Now Playing

 This second full weekend in July featured three new wide releases, all of them with a different kind of story and audience. Below is my take on the week’s big new releases. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

Evil Dead Burn (Theaters)
Starring: Souheila Yacoub, Hunter Doohan, and Luciane Buchanan
Synopsis: It’s been 45 years since we were first introduced to the Necronomicon and the world of the Evil Dead. That low-budget horror film, which made stars of Bruce Campbell and director Sam Raimi, kickstarted a franchise. To this point we’ve seen five feature films and even a live-action series. And yet, interest in the world continues. Now, we get a new installment. Evil Dead Burn, the first film in the franchise since Evil Dead Rise in 2023. It’s helmed by Sebastien Vanicek, the fourth director to helm an Evil Dead film. And he brings his own take on the world. After a cold open taking place at a lake, as the evil arises, we’re brought into the story. It focuses on a central family, who it turns out have a connection to the Necronomicon, and the people who hunted it. But that distant patriarch is no longer around, and the generations that remain mostly thought he was crazy, full of wild theories. But when a family member dies, it provides an entry for evil. As the rest of the family—and their significant others—gather for a memorial at a remote cabin, the evil uses it as a chance to hunt for an important artifact. Can anyone survive? The trailers and marketing for the film have been vague as to the story, so I don’t want to give too much away. Suffice to say, there is a remote location, there is evil, and there is carnage. If you’ve been a fan of the franchise, then this won’t come as a surprise. But it’s fair to say Vanicek contributes some very violent sequences to this new film. There are touches that remind you of the history of The Evil Dead. The way the camera moves over the ground and does quick zooms, embodying the path of evil, feels like an homage to the original. But this is a vicious film. It is more over-the-top in its violence and kill sequences than Rise, which felt stylized to tell a story about more grounded characters. While there are some solid performances from a relatively unknown cast, especially Yacoub as Alice, the weakest aspect of the film was the character development and story. This is a film that wants to be about the action, and for its whole 110-minute run time it’s devoted to that end pursuit. There are some gnarly sequences that will likely push the limits for some, especially those who are squeamish. There are fountains of blood and copious savage sequences as this family becomes possessed and quickly unravels. Some of it is creative but a lot of it is uncomfortable. That isn’t a bad thing if its in service of building a larger world. But in the case of this film is often felt as if the plot was loosely held to string together graphic action sequences. I was a fan of Raimi’s trilogy, but the Fede Alvarez entry in 2013 didn’t work for me. While I appreciated the creativity and storytelling in Rise, this film feels like a step back, more on par with the 2013 installment. If you’re in it for the over-the-top savagery, this will work well for you.
Rating: Rated R for strong bloody horror violence and gore, and language.
Verdict: Two stars out of five

The Invite (Theaters)
Starring: Seth Rogen, Olivia Wilde, Edward Norton, and Penelope Cruz
Synopsis: Making new friends as an adult couple can be challenging. We all lead busy lives, and often we’re in different places in our lives. You want to present the best side of yourself, but you also want to genuinely connect. It’s even more fraught if your relationship to your spouse isn’t in a good place. That’s the premise of The Invite, a new film based on the 2020 Spanish film Sentimental. It centers on a married couple who’ve hit a rut, or a rough patch. The worst part is that the bulk of their issues remain under the surface, never addressed. That is until the wife, Angela (Wilde), invites the upstairs neighbors over for dinner. That awkward social encounter opens the flood gates for issues and discussions that have long bubbled under the surface. The film centers on Angela and Joe (Rogen), who was once in a band and now teaches music at a small college. They live in the Bay Area apartment that once belonged to Joe’s parents. They are raising their daughter and living quiet lives that are relatively independent. They don’t seem to talk or connect any more. When Joe arrives home and learns there’s a dinner party, he doesn’t take it well. He’s annoyed at the neighbors upstairs, Hawk (Norton) and Pina (Cruz). He’s annoyed at the noise they make, and he plans to confront them, much to Angela’s horror. She’s hoping to find some kindred spirits that can breathe life into her daily routine. When Hawk and Pina arrive, it’s awkward. As they try to play the role of host, and Joe tries to bite his tongue, it’s awkward. As they split up and tour the house, it’s awkward. But when Hawk and Pina make a stunning confession, it turns the evening on its head, causing everyone to re-examine their lives and relationships. This is a daring and at times hilarious comedy. It’s also quite serious and ends in a quietly beautiful place that could mean different things to different viewers. That’s a credit to writers Will McCormick and Rashida Jones, but it’s also a credit to Wilde, who serves as director. The script and the performers come together into something beautiful thanks to the strong hand Wilde uses in her latest feature film. This is one of the best films of the year so far. It’s my favorite comedy of the year, and yet I found myself quite moved at times. It’s essentially tightly focused on the four lead characters. At times it feels almost as intimate as a stage play. And because it’s a tight story, each of the four gets at least one opportunity to shine and to leave themselves vulnerable. That’s beautiful to see. But ultimately, this is mostly about Rogen and Wilde. Each cuts a very different character, which at times leads you to wonder how they got together. But that’s the point of the story. Wilde is bravely emotional in her performance. But she also sells so much of the narrative on looks and facial expressions. But it’s Rogen that impressed me the most. His comedic style and timing is well applied here. His line deliveries always lighten the mood and there are a few lines and deliveries he give that left me laughing out loud. And yet, he also delivers a quietly beautiful moment at the film’s close that is one of the best. The Invite is sometimes tough to watch because of the characters and story, but it’s a rich narrative. It’s funny, moving, and beautifully crafted. It’s a must-see gem.
Rating: Rated R for sexual material, language throughout, and drug use
Verdict: Four and a half stars out of five

