Netflix Unveils Their 2023 Summer Movie Lineup

May 10, 2023 by Keith Garlington

Streaming giant Netflix has shared its 2023 Summer Movie Preview which highlights the many films that will be available exclusively on their platform over the next four months. Throughout the summer Netflix will have something for everyone, offering up an interesting variety of movies that includes blockbusters, animated features, family films, documentaries, exciting sequels, and surprising spin-offs. And it all kicks off this Friday, May 12th.

Below you’ll find their slate of summer movies along with links to where you can learn more about them. (All Images Courtesy of Netflix)

May

MAY 12

“The Mother“

Genre: Action
Logline: An assassin comes out of hiding to protect the daughter that she gave up years before, while on the run from dangerous men.
Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Joseph Fiennes, Lucy Paez, Omari Hardwick, Paul Raci and Gael García Bernal
Director: Niki Caro

Read more about The Mother and its cast.

MAY 16

“Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me“

Genre: Documentary
Logline: From director Ursula Macfarlane (Untouchable) and producer Alexandra Lacey comes an unflinching and humanizing examination of the life, death and secrets of Vickie Lynn Hogan — better known as model and actress Anna Nicole Smith. From her first appearance in Playboy in 1992, Anna Nicole’s dizzying ascent was the very essence of the American dream, brought to a tragic halt with her untimely passing in 2007. With access to never-before-seen footage, home movies and interviews with key figures who have not spoken out until now, Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me reveals new insights into the story of the quintessential blonde bombshell hardly anyone really knew.
Director: Ursula Macfarlane

Read more about Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me HERE.

MAY 23

“Victim/Suspect“

Genre: Documentary
Logline: On her first solo investigation, journalist Rae de Leon travels nationwide to uncover a shocking pattern: Young women tell the police they’ve been sexually assaulted, but instead of finding justice, they’re charged with the crime of making a false report, arrested and even imprisoned by the system they believed would protect them.
Director: Nancy Schwartzman

June

JUNE 16

“Extraction 2“

Genre: Action
Logline: Chris Hemsworth returns as Tyler Rake in Extraction 2, the sequel to Netflix’s blockbuster action film Extraction. After barely surviving the events of the first movie, Rake is back as the Australian black ops mercenary, tasked with another deadly mission: rescuing the battered family of a ruthless Georgian gangster from the prison where they are being held.

Hemsworth reunites with director Sam Hargrave, with Joe and Anthony Russo’s AGBO producing and Joe Russo writing. Golshifteh Farahani reprises her role from the first film, with Adam Bessa, Olga Kurylenko, Daniel Bernhardt and Tinatin Dalakishvili also co-starring. Get to know the cast of Extraction 2 here.

This is a sequel to the first film that was based on the graphic novel Ciudad by Ande Parks, from a story by Ande Parks, Joe Russo and Anthony Russo, with illustrations by Fernando León González. Extraction 2 is produced by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Mike Larocca, Angela Russo-Otstot, Chris Hemsworth, Patrick Newall and Sam Hargrave, with Jake Aust, Benjamin Grayson, Steven Scavelli, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely as executive producers.
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Golshifteh Farahani, Adam Bessa, Daniel Bernhardt and Tinatin Dalakishvili
Director: Sam Hargrave

“Take Care of Maya“

Genre: Documentary
Logline: When 9-year-old Maya Kowalski was admitted to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in 2016, nothing could have prepared her or her family for what they were about to go through. As the medical team tried to understand her rare illness, they began to question the basic truths that bound the Kowalskis together. Suddenly, Maya was in state custody –– despite two parents who were desperate to bring their daughter home. The story of the Kowalski family –– as told in their own words –– will change the way you look at children’s healthcare forever.
Director: Henry Roosevelt

JUNE 23

“The Perfect Find “

Genre: Rom-com
Logline: After a high-profile firing, Jenna’s (Gabrielle Union) fashion career comeback hits a snag when she falls for a charming, much younger co-worker (Keith Powers) — who happens to be her boss’ son. As sparks fly, Jenna must decide if she’ll risk it all on a secret romance.
Cast: Gabrielle Union, Keith Powers, Aisha Hinds, D.B. Woodside, Janet Hubert, Alani “La La” Anthony and Gina Torres
Director: Numa Perrier

Read more about The Perfect Find HERE.

