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There were a lot of interesting films released the first weekend in August. Below is my take on the new movies I saw. You can keep up with everything I'm watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

Cookie Queens (Limited)
Synopsis: There is an activity that is practically a right-of-passage each Winter. It’s when Girl Scout Cookies go on sale. Many people wait all year for those few short weeks when those cookies will be available for purchase and mass consumption. But how much time do you spend thinking about those who are selling the cookies? The new documentary Cookie Queens follows a few Girl Scouts around the country as they embark on the annual tradition. Some are veterans who are trying to set new personal bests, some have a vested interest in using the fundraiser money for camp, and some are just getting started. But all of them are trying their best to peddle their wares at a fever pitch over a short span of time. The film follows a quartet of sellers, tracking their goals and their progress. It follows the girls and their families, all of whom become a part of this annual tradition. For some it’s a right-of-passage. For some, it’s about making a statement. And for one little girl, it’s the start of a new adventure. All of their stories are engaging and make up the 91-minute film. Cookie Queens debuted at film festivals earlier this year and now is expanding to more theaters nationwide, giving a wider audience a chance to watch the film and engage. It comes from writer/director Alysa Nahmias, who does a good job of capturing these stories. There are emotional moments, drama, and sequences that will tug at your heart. I enjoyed the ride here, and the focus on these girls and their sales efforts. I think others will enjoy this exploration and these stories, too.
Rating: G
Verdict: Three and a half stars out of five

Ice Cream Man (Theaters)
Starring: Ari Millen
Synopsis: When you hear Eli Roth is directing a movie, it conjures a certain type of tale. You expect it to be dark. You expect it to be bloody. And you expect it to be creatively over-the-top. From that standpoint his new summer film, Ice Cream Man, certainly delivers. The film opened on Friday, part of a slate of new releases to kickstart the last month of summer. It’s a savage 86 minutes that is sure to scratch the horror itch for many. But is it a must-see experience? Let’s dive in. The film is set in an idyllic small town that is on the cusp of summer. The kids are playing baseball, looking forward to freedom. That’s when an ice cream truck arrives. And the kids flock to it and it’s confectioner, the Ice Cream Man (Millen). All the kids of the town seemingly partake. But Jared (Charlie Zeltzer), who is lactose intolerant, is unable to enjoy a cold cone. That night, when the truck patrols the neighborhood with its infectious music, something takes hold of those kids who did get ice cream. They turn savagely violent, disconnected from their consciousness of reality. As Jared awakes the next day, and his parents (Roth, Karen Cliche) head off to work, he begins to realize something is amiss. Soon, he and a small band of others who missed out on ice cream find themselves living in something of a hellscape trying to survive. If you’re looking for a good, old-fashioned horror slasher, this is going to be your jam. It’s an interesting set up. It doesn’t waste much time. And it offers plenty of gory violence. It’s a quick hitter that features an interesting twist on the concept that feels a bit like the Pied-Piper approach to a horror film. Roth knows his way around some graphic content and certainly has a feel for this story. He wrote the script with Noah Belson, directed it, and is releasing it under his Horror Section label. He’s fully invested in the story on and off screen. In fact, his role as Jared’s father was one of the most fun of the film as he goes off on a variety of topics. There are a couple other standouts here, too. The Ice Cream Man himself, Millen, is striking in the role. He cuts a creepy and imposing figure from the first moment you spot him on screen. I also enjoyed Benjamin Byron Davis. He is only in one scene, but it’s certainly effective and leads to a twist that, while you see it coming, is still unsettling. But it’s not all perfect here. The story feels like it is full of a lot of good ideas mixed with some cliches. It’s predictable at times, which isn’t bad but doesn’t give it a lot of punch. In addition, it relies heavily on a younger set of actors who are hit-or-miss at best. That sometimes makes an 86-minute run time feel long. If you’re looking for gore and violence at the movies, this will be your jam. But it doesn’t rise to the heights of some of Roth’s previous work.
Rating: NR
Verdict: Two stars out of five

One Night Only (Theaters)
Starring: Callum Turner and Monica Barbaro
Synopsis: Back in 2013 we got The Purge. It was a creative horror concept where the world, tired of constant strife, created a night where people could act out their darker urges without consequence. It was a fascinating film that spawned a whole franchise. And now, it’s earned another marker of success—imitation. One Night Only isn’t a horror movie, but it is about a society that has strict rules in place—in this case regarding pre-marital sex. But for one night—12 precious hours—those rules are suspended. And since the mandate began, it has put a lot of pressure on that one night. This new film follows two people—Owen (Turner) and Allie (Barbaro)—who are trying to navigate the evening. Owen has big plans. He owns a pizza parlor, and he has his life in good shape. He wants to use this least romantic of nights to make a sweeping gesture for his long-time girlfriend (Maya Hawke). She has other plans. Owen’s girlfriend uses their romantic dinner—which was meant to culminate with a proposal—to let him know she plans to use their consequence free evening to act out a fantasy with another man living in their building. Set adrift, Owen wanders the city and determines that he, too, will find someone else, mostly to prove he can. Allie is a singer, but she’s trapped in a former she doesn’t love. She takes popular songs and re-shapes the words for advertisements. While the songs are well crafted and catchy, it’s not the dream she had as a young girl. She’s also looking for love and a meaningful connection, even on a night that is all about something else. Owen and Allie bump into each other on the street. It doesn’t go well. But fate keeps bringing them back together. A sort of friendship blooms. But as the night moves forward, could it become something more? We all know where this kind of movie is going. Despite all the obstacles and all the reasons, they aren’t together, we know these two are meant for each other. Films like this succeed thanks to laughs, an easy-to-watch plot, and chemistry. And One Night Only gets that mostly right. Will Gluck handles the directing duties, and he’s no stranger to the genre. He previously helmed Anyone But You—leading to a fun cameo/shout out for Glenn Powell and Sydney Sweeney—and Easy A, among others. He has a feel for the genre and plies his craft well to these characters and this set up. Turner and Barbaro are having fun here, too. They have good chemistry and sink into their characters. Barbaro, in particular, is a lot of fun with her daydream sequences, musical forays, and more. You can’t help but root for them to get together in the end. The film is packed with fun cameos and Easter eggs. There are fun subplots and moments, all leading to a hilarious and satisfying conclusion. It’s not a deep film, but it’s a good time at the movies, and it makes for a great date night.
Rating: Rated R for sexual material, language and brief nudity.
Verdict: Three and a half stars out of five