Looking for a really good movie flix to watch this weekend? There are plenty of places to see them with theaters back up and running for the summer season and new films still streaming at home to entertain you and your family.
This weekend, Henry Golding takes on the mantle (and cool helmet) of a 1980s fan-favorite ninja in a “G.I. Joe” origin adventure, M. Night Shyamalan puts his signature twist on a French graphic novel, Kate Beckinsale goes to extremes in a noir-ish action comedy, Mark Wahlberg plays dad to a gay teenager in an emotional family drama, and Val Kilmer’s career and life are chronicled in a new documentary.
Join Amazon Prime – Watch Thousands of Movies & TV Shows Anytime – Start Free Trial NowHere’s a guide to movies that’ll satisfy every cinematic taste, whether you want to mask up for a trip to the nearest big screen or you’re fine hunkering down on the couch:
If you dig superhero origin stories: ‘Snake Eyes’
The real American heroes of G.I. Joe get another cinematic reboot with this solid martial-arts action flick, yet at least now there’s a good face for the franchise. Golding stars as a loner who gets mixed up with the wrong people and flies off to Tokyo with his new friend Tommy (Andrew Koji) to learn the ways of an ancient ninja clan and tussle with global terrorists.
Where to watch: In theaters
If you love beach-blanket terror: ‘Old’
During a tropical getaway, a bunch of vacationers (including Gael García Bernal and Vicky Krieps) are dropped off on a private beach for a day of sun, which gets ruined when they figure out that everyone, including the kids, ages rapidly in a paradise locale they can’t escape. The slowburn thriller offers a decent-enough Shyamalan twist, but it works best as a surprisingly gruesome exploration of growing old and innocence lost.
Where to watch: In theaters
If you like seeing Kate Beckinsale beat people up: ‘Jolt’
A cynical, often rage-y bouncer (Beckinsale) with violence impulse issues – usually caused by bad people doing bad things – uses electric shocks to control her condition. But when her accountant love interest (Jai Courtney) is murdered, she lets loose the reins to find the culprits. Director Tanya Wexler puts female twists on familiar dude-action tropes, plus unleashes a scene-stealing Laverne Cox as a no-nonsense cop.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
If you live for soapy romance: ‘Last Letter From Your Lover’
Oozing melodrama, the Jojo Moyes book adaptation charts two parallel love stories: Felicity Jones plays a British reporter in present day who strikes up a fancy with an archivist (Nabhaan Rizwan) when she unearths written correspondence and tries to put the pieces together of a secret 1960s affair between an American socialite (Shailene Woodley) and an English financial journalist (Callum Turner).
Where to watch: Netflix
If you want to see a kinder, gentler Marky Mark: ‘Joe Bell’
Based on a true story, Wahlberg gives a strong performance as the title Oregon man who sets off on a walk to New York City to speak out on bullying after the suicide of his gay teen son Jadin (an outstanding Reid Miller), who never found the emotional support he needed. It’s an ambitious, gut-punching story of forgiveness that increasingly grows conventional but is always effective.
Where to watch: In theaters
If you’re a Megan Fox and/or Bruce Willis completist: ‘Midnight in the Switchgrass’
In this forgettable crime thriller, Fox (who shares the screen with boyfriend Colson Baker aka Machine Gun Kelly) and Willis are the draws starring as FBI agents who get involved in a Florida serial-killer case when a number of young women go missing or are found dead. Emile Hirsch, though, is the heart and soul of the piece as a good-hearted cop putting his own personal life on hold for the job.
Where to watch: Apple TV, Vudu, Fandango Now
If you enjoy Iceman, Batman and all things Val Kilmer: ‘Val’
The insightful documentary uses Kilmer’s own home videos dig into the mercurial Hollywood star’s career but also shows his health issues in recent years recovering from throat cancer. (A highlight: son Jack thoughtfully narrates his dad’s own words.) While it’s definitely all from Kilmer’s point of view, the stories involving early days on stage, “Top Gun” and his Batman appearance are highly entertaining.
Where to watch: In theaters (and on Amazon Prime Aug. 6)
If you prefer your all-star comedy jams with an existential twist: ‘How It Ends’
Zoe Lister-Jones (who also writes and directs with husband Daryl Wein) stars in the dark comedy as an L.A. woman hanging with her younger self (Cailee Spaeny) and needing to work out some issues with loved ones the day before an apocalypse. Filmed during quarantine, the movie is episodic and all over the place but offers an A-list supporting crew including Bradley Whitford, Helen Hunt, Fred Armisen and Olivia Wilde.
Where to watch: Apple TV, Vudu, Fandango Now
If you’re yearning for space drama: ‘Settlers’
Director Wyatt Rockefeller’s intriguing sci-fi film centers on a family – including Sofia Boutella and Jonny Lee Miller as the mom and dad – cultivating a farm on the Martian frontier. Their homestead is invaded by a mysterious soldier (Ismael Cruz Cordova), and the disturbing realism that filters into the fantastical landscape especially affects the couple’s daughter, first as a 9-year-old (Brooklynn Prince) and later as a young woman (Nell Tiger Free).
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