Lost in America,
Directed by Albert Brooks
(R, 1 hour, 31 minutes)
This 1985 satirical comedy -- newly released on Blu-Ray by Criterion Collection -- is widely considered to be one of the funniest films ever, from one of the country's top movie comedians, Albert Brooks. It concerns a husband (Brooks) and wife (Julie Hagerty) in their 30s, shining examples of the then up-and-coming demographic known as yuppies, whose frustrations with suburban life lead them to quit their jobs, withdraw their retirement nest egg, and hit the highway to roam America in a Winnebago. Adventures, not all them good, ensue.
A must-see for those planning a cross-country road trip this summer, or any other.
The Boss Baby (PG, 1 hour, 37 minutes) DreamWorks Animation and director Tom McGrath (Madagascar) present a sprightly animated kids comedy -- with just the right cartoon tone to appeal to young audiences -- about the ways a newborn affects a family, especially 7-year-old Tim. With the voices of Alec Baldwin, Steve Buscemi, Jimmy Kimmel, Lisa Kudro, Miles Christopher Bakshi.
Ghost in the Shell (PG-13, 1 hour, 47 minutes) A finding-yourself search is at the heart of this throbbing, highly visual actioner in which a cyber-enhanced human (Scarlett Johansson) is exactly engineered for soldiering in order to stop the world's most dangerous criminals. But she's obsessed with finding out who made her into the ultra-powerful creature she has become. With Michael Pitt, Joseph Naufahu, Philippe Joly; directed by Rupert Sanders.
Gifted (PG-13, 1 hour, 41 minutes) A predictable, emotionally cliched comedy/drama in which the stunning mathematical abilities of 7-year-old Mary come to the attention of her scheming grandmother (Lindsay Duncan), Mary's uncle Frank (Chris Evans), who's raising her, objects, leaving him in danger of being separated from his young charge. With Octavia Spencer, Mckenna Grace, Jenny Slate; directed by Marc Webb.
Black Butterfly (R, 1 hour, 33 minutes) A ludicrous yet often punchy thriller in which a loner of a writer (Antonio Banderas) breaks out of his solitary habits and offers a drifter (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) a place to stay in his isolated cabin. Surprise! A storm cuts off the power, and the two men amuse themselves with a deadly game of cat and mouse. With Piper Perabo, Katie McGovern, Abel Ferrara; directed by Brian Goodman.
The Final Master (not rated, 1 hour, 49 minutes) A complex, compelling action drama set in China before World War II, The Final Master concerns a Wing Chun practitioner's extraordinary efforts to open a martial arts school to fulfill his master's dying wish for him to pass on the art, which requires him to send his apprentice to secretly challenge and defeat the best knife-wielders that eight martial arts schools have to offer. With Fan Liao, Jia Song; Directed by Haofeng Xu and based on his best-selling novel The Master. Subtitled.
MovieStyle on 07/28/2017