JUNE

“Nimona“

Genre: Animated family film
Logline: When Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed), a knight in a futuristic medieval world, is framed for a crime he didn’t commit, the only one who can help him prove his innocence is Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz), a mischievous teen with a taste for mayhem — who also happens to be a shape-shifting creature Ballister has been trained to destroy. But with the entire kingdom out to get him, Nimona’s the best (or technically the only) sidekick Ballister can hope for. And as the lines between heroes, villains and monsters start to blur, the two of them set out to wreak serious havoc — for Ballister to clear his name once and for all, and for Nimona to… just wreak serious havoc.

Directed by Nick Bruno and Troy Quane, Nimona is an epic tale about finding friendship in the most surprising situations and accepting yourself and others for who they are. Based on the National Book Award-nominated, New York Times best-selling graphic novel by ND Stevenson.
Cast: Chloë Grace Moretz, Riz Ahmed, Eugene Lee Yang, Frances Conroy, Lorraine Toussaint, Beck Bennett, Indya Moore, RuPaul Charles, Julio Torres, Sarah Sherman
Director: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane

July

JULY 5

“Wham!“

Genre: Documentary
Logline: In 1982, the best of friends and still teenagers –– George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley as WHAM! set out to conquer the world. By June of 1986 they played their very last gig at Wembley Stadium having done exactly that. Now for the very first time, told in their own words, the amazing story of how in four years they dominated the charts around the world with timeless and classic pop songs. Hit after hit –– “Club Tropicana,” “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go,” “Freedom,” “I’m Your Man” and of course “Last Christmas.” Their time in the spotlight was white-hot, becoming the very first western pop act to play in China. It was a time that both encapsulated and epitomised not just their youth, but also those of the many millions of fans that adored them. Wham! is a feature-length documentary that captures this magical time, from director Chris Smith (Tiger King, “Sr.”) and producers John Battsek (The Deepest Breath) and Simon Halfon (Supersonic) With unprecedented access to both George and Andrew’s personal archive including remarkable and never-before-seen footage, alongside rare, candid and previously unheard interviews. Wham! charts their incredible journey from school friends to superstars.
Director: Chris Smith

“The Out-Laws“

Genre: Action comedy
Logline: Owen Browning (Adam Devine) is a straitlaced bank manager about to marry the love of his life, Parker (Nina Dobrev). When his bank is held up by the infamous Ghost Bandits during his wedding week, he believes his future in-laws (Pierce Brosnan and Ellen Barkin), who just arrived in town, are the infamous Out-Laws.
Cast: Adam Devine, Nina Dobrev, Michael Rooker, Poorna Jagannathan, Julie Hagerty, Richard Kind, Lil Rel Howery, Blake Anderson, Lauren Lapkus, Laci Mosley, with Ellen Barkin and Pierce Brosnan
Director: Tyler Spindel

“Bird Box Barcelona“

Genre: Action thriller
Logline: From the producers of the global phenomenon Bird Box comes Bird Box Barcelona, an expansion of the film that riveted audiences in 2018. After a mysterious force decimates the world’s population, Sebastian must navigate his own survival journey through the desolate streets of Barcelona. As he forms uneasy alliances with other survivors and they try to escape the city, an unexpected and even more sinister threat grows.
Cast: Mario Casas, Georgina Campbell, Diego Calva, Alejandra Howard, Naila Schuberth, Patrick Criado, Lola Dueñas, Gonzalo de Castro, Michelle Jenner and Leonardo Sbaraglia
Director: Álex Pastor, David Pastor

Read more about Bird Box Barcelona HERE.

