The dinos are back in ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’

“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”

1/2 Three years after the Jurassic World theme park was destroyed when the dinosaurs escaped, the island home of the park is on the verge of being destroyed by a volcano that would create the second extinction for the creatures. Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) is recruited to mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs.

Either the “Jurassic” film franchise is showing its age or the team members behind the latest offering are showing their lack of originality. No matter which is the major culprit, the final result is little more than a cut-and-paste version of past productions (especially “The Lost World: Jurassic Park”).

The movie isn’t a complete waste, especially for those looking for pure escapism. “Jurassic World: Lost Kingdom” has plenty of dinosaur action. “Hearts Beat Loud”

1/2 This is a quiet film in tone and delivery. Don’t let that fool you because the production from writer/director Brett Haley actually shouts in clear tones its messages about love, family and the addictiveness of passions. Haley has shown how commanding a film delivered in lean-in-to-hear quiet tones can be. In a world where theaters shake, rattle and roll with the latest big action movie, it’s a gift to find a film that shakes, rattles and rolls emotions with an equal amount of intensity.

Nick Offerman turns in a powerful performance as both the caring father and the passionate musician. Each note of his performance resonates with emotional tones anchored in reality and accented with heart. It’s a balanced performance that at times makes the viewer sympathetic to his need to hang on to the two greatest loves of his life — music and his daughter — while feeling pity for him when he takes such a stubborn stance.

“Ocean’s 8”

If nothing else, “Ocean’s 8” proves eight women can easily do the work of 11, 12 or 13 men and at times do it far better. The all-female take on the “Ocean’s” franchise takes over after the male-dominated remakes of “Ocean’s 11, “Ocean’s 12” and “Ocean’s 13,” which hit theaters in 2001, 2004 and 2007.

Sandra Bullock holds everything together. She plays Ocean as a smart and determined felon who holds a grudge with the same passion she embraces friendships. The evil twinkle in her eye is a constant reminder that these are people committing a crime, but they are all so likable, the larceny can be forgiven. Bullock is one of the few actors who can command the screen with such power it is easy to get behind her whether she’s mothering a future NFL standout, floating toward doom in outer space or planning a complicated robbery.

“Fahrenheit 451”

Ramin Bahrani’s efforts to adapt Ray Bradbury’s 1953 novel, “Fahrenheit 451,” into a new movie for HBO came with a major obstacle. When Bradbury penned the tale of a future where all books are outlawed and burned, there was no internet, so eliminating the printed word was a less complicated proposition.

In writing the screenplay with Amir Naderi, Bhrani had to factor in how Bradbury’s “firemen” could do their job when everyone has access to any book ever printed through the cellphone they carry in their pocket.

He gets around those problems and gets some help from Michael B. Jordan (“Black Panther”) as Montag, a young and enthusiastic fireman who begins to question his beliefs as he is exposed more and more to a world where words are so precious to some, they are willing to give their lives to protect them. His emotional turmoil lights a fire under the story.

“Solo: A Star Wars Story”

The background of one of the most lovable rogues in the galaxy, Han Solo, is revealed. Alden Ehrenreich turns in a solid performance as Solo, but it isn’t enough to mask all the big problems with the film.

Director Ron Howard, who was brought in after filming had started, shows little self-control with “Solo” as the action scenes go from exciting to boring. His failure to cut the scenes to a proper length starts with the opening chase and continues in a robbery sequence on a trainlike vehicle through a frozen mountain pass. Neither comes to a dramatic conclusion but just fades away.

Part of the problem is the writing. Lawrence Kasdan has shown skill with the “Star Wars” universe through his screenplays for “The Empire Strikes Back,” “Return of the Jedi” and “The Force Awakens.” This time, Kasden and his son, Jonathon, show none of the beauty in storytelling that made the others work. Their “Solo” story plods to the point that even with big surprise moments, the reveals are either too predictable or too vague.

“Hot Summer Nights”

Director/writer Elijah Bynum presents a world where nothing is what it appears to be. In simple terms, Bynum’s begging the viewer not to judge anything based on first impressions.

The production about a socially awkward Daniel Middleton (Timothée Chalamet), who in 1991 is sent away his summer before college visiting his aunt on Cape Cod, becomes a study in contrasts made compelling by the central players that also include Alex Roe, Maika Monroe and Maia Mitchell. “Hot Summer Nights” has its problems, but it also has four major strengths in the young cast.