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Four years since the fall of Isla Nublar, dinosaurs now live amongst us all around the world, a controversial matter to say the least; but, with the work and help of a major biotech firm there could be an upshot in medical technology and gene therapies from the disaster. Now with the possibility of a food shortage at hand, humanity’s ability to stay as an apex predator on earth may be coming to an end, Re-uniting the best minds in jurassic lore might be the only way to save our existence. Written by Emily Carmichael, Colin Trevorrow, and Derek Connolly and Directed by Trevorrow, this derivative work checks the boxes as a summertime box office smasher, but lacks in the plot and concept development department. Riddled with stale and moronic dialogue, but ripe with chase scenes, this potentially final chapter in the dino franchise is based on one chase set piece after another with little substance in between, serving up retreads on all the now standard Jurassic tropes. Sure the cast contains the whole family from Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum to Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Isabella Sermon and that’s fine and fun, but moments together on screen are few and far between, and frankly not that memorable. Regardless, dinosaurs show up, do their thing, yay, and there’s even a message about acceptance and understanding to tidy things up with a bow. So, I guess show up for the dinos but check your brain at the door. This two hour and twenty six minute sweaty beast is rated PG-13.

Serving over thirty years as one of the Navy’s top fighter pilots, Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell (Tom Cruise), finds himself chosen to be an instructor for Top Gun, the elite school for fighter pilots; but, the training and wisdom he will impart will be his final post. Overshadowing his mission is the reconciliation between multiple friends, family, and lovers. To thread the needle further will require the best dog fighting and diplomacy Mitchell has ever had to employ, will it be enough to bring him and his students home? Written by a team of writers based on characters from Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr. and story by Peter Craig and Directed by Joseph Kosinski this beast of a blockbuster, delayed to theatres for nearly three years due to the pandemic, is poised to demonstrate the power that Producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Tom Cruise are able to wield over the film going population. Narratively this incarnation of Top Gun parallels its 1986 predecessor at nearly every turn, although this go round we’re given a shred more raison d’etre and depth to Mitchell’s character, and, conveniently we’re given closure to a handful of loose ends along the way. But in reality, it’s not character development we’re after here, it’s F-18 fighter jets, sound barrier breaking iron winged angels screaming across the sky in glorious formation performing combat maneuvers to dizzy the senses, that’s what we’re here for, to that end, you’ve come to right place. With impeccable cinematography and a noted minimal amount of CGI trickery, this is a film that indeed begs to be seen on the biggest screen possible with the most immersive sound one can fathom. Bottom line, it’s a Tom Cruise action flick, and, love him or hate him, his films are crowd pleasing mega hits for a reason, this one’s no less. Running two hours and eleven minutes Top Gun: Maverick is rated PG-13.

Following the death of her ex-husband (Paapa Essiedu), a young woman, Harper (Jessie Buckley), heads to the English countryside to settle her mind and relax. But, peace and relaxation are quite possibly the last thing she’ll receive as the process of birth, life, death and regeneration is embodied in this quaint village. Finding solace will take some deep self work.Written and Directed by Alex Garland brace yourself for rich religious overtones, exploring principles of the circle of life from the Norse and Judeo-Christian backgrounds. Unsettling, disturbing, and all together wonderful at the same time, this cinematic journey mixes just the right dashes of horror and suspense to successfully spin the audience and reflect on the evolution of men, or lack thereof. This is a mood piece and not for the faint of heart, but, worth the attempt to digest. Running one hour and 40 minutes, Men is rated R.