Moana (Theaters)
Starring: Catherine Laga’aia and Dwayne Johnson
Synopsis: For years, Disney has delivered classic, animated tales. But in recent years, to keep their profits and movie options alive, they’ve translated all those classics into a live-action version. Some have added a new dimension, becoming a dynamic film in their own right. Others have followed the template too closely, leaving audiences asking why we needed another version. Moana debuted for Disney in 2016, making it a relatively new addition to the animated library. It also had its own sequel, debuting around Thanksgiving in 2024. And now, it has its own live-action version. That includes Dwayne Johnson reprising his role as Maui, along with a very faithful adaptation. In the film we meet Moana (Catherine Laga'aia), the daughter of the chief. She’s set to eventually inherit her father’s title and lead her people. But she yearns to explore the open ocean, something that’s forbidden by the chief. Still, as their island faces a threat that could end their civilization, she decides to strike out and try to reverse it all. Moana learns she is descended from a line of explorers. She also learns she needs to hunt down a demi-God, Maui (Johnson), who once stole the heart and kicked off the darkness that’s spreading. Armed with some pluck, a small ship, and a mission of great importance, she sets off. What set Moana apart from other animated features was it’s fun, engaging story and location. There were some beautiful sights and there was a lot of fun with Moana’s chief companions being a crazy chicken named Hey-Hey and an excitable pig named Pua. The other thing that set it apart were the incredible musical numbers, many written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. That work even earned him an Oscar. In this new version, there is still a fun story. And the music is still present, with re-creations of the epic songs that were part of the original animated story. There is still a sense of wonder and, by the end, a swell of emotions. But it just feels unnecessary. In fact, it’s almost impossible to really tell this story as a live-action film. Maui’s power is being a shapeshifter, meaning he transitions from Man to bird, whale, bug, and more. And Moana’s best friends are quirky animals. In addition, all the threats and villains they face are larger-than-life, supernatural creates. That means that this live-action film is a majority CGI. It’s not quite as pronounced as the live-action Lion King, but you can see where it’s going. Laga’aia is solid as Moana. She brings a decent energy and presence to the role. And Johnson is still fun as Maui, trying his best to re-create the fun and tics from his animated performance. And if you’d never before seen this story, it would likely resonate well. But we’ve seen it done in a beautiful, animated style. That leaves Moana as fine, at times entertaining, but feeling hollow because it doesn’t bring anything new to the story. We’ve enjoyed Moana’s tale for a decade and that will probably continue despite this new live-action version. If you’re just looking for some reliable entertainment at the theater this summer, this fits the bill. But if you just want to re-live Moana’s tale, you’re better off diving into the animated version.
Rating: Rated PG for action/peril, some scary images, rude humor and brief thematic elements
Verdict: Two and a half stars out of five