JULY 19

“The Deepest Breath“

Genre: Documentary
Logline: A champion freediver trains to break a world record with the help of an expert safety diver, and the two form an emotional bond that feels like fate. This heart-stopping film follows the paths they took to meet at the pinnacle of the freediving world, documenting the thrilling rewards — and inescapable risks — of chasing a dream through the silent depths of the ocean.
Director: Laura McGann

Read more about The Deepest Breath HERE.

JULY 21

“They Cloned Tyrone“

Genre: Mystery action thriller
Logline: A series of eerie events thrusts an unlikely trio (John Boyega, Jamie Foxx and Teyonah Parris) onto the trail of a nefarious government conspiracy in this pulpy mystery caper.
Cast: John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, David Alan Grier, J. Alphonse Nicholson, Tamberla Perry, Eric Robinson Jr. with Kiefer Sutherland and Jamie Foxx
Director: Juel Taylor

Read more about They Cloned Tyrone HERE.

JULY 27

“Happiness for Beginners“

Genre: Rom-com
Logline: Helen (Ellie Kemper) has always lived her life as far from the edge as possible. Newly divorced, she joins a quirky group of strangers on a survival course for the “adventure of a lifetime” with the hope of learning how to live — and love — again.
Cast: Ellie Kemper, Luke Grimes, Nico Santos, Blythe Danner, Ben Cook, Shayvawn Webster, Esteban Benito, Gus Birney, Julia Shiplett
Director: Vicky Wight

Read more about Happiness for Beginners HERE.

August

AUG. 11

“Heart of Stone“

Genre: Action
Logline: Rachel Stone (Gal Gadot) is an intelligence operative, the only woman who stands between her powerful global peacekeeping organization and the loss of its most valuable — and dangerous — asset.
Cast: Gal Gadot, Jamie Dornan, Alia Bhatt, Sophie Okonedo, Matthias Schweighöfer, Jing Lusi, Paul Ready
Director: Tom Harper

“The Monkey King“

Genre: Animated family film
Logline: Inspired by an epic Chinese tale, translated into an action-packed comedy, a Monkey and his magical fighting Stick battle demons, dragons, gods and the greatest adversary of all — Monkey’s ego.
Cast: Jimmy O. Yang, Bowen Yang, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Jo Koy, Ron Yuan, Hoon Lee, Stephanie Hsu, Andrew Pang, Andrew Kishino, Jodi Long, James Sie and BD Wong
Director: Anthony Stacchi

“You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah“

Genre: Family comedy
Logline: Stacy and Lydia are BFFs who’ve always dreamed about having epic bat mitzvahs. But things start to go comically awry when a popular boy and middle school drama threaten their friendship and their rite of passage.
Cast: Idina Menzel, Jackie Sandler, Adam Sandler, Sadie Sandler, Sunny Sandler, Samantha Lorraine, Dylan Hoffman, Sarah Sherman, Dan Bulla, Ido Mosseri, Jackie Hoffman and Luis Guzmán
Director: Sammi Cohen

Read more about You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah HERE.

AUG. 31

“Choose Love“

Genre: Interactive rom-com
Logline: Cami Conway has it all. She’s got the job she wants and is headed toward engagement, marriage and kids with her wonderful boyfriend, Paul. And yet, she feels something is missing. Cami faces a kaleidoscope of tempting but tough choices: from serious ethical dilemmas to the frivolous “Truth or Dare.” What she chooses depends wholly on you, the viewer. But be careful! Things don’t always play out like you think!
Cast: Laura Marano, Avan Jogia, Jordi Webber and Scott Michael Foster
Director: Stuart McDonald

REVIEW: “Hypnotic” (2023)

May 10, 2023 by Keith Garlington

Robert Rodriguez’s new mind-bender “Hypnotic” screened as this year’s SXSW Film Festival as a “work in progress”. Now just two months later it’s getting the full theater treatment. I’m not sure what has been added, subtracted, or fine-tuned since its recent premiere. But the theater release we get is a twist-filled, deceptively deep, and wildly entertaining genre film that was constantly exceeding my expectations.

