By Susan Granger
Years ago, Hollywood lured summertime audiences into theaters by offering air-conditioning. Now it takes a lot more than cool air.
Depending on your taste, here’s what you may or may not want to see this month:
Disney/Pixar sets up a timely toy vs. tech confrontation, bringing back Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the gang of beloved playthings in Andrew Stanton’s animated fantasy. It’s one of this summer’s best.
Steven Spielberg returns to his “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” & “Close Encounters of a Third Kind” sci-fi roots with a whistle-blower’s revelation of a government conspiracy to conceal the existence of alien creatures on Earth.
A spinoff from the Disney TV series, this action-packed adventure follows a brawny, fully-armored bounty- hunting warrior (Pedro Pascal) and his tiny, always hungry ward who resembles a Baby Yoda.
Nostalgic horror reigns supreme in this sixth installment that brings back brothers Marlon & Shawn Wayans as co-writers and co-stars, along with Anna Farris and Regina Hall.
Director Olivia Wilde co-stars with Seth Rogen as a bickering married couple who issue a dinner party invitation to their far more free-spirited upstairs neighbors, played by Penelope Cruz and Edward Norton. A Sundance hit, it’s like a funny, filthy comedy of manners.
If you’re up on your DC comic-book lore, you’d know that Kryptonian Kara El-Zor (Milly Alcock) is the Man of Steel’s cosmic bar-hopping cousin, ready to fight for truth, justice and her right to party as cigar-smoking mercenary Jason Momoa zooms in as Lobo, an interstellar biker. So far, it’s been a major disappointment.
Those mischievous, time-traveling, tiny yellow minions are back as silent film-makers in 1920s Hollywood – but the audience reaction to their gibberish talk has been decidedly underwhelming.
“Moana”
Starring Dwayne Johnson as the demi-god Maui, this unnecessary live-action remake of Disney’s popular animated film revolves around Polynesian Moana’s (Catherine Laga’aia) quest to save her island. Too bad the visuals are so flat; that’s particularly noticeable with the water effects and aquatic creatures.
Oscar-winning director Christopher Nolan (“Oppenheim”) tackles Homer’s epic poem about the aftermath of the Trojan War, recruiting Matt Damon to play Odysseus, King of Ithaca, with Anne Hathaway as his wife Penelope. Plus, there’s Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Samantha Morton, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron and Zendaya along for the ride.
At the conclusion of “No Way Home” (2021), webslinger Peter Parker (Tom Holland) decided to erase his arachnoid identity from the world, so this explores what happens next – with MJ (Zendaya) and the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo).
Catch up on Susan’s recent reviews:
Susan Granger
Westport resident Susan Granger grew up in Hollywood, studied journalism with Pierre Salinger at Mills College and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with highest honors in Journalism. In addition to writing for newspapers and magazines, she has appeared on radio and television as an anchorwoman and movie critic for many years. Read all her reviews at susangranger.com.
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