LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — If you just love watching movies, August is a treat because the box office is flooded with new movies. But the problem is, it's the dumping grounds for mediocre and bad movies and sometimes that can suck. Other times though you come across some actual gems. Spoiler alert: No actually gems this week.
Good Boys
It goes without saying that Good Boys is going to be compared to Superbad because it's produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. And it's going to be compared to Olivia Wilde's Booksmart because it came out in the same year.
While it's true that it doesn't live up to those two movies, it's not exactly an August throwaway movie either.
The movie follows Max (Jacob Tremblay), Lucas (Keith L. Williams) and Thor (Brady Noon) as they try to figure out how to kiss and also replace Max's Dad's drone.
The chemistry between "The Bean Bag Boyz" is actually enough to carry the film. While it isn't always as funny as it's trying to be, the camaraderie of the boys comes off really well.
Although it has an R rating, this is something cool parents could let their tweens watch. Yes, it has cussing and some sex jokes, but there's no nudity and this movie could actually help open up the dialogue about puberty between father and son or mother and son.
Where'd You Go, Bernadette
Where'd You Go, Bernadette is like off-brand vanilla ice cream. It's so meh.
Directed by Richard Linklater (School Of Rock, Boyhood) and starring the always great Cate Blanchette, it follows Bernadette Fox, a super successful architect. She has a loving husband, is very close with her teenage daughter, and doesn't get along with her neighbor. She feels like she has no purpose in life, so she decided to run away.
If it wasn't for Blanchette's performance, there would be no redeeming qualities for this movie.
The movie works on a technical level, but the movie just goes nowhere. It blows my mind that a talented director and a great cast can still churn out...nothing.