Here are some reviews of films coming out at the theater this week as well as others that may be in theaters or newly on home video.
Opening: Aug. 4, 2023
Wide (United States)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Limited (United States)
A Compassionate Spy
Laura Clifford @ Reeling Reviews
- Excerpt: https://www.reelingreviews.com/reviews/a-compassionate-spy/
Lola
- Excerpt: Lofty in ambition yet flawed in realization, LOLA is nonetheless an intriguing experiment in lo-fi science-fiction—not to mention, a cautionary tale of the kind of artistic expression we can expect under fascism.
Passages
Laura Clifford @ Reeling Reviews
- Excerpt: Ira Sachs’s (“Keep the Lights On,” “Frankie”) unconventional love triangle is a portrait of a self-involved emotional manipulator which is emotionally true but dramatically predictable.
Shortcomings
Laura Clifford @ Reeling Reviews
- Excerpt: There is nothing distinctive about Park’s production, nothing cinematic about its imagery and no one to root for except Alice, who is more of a supporting player than co-lead.
2023 Films In Theaters Now In Select Areas
Asteroid City
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Barbie
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Haunted Mansion
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Oppenheimer
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
The Starling Girl
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Sympathy for the Devil
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Talk to Me
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Afire
Laura Clifford @ Reeling Reviews
- Excerpt: If at first the film appears to meander, lazing in summer sunshine, its build will surprise with unexpected emotion, its petulant protagonist finding grace.
Afwaah
Kathy Gibson @ Access Bollywood
Aporia
- Excerpt: Jared Moshe’s stripped-down, sci-fi parable lacks the ingenuity to properly explore its intriguing premise.
Jared Mobarak @ The Film Stage
- Excerpt: APORIA feels akin to PRIMER in that way. Not as heady, but there are definitely aesthetic parallels. Merge that film’s intelligence with the aching heart of LITTLE FISH and you get close to anticipating the vibe on-screen.
The Becomers
Jared Mobarak @ The Film Stage
- Excerpt: [Nothing] that’s revealed is surprising considering Clark does well to keep clues out in the open, but a lot is shocking insofar as how wild he’s willing to [go]. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but those on its frequency should have a whale of a time.
Blackout
Jared Mobarak @ The Film Stage
- Excerpt: Give Fessenden credit for really jam-packing this low-budget affair with as much political and social commentary as possible—even if a lot of it might come across as somewhat half-baked and reductive. The experience is worth those hiccups.
Booger
Jared Mobarak @ The Film Stage
- Excerpt: Dauterman’s message is relatable. Wanting to be numb rather than confront the pain should resonate with most audiences regardless of whether the genre device used proves too much to wrap their heads around.
The First Slam Dunk
Jared Mobarak @ Hey, have you seen …?
- Excerpt: It may feel like your usual run-of-the-mill David vs Goliath sports drama, but Inoue choreographs it with an electric pace and infectious humor. The draw is what happens between these teenagers’ ears—the memories conjured by each conflict on the court.
The Four Quartets
- Excerpt: Words speak louder than actions
Happiness for Beginners
Allen Almachar @ The MacGuffin
- Excerpt: Are there better rom-com options out there? Sure, but there’s also a ton that are worse.
Hundreds of Beavers
- Excerpt: There were, in fact, hundreds of beavers.
Kokomo City
Laura Clifford @ Reeling Reviews
- Excerpt: a lively interwoven portrait of four trans women speaking bluntly about sex, the dangers that they face and the contradiction of a black community which claims oppression yet oppresses those who dare to embrace their own truth.
Lovely, Dark, and Deep
Jared Mobarak @ Hey, have you seen …?
- Excerpt: The result might not tread new territory insofar as aesthetic or thrills, but it does present an intriguing choice of which Campbell does well to expose its difficult psychological conundrum. Because in the end, we are trespassing.
Mavka: The Forest Song
MaryAnn Johanson @ FlickFilosopher.com
- Excerpt: Traditional folk music and beautifully animated mythic motifs may be rightfully validating for homegrown Ukrainian audiences, but there’s little else beyond that novelty to capture others’ imagination.
Movie Madness Episode 404: May We Have Another Classic On Blu-Ray?
Erik Childress @ Now Playing Network
- Excerpt: This week in physical media brings some classics to the 4K universe along with other must-owns for your collection. Peter Sobczynski joins Erik Childress to go over new collections spotlighting Walter Hill, Sidney J. Furie and Gene Hackman. One of Disney’s greatest animated titles gets the 4K upgrade as does classics with James Dean and John Wayne.
Theater Camp
Matt Oakes @ Silver Screen Riot
- Excerpt: Fueled by a script that absolutely sings and the thespian talent and improvisational ingenuity to back it up, ‘Theater Camp’ is a hysterical and delightful trip to mockumentary perfection that stands as one of the best comedy films in recent memory. More Molly Gordon in everything please.
Where the Devil Roams
Jared Mobarak @ Hey, have you seen …?
- Excerpt: WHERE THE DEVIL ROAMS is thus more a curiosity than story. More vibe-driven than thematically-charged.
