Mid-Summer’s Movie Recap;

Some Entertaining Films in Theaters Now!

By Sandra Olmsted

Ghostbusters (2016)

Years ago, Dr. Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig), now an untenured Columbia University professor, and her former best friend, Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy), wrote a book proving ghosts exist. When Abby begins selling the book online to fund her continuing the research into the paranormal, Erin could lose her bid for tenure and goes to find Abby.

Abby’s new research partner, Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon), a brilliant but loopy engineer, drags Erin along to a haunting at the Aldridge mansion, where they encounter a real ghost. Meanwhile, MTA worker Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones), a knowledgable local historian, encounters Rowan North (Neil Casey), a crazy who prophesizes a “fourth cataclysm” just before Patty encounters a powerful and frightening ghost in the subway tunnel. Soon, Patty joins the scientists investigating the increasing number and strength of hauntings in the city.

This new Ghostbusters is truly a delight despite many objections that many had before they saw the film. Writer/director Paul Feig perfectly balances honoring the 1984 original and creating an all new and very exciting, humorous, and playful film. In this fast-paced comic romp, the cameos and nods to the original Ghostbusters, including a bust of Harold Ramis, are fun to spot, and add to the magic. The special effect will wow, too, especially in 3D, although the film should be equally good in 2D. The acting is spot on, especially Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon. Ghostbusters, a Columbia Pictures release, runs 116 minutes and is rated PG-13 for supernatural action and some crude humor.

The all female GHOSTBUSTERS 2016 include:

Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones.

   Star Trek Beyond

The hip young cast carries this reboot of the Star Trek franchise from Fast & Furious director Justin Lin. After a peace negotiation goes bad, Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), Scotty (Simon Pegg), Chekhov (Anton Yelchin) the young version of Spock (Zachary Quinto), Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Mr. Sulu (John Cho), and Bones (Karl Urban) answer a distress call from Kalara (Lydia Wilson) and her stranded crew, and get attacked by Krall (Idris Elba). This causes the Enterprise to crash on a somewhat hospitable planet populated by hostile inhabitants.

The top-notch special effects are worth seeing in IMAX, and the film moves at a quicker pace later after a longer set for the story. The film pays tribute to the late Leonard Nimoy and Anton Yelchin, who died at 27 in a tragic accident. This exciting installment should keep the fans asking for more. A Paramount Pictures release, Star Trek Beyond is rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and runs 122 minutes.

   Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie

When boozy divas Edina (Jennifer Saunder) and Patsy (Joanna Lumley) “murdered” Kate Moss, accidentally of course, darling, at an uber fabulous party, they ending up doing “on the lam” as only they could — fabulously and on the French Riviera. They have their usually stylish fun with lots of boozing and clubbing, but they are on the lam just the same.

Now, if they could only make this extended vacay permanent. Edina’s daughter Saffy (Julia Sawalha) is still the voice of reason that the glam-duo ignores, and real celebrities, fashion designers, models and comedians appear in cameos and as themselves, including Jon Hamm. The chemistry of Saunder and Lumley is still magic in this 91 minute romp that will delight series fans with its many inside jokes and still deliver plenty of fun for those who aren’t familiar with the famed BBC-produced TV series. Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie is a Fox Searchlight Pictures release and rated R for language including sexual references, and some drug use.

Ice Age: Collision Course

When their world is threatened by a meteor strike, caused by Scrat’s (voice of Chris Wedge) pursuit of that ever-elusive acorn, Manny (voice of Ray Romano), Diego (voice of Denis Leary), and Sid (voice of John Leguizamo) team up with Buck (voice of Simon Pegg) to save themselves and the herd. They all embark on a journey through strange tropical lands and meet new creatures. This installment has a jolly nature, which clashes with the impeding doom, but it’s not the best in the franchise because the juvenile humor will only appeal to children. A Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation release, Ice Age: Collision Course is rated PG for mild rude humor and some action/peril and runs 94 minutes.

   Lights Out

Even is you aren’t afraid of the dark, this horror film will make you question every shadow that flickers in darkened spaces. After Paul (Billy Burke) is violently and mysteriously murdered, at least as it seems to his family, his 12-year-old son, Martin (Gabriel Bateman) begins to catch glimpses of the same female creature that, unbeknownst to him, killed his father. Meanwhile, mom Sophie (Maria Bello), is off her meds and talking to an invisible friend named Diane.

When Martin’s step-sister, Rebecca (Teresa Palmer), takes him home with her, she attracts the creature to her and her boyfriend, Bret (Alexander DiPersia). The creature desires only one thing and that’s to kill all of Sophie’s family, but the reason isn’t very clear. Good acting, makes this otherwise standard horror film with the usual scares and jump-out-and-get-yas. A Warner Bros. release, Lights Out is rated PG-13 for terror throughout, violence including disturbing images, some thematic material and brief drug content and runs 81 minutes.

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