4 films to see on the week of June 29-July 6, 2018
Uncle Drew
FACING A number of setbacks after using his life savings to enter a team in a street ball tournament in Harlem, a desperate Dax persuades a legendary basketball player, Uncle Drew, to return to the court. The two then have to persuade the old squad to join them. Directed by Charles Stone III, it stars Kyrie Irving, Lil Rel Howery, Shaquille O’Neal, Reggie Miller, Nate Robinson (III), and Chris Webber. Hollywood Reporter’s John DeFore writes, “Moviegoers who don’t get a kick out of spotting athletes on the screen may be less than enthralled by the otherwise formulaic comeback flick, but sports-loving viewers will likely be more enthusiastic.”
MTRCB Rating: G
Sicario: Day of the Soldado
IN THIS FOLLOW UP to the 2015 film about drug cartels (which got a score of 93% on the review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes), a federal agent teams up with a man whose family was murdered by a drug cartel kingpin. They kidnap the kingpin’s daughter in a bid to escalate the drug war, but soon find themselves questioning what they are doing. Directed by Stefano Sollima, it stars Benicio del Toro, Joss Brolin, Isabela Moner, and Jeffrey Donovan. The film has a respectable score of 72% on Rotten Tomatoes. Variety’s Peter Debruge writes, “Soldado may not be as masterful as Villeneuve’s original, but it sets up a world of possibilities for elaborating on a complex conflict far too rich to be resolved in two hours’ time.”
MTRCB Rating: R-16
The Write Moment
A HEARTBROKEN writer magically finds himself living the scenes he has written and fails to reunite with an ex-lover through his own romantic comedy scripts. Directed by Dominic Lim, it stars Jerald Napoles and Valeen Montenegro.
MTRCB Rating: R-13
Walwal
FOUR high school friends find themselves protecting each other and their bond together as they navigate their college lives. Directed by Jose Javier Reyes, it stars Elmo Magalona, Donny Pangilinan, Kiko Estrada, and Jerome Ponce.
MTRCB Rating: PG