Saturday, July 29

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Director: Luc Besson

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2239822

Review: Runs too long and has hammy dialogue that could turn many off but carries a central charm that's hard to ignore and delivers plenty of visual spectacle to enjoy.

Watch it if: You like a movie that throws a lot of stuff at you.

And if you liked: The Fifth Element, Jupiter Ascending, Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

Check this out: Valérian and Laureline

David Lynch: The Art Life

Director: Jon Nguyen, Rick Barnes and Olivia Neergaard-Holm

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1691152

Review: Textural and organic feeling with a sense of honesty and a fantastic number of visual examples.

Watch it if: You're interested in David Lynch?

And if you liked: Meeting People is Easy, William S. Burroughs: A Man Within

Dunkirk

Director: Christopher Nolan

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5013056

Review: Technically intricate to the point that it becomes somewhat alienating but still delivers enough tension and character to draw you in.

Watch it if: You're interested in a film that risks failing on experimentation rather than succeeding on safety.

And if you liked: Interstellar, Inception

Tuesday, July 4

The Big Sick

Director: Michael Showalter

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5462602

Review: Patient with its character building in a way that pulls you in while refusing to take the easy, un-complex path.

Watch it if: You enjoy this particular style of slice-of-life, humour inflected drama.

And if you liked: Obvious Child, Other People

Fifty Shades Darker

Director: James Foley

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4465564

Review: Manages to try so little that the first movie seems hard working with an unfollowable plot and groaning dialogue.

Watch it if: You want to?

And if you liked: Fifty Shades of Grey