5 films to see on the week of July 12 — July 18, 2019
St. Agatha
IN a small town in Georgia in the 1950s, a pregnant conwoman seeks refuge in a convent — there she learns of a ghastly secret and has to find a way to escape and save her child. Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, it stars Sabrina Kern, Carolyn Hennesy, and Courtney Halverson. The Hollywood Reporter’s Frank Scheck writes, “St. Agatha is less overtly gory and supernatural-oriented than most efforts of its ilk, such as the recent The Nun, but it provides plenty of chilling, if slow-moving atmospherics and strong performances.” Rotten Tomatoes gives it a score of 64%.
MTRCB Rating: R-18
Ma
AN OLDER woman befriends a group teens and invites them to party in her home. But things begin to feel like a nightmare as they discover the intention of their host. Directed by Tate Taylor, the movie stars Octavia Spencer, Diana Silvers, Juliette Lewis, McKaley Miller, Luke Evans, and Corey Fogelmanis. The Associated Press’ Jocelyn Noveck writes, “The Oscar-winning actress is the only reason to see Ma, and she’s clearly having a grand old campy time playing Sue Ann.” Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 55%.
MTRCB Rating: R-13
Nightmare Cinema
A HORROR anthology in which five strangers enter an abandoned theater and are forced to watch movies of their darkest fears. The films are directed by Alejandro Brugués, Joe Dante, Ryuhei Kitamura, David Slade, and Mick Garris and star Mickey Rourke, Richard Chamberlain, and Adam Godley. Variety’s Dennis Harvey writes, “The whole is certainly diverse, lively and reference-packed enough to please horror fans attracted to this kind of enterprise….” Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 76%.
MTRCB Rating: R-16
Saving Flora
FLORA is a circus elephant who, no longer able to perform, is scheduled to be euthanized. The circus owner’s daughter helps her escape, but between them and safety as deep woods, a river, and two elephant hunters. Directed by Mark Drury Taylor, it stars Jenna Ortega, Martin Martinez, David Arquette, and Tom Arnold.
MTRCB Rating: PG
Escape Plan 3: The Final Chapter (a.k.a. Escape Plan: The Extractors)
SECURITY expert Ray Breslin and his team have to break into a prison to find the missing daughter of a Hong Kong tech mogul. Directed by John Herzfeld, the film stars Sylvester Stallone, Dave Bautista, 50 Cent, and Jaime King. The Guardian’s Leslie Felperin writes, “The ideological tension is never quite resolved, but this dynamic offers something to contemplate as the characters work through an entirely predictable tournament of combat.”
MTRCB Rating: R-16
