World War II has been used as the backdrop for so many movies that at this point, it can be tempting to believe we’ve seen it all and know the whole story. Yet in the right hands, there are still compelling, unique, and impactful tales of the conflict waiting to be told — and with this weekend’s Dunkirk, critics say Christopher Nolan delivers on all three counts with a film that might be considered an all-time classic of the genre. Starring Fionn Whitehead and an ensemble that includes Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance, and Tom Hardy, the story dramatizes the mission to evacuate surrounded Allied soldiers during the spring of 1940 — an incredible undertaking that saved hundreds of thousands of troops through the efforts of a coalition that included soldiers and civilians. Reviews describe a harrowing yet ultimately inspiring experience that honors its heroes with gripping suspense, immersive drama, and thrilling spectacle, as well as another impressive chapter in an increasingly acclaimed filmography that looks likely to be a major awards season contender.
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GWEN STEFANI: YOU MAKE IT FEEL LIKE CHRISTMAS — Pictured: (l-r) Santa Claus, Gwen Stefani — (Photo by Paul Drinkwater/NBC)
The Counselor (2013, 35%)
Ridley Scott! Directing from an original script by Cormac McCarthy! What could go wrong? How about the fact
that, despite his A-list status, every other movie Scott directs is actually Rotten? Or that McCarthy had never
written a screenplay before, and his trademark gritty pontificating does not a good script make?
The Book of Henry (2017, 21%)
After directing Jurassic World to $1.5 billion and signing on to do the ninth Star Wars movie,
Colin Trevorrow took a quick detour to make passion project The Book of Henry. It’s a
manipulative, misconceived movie involving adult predators, dead kids and brain tumors, and Naomi Watts prowling
the neighborhood with a sniper rifle. The movie choked on a 21% Tomatometer, and three months later, Trevorrow
exited from directing Star Wars.
The post-Bridesmaids era has offered no shortage of bawdy comedies about ladies having an R-rated good time, but more often than not, the end results have left critics largely chuckle-free. The makers of this weekend’s Girls Trip are looking to buck that trend with the raunchy adventures of four friends (Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Tiffany Haddish) whose trip to New Orleans for the Essence Festival offers no shortage of opportunities for bonding, female empowerment, and — most importantly — rude humor. For the most part, they appear to have been successful: led by an unforgettable performance from the cheerfully filthy Haddish, Trip strikes the tricky balance between building a compelling narrative with rootable characters and putting them in a series of boundary-pushing, guffaw-inducing set pieces. Whether you’re going out to the movies with your own Flossy Posse or just looking for some laughs, Girls Trip looks like it’s one of the better options to come along in quite some time.
Ozark hasn’t yet reached the same level as the classic crime dramas to which it will inevitably be compared, but its satisfyingly complex plot — and a gripping performance from Jason Bateman — suggest greater potential.
Opening This Week In Limited Release
The Girl Without Hands (2016) , an animated drama about a girl whose father sells her to the Devil, is at 100 percent.
The Untamed (2016) , a dark blend of sci-fi, horror, and social commentary from Mexican filmmaker Amat Escalante, is at 92 percent.
