‘Minions’ are ready to fire up July Fourth
Leave it to the Minions to bring fireworks for the Fourth of July weekend.
The latest chapter in the hit “Despicable Me” franchise, featuring those banana-loving, jibber-jabbering little guys and their supervillain buddy Gru (voiced by Steve Carell), is hitting movie theaters for the holiday and joining a bunch of other blockbusters already firing up the box office.
And in the case of Tom Cruise’s “Top Gun: Maverick,” turning on the afterburners. But if you want to beat the heat and feel like bingeing some films at home, there are plenty of options.
So if you need a film this long holiday weekend? We got you. Here’s a guide to satisfying every cinematic taste:
If you live for yellow henchmen: ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’
The breezily fun sequel heads back to 1976 when 11-year-old Gru wants to fill the vacant slot in his fave villain group, led by Belle Bottom (Taraji P. Henson).
But instead, Gru ends up on her most-wanted list when he steals a Chinese artifact, and gets help from his idol Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin), who is trained in kung fu by acupuncturist Master Chow (Michelle Yeoh).
h Where to watch: In theaters
If you like cautionary tales: ‘The Forgiven’
Jessica Chastain and Ralph Fiennes lend star power to this thought-provoking drama as Jo and David, a wealthy couple attending a hedonistic soiree in the Moroccan desert. Late to the party, they run over and kill an Arab boy, and contrasting stories emerge in the aftermath about privilege and accountability as David tries to make amends while Jo embraces freedom from her husband.
h Where to watch: In theaters
If you’re a music nerd: ‘Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song’
More people arguably know the haunting, hymnal “Hallelujah” than its songwriter, and this absorbing documentary is a deep dive into both.
It charts Cohen’s early days as a poet and his busy later years, but the most fascinating stuff is the fascinating history of a tune that straddles the spiritual and the sexual, its many different verses, and those who had a hand in its evolution, from John Cale to the late Jeff Buckley to, yep, Shrek.
h Where to watch: In theaters
If you live for period love stories: ‘Mr. Malcolm’s List’
The Jane Austen-esque romance, with Suzanne Allain adapting her own self-published novel, turns up the charm to an 11.
When a proud 19th-century woman (Zawe Ashton) is publicly spurned by London’s most eligible bachelor (Sope Dirisu) – who keeps a checklist of qualities a potential bride must have – she plots revenge with an old friend (Freida Pinto) to be his “perfect match” in a tale that’s predictable yet still satisfying.
h Where to watch: In theaters
If you’d die for an epic road trip: ‘The Passenger’
In the shlocky Spanish horror film, an obnoxious van driver (Ramiro Blas) is taking passengers – including a mom (Cristina Alcázar) and her daughter (Paula Gallego) – on a long trip when he hits a woman in the middle of a country road. They bring her on board to get her help, but also let in a body-snatching creature that turns their drive into a hellish experience filled with absurdity and plenty of B-movie gore.
h Where to watch: Apple TV
If you’re the one who hasn’t seen it yet: ‘Top Gun: Maverick’
Cruise is known for jumping off planes in crazy “Mission: Impossible” stunts but come on, he’s much better in the cockpit of a fighter jet.
He still oozes A-list cool as the returning flyboy from the ’86 sequel training a new crop of young pilots in an endlessly entertaining, nostalgic sequel that makes a major movie star out of Glen Powell.
h Where to watch: In theaters
If you dream of a visit to the Jungle Room: ‘Elvis’
While Baz Luhrmann’s stylish and overstuffed Elvis Presley biopic doesn’t reach the heights of his “Moulin Rouge” or “Romeo + Juliet,” the director definitely finds a guy who can inhabit the role of the King of Rock ’n’ Roll.
Austin Butler is an outstanding Elvis who nails his musical legacy and popular impact, though the narrative itself is completely all over the place.
h Where to watch: In theaters
If you want to see a great international film on Independence Day: ‘RRR’
An action epic that manages to be more glorious and bromantic than a “Top Gun” movie, the Indian blockbuster stars N.T. Rama Rao Jr. and Ram Charan as buff heroes who take on 1920s British colonialists in a must-see movie – the best so far this year, actually.
It is brimming with love stories, dance battles, fun songs and over-thetop spirit.
h Where to watch: Netflix
If you need a big-hearted pick-me-up: ‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’
Hearts are warmed and tears jerked in this endearing dramedy that was a hit at Sundance Film Festival this year.
Cooper Raiff writes, directs and stars as an aimless, recently dumped college graduate whose life takes a needed turn when he lands a gig as a bar mitzvah party-starter and falls hard for an older woman (Dakota Johnson).
h Where to watch: Apple TV+