The Suicide Squad will make its fans forget about the 2016 Suicide Squad, a far inferior version of this story . Director James Gunn brings us a high-octane, and hysterical DC Comics hit that is a wild ride of lethal entertainment. The Suicide Squad takes the DC superhero film to a whole new level. It was utter joy, with Idris Elba playing Bloodsport, John Cena playing Peacemaker, Margot Robbie playing Harley Quinn, and Nathan Fillion playing T.D.K. The film is a recipe for unpredictable twists where the laughs will have your sides hurting.

In The Suicide Squad, supervillains are recruited by the government for a mission to infiltrate an enemy-infused island. Amanda Waller, played by Viola Davis, is the recruiter. They seem right for the job, and they may be labeled heroes for the mission, but being heroes is not their cup of tea. Not when there is Blackguard, played by Pete Davidson, or Savant, played by Michael Rooker. The film keeps you guessing whether all or only some of the supervillains will follow through with the mission, and you wonder who you can trust, with everyone being supervillains. 

The Suicide Squad has lots of graphic language and violence that doesn’t detract, but actually adds to the film, and it’s appropriate for the story. And the actors are also in just the right roles. Cena has just the right egotistical mindset, Elba has a short-fused temper, and Robbie has that innocent girl personality with a bad side to her. And all of the actors keep you laughing because we already know how funny they are from previous projects. Especially Pete Davidson as Blackguard, who we all know from Saturday Night Live and his other comedy bits. The Suicide Squad has its characters in the comedic roles that fit them perfectly.

The Suicide Squad was the most fun I’ve had at the movies this summer. Seeing the film with the giant screen and crisp sound of IMAX added to that entertainment experience. It can also be seen on HBO MAX, but I believe The Suicide Squad is worth the price of seeing it on IMAX. Three and a half stars for The Suicide Squad.

Director M. Night Shyamalan makes horror suspense films with lots of plot twists, and Old has a ton of them. It is chilling, and a fairly fun thriller flick, but not exactly what I would call amazing.

Old is set in the Dominican Republic. Gael Garcia Bernal is Guy, and Vicky Krieps is Prisca, a couple taking their children on vacation for a break from their impending divorce. The tropical resort is fancy, but the family has no idea what they are in for. They go to a deserted beach, and the couple soon realizes that their kids are aging rapidly by the hour. And it’s not just just the aging—many other bizarre events occur with the family and others on the beach.

Most of Shyamalan’s movies have been set on the east coast of the US, so it was refreshing to see this movie shot in a tropical setting. It was creative, with the growing horror on the deserted beach, and there were even a few laughs. But it was predictable, and the writing seemed lacking.

I enjoyed Shyamalan’s previous films, including Signs (2002) and The Village(2005), more than Old. Those films were original and had unexpected twists, whereas Old felt, well, a little old and predictable.

Overall, Old is fun for its easy shock value and a few laughs. And I do believe that Shyamalan has a creative mind and is capable of brilliant work. But I was not big on Old, and I would say it is just an average thriller/suspense film. This one gets two and a half stars.

It has been quite some time since I have experienced an enchanting and dazzling medieval suspense flick. Director David Lowery’s The Green Knight is all that, and then some. It is spectacular and grand, artistically spellbinding, and Dev Patel gives a knockout performance as Sir Gaiwan. Nobody could play the challenged yet determined knight better than Patel.
 
The film focuses on Patel as Gaiwan, the nephew of King Arthur, played by Sean Harris. Gaiwan believes he is strong and capable to be honored the respect and title of knight. But to earn that honor he must face a treacherous journey with many creatures and enemies, the biggest one being the Green Knight, a monster that tests the boundaries of his strength. Gaiwan faces many other challenges as well, including the shady Lord, played by Joel Edgerton, and even his love for Essel, played by Alicia Vikander, presents challenges. Gaiwan also finds himself in uncharted territory as he questions his notions of right and wrong.
 
I was so enthralled with this medieval thriller. The film felt more like a theatrical performance than a film. It was set up in acts, like a play, and the setup gave an idea of the conflict that was coming. Lowery also had almost a David Fincher approach to the vast scenery around the forests of Ireland, where the film was shot. By this I mean he sets up some of the scenes with darkness and faded colors to give the viewer a sense that evil is abound or bad things are about to happen. Fincher does that in many of his films, but Lowery uses the technique well in the The Green Knight’s stunning forest scenes.
 
Oscar winning actor Dev Patel, who has already accomplished so much in his career, really steps up his game in The Green Knight, if that’s possible. From his starring roles in many great films, including Slumdog Millionaire (2008), The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015), and Lion (2016), he has shown that he is truly one of the top actors of our time. His acting and the mood he evokes bring a realism to the film that will have viewers feeling the emotions he is feeling as he navigates his journey.
 
The Green Knight may be just a bit slow at times, but it takes the medieval format to an entirely new level. It is destined to be a triumphant hit. Three and a half stars for The Green Knight.