File Photo | The Valdosta Daily TimesAdann-Kennn Alexxandar is pictured in this 2017 file photo. The long-time Valdosta Daily Times movie critic returned to the movies this past week with the reopening of Valdosta Cinemas.

“The Summering” (Drama: 1 hour, 27 minutes)

Starring: Lia Barnett, Sanai Victoria, Madalen Mills and Eden Grace Redfield

Director: James Ponsoldt

Rated: PG-13 (Thematic material and some suspense)

Movie Review: A female version of “Stand by Me” (1986), “The Summering” never reaches a peak where one cares about its characters. The story waffles between mild horror and a coming-of-age drama. Neither register because this movie never focuses on either in a significant manner.

Daisy (Barnett), Lola (Victoria), Dina (Mills) and Mari (Redfield) enjoy the last days of summer the weekend before middle school begins. Their lives change forever when an encounter in a nearby forest forces them to make some mature decisions.

Although listed as a drama, it teeters on being a mild horror. It gives the appearance that producers did not know if they wanted to create another addition to Netflix’s “Stranger Things” or create a coming-of-age story for four girls. Director James Ponsoldt (“The Spectacular Now,” 2013; “The End of The Tour,” 2015) and co-writer Benjamin Percy create an average story with marginal characters. Both aspects lack a potent, focused objective.

“The Summering” is not a way to remember the recent summer days. Despite the talents of a few adult cast members, the younger cast fails to resonate. School offers a more worthwhile conclusion.

Grade: C (Summer elsewhere.)

“Bodies Bodies Bodies” (Comedy/Horror/Thriller: 1 hour, 34 minutes)

Starring: Amanda Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Myha’la Herrold and Pete Davidson

Director: Halina Reijn

Rated: R (Pervasive language, drug use, bloody imagery, sexual references and violence)

Movie Review: If you see one movie this year that makes you think about the intelligence of humanity profoundly, “Bodies Bodies Bodies” is that movie. It is a very entertaining movie with plenty of humor and thrills to please even the crankiest person but one must see the entire movie to get its full humor.

A middle-class Bee (Bakalova) and her wealthy girlfriend, Sophie (Stenberg), meet Sophie’s rich friends at a remote mansion. The group of wealthy 20-year-old friends meets to celebrate a hurricane party at the family mansion of their friend, David (Davidson), who is inebriated the majority of the time. The five women and two men think their night of partying will be fun but tragedy befalls them. One of them is murdered, which begins a chain of secrets being revealed among the friends.

On the surface, this comedy/horror appears as another sleek but formulaic horror. Some tropes exist but they are skillful placements with a purpose. Instead, Sarah DeLappe inserts smartly written socioeconomic bits while keeping the story effectively entertaining. Her screenplay is bloody and timely exacting. She keeps her audiences entertained to the very end.

Actress Halina Reijn directs the cast with a high-energy style. She has only two other directing credits on her resume, which include 2019’s “Instinct” and the short film “For the Birds” (2021). She easily makes herself a recognized person behind the camera with this feature.

The cast plays engaging and funny characters. They inspire laughter as much as they inspire frights. The end scene alone invigorates this movie. If one is not laughing by the end credits, said person has no pulse.

Grade: B+ (Bodies should pile in to see this comical thriller.)

“Emily the Criminal” (Crime/Drama: 1 hour, 36 minutes)

Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Theo Rossi and Bernardo Badillo

Director: John Patton Ford

Rated: R (Profanity, drug-alcohol use, language and violence)

Movie Review: Noir genre screenplays have numerous leading protagonists in movies who are imperfect people who commit crimes for personal gain. Occasionally, the main character is the shadiest person. In this case, Emily (Plaza) is such a person. She is a criminal living in Los Angeles. Settled with debt and having trouble finding higher-paying jobs because of her criminal record, she reverts to her criminal past. Desperate, she begins working for charismatic conman Youcef (Theo Rossi). She resorts to being a “dummy shopper,” purchasing high-price items with stolen credit card data. The lifestyle becomes addictive and the two aim for loftier black-market goals.

Crime pays in this case. This drama is worth the ticket. Thieves work their magic to make money, and their endeavors are engaging. As Emily and Youcef execute their criminal tasks, they realize they love each other as much as their illegal activities. This makes one sympathetic to their onscreen personas. Their love makes one want to see them succeed because they are merely trying to create a better life for themselves and their loved ones.

This does not excuse the fact they are committing crimes but their relationship makes them endearing personas. Even more, this creates a motive for their risky ventures. and Plaza and Rossi appear an odd couple originally but their performances are inviting. They impress, especially Plaza as this movie’s lead.