“Hypnotic” is a Robert Rodriguez movie through-and-through, not so much in terms of style and flourish (although we do get some of that), but in a more literal sense. Rodriguez directs, produces, conceived the story, and wrote the script along with Max Borenstein. Rodriguez also edited the movie and shares co-cinematographer credit with Pablo Berron. His fingerprints are all over the film.

Rodriguez came onto the scene in the early 1990s alongside Quentin Tarantino. And while the latter has turned into one of the most heralded and talked-about filmmakers of our time, Rodriguez has often flown a little closer to the ground – under the radar to some but sticking close and staying true to his renegade style of genre filmmaking. The results certainly vary, but I’ve always loved his faithfulness to his interests and his belief in cinema as entertainment first and foremost.

**Image Courtesy of Ketchup Entertainment**

All of that comes through in “Hypnotic”, a movie that features more cinematic sleight of hand than anything Rodriguez has attempted before. Early on it’ll have you questioning some of his choices, picking apart some of his execution, and wondering if he has gotten in over his head. But then when you’re least expecting it, Rodriguez hits us with an assembly line of reveals and suddenly everything starts coming together. And I for one ate it up.

A somber and wounded Ben Affleck is a near perfect fit as Daniel Rourke, an Austin police detective tortured by memories of the day his daughter Minnie was abducted while the two of them enjoyed an afternoon at the park. That was seven years ago. An unstable 18-year-old named Lyle Terry was charged for the abduction but was ruled innocent by reason of insanity. Minnie’s body was never found and Lyle has maintained he has no memory of committing the crime or disposing of her body. Daniel clings to a sliver of hope that his daughter may still be alive.

In the opening few minutes you’ll swear you’re in for a by-the-book police procedural. After the cops get tipped off about a possible bank heist, Daniel and his partner Nicks (J.D. Pardo) are sent to stake out the place. But things take a trippy turn when a mysterious man (William Fichtner) appears and begins controlling people with nothing more than his words. Chaos ensues, people are killed, the mystery man escapes, and Daniel discovers a clue that seems to have been left specifically for him.

Later Daniel tracks the anonymous tip to a dime-store psychic named Diana Cruz (Alice Braga). She clearly knows more than she’s willing to tell and Daniel is immediately suspicious. But after the mystery man shows up and attempts to kill them both, they begin to open up. Diana reveals the man’s name is Dellrayne and he’s what’s called a hypnotic. What’s a hypnotic you ask? “They’re people with an ability to actually influence the brain over a psychic bandwidth,” she explains. Clear as mud.

We get several more amusing attempts at explaining such as “Telepaths just read the mind. Hypnotics reshape its reality.” At first Daniel doesn’t buy it and brandishes the same amount of skepticism we do. But then Diana puts on a little display and changes his mind. Yep, she too is a hypnotic although not nearly as powerful as Dellrayne.

I don’t dare reveal any more because what makes the movie so entertaining is watching all the pieces come together. Again, much of what you see early on will undoubtedly have you questioning the story and pointing out holes in its logic. But once Rodriguez starts peeling back the layers things start to click into place and suddenly most of our questions have answers.

The cast is top-to-bottom strong with Affleck wonderfully selling us a dogged father who is both burdened and driven by his pain. He’s a little dry in spots, but it makes sense why. I love seeing Braga getting a well-deserved meaty role. And then there’s William Fichtner, one of today’s best character actors who has shined in films like “Black Hawk Down”, “The Dark Knight”, and “Heat”. Here he brings a quiet menace to the film’s devilishly fun antagonist. Terrific faces like Jackie Earle Haley and Jeff Fahey are icing on the cake.

Clocking in at a brisk and compact 94 minutes, the sleekly made and surprisingly inventive “Hypnotic” resembles an “Inception” inspired thriller with a dab of Alfred Hitchcock and a full helping of Robert Rodriguez. It makes for a tasty meal, especially for fans of genre filmmaking. By the way, stay for the cool mid-credits scene which teases a possible sequel if this one manages to find an audience. Hopefully it does because I’d love to pay another visit to Rodriguez’s delightfully idiosyncratic world. “Hypnotic” hits theaters this Friday.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

Warner Bros. Releases the Official Trailer for “Meg 2: The Trench”

May 9, 2023 by Keith Garlington

I had a blast with 2018’s “The Meg”. It was silly and over-the-top which is a big reason it was so much fun. It also made over $530 million at the box office so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that we are getting a sequel. It took a while but it’s finally on the way. To get us ready Warner Bros. Pictures has released its first trailer. And wouldn’t you know it they’re taking the silliness to a whole new level. That’s a good thing and exactly what I was hoping for.

