Summer Movie Scorecard 2019
Welcome to the Summer Movie Scorecard for 2019, where we weekly rank the biggest and buzz-worthy by Tomatometer! Just a wide release (600+ theaters) and/or 80 critics reviews gets you on the list – beginning with movies released from April 26 and onward. Why then? Because that’s when Avengers: Endgame came out, kicking off the summer slate. Yes, Disney even controls the seasons now.
By the time August closes, we’ll have seen the likes of superheroes (Dark Phoenix, Spider-Man: Far From Home), horror hopefuls (Child’s Play, Annabelle Comes Home, Midsommar), action blockbusters (Hobbs & Shaw, Men in Black International, Godzilla: King of the Monsters), new stuff from Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), and Richard Linklater (Where’d You Go, Bernadette), and plenty in family-friendly fare (Toy Story 4, Dora and the Lost City of Gold).
Check back as we update with the best 2019 movies of the summer (and the worst) every week and see where your favorites rank!
Updated 6/17: Men in Black International, Late Night, Shaft, The Dead Don’t Die, Dark Phoenix, The Secret Life of Pets 2, The Last Black Man in San Francisco
#29
Adjusted Score: 21.449%
Critics Consensus: The Hustle's stars might make an effective comedy team in a different setting, but this gender-flipped remake of a remake adds little beyond its feminine twist.
Synopsis: Rebel Wilson and Anne Hathaway have winning chemistry as a pair of con artists plying their trade in a stunning...
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#28
Adjusted Score: 38.881%
Critics Consensus: Dark Phoenix ends an era of the X-Men franchise by taking a second stab at adapting a classic comics arc -- with deeply disappointing results.
Synopsis: In DARK PHOENIX, the X-MEN face their most formidable and powerful foe: one of their own, Jean Grey. During a...
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#27
Adjusted Score: 35.773%
Critics Consensus: Amiable yet forgettable, MiB International grinds its stars' substantial chemistry through the gears of a franchise running low on reasons to continue.
Synopsis: The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they...
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#26
Adjusted Score: 31.483%
Critics Consensus: Very young viewers may be entertained by UglyDolls -- if only because they're less likely to recognize the many familiar elements in its affirmative yet formulaic story.
Synopsis: In the adorably different town of Uglyville, weird is celebrated, strange is special and beauty is embraced as more than...
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#25
Adjusted Score: 34.555%
Critics Consensus: The Intruder might appeal to fans of shout-at-the-screen cinema, but this thriller's ludicrous plot robs it of suspense -- and undermines Dennis Quaid's suitably over-the-top performance.
Synopsis: When a young married couple (Michael Ealy and Meagan Good) buys their dream house in the Napa Valley, they think...
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#24
Adjusted Score: 36.823%
Critics Consensus: Decades removed from the original, this multi-generational Shaft struggles to keep its characters interesting -- or anything other than uncomfortably outdated.
Synopsis: "Shaft" is the next chapter in the film franchise featuring the coolest private eye on any New York City block....
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#23
Adjusted Score: 36.912%
Critics Consensus: While the cast is something to cheer about, Poms squanders its talented stars on a clichéd comedy that disrespects the demographic it's trying to celebrate.
Synopsis: POMS is an uplifting comedy about Martha (played by Diane Keaton), a woman who moves into a retirement community and...
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#22
Adjusted Score: 35.233%
Critics Consensus: El Chicano represents a step forward for representation in superhero cinema -- unfortunately, its clichéd story is nothing more than ordinary.
Synopsis: When L.A.P.D. Detective Diego Hernandez is assigned a career-making case investigating a vicious cartel, he uncovers links to his brother's...
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#21
Adjusted Score: 54.97%
Critics Consensus: Godzilla: King of the Monsters delivers spectacular kaiju action -- and reaffirms that cutting-edge effects are still no substitute for a good story.
Synopsis: The new story follows the heroic efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery...
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#20
Adjusted Score: 50.77%
Critics Consensus: The Sun Is Also a Star has a pair of easy-to-love leads, but tests the audience's affection with a storyline that strains credulity past the breaking point.
Synopsis: College-bound romantic Daniel Bae and Jamaica-born pragmatist Natasha Kingsley meet--and fall for each other--over one magical day amidst the fervor...
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#19
Adjusted Score: 51.912%
Critics Consensus: A Dog's Journey is as sentimental as one might expect, but even cynical viewers may find their ability to resist shedding a tear stretched to the puppermost limit.
Synopsis: Bailey (voiced again by Josh Gad) is living the good life on the Michigan farm of his "boy," Ethan (Dennis...
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#18
Adjusted Score: 59.646%
Critics Consensus: Tolkien has the period trappings and strong performances of a worthy biopic, but lacks the imagination required to truly do its subject justice.
Synopsis: TOLKIEN explores the formative years of the renowned author's life as he finds friendship, courage and inspiration among a fellow...
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#17
Adjusted Score: 61.914%
Critics Consensus: The Dead Don't Die dabbles with tones and themes to varying degrees of success, but sharp wit and a strong cast make this a zom-com with enough brains to consume.
Synopsis: The greatest zombie cast ever disassembled starring Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Chloë Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Caleb...