“Emily the Criminal” is John Patton Ford’s directorial debut for a full-length screenplay following his short film, “Patrol” (2010). Ford’s moviemaking resume is slim, yet he creates an inviting drama. This noir crime caper is impressive in a low-key manner.

Grade: B (Emily deservedly gets away with it.)

“Orphan First Kill” (Crime/Horror: 1 hour, 39 minutes)

Starring: Isabelle Fuhrman, Julia Stiles, Matthew Finlan and Rossif Sutherland

Director: William Brent Bell

Rated: R (Bloody violence, language, and brief sexual content)

Movie Review: If you turn off critical thinking skills, “Orphan: First Kill” is enjoyable. For others, the nonsensical twists and lack of logical actions by characters are annoying.

The latter impresses upon the prior egregiously. The first kill should have been this script in return for something more tangible.

Esther (Fuhrman) cleverly escapes an Estonian psychiatric facility. Afterward, she lands in Connecticut having convinced people she is the daughter of a wealthy American family, the Albrights. Parents Tricia (Stiles) and Allen (Sutherland) and brother Gunnar Albright (Finlan) welcome Leena, a.k.a. Esther, into their home where family secrets unravel to reveal greater horrors.

“First Kill” is a prequel-sequel to 2009’s “Orphan” (Director Jaume Collet-Serra). William Brent Bell directs “First Kill.” He previously directed “The Boy” (2016) and “Separation” (2021), so he is no stranger to the horror genre.

However, this movie, despite its interesting twists, has multiple plot lapses that require one to discontinue common sense.

The biggest nonsensical part of this story is authorities and the Albrights do not require medical proof Leena is there. Other moments exist but this one is a surprise; the movie does get around the issue by later supplying a plausible explanation via a plot twist. Still, the narrative gaps are irritating.

Grade: C (Despite thrills, orphan this flick.)

“Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero” (Animation/Action: 1 hour, 40 minutes)

Starring: Masako Nozawa, Toshio Furukawa and Yûko Minaguchi

Director: Tetsuro Kodama

Rated: PG-13 (Action/violence, crude humor and smoking)

Movie Review: “Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero” is just as its title suggests. It is super entertainment, so fans of this anime addition should be happy again. Others can still enjoy the action shenanigans and interesting characters.

Two new androids of The Red Ribbon Army arrive to challenge Goku (Nozawa), Picolo (Furukawa) and their friends. Just as their battle begins, a powerful force that could destroy them all emerges.

Tetsuro Kodama makes his directorial debut. This first addition to his full-length movie is a fun one. As one would expect from “Dragon Ball” movies, plenty of action sequences exist that should dazzle fans and excite others. This feature adds a unique story that interrupts what audiences think is going to be the main plot. This lengthens the narrative but creates a larger interesting cast.

“Dragon Ball” characters ridicule each other. Then, the same characters fight for multiple minutes. The process is repetitive, the “Dragon Ball” franchise continues to use this pattern because it still entertains. The fighting even continues through the end credits for a finished fight between Goku and Vegeta.

Grade: B (Super entertainment.)

“Beast” (Horror/Adventure: 1 hour, 33 minutes)

Starring: Idris Elba, Leah Jeffries, Iyana Halley and Sharlto Copley

Director: Balthasar Kormákur

Rated: R (Violent content, bloody images and language)

Movie Review: Ryan Engle’s script is a modern “Jaws” (Director Steven Spielberg, 1975) while riding a “Jurassic Park” (1993) type of wave. “Beast” is a predictable and sometimes unbelievable movie but it provides enough amusement to satisfy.

Dr. Nate Samuels, his daughters, Iyana (Halley) and Norah (Jeffries), and family friend and guide Martin Battles (Copley) travel to an African savanna ecosystem to tour the grassland filled with a variety of animal life. There, they encounter a savage lion that is brutally killing humans. Nate Samuels and his family must remain alive while the mighty beast hunts them.

Balthasar Kormákur (“2 Guns,” 2013) directs this thriller. He helms a predictable movie with plenty of thrills. “Beast” is also unconvincing near its conclusion. If anyone believes Idris Elba can face a lion barehanded and survive, this movie will entertain you immensely. Others will have to settle for some cheap thrills and beautiful African background images.

Grade: B- (A minor roar but it amuses.)

“Breaking” (Crime/Drama/Thriller: 1 hour, 43 minutes)

Starring: John Boyega, Nicole Beharie, Selena’s Leyva, Connie Britton and Michael Kenneth Williams

Director: Abi Damaris Corbin

Rated: PG-13 (Violent content and strong language)

Movie Review: A slenderized “Dog Day Afternoon” (1975), like “Breaking,” is based on true events. Both movies involve a plot that takes place in just hours. “Breaking’s” message is the United States government’s mistreatment of veterans. “Breaking’s” message could be more front and center, yet the movie is carried by a fine performance by John Boyega.

