#Middlebury
“Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation” (PG) – Drac (voiced by Adam Sandler) is stressed out, and daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez) decides he could use a vacation from the vacation biz. She books a monster of a cruise, and the whole gang – Frank, Harry, wives, kids, parents, and even Blobby – head out of the hotel to experience all that the sea has to offer. When Drac lays eyes on Captain Ericka (Kathryn Hahn), it’s love at first sight, but the good captain has her sights set on a more sinister outcome. It’s just as cute as its two animated predecessors, which is a compliment for a threequel.
Neve Campbell, Dwayne Johnson in “Skyscraper” (Universal Pictures photo)
“Skyscraper” (PG-13) – Will Sawyer (Dwayne Johnson) is as tough as they come – a decorated veteran, former hostage-recovery team leader and now consultant who arrives in Hong Kong to assess the security of the newest-fangled residence in the world’s tallest building, the 240-story “Pearl.” The building is overtaken by criminals intent on sabotage, and they kidnap Sawyer’s family to get it. But “The Rock” isn’t going to take that lying down as he’s literally jumps into action – to the burning building from a crane. While short on plot explanations, the movie will get you high on vertigo. “Skyscraper” won’t win any awards, but it’s thrilling enough to recommend anyway. Kudos to Neve Campbell, who plays Sawyer’s wife – no damsel in distress there.
“Hotel Artemis” (R) – Jodie Foster stars as The Nurse, a shady agoraphobic who runs a secret hotel/hospital for crooks in the near-future, savaged and riotous Los Angeles. Called Hotel Artemis, it’s got a very strict code: members only, no guns, no killings on site. Its patrons pay for access to medical care with no questions asked. These colorful, dangerous women and men take on the names of the suites to which they’re assigned: Acapulco, an arrogant arms dealer; Waikiki and Honolulu, two bank-robbing brothers; and Nice, a sexy assassin on a self-imposed medical hiatus. The Nurse is backed up by her mountain of an assistant, Everest (Dave Bautista).
“Eighth Grade” – Written and directed by Bo Burnham in his feature debut, “Eighth Grade” is an unfiltered exploration of middle school awkwardness. It features Elsie Fisher as 13-year-old Kayla – a girl who is named “most quiet” at school but who makes practically unwatched YouTube videos with motivational pep talks about self-esteem. She nails the completely oblivious and simultaneously acutely self-aware quality of your average kid on the brink of high school. As we walk through the highs and lows of Kayla’s last days of eighth grade, we are treated to an unvarnished view – not nostalgic, not overdramatized, but real and honest and thoughtful.
New TV Releases
“Killing Eve” Season 1
“The Witch Files”
“The 100” Season 5
“Private Eyes” Season 1
© 2018 King Features Synd. Inc.
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