Star Trek Beyond

While certainly visually impressive, the plot and pacing lack a sense of urgency or excitement. The events unfolding during the course of the film feel far less important than the filmmakers assuredly intend, and the action was fairly rote "big summer blockbuster" fare.

The best selling point is certainly the characters and dialogue. At the very least, this series has been consistent in providing a fun group of people to be around for a couple of hours.

6.5/10

King Jack

King Jack tells the tale of a teenage boy with few friends, a complicated home life and a persistent, vicious bully. The film does so beautifully and with a great deal of charm. The lead actor does a fantastic job with a very tough role.

9.25/10

The Invitation

A wonderfully tense, fantastically thrilling fish-bowl tale that kept me unnerved throughout the runtime.

8.75/10

Ghostbusters (2016)

I was worried about this one, given that the trailers made the film look atrocious. And that new theme song didn't help...

But I found this film to be both fun and funny. There are some pacing issues that hold it back, and some of the cameos, while appreciated, didn't quite land for me. Don't get scared away by the marketing for this one, though!

7.75/10

Nerve

This film has some interesting things to say about social media and personal technology in general, but nothing particularly revolutionary or novel. The film is entertaining, but doesn't seem to carry much weight, which is especially true in the third act, which leans on some fairly silly hacker shenanigans to wrap up the narrative.

5.75/10

Swiss Army Man

This film is truly a unique experience. The performances are excellent and quite memorable, but I think the film didn't quite stick the landing in the third act.

7.75/10

Independence Day: Resurgence

The threat is bigger, the cast is larger, and the stakes are universal this time around. And yet, somehow, nothing seemed to carry much weight. The action was fine, but far from inspired. And really, that sentiment summed up most aspects of this film for me.

6/10