For this much-delayed sequel, director Tim Burton has hewed close to the strengths of the original, repeating them when appropriate and acknowledging them when not.

Run Time: 1:35
U.S. Release Date: 2024-09-13
MPAA Rating: "R" (Sexual Content, Profanity, Implied violence)
Genre: Drama/Thriller
Director: Anand Tucker
Cast: Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong, ...

To the extent that "The Critic" provides entertainment, it’s mostly a result of McKellan’s performance and the wonderful set design.

Run Time: 1:49
U.S. Release Date: 2024-08-30
MPAA Rating: "R" (Violence, Profanity)
Genre: Science Fiction/Thriller
Director: Mikael Hafstrom
Cast: Casey Affleck, Laurence Fishburne, Tomer Capone, ...

The primary narrative is hijacked by a series of too-long flashbacks and a questionable decision to insert a late-in-the-proceedings twist.

Run Time: 1:37
U.S. Release Date: 2024-08-23
MPAA Rating: "R" (Violence, Sexual Content, Profanity, Drugs)
Genre: Thriller
Director: JT Mollner
Cast: Willa Fitzgerald, Kyle Gallner, Barbara Hershey, Ed Begley Jr.

Unfortunately, once the “mysteries” have been resolved, "Strange Darling" loses a lot of its energy and the final act devolves into anticlimax.

Run Time: 1:51
U.S. Release Date: 2024-08-23
MPAA Rating: "R" (Violence, Gore, Sexual Content, Drugs)
Genre: Action/Horror
Director: Rupert Sanders
Cast: Bill Skarsgard, FKA Twigs, Danny Huston, Josette Simon, Laura Birn, Sami Bouajila

The characters have no humanity, the romance has no sizzle, and the whole thing turns into a slog where style overwhelms substance to such a degree that there’s too little left of the latter to matter.

A collage of Hitchcockian elements baked into a story with a more graphic approach than anything the Master of Suspense ever achieved.

Run Time: 1:59
U.S. Release Date: 2024-08-16
MPAA Rating: "R" (Violence, Gore, Profanity)
Genre: Science Fiction/Horror
Director: Fede Alvarez
Cast: Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, Aileen Wu, Ian Holm

Fede Alvarez, obviously an "Alien" devotee, opts for a “greatest hits” approach replete with Easter Eggs and instances of fan service.

Feels like it wants to be a screwball caper movie but the comedy gets lost along the way; the thriller elements are rather pedestrian.

Perhaps those familiar with the game will find enough in the way of fan service to somehow redeem this unfocused abortion of a motion picture.

Run Time: 1:32
U.S. Release Date: 2024-08-02
MPAA Rating: "PG"
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
Director: Carlos Saldanha
Cast: Zachary Levi, Zooey Deschanel, Benjamin Bottani, Lil Rel Howery, Tanya Reynolds, Jermaine Clement, Alfred Molina

The charm of the book is mostly lost in translation although that might not bother younger, less discriminating viewers.