Fall film festival season may be nigh upon us, but this weekend is kind of the calm before the storm. And as far as new releases go, it’s actually pretty light! So we recommend taking this opportunity to indulge in some tail-end-of-summer fun and watch some flicks that, let’s face it, probably won’t be resurfacing for awards season, but will still give you chills, thrills kills, and surfboard spills. What more could you want? Here’s what’s new in theaters:
Peppermint
Can you taste that? What is that? Is it…yes! Yes, it has to be: “Death Wish…for Her.” If Charles Bronson and Bruce Willis have proven too brawny, bald, or just plain butch for your nasty and righteous revenge fantasies, this Jennifer Garner vehicle is here to show you the softer side of extrajudicial ultraviolence. It could be worse: At least we’re reasonably certain she’s not going to say “What’s in YOUR wallet?” and try to sell us a credit card at the end. Will the good parts of Peppermint be strong enough to cover up the stench of pink-washed white privilege? Or will it end up gathering dirt in the darkness like so many forgotten purse candies? Place your bets, folks, place your bets.
The Nun
Full disclosure: It’s possible that we may have originally thought this was the re-release of the 1966 Jacques Rivette movie of the same name…and get way, way too excited. Whoops! The best part of this latest entry in The Conjuring saga, hands-down, has to be Taissa Farmiga. It’s a special kind of magic that she’s appearing in a prequel to the same franchise that starred her sