Now Playing

 

The Fourth of July weekend provided plenty of film options. Below, I take a look at the films that were available to audiences this week. If you want to keep up with all the films I’m watching, follow me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (Netflix)
Starring: Eddie Murphy, John Ashton, Judge Reinhold, Taylour Paige, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Kevin Bacon
Synopsis: It’s been 40 years since we first saw Eddie Murphy take on the role of Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop. That film was followed by a sequel in 1987 and a third film in 1994. But in the 30 years since, we haven’t seen the Detroit detective back on screen. It turns out absence makes the heart grow fonder and does little to diminish the excitement of seeing Foley back. Now, thanks to Netflix, we get the chance to see his adventures continue as Murphy is back in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, which streams on Netflix beginning Wednesday, July 3. In the latest film we open with Axel (Murphy) still up to his old tricks as he battles crime in Detroit. But his new captain—and former partner—Jeffrey Friedman (Paul Reiser) warns him that it’s a different world and his methods are growing tiresome to leadership. He urges Axel to make a connection to life outside the job. Not long after, his old friend Billy Rosewood (Reinhold) calls to say he needs help. There’s a case that’s gone off the rails, and Billy has employed Axel’s daughter Jane (Paige)—a Beverly Hills defense attorney—to help. That’s enough to lead Axel to Beverly Hills to help crack the case and, hopefully, make a meaningful connection with Jane. There, he finds old friends like Serge (Bronson Pinchot) and Taggart (Ashton), now the Chief of Police. He also makes new connections, like the detective working the case, Bobby Abbott (Gordon-Levitt), and a shady police captain (Bacon) who isn’t what he seems. And, naturally, Axel finds plenty of trouble. This new film, directed by Mark Molloy in his feature-film debut, is a great blend of nostalgia and storytelling. The opening sequence feels just like previous films, with Axel on a wild case in Detroit. It even gets things going with the famous anthems from the first two films, along with that iconic score. The film also brings back familiar faces, like Rosewood, Taggart, and Serge, while bringing in a new generation. This feels familiar while telling a new story in a different kind of way, one that’s a fun ride. We’ve seen plenty of films return to established franchises, some with mixed results. This film finds the right blend of nostalgia and originality to work. It’s also blessed with a good lead performance from Murphy, who seamlessly slides back into the role of Axel Foley. It’s fun to see him here, especially paired with Paige and Gordon-Levitt. For fans of the franchise, or just those looking for a fun action movie for the long holiday weekend, this will hit the right now.
Rating: Rated R for language throughout, violence and brief drug use.
Verdict: Three stars out of five

Despicable Me 4 (Theaters)
Starring: Steve Carell, Kristin Wiig, Will Ferrell, Joey King, and Miranda Cosgrove
About: We’ve seen a ton from this world of Gru (Carell) and the Minions. There have been three previous Despicable Me films as well as two Minions films and a variety of shorts. The popularity of the characters remains high, but what about the quality of ongoing stories? In this fourth installment, Gru is a family man with his three girls, his wife Lucy (Wiig) and his infant son. As part of his work, he is tasked with bringing down a former classmate, Maxime (Ferrell). The bust goes off, but Maxime vows revenge. When Maxime soon escapes, Gru and his family are forced to go into hiding. Meanwhile, the Minions are recruited for a special new assignment. These films will probably always play well with younger viewers, and they always have some fun moments. It’s a deep and talented voice cast. But, for me, the franchise is running out of juice. Even at just 93 minutes, this sometimes felt like a predictable slog. The laughs don’t come as freely as they once did, either. We’ve seen a lot of franchises this year that are getting long in the tooth, and this is one that is probably ready to retire.
Rating: Rated PG for action and rude humor.
Verdict: Two stars out of five

MaXXXine (Theaters)
Starring: Mia Goth, Elizabeth Debicki, Kevin Bacon, Giancarlo Esposito, Michelle Monaghan, and Bobby Cannavale
Synopsis: Back in 2022 director Ti West and star Mia Goth brought two films to life. One was the 1970s-set X, which introduced Maxine and Pearl. Their follow up that year, Pearl, gave an origin story for one half of Goth’s characters. But what about the future of Maxine? We got that answer in the form of the third film in the trilogy, MaXXXine, which opens wide today. It takes the action in the 1980s and brings the focus back to Maxine and her life after the events of X. The film picks up in 1985 where Maxine (Goth) is now one of the biggest stars in adult films. But she wants to be a mainstream star that stays in the public consciousness. Now in her 30s, Maxine is ready to leave her past behind—if she can. And she delivers a great interview, catching the eye of director Elizabeth Bender (Debicki), who is hoping to create high art with her new horror film, Puritan II. While this is Maxine’s big break, not everything is going perfectly in her life. The Night Stalker is prowling Los Angeles, and soon two of her friends end up murdered. Their case looks like it might tie into the ongoing manhunt, but detectives Williams (Monaghan) and Torres (Cannavale) think there’s more to it. They’re convinced that Maxine has the answers, but she’s hesitant to talk. In addition to avoiding the cops, Maxine is avoiding her past. She ran from the events in Texas and changed her name to make it in Hollywood. Now, a shady private detective (Bacon) is threatening to bring her past into the light of day on behalf of a mysterious—and dangerous—client. So, Maxine turns to her agent (Esposito) to help and tries to put it all behind her to deliver a performance that will change her future. The back-to-back releases of X and Pearl brought many fans to this story and these characters. The question was how it would continue. For my part, I wasn’t a fan of the first two installments. X was something of a slog for me, while I appreciated the production and style of Pearl without being drawn to the story. So, I went into MaXXXine with modest expectations. But I liked the way this came together better, making it easily my favorite installment of the three. I liked the 1980s setting and the style that West uses to build the time frame. I also liked the way he incorporated real life events to add to the tension of the story. The setting on Hollywood backlots, including featuring an iconic movie location, was also fun. It added to the production and some of the tension. This isn’t an over-the-top horror. When the kills or action sequences come, they’re memorable. But much of this film is built through a more old-fashioned technique—the tension of the unseen. For her part, Goth sinks into this character and gives a strong lead performance. I enjoyed the choices and the way she brought the character to life. She’s comfortable in the role and that confidence comes through on screen. The negative here is the ultimate reveal, and a lot of the third act confrontation is something of a letdown. I really enjoyed what led up to it, but the final 25 minutes were sometimes underwhelming. Still, the rest of the film was strong enough for me to still appreciate the journey. For fans of the series and the genre, this will be worth checking out.
Rating: Rated R for strong violence, gore, sexual content, graphic nudity, language and drug use.
Verdict: Three stars out of five

Space Cadet (Prime Video)
Starring: Emma Roberts, Gabrielle Union, Tom Hopper, and Poppy Liu
Synopsis: The latest from Prime Video is a comedy from Liz W. Garcia focused on a plucky Florida woman, Rex Simpson (Roberts), hoping to take a big step forward. Rex had plenty of promise in high school, but after her mother got sick and her father needed help, she put her own plans on hold. Now at her 10-year reunion, she’s taking stock of those missed opportunities. She decides to apply to the space program, creating an application that’s open and honest about the qualifications she doesn’t have. Her friend (Liu) decides that’s not the right approach. She alters the application, and when it’s accepted, Rex doesn’t realize she’s in under false pretenses. When she does, she’s already committed and tries to complete the process and impress her evaluators (Union and Hopper) without the truth coming out. This is a wild premise but at times it’s charming. That’s largely thanks to Roberts, who does well in the lead role. Still, this pushes the bounds of believability in a number of sequences. In addition to the wild story, it’s a bit dry and uneven. Those looking for a simple streaming film will likely enjoy this enough. Those looking for something that feels original, and works will be best served looking elsewhere.
Rating: Rated R for strong violence, gore, sexual content, graphic nudity, language and drug use.
Verdict: Two stars out of five