Summer Movie Scorecard 2017

Critics Consensus: Atomic Blonde gets enough mileage out of its stylish action sequences -- and ever-magnetic star -- to make up for a narrative that's somewhat less hard-hitting than its protagonist.

Synopsis: Sensual and savage, Lorraine Broughton is the most elite spy in MI6, an agent who's willing to use all of her lethal skills to stay... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, Eddie Marsan, John Goodman

Directed By: David Leitch

Critics Consensus: The Little Hours gets plenty of goofy mileage out of its gifted ensemble, anchoring its ribald laughs in a period comedy with some surprisingly timely subtext.

Synopsis: Medieval nuns Alessandra, Fernanda, and Ginevra lead a simple life in their convent. Their days are spent chafing at monastic routine, spying on one another,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Kate Micucci, Aubrey Plaza

Directed By: Jeff Baena

Critics Consensus: Beatriz at Dinner offers timely social commentary enlivened by powerful, layered performances from Salma Hayek and John Lithgow.

Synopsis: Beatriz is a Los Angeles massage therapist and holistic healer who drives to the seaside mansion of her client Cathy. When her old Volkswagen breaks... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Salma Hayek, John Lithgow, Connie Britton, Chloë Sevigny

Directed By: Miguel Arteta

Critics Consensus: Excellent cinematography and Rachel Weisz's entrancing performance keep My Cousin Rachel alluring despite a central mystery that's rather easily unlocked.

Synopsis: Philip is a young Englishman who finds his cousin Ambrose dead after traveling to Florence, Italy. He vows revenge against Ambrose's missing wife Rachel, blaming... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Rachel Weisz, Sam Claflin, Holliday Grainger, Iain Glen

Directed By: Roger Michell

Critics Consensus: The Hero rests on Sam Elliott's understated performance, which proves more than capable of carrying the film through the less inspired moments of its somewhat clichéd story.

Synopsis: Lee Hayden is a Western icon with a golden voice, but his best performances are decades behind him. He spends his days reliving old glories... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sam Elliott, Laura Prepon, Nick Offerman, Krysten Ritter

Directed By: Brett Haley

Critics Consensus: An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power makes a plea for environmental responsibility that adds a persuasive -- albeit arguably less impactful -- coda to its acclaimed predecessor.

Synopsis: Former Vice President Al Gore continues his tireless fight, traveling around the world to train an army of activists and influence international climate policy. Cameras... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Al Gore, Cory Booker, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton

Directed By: Bonni Cohen, Jon Shenk

Critics Consensus: Audiences attuned to Brigsby Bear's strange frequency will be moved by its earnest -- and endearingly original -- approach to pop culture's impact and the creative urge.

Synopsis: The show Brigsby Bear Adventures is a children's television program produced for an audience of one: James Pope. When the series abruptly ends, Pope's life... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kyle Mooney, Greg Kinnear, Matt Walsh, Michaela Watkins

Directed By: Dave McCary

Critics Consensus: The Beguiled adds just enough extra depth to its source material to set itself apart, and director Sofia Coppola's restrained touch is enlivened by strong performances from the cast.

Synopsis: Cpl. John McBurney is an injured Union soldier who finds himself on the run as a deserter during the Civil War. He seeks refuge at... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning

Directed By: Sofia Coppola

Critics Consensus: Detroit delivers a gut-wrenching -- and essential -- dramatization of a tragic chapter from America's past that draws distressing parallels to the present.

Synopsis: In the summer of 1967, rioting and civil unrest starts to tear apart the city of Detroit. Two days later, a report of gunshots prompts... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Boyega, Will Poulter, Algee Smith, Jacob Latimore

Directed By: Kathryn Bigelow

Critics Consensus: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2's action-packed plot, dazzling visuals, and irreverent humor add up to a sequel that's almost as fun -- if not quite as thrillingly fresh -- as its predecessor.

Synopsis: Peter Quill and his fellow Guardians are hired by a powerful alien race, the Sovereign, to protect their precious batteries from invaders. When it is... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista

Directed By: James Gunn

Critics Consensus: Megan Leavey honors its real-life subjects with a sensitive, uplifting drama whose honest emotion more than makes up for its mild approach to the story.

Synopsis: The true life story of Megan Leavey, a young Marine corporal whose unique discipline and bond with a military combat dog saved many lives during... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kate Mara, Edie Falco, Ramón Rodríguez, Tom Felton

Directed By: Gabriela Cowperthwaite

Critics Consensus: Okja sees Bong Joon-ho continuing to create defiantly eclectic entertainment -- and still hitting more than enough of his narrative targets in the midst of a tricky tonal juggling act.

Synopsis: For 10 idyllic years, young Mija has been caretaker and constant companion to Okja - a massive animal and an even bigger friend - at... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ahn Seo-hyun, Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal, Giancarlo Esposito

Directed By: Bong Joon Ho

Critics Consensus: Wind River lures viewers into a character-driven mystery with smart writing, a strong cast, and a skillfully rendered setting that delivers the bitter chill promised by its title.

Synopsis: Cory Lambert is a wildlife officer who finds the body of an 18-year-old woman on an American Indian reservation in snowy Wyoming. When the autopsy... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Gil Birmingham, Jon Bernthal

Directed By: Taylor Sheridan

Critics Consensus: With a tidy plot, clean animation, and humor that fits its source material snugly, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie is entertainment that won't drive a wedge between family members.

Synopsis: George Beard and Harold Hutchins are two overly imaginative pranksters who spend hours in a treehouse creating comic books. When their mean principal threatens to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kevin Hart, Ed Helms, Nick Kroll, Thomas Middleditch

Directed By: David Soren

Critics Consensus: Led by strong performances from Aubrey Plaza and Elizabeth Olsen, Ingrid Goes West delivers smart, topical humor underlined by timely social observations.

Synopsis: Following the death of her mother and a series of self-inflicted setbacks, young Ingrid Thorburn escapes a humdrum existence by moving out West to befriend... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Elizabeth Olsen, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Wyatt Russell

Directed By: Matt Spicer