In theaters this week
Published 9:20 am Friday, August 17, 2018
Can’t decide what to see this weekend?
Bowling Green Daily News film critic Micheal Compton is here to tell you the best – and worst – now playing at your local cineplex.
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Alpha (not reviewed at this time)
(Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10, Highland Cinemas)
Ant-Man and the Wasp (B)
For everyone who needs a breather following the events of “Avengers: Infinity War,” the latest Marvel Universe entry proves to be the perfect escape.
The follow-up to the 2015 film that introduced audiences to Ant-Man builds on the fun of the original, a charming bit of escapism that expands the world while maintaining the formula that made the first film such a success. (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12)
BlacKkKlansman (A)
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Director Spike Lee return to the top of his game with his latest film which is based on the memoir of Ron Stallworth.
This a film that resonates in today’s political climate – with Lee the perfect visionary to bring this story to life. It’s easily his best work since “Malcolm X.” (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12)
Christopher Robin (C)
Disney’s latest endeavor is a mixed bag.
It’s a late-summer film aimed for the family audience, but for the most part it’s anything but a family film. There are moments that work, but those are fleeting as the film struggles to find the right tone. (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Highland Cinemas)
Crazy Rich Asians (B)
The first film with an all Asian cast doesn’t rest on that, it proves to be a delightful romantic comedy that has universal appeal thanks to a strong cast and a clever screenplay (Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10, Highland Cinemas)
The Darkest Minds (not reviewed at this time)
(Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10)
Death of a Nation (not reviewed at this time)
(Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10)
Dog Days (not reviewed at this time)
(Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10, Highland Cinemas)
Eighth Grade (A)
There is something pretty wonderful writer/director Bo Burnham’s coming-of-age film that understands the struggles of today’s youth trying to navigate through a world where social media dominates.
Anchored by a star-making performance from 15-year-old Elsie Fisher, this is a film for the awkward teen in all of us with a story that is both in the moment and universal. (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12)
The Equalizer 2 (C)
the follow-up to the ugly 2014 film that, at least for me, was a low point for Denzel Washington and director Antoine Fuqua manages to at least tone down most of the ugliness, but still winds up being nothing more than your run-of-the-mill action movie. (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10, Highland Cinemas, Franklin Drive-In)
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (C)
The latest installment of the animated franchise does a good job playing to its target audience, but it really doesn’t have enough sustained moments to keep parents interested as well. The result is a well-meaning family film that likely won’t have the broad appeal that is intended. (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Highland Cinemas)
Incredibles 2 (B)
This Pixar sequel isn’t quite up to par with the 2004 original, but it is still a lot of fun – especially when it finds its stride in a thrilling second hour. (Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10)
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (C-)
Big, loud and kind of dumb – that is the best way to describe the fifth installment of the popular franchise and follow-up to the 2015 reboot.
While that 2015 film found its stride in the second half to deliver at least a mildly entertaining thrill ride, “Fallen Kingdom” stumbles from the start and can’t recover – a pale retread of everything we have seen before in this franchise. (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12)
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (B)
This follow-up to the 2008 hit is pretty much the exact same movie as the first film with one major exception – it’s actually good.
Thanks to some cleverly crafted musical numbers and the addition to the cast of the delightful Lily James, “Here We Go Again” manages to make the second dose of ABBA songs much more palatable – a fun and fluffy little musical concoction that can melt even the most jaded of hearts. (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10)
Mile 22 (C-)
The fourth time director Peter Berg and actor Mark Wahlberg have teamed up proves to be their the weakest collaboration yet. “Mile 22” does have a few well-staged action sequences but the rest is rather clunky – resulting in a film that feels pretty bloated even at only 95 minutes. (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10, Highland Cinemas)
Mission: Impossible – Fallout (B)
The sixth film in the franchise may be one of the best, a thrill ride full of nice set pieces that and some great visual dynamics. (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10, Highland Cinemas)
The Meg (B-)
If you’ve ever wanted to see Jason Statham and a gigantic CGI shark battle it out, “The Meg” is the movie you’ve been waiting for.
The latest spin on a man-eating shark story is a big ol’ ball of dumb that’s riddled with some pretty standard cliches, but it still manages to work because it never takes itself too seriously. (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10, Highland Cinemas, Franklin Drive-In)
Slender Man (D)
A horribly mind-numbing attempt at a horror film that will leave audiences bored. (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12)
The Spy Who Dumped Me (C)
This comedy with Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon feels like a mediocre film with a pretty good film fighting desperately to try and get out. Some of it works, but a lot of it misfires (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10)
Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (B)
Who would have thunk that one of the summer’s biggest surprises would be a cartoon making the leap from small screen to big screen?
That proves to be the case with this feature length film based on the popular Cartoon Network series which is basically a “Deadpool” for kids – a nonstop barrage of pop culture references and site gags that actually wind up being pretty clever. (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12)