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Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week.

Skyscraper
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Neve Campbell, and Pablo Schreiber
Synopsis: Every summer we get a handful of action films that are deep as a puddle. They aren't supposed to be think pieces, or ones that blow you away with plot. They're supposed to hook you, entertain you for 90 to 120 minutes, and leave you feeling glad you got out of the heat for a bit. That's the category to put "Skyscraper," which is blessed with the go-to star for these kind of films, Johnson. He made "San Andreas" a hit. He made "Rampage" work. He made a "Jumanji" sequel one of the biggest hits to end 2017. And he is good in this, too. "Skyscraper" defied expectation for me in not having as much humor. It was also more tense than I expected. (Word to the wise, if, like me, you aren't a fan of heights, there are some tough moments in this film.) But "Skyscraper" is what I expected. Johnson is great in the lead, the action was intense at times but easy to follow. Campbell was good in this role and the whole thing was some nice, light summer entertainment. It didn't do great at the Box Office, and perhaps that's because people are tiring of this kind of thing or possibly it's because this summer has been uneven. This movie isn't incredible, but it's fun and it's worth seeing on the big screen because of its scope.
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of gun violence and action, and for brief strong language.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Uncle Drew
Starring: Lil Rel Howery, Kyrie Irving, Shaq, Chris Webber, Reggie Miller, Nate Robinson, Lisa Leslie, Tiffany Haddish, and Nick Kroll
About: So this movie was a bit of a disappointment. Let me explain. Going into "Uncle Drew" I wasn't expecting anything great. It's a pretty simple and silly conceit. It's got a couple comedians, but mostly current and former NBA players putting on old guy make up to pretend to be a geriatric basketball team in the world's foremost outdoor court tournament in Harlem. You're not expecting greatness. But I thought the trailer was funny, and I was hoping this would be a good time. It's not bad, but it's not consistently funny, and often has periods of lulls and drags. The film tries often to be too earnest in its non-basketball sequences, and that feels like a mis-step. This film really is more like a full-length commercial for Pepsi with a few jokes. That's OK, but it's definitely not as fun as I was hoping for. If you like this kind of stuff, then you'll be into the film. Otherwise, this is an afternoon on cable in five to 10 years.
Rating: PG-13 for suggestive material, language and brief nudity.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:
Friday, July 20: "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again," "Dark Web: Unfriended," "The Equalizer 2"
Friday, July 27: "Mission Impossible: Fallout," "Teen Titans Go! To the Movies"