-top stunts and special effects. Grade: A-.
Mini Review - The Beguiled
The Beguiled (out Jul 13) is set in 1864 during the midst of the American Civil War. An injured soldier is taken in a group of women running a seminary in rural Virginia. There are mind games aplenty here and the character interaction is terrific. Still, it's a little on the slow side in places. Grade: B+.
Mini Review - It Comes At Night
It Comes At Night (out Jul 6) is a superb thriller about a family who take refuge in the woods after a deadly virus engulfs the planet. This is about as realistic as it gets for the genre with the characters acting rationally and logically. This adds to the tension in a major way. Grade: A-.
Mini Review - The House
The House (out Jun 29) stars Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler as a long-married couple who start their own illegal casino to pay for their daughter's college tuition. There's nowhere near enough material to drag this out into 90 minutes and the good laughs are few and far between. Grade: C.
Mini Review - Lady Macbeth
Lady Macbeth (out Jun 29) is a heavy drama based on the novel by Nikolai Leskov. A married woman has an affair and then goes to great lengths to protect her new way of life. It's slow in places but it's also strong, powerful when it needs to be. Grade: B.