The sequel is directed by Ben Wheatley whose last film was the terrific horror thriller “In the Earth”. Jason Statham returns as rescue diver Jonas Taylor, our Meg-battling hero from the first film. While the plot isn’t fully revealed, it’s clear that Jonas and several other returning characters are facing bigger and hungrier threats. The glimpses of bonkers action we get from the trailer are hysterical and this looks like the perfect movie to see in a theater with an energetic crowd. I know I’ll be there.

“Meg 2: The Trench” roars into theaters August 4th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Movie Poster Spotlight: “Meg 2: The Trench”

May 8, 2023 by Keith Garlington

Amid all the bigger and more high-profile summer blockbusters there’s one little fish that isn’t getting much press. “Meg 2: The Trench” is the follow to the wacky but rip-roaring 2018 shark thriller “The Meg”. In that film a group of scientists in a research facility built on the ocean floor encounter a 75-foot-long megalodon shark. Not much has been said about the sequel’s plot, but we do know Jason Statham is returning in the lead role. Granted, despite its first film earning over $530 million, “Meg 2” is considerably smaller compared to the more talked about movies on the summer roadmap. But I had fun with the first film, and I really like the playful vibe of the new posters just released from Warner Bros. Pictures. Check them out.

DIRECTOR – Ben Wheatley

WRITER – Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber, Dean Georgaris

STARRING – Jason Statham, Sienna Guillory, Cliff Curtis, Shuya Sophia Cai, Page Kennedy, Skyler Samuels, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Wu Jing

RELEASE – August 4, 2023

Second Trailer Released for Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer”

May 8, 2023 by Keith Garlington

This is how you do a trailer! Universal Pictures has released their latest look at Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated next film, “Oppenheimer” and it looks amazing. Within its three minutes we’re teased with much of what has made Nolan such a revered filmmaker. And again check out the cast: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Rami Malek, Florence Pugh, Matthew Modine, Benny Safdie, Kenneth Branagh, Gary Oldman, Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Alden Ehrenreich, James D’Arcy, and more. Wow!

“Oppenheimer” is Nolan’s first swing at doing a biopic, but you can be assured that he won’t be beholden to any formula. He tells the story of American theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer (played by Murphy) who is often credited as the “father of the atomic bomb”. Nolan takes a deep dive into the Manhattan Project, showing how the key players, led by Oppenheimer, came together to create the first ever atomic bomb. It looks and sounds absolutely riveting and I can’t wait to see what Nolan has in store for us both narratively and visually.

“Oppenheimer” hits theaters July 21st. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”

May 6, 2023 by Keith Garlington

James Gunn’s highly promoted exit from the Marvel Cinematic Universe is here in the form of the much anticipated “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”. This ragtag crew of MCU misfits burst onto the cinematic scene in 2014 and were a big hit. A 2017 sequel was an even bigger box office smash. Now we get Volume 3 which is the 32nd movie in the MCU. Pretty much all the familiar faces return and a couple of new ones make their debuts. But most of the chatter has been about writer-director James Gunn who is off to run the rebooted DC Studios immediately following this film.

I’ve generally liked the previous two “Guardians” movies but admittedly they’re not among my favorites from the Marvel stock. Both leaned heavily on the comedic chemistry of their ensemble cast and on Gunn’s goofy irreverent style. “Guardians 3” leans even harder on both although not with the greatest results. It plays like an obvious wrap party with Gunn throwing everything that came to mind at the screen without a hint of subtlety or restraint. There’s some fun stuff packed in it. But it’s also loud, overstuffed, frustratingly manipulative, and not nearly as funny as its predecessors.

