Spies, growing pains and a silly old bear
‘The Spy Who Dumped Me’
So this is pretty much the definition of a bad relationship: Your boyfriend dumps you, and then shows up at your place with assassins on his trail, as he belatedly informs you that he’s actually a spy.
That’s Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon’s world in “The Spy Who Dumped Me,” the new action comedy co-written and directed by Susanna Fogel.
The Arizona Republic’s Barbara VanDenBurgh gave the movie 2 stars (out of 5), lauding the refreshing pairing of Kunis and McKinnon as women “who aren’t playing rivals and aren’t competing for one man’s affection.” Unfortunately, that’s balanced against “trying earnestly to be about half a dozen different things: a buddy comedy, a spy drama, a raunch fest, a thrilling action film,” without having “the focus to do any of those things particularly well.” “The Spy Who Dumped Me” is rated R for violence, pervasive language, some sexual material and nudity. It runs for 116 minutes.
‘Christopher Robin’
There’s always a time, as the Bible verse says, to put away childish things. But there’s also a time when it wouldn’t hurt to pick them up again.
In “Christopher Robin,” Ewan McGregor plays the adult version of the title character, a husband and father whose job is getting in the way of his being able to be either of those things — or even himself. So guess who’s coming to the rescue? Yep, Winnie the Pooh.
There are adventures in and out of the Hundred Acre Wood in this live-action family movie, which co-stars Hayley Atwell as Mrs. Robin and a voice cast including Pooh regular Jim Cummings as the silly old bear, Chris O’Dowd (as Tigger), Brad Garrett as Eeyore, Peter Capaldi as Rabbit and Sophie Okonedo as Kanga. “Christopher Robin” is rated PG for some action. It runs for 120 minutes.
‘Eighth Grade’
In a summer of surprises at the movies, here’s another: A movie made by a sometimesabrasive comedian captures the tender challenges of making the transition from middle school to high school.
By all counts, that’s what comic turned writer-director Bo Burnham has in “Eighth Grade,” a festival-circuit favorite about a girl (Elsie Fisher) who is trying to navigate being liked (and not liked), boys, self-esteem, identity and other confusing dynamics during her last week in middle school.
Burnham and Fisher are both being treated as revelations, with “Eighth Grade” getting some of the year’s best reviews. In her 31⁄2-star review, Seattle Times critic Moira Macdonald calls the movie “a coming-of-age charmer that aspires to be a junior version of ‘Lady Bird’ (and almost gets there).” “Eighth Grade” is rated R for language and some sexual material. It runs for 94 minutes.
‘The Darkest Minds’
Ever since sociologists began seeing teenagers as a distinct group, adults have been wary — and teens have been wary of their wariness.
Take “The Darkest Minds,“the new movie based on the bestselling young-adult novel. It’s set in a world where teenagers start developing new powers, and where the government’s solution is to round up the kids in special camps.
Some, like the 16-yearold played by Amandla Stenberg (still best remembered as Rue in the first “Hunger Games” movie), flee for safety, and find themselves having to band together to protect themselves, and their future.
Mandy Moore and Gwendoline Christie costar. “The Darkest Minds” is rated PG-13 for violence and thematic elements. It runs for 105 minutes.
‘Death of a Nation’
Conservative commentator turned filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza, never shy about his targets, says that President Donald Trump is facing the same kind of opposition from Democrats in 2018 as Abraham Lincoln did in 1860.
And in his latest movie, “Death of a Nation,” D’Souza sets out to make a case that, for all the protests against Trump, it’s the other side that’s the real danger to America. In the trailer, he tries to draw parallels between liberals and pro-slavery Democrats of the 19th centu-
ry, as well as German Nazis of the 20th.
D’Souza, whose previous movies targeted Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, received a pardon from Trump in June; he pleaded guilty in 2014 to making illegal campaign contributions to a Republican Senate candidate, and although he acknowledged in court that he knew it was illegal, D’Souza said later that the prosecution was part of a campaign of persecution for his 2012 anti-Obama documentary “2016: Obama’s America.”
“Death of a Nation” is rated PG-13 for violence, disturbing images, some language and brief drug use. It runs for 109 minutes. The week’s best off-the-grid picks
❚ “The Big Lebowski”: The Dude abides, again, in a 20th anniversary showing of the Coen brothers’ near-masterpiece with Jeff Bridges, John Goodman and a cast of surrealness, at 2 p.m. Sunday and 7 p.m. Wednesday at Marcus Theatres’ Majestic, Menomonee Falls, North Shore, Ridge and South Shore cinemas. Tickets are $12.50. Info: marcus theatres.com.
❚ “Blue Hawaii”:
Elvis Presley’s second movie after returning from the Army includes some of the prettiest Elvis movie scenery and prettiest Elvis songs (”Can’t Help Falling in Love” and, of course, “Ito Eats”). It’s showing in the run-up to the anniversary of the King’s death (Aug. 16) at 4 p.m. Sunday and 2 p.m. Monday and Wednesday at Marcus Theatres’ North Shore and Ridge cinemas. Admission is $5. Info: marcustheatres.com.
❚ “Siberia”: This new thriller, starring Keanu Reeves at the wrong end of a bad diamond deal, gets a one-time Milwaukee screening at 4:15 p.m. Wednesday at the Avalon Theater, 2473 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. Tickets are $8.50 Info: avalonmke.com.
❚ “Poverty, Inc.”: This documentary on the “business” of charity is part of the Helen Bader Institute’s Summer Film Series in the Fireside Lounge at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Student Union, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd. It’s showing at 7 p.m. Monday. Admission is free. Info: uwm.edu/hbi.
The week’s free outdoor movies
❚ “Batman”: Tim Burton’s 1989 movie, with Michael Keaton as the caped crusader and Jack Nicholson as the Joker, was the starting gun for Hollywood’s
superhero race. It’s still pretty good, too; see for yourself Friday at 7:15 p.m. at Peck Pavilion at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, 929 N. Water St., in the Peck Flicks series. Info: marcuscenter.org.
❚ “Barefoot in the Park”: Lake Park gets into the outdoor movie business Friday with, appropriately enough, a screening of the 1967 comedy with Jane Fonda and Robert Redford. It’s showing at the park’s Summer Stage at 2975 N.
Lake Park Road at 8:30 p.m. Info: lake parkfriends.org.
❚ “The Karate Kid”: Wax on, wax off with the 1984 original, showing in Elm Grove’s series at dusk Saturday at the Village Park Gazebo, 13600 Juneau Blvd. (The screening is part of “The Great Elm Grove Campout” Saturday and Sunday.) Info: elmgrovewi.org.
❚ “Early Man”: Get a few blasts from the past — as in the Stone Age — in this animated comedy from the “Wallace & Gromit” crew, showing at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday in the Summer Family Movie Series at The Corners of Brookfield, 20111 W. Blue Mound Road. Info: thecornersof brookfield.com.
❚ “Laura”: Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews and the brilliantly acerbic Clifton Webb star in one of the true noir classics from 1944. Showing at 8:30 p.m. Friday at Paul’s Alley Cinema, the Walker’s Point fixture at 170 S. 2nd St. Info: Paul’s Alley Cinema Facebook page.