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One of the biggest releases of the summer dropped this week, and I have my thoughts on that and other films I saw this week. For reviews of all the films I’m watching, follow me @knighthawk7734 on Letterboxd.

Bird Box Barcelona (Netflix)
Starring: Mario Casas, Georgina Campbell, and Diego Calva
Synopsis: A few years ago, Sandra Bullock took the lead in Bird Box, a post-apocalyptic survival film. It felt like the Netflix answer to A Quiet Place. It was a decent if unspectacular film, and not one that needed to be revisited. But, in 2023, we’re all about adding more to existing IP. Bird Box: Barcelona is a sequel of sorts, but aside from the title and the loose connection to the world, it doesn’t have anything to do with the first film. The location is different. The characters are different. And the story is different. In some ways, it feels more like it’s making the point that even in the apocalypse it’s the other people that are the biggest danger. We’ve seen that before, too. There’s little original or compelling here. The hope has to be the name will cajole enough people to check it out. I didn’t think it was that compelling of an addition to this world. It felt like more of a flat exercise trying to stretch a somewhat thin concept.
Rating: TV-MA
Verdict: Two stars out of five

Gray Matter (Max)
Starring: Mia Issac, Jessica Frances Dukes, and Garrett Dillahunt
Synopsis: I enjoy Project Greenlight and the experience of seeing how a film is made. We’ve seen that pattern play out four times now but the films themselves, the ones made by these young filmmakers, often vary in quality. Such is the case with Gray Matter, the subject of the latest Project Greenlight season, which dropped Thursday. I went through all of the season to see how the film was made before diving in. The finished product is an 87-minute genre film about a mother (Dukes) and daughter (Isaac) with powers. They’re being hunted by another powered person (Dillahunt) who is trying to round up all the people with powers to safeguard the world. He clashes with our heroes, who must fight for their freedom. It’s a decent set up and the three stars do a decent job in the roles. Having seen the series, I knew one of the chief concerns was the narrative itself and whether it did enough to build the world and create a connection. For me, that’s where this film falls short. Some of the visuals from first-time director Meko Winbush are interesting but it’s in service of a story that feels underbaked. It was fun to go through the process, but the film wasn’t particularly memorable.
Rating: TV-14
Verdict: Two stars out of five

Lakota Nation vs. United States (Limited Release)
Synopsis: The word Native American is loaded, but not one we think about often. It’s a reflection of those who were here first, living on the land that’s become the United States. This new documentary—Lakota Nation vs. United States—looks at the history of the Lakota people and the often-tense relationship with the nation that has laid claim to precious land in the Black Hills. The film tells the history of the Lakota and looks at the modern relationship and back-and-forth with the United States regarding their treasured and historical homeland that’s become a major tourist attraction for the state of South Dakota. It’s a powerfully told film that’s a beautiful look at history and the perspective of those who were in the Black Hills first and saw their sacred land taken. It doesn’t offer any easy answers or solutions, but rather seeks to provide a forum for the Lakota to share their story and perspective. I was moved to learn more about the history and their fight to reclaim this sacred land. The film is now playing in limited release and is a great way to learn more about the Lakota and the history of the Black Hills.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for some strong language, violent images and thematic elements.
Verdict: Three stars out of five

Miracle Club (Theaters)
Starring: Laura Linney, Maggie Smith, Kathy Bates, and Agnes O’Casey
Synopsis: There are different kinds of healing journeys. In the new film The Miracle Club, which opens in theaters Friday, we have a group of women who begin with the idea they’re on one kind of healing journey. Instead, they end up finding a different kind of healing; one which allows them to salve the wounds of the past. The film is set in a small town in Ireland. Chrissie (Linney) is returning to her hometown, a place she hasn’t been in quite some time. She was banished years ago. But now she’s returned because her mother has passed away. When she arrives at the church, Father Byrne (Mark O’Halloran) tells her that the real celebration of her mother’s life will come later. Her mother’s close friends—Lily (Smith), Eileen (Bates) and Dolly (O’Casey)—perform at the party. Chrissie is leery to make contact, and it turns out that’s with good reason. She receives an icy reception from Lily and Eileen. But Lily, Eileen and Dolly all have need of healing, and they hope to find it in the miracle waters of Lourdes, France. Lily has pain in her leg, Eileen is worried she might have cancer and Dolly is hoping to help her son finally speak. Chrissie is invited to make the trip. While she’s at first hesitant, she ends up making the journey. In Lourdes, the pools aren’t what they expected but the time together, on the road, forces Chrissie, Lily and Eileen to confront the hurt of the past and see if they can find a way to make peace and move forward, together. I love smaller, personal stories. We’re in the midst of a summer season where action and blockbusters rule the day. While that is fun in its own way, these stories of people and their deeply personal journeys often are more resonant. That’s the case with The Miracle Club, which makes the most of its actors and its story to tug at the heartstrings. I appreciate the performances here. Linney, Bates and Smith are all strong, and their relationships and sequences together are quite moving. This is particularly true of Linney, who delivers one of the film’s most emotional sequences as she finally faces the truth of the turn in her life and the regrets that have led her back home. Director Thaddeus O’Sullivan delivers a film that moves at a nice pace. There are some well-crafted sequences and at just 91 minutes the film doesn’t overstay its welcome. There are some laughs and plenty of pathos. It is a beautiful journey that I was glad to have taken. Sometimes these smaller films get lost this time of year, but The Miracle Club is worth checking out.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and some language.
Verdict: Three and a half stars out of five

Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning, Part One (Theaters)
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Vanessa Kirby, Pom Klementieff, Esai Morales, Henry Czerny, and Shea Whigham
Synopsis: We’ve seen Cruise as Ethan Hunt in seven films now since 1996. But it was in 2015 when Christopher McQuarrie took the director’s chair that the series hit its peak. It’s the rare franchise where it just keeps getting better. In a lot of ways this seventh installment—which is the first half of a big story—is the most ambitious yet. The set pieces and action feel bigger. The stakes feel bigger. And the film runs 163 minutes, making it the longest yet. But does it top the best of the franchise? This one picks up with Hunt again tasked with an impossible mission to save the world. This time it’s finding two halves of a key and figuring out how the key will help defeat an artificial intelligence with the power to take over the world. He recruits his team, Luther (Rhames), Benji (Pegg) and Ilsa (Ferguson), recruiting a slick thief (Atwell) and facing a nemesis from his past (Morales). This was one of the most anticipated films of the summer, a big blockbuster years in the making. And it delivers mostly what you’d expect. The set pieces were big and lavish. McQuarrie has a real feel for action, having worked on this franchise for much of the last decade. The action is matched by some moments that up the stakes and add some emotion. The performances were solid, and the look was solid, too. The film does feel a touch long and it didn’t quite match the heights of the last installment, but it sets the stage for an epic conclusion. It’s a blockbuster that delivers and is worth seeking out to see on the big screen.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some language and suggestive material.
Verdict: Three and a half stars out of five