Up to this point we know what to expect from a James Gunn superhero movie – countless needle drops, zany humor, proudly off-beat action, and (when it lands) some unexpected heart. Unfortunately nearly everything in Volume 3 feels obligatory. So much of the dialogue seems right off the page rather than organic and natural. There’s also a surprising amount of rehashed exposition. And then there’s the incessant yelling. Good guys, bad guys, no-names – everyone yells in this thing, often needlessly and constantly. It would be funny if it wasn’t so annoying.

But the biggest disappointment is in Gunn’s lazy plays on his audience’s emotions. He spoon-feeds us one emotional cue after another, often accompanying them with huge musical swells and syrupy lines too on-the-nose to feel genuine. Worst of all is his cheap over-reliance on animal abuse. To be clear, I’m not with those who have taken aim at the movie for simply depicting animal cruelty. If it’s key to the story a creator shouldn’t shy away from it. But when it’s used solely to yank our heartstrings over and over again then it becomes a problem. Gunn knows it’s an easy target to hit and he constantly goes back to it.

I will give it this, “Guardians 3” tells a more self-contained story which is nice considering the tepid state of the MCU. The whole gang is back: Peter (Chris Pratt), Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), Drax (Dave Bautista), Nebula (Karen Gillan), Mantis (Pom Klementieff), Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), Kraglin (Sean Gunn), and Cosmo (voiced by Maria Bakalova). Gamora (Zoe Saldaña) is still around (or the variant of her is), having ditched the Guardians and taken up with the Ravagers, a band of space pirates led by Sly Stallone.

While putting the finishing touches on their new headquarters the Guardians are suddenly attacked by a powerful being named Adam Warlock (Will Poulter). They eventually neutralize the threat but not before Rocket is seriously injured. Our heroes rush to his aid but quickly learn they can’t tend to their anthropomorphic friend’s wounds because of a killswitch they discover embedded within him. So Peter and the gang race against the clock to track down an override code before Rocket dies. Action, adventure, and LOTS of yelling ensues.

Woven throughout it all is Rocket’s backstory where we see him and number of other earth animals (why just our planet?) abused, tortured, and even incinerated. In these scenes Rocket befriends three other anthropomorphic captives (voiced by Linda Cardellini, Asim Chaudhry, and Mikaela Hoover). Unfortunately it’s easy to pick up on their purpose which makes these already drawn-out flashbacks hard to sit through.

One area where the first two films struggled was with their unremarkable villains. Sadly it’s the same in Volume 3. We learn that the woefully uninteresting Warlock has been sent to do the bidding of The High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji in a thankless role). He has an intriguing look, some cool yet unexplained powers, and he too yells a lot. But that’s about it. You can sense a compelling character there somewhere. But he’s never explained as anything more than a mad scientist intent on creating a utopian society.

I realize that’s a lot of negativity, but let me say “Guardians 3” has its share of entertainment. Fans of the series will simply love spending time with these characters again. And while their camaraderie lacks the zest we’re used to, the entire cast brings an energy the film needs. Also, it’s clear that a ton of money went into the visuals. Aside from some funky prosthetics and occasions of glaringly fake CGI, the film offers up some pretty delicious eye candy. We also get a couple of memorable action scenes highlighted by one kinetic ‘long take’ fight sequence that is nothing more than Gunn showing off, but it’s a lot of fun.

Despite its hefty 2 hours and 30 minutes, surprisingly “Guardians 3” never quite feels like a slog. And that’s saying something considering the movie’s many frustrations. I’m guessing die-hard fans will likely find this to be a satisfying final(ish) chapter. But James Gunn’s last foray with Marvel lacks the roguish outsider spunk of the previous two Guardians movies (sorry, but throwing in the MCU’s first f-word doesn’t count). Instead it’s an overprocessed send-off that’s so focused on going out with a bang that it loses its joy, charm, and trust in us to actually feel things on our own. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” is in theaters now.

Keith & the Movies

Author Archives: Keith Garlington

Netflix Unveils Their 2023 Summer Movie Lineup