It’s the last weekend of June, and we’ve got a ton of releases to look forward to. While there aren’t too many big budget films coming out, the theaters will be filled up with indie movies. Read on to find out more about this weekend at the movies*!
“Independence Day: Resurgence” – We had twenty years to prepare. So did they.
Synopsis: “We always knew they were coming back. After “Independence Day” redefined the event movie genre, the next epic chapter delivers global spectacle on an unimaginable scale. Using recovered alien technology, the nations of Earth have collaborated on an immense defense program to protect the planet. But nothing can prepare us for the aliens’ advanced and unprecedented force. Only the ingenuity of a few brave men and women can bring our world back from the brink of extinction” (Twentieth Century Fox).
While, personally, I think it would have been cool if “Resurgence” came out on Independence Day – Friday is the day! It’s been twenty years since the first film starring Will Smith came out, and Roland Emmerich returns as director. This time, it’s Liam Hemsworth and Jeff Goldblum going head to head with the belligerent race of aliens – only they’re even scarier. But, will there be any other distinctions to keep this film from falling into the “Sequels That Never Should Have Happened” category? Reviews have been mixed, so far. The film has a metascore of 49/100, and a rating of 59% on Rotten Tomatoes. Lucy O’Brien of IGN has given the film a rating of 8/10, calling it “a silly, cheesy, spectacle-driven blockbuster with heart”. On the other hand, several reviews haven’t been so kind. Stefan Pape of Flickreel complains that “this picture comes devoid of a palpable protagonist”, and mentions a lackluster screenplay.
“The Shallows” – What was once in the deep is now in the shallows.
Synopsis: “In the taut thriller “The Shallows”, when Nancy (Blake Lively) is surfing on a secluded beach, she finds herself on the feeding ground of a great white shark. Millions of years of evolution have led the shark to do one thing: survive. Though she is stranded only 200 yards from shore, getting there proves the ultimate test of wills” (Official Site).
It’s unusual to see Blake Lively in a low budget film, but it’s great nonetheless! The movie hasn’t gotten a lot of media attention, but so far reviews have been glowing. On Rotten Tomatoes, “The Shallows” currently holds a 79% approval rating and a slighly lesser 59/100 on Metacritic. IndieWire‘s David Ehrlich gives the film a B+ rating, praising Lively’s performance and writing, “this thing is all killer and no filler”. It sounds like jaws – but thrilling in a different sense.
“Free State of Jones” – Based on the Incredible True Story.
Synopsis: “Free State of Jones is an epic action-drama set during the Civil War, and tells the story of defiant Southern farmer, Newt Knight, and his extraordinary armed rebellion against the Confederacy. Banding together with other small farmers and local slaves, Knight launched an uprising that led Jones County, Mississippi to secede from the Confederacy, creating a Free State of Jones. Knight continued his struggle into Reconstruction, distinguishing him as a compelling, if controversial, figure of defiance long beyond the War” (STX Entertainment).
“Free State of Jones” has all the ingredients for a good movie – Gary Ross (an experienced director), Matthew McConaughey (a seasoned lead), and an original story. In spite of this, the movie isn’t doing too well with critics, earning a 30% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and 54/100 on Metacritic. Where does it go wrong? Clint Worthington writes for Consequence of Sound, “it has Oscar-season pretensions of significance it doesn’t earn, but also lacks the bombast of a historical war epic like “Saving Private Ryan”.”
“The Neon Demon” – The wicked die young.
Synopsis: “When aspiring model Jesse moves to Los Angeles, her youth and vitality are devoured by a group of beauty-obsessed women who will use any means necessary to get what she has in “The Neon Demon”, the new horror thriller from Nicolas Winding Refn. “The Neon Demon” stars Elle Fanning, Jena Malone, Bella Heathcote, Abbey Lee, Karl Glusman, Keanu Reeves, Christina Hendricks, Desmond Harrington, Alessandro Nivola, and Charles Baker” (Official Site).
While this premise is really promising, and has the potential to provide a meaningful commentary on the superficial obsessions of society, critics haven’t been persuaded of this. Metacritic gives a “mixed” rating of 50/100 for the film, and Rotten Tomatoes gives it a decidedly negative 49%. Liz Braun of The Toronto Sun writes that although “the general meaning of the movie is somewhat elusive” it’s “both terrifying and hilarious”. The New York Observer isn’t as kind, calling the film “dumbfoundingly awful” and gives it a 0 rating – perhaps the film is worth missing.
“Swiss Army Man” – We all need some body to lean on.
Synopsis: “Hank (Paul Dano) is stranded on a deserted island, having given up all hope of ever making it home again. But one day everything changes when a corpse named Manny (Daniel Radcliffe) washes up on shore; the two become fast friends, and ultimately go on an epic adventure that will bring Hank back to the woman of his dreams” (A24 Films).
So this is the film that I’m most looking forward to this weekend. For one thing, A24 has earned a reputation for delivering quality indie films. And, of course, who doesn’t love Daniel Radcliffe? The film premiered at Sundance earlier this year, where half of the audience walked out in outrage after seeing Radcliffe play a flatulent corpse. Apparently, those who stayed loved it! Recently, the film has been getting mixed reviews. On Metacritic the film has a score of 59/100, and it’s got a slightly higher rating of 67% on Rotten Tomatoes. April Wolfe of the Village Voice writes that “the movie is 75 minutes too long” and “the dialogue is bro-y and unoriginal, like a high-school boy’s idea of ‘depth’.” However, there are also several critics like The New York Times‘ Jeannette Catsoulis who praise the strange picture for being “stunningly original”.
“Wiener-Dog” – Four stories, all connected by a wiener dog.
Synopsis: “Welcome to the doghouse: the latest hilariously biting comedy from Todd Solondz is a twisted “Lassie” for misanthropes. It follows the wayward adventures of a dachshund who passes from oddball owner to oddball owner—including the world’s worst mom, a beleaguered screenwriter, and the grownup incarnation of “Welcome to the Dollhouse”’s Dawn Wiener—whose radically dysfunctional lives are all impacted by the pooch” (IFC Films).
“Wiener-Dog” is one of the films that has certainly gone under everyone’s radar (even though it has Danny Devito). Like “Swiss Army Man”, the movie premiered at Sundance, and intial reviews were great. A few months have passed, and the reviews are still fairly positive, with a Metacritic score of 64/100 and a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 69%. The Film Stage calls “Wiener-Dog” uncomfortable and melancholic but also names it as one of the director’s best.
Thanks for reading, and be sure to let us know which movies you’ll be seeing this weekend!
*This article covers major movie releases and may not cover limited releases or releases on VOD