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#16
Adjusted Score: 65.057%
Critics Consensus: Although Brightburn doesn't fully deliver on the pitch-black promise of its setup, it's still enough to offer a diverting subversion of the superhero genre.
Synopsis: What if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he proved...
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#15
Adjusted Score: 64.271%
Critics Consensus: Octavia Spencer's performance overpowers many of Ma's flaws, but uneven pacing and a labored story keep this thriller from fully realizing its unhinged potential.
Synopsis: Oscar (R) winner Octavia Spencer stars as Sue Ann, a loner who keeps to herself in her quiet Ohio town....
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#14
Adjusted Score: 73.47%
Critics Consensus: Aladdin retells its classic source material's story with sufficient spectacle and skill, even if it never approaches the dazzling splendor of the animated original.
Synopsis: A street rat frees a genie from a lamp, granting all of his wishes and transforming himself into a charming...
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#13
Adjusted Score: 62.592%
Critics Consensus: The Secret Life of Pets 2 doesn't teach its animated stars any new narrative tricks -- but for fans of the original, this funny, energetic sequel should still satisfy.
Synopsis: THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2 will follow summer 2016's blockbuster about the lives our pets lead after we leave...
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#12
Adjusted Score: 79.362%
Critics Consensus: Pokémon Detective Pikachu may not take its wonderfully bizarre premise as far as it could have, but this offbeat adaptation should catch most -- if not all -- of the franchise's fans.
Synopsis: The story begins when ace detective Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, prompting his 21-year-old son Tim to find out what...
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#11
Adjusted Score: 72.002%
Critics Consensus: The White Crow lacks the nimble grace of its subject, but as a reasonably diverting primer on a pivotal period in the life of a brilliant artist, it just about sticks the landing.
Synopsis: Ralph Fiennes' THE WHITE CROW was inspired by the book Rudolf Nureyev: The Life by Julie Kavanaugh. The drama charts...
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#10
Adjusted Score: 76.752%
Critics Consensus: Impressively cast and beautifully filmed, All Is True takes an elegiac look at Shakespeare's final days.
Synopsis: The year is 1613, Shakespeare is acknowledged as the greatest writer of the age. But disaster strikes when his renowned...
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#9
Adjusted Score: 89.736%
Critics Consensus: Smart, timely, and brought to life by a terrific cast, Late Night is a workplace comedy with a lot of heart -- and just as many laughs.
Synopsis: Legendary late-night talk show host's world is turned upside down when she hires her only female staff writer. Originally intended...
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#8
Adjusted Score: 94.255%
Critics Consensus: A sharp and deceptively layered comedy that's further fueled by the odd couple chemistry of its leads, this Long Shot largely hits its marks.
Synopsis: Fred Flarsky (Seth Rogen) is a gifted and free-spirited journalist with an affinity for trouble. Charlotte Field (Charlize Theron) is...
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#7
Adjusted Score: 94.216%
Critics Consensus: Well-acted and sharply written, Non-Fiction finds writer-director Olivier Assayas working in a comedic vein that channels classic forebears while remaining utterly fresh.
Synopsis: Juliette Binoche and Guillame Canet reunite with acclaimed director Olivier Assayas for this wry, slyly seductive tale of sex, lies,...
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#6
Adjusted Score: 105.202%
Critics Consensus: It's going to be a long, long time before a rock biopic manages to capture the highs and lows of an artist's life like Rocketman.
Synopsis: ROCKETMAN is an epic musical fantasy about the incredible human story of Elton John's breakthrough years. The film follows the...
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#5
Adjusted Score: 104.291%
Critics Consensus: John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum reloads for another hard-hitting round of the brilliantly choreographed, over-the-top action that fans of the franchise demand.
Synopsis: In this third installment of the adrenaline-fueled action franchise, super-assassin John Wick (Reeves) returns with a $14 million price tag...
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#4
Adjusted Score: 118.241%
Critics Consensus: Exciting, entertaining, and emotionally impactful, Avengers: Endgame does whatever it takes to deliver a satisfying finale to Marvel's epic Infinity Saga.
Synopsis: The grave course of events set in motion by Thanos that wiped out half the universe and fractured the Avengers...
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#3
Adjusted Score: 97.466%
Critics Consensus: An affecting story powerfully told, The Last Black Man in San Francisco immediately establishes director Joe Talbot as a filmmaker to watch.
Synopsis: Jimmie Fails dreams of reclaiming the Victorian home his grandfather built in the heart of San Francisco. Joined on his...
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#2
Adjusted Score: 99.502%
Critics Consensus: Led by standout work from Tessa Thompson, Little Woods tells a grimly absorbing tale that marks a commendable debut for writer-director Nia DaCosta.
Synopsis: Little Woods, North Dakota, a fracking boomtown well beyond its prime. Ollie is trying to survive the last few days...
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#1
Adjusted Score: 110.469%
Critics Consensus: Fast-paced, funny, and fresh, Booksmart does the seemingly impossible by adding a smart new spin to the coming-of-age comedy.
Synopsis: The story follows Dever and Feldstein's characters, two academic superstars and best friends who, on the eve of their high...
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