Marine war veteran Lance Corporal Brian Brown-Easley (Boyega) feels he is on the verge of financial collapse after the Veterans Administration refuses to pay him. On verge of homelessness, Brown-Easley decides an action that will get him attention for his cause. He takes bank employees, Estel Valerie (Beharie) and Rosa Diaz (Leyva), hostage at a Wells Fargo bank and threatens to detonate explosives inside the building if government officials do not meet his demands.

Again, John Boyega is the center of this attraction. His performance is engaging. His character’s engagement forms a message about the treatment of veterans. His scene with Connie Britton is one of the more pivotal points of this movie. It is the moment his character reveals his demands and his problem with Veterans Affairs to the world but the movie does not stay there. Actions of other characters overshadow the message.

One member of the cast to note is Michael Kenneth Williams; he died last year. His performance is secondary to Boyega, yet Williams manages to portray the compassionate law enforcement official with charisma.

Abi Damaris Corbin, whose last endeavor was “The Suitcase,” 2017, a short film about a true event regarding terrorist acts on Sept. 11. Corbin and co-writer Kwame Kwei-Armah use Aaron Gell’s 2018 article “They Didn’t Have to Kill Him” as a basis for this screenplay. They create an entertaining bank heist gone wrong. However, they struggle to produce a solid message about the treatment of veterans by the United States government.

Grade: B (This breaking story is worthy of attention.)

“Three Thousand Years of Longing” (Fantasy/Romance: 1 hour, 48 minutes)

Starring: Tilda Swinton, Idris Elba and Pia Thunderbolt

Director: George Miller

Rated: R (Sexual content, graphic nudity and violence)

Movie Review: “Three Thousand Years of Longing” appears the type of movie one would discuss in a humanities or philosophical seminar. It is a good movie for those who like to think and appreciate artsy photoplays.

Tilda Swinton plays lonely British scholar Alithea Binnie who suffers from hallucinations on a trip to Istanbul. Later, she buys an antique bottle only to discover a Djinn (Elba), a being of immense power to grant three wishes. As the Djinn tempts Binnie to make her wishes, she is skeptical of his motives. Instead, she is curious about the thousands of years the being has lived. While listening to three instances of Djinn’s life, Binnie slowly gathers her thoughts about her wishes.

Oscar recipient George Miller has directed such movies as “Mad Max” 1979, “Lorenzo’s Oil” (1992), “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015) and “Happy Feet” (2006). His resume is diverse. “Three Thousand Years of Longing” diversifies it more. Here, he directs Augusta Gore’s adaptation of A.S. Hyatt’s short story “The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye.”

The movie plays like three fables in one as Djinn tells of his life. Each facet of his life is gratifying in different manners, yet this movie maintains its romantic notions between its leads, Swinton and Elba. The two shine playing an unlikely pairing. Their story leads to a romantic venture filled with adventurous tales. While the tales often distract Binnie and Djinn’s relationship, Djinn’s life in three parts is a wayward fascinating diversion of visual art.

Grade: B- (It leaves one longing for more, despite a sometimes less than focused seriousness.)

“The Invitation” (Drama: 1 hour, 45 minutes)

Starring: Natalie Emmanuel, Thomas Doherty and Hugh Skinner

Director: Jessica M. Thompson

Rated: PG-13 (Terror, violence, strong language, sexual content and nudity)

Movie Review: Vampire movies are always captivating. They provide a nice escape, even when the story is lacking. This is the case with “The Invitation.” It is inviting but not seductive enough to make one care about its attractive cast.

Evelyn “Evie” Jackson (Emmanuel) receives a message from her cousin, Oliver Alexander (Skinner), who tracks her down via an ancestry DNA kit. Oliver tells Evie of a wedding and informs her it would be a suitable time to meet her long-lost cousins if she attended the celebration in England.

Days later, the beautiful Evie flies to the Carfax Estate in Whitby. There, Evie meets Walter DeVille (Doherty), the handsome lord of the manor. Soon, a romance blossoms between the two, and Evie learns that her new lover has a secret.

Inspired by Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel “Dracula,” this script by Blair Butler does not allow time to indulge in the romance between Evie and Walter. They are an attractive couple, so an ensuing romance should be seductive. Not enough time passes to make the coupling appealing to complement the narrative.

Jessica M. Thompson (“The Light of the Moon,” 2017) directs this movie that holds one’s attention without offering a meaningful, substantive story. “The Invitation” deserves a redo for some future producers, where this story is remade into the compelling romance it could be.

Grade: C+ (Accept the bloody invite with caution.)

Adann-Kennn Alexxandar has reviewed movies for more than 20 years in South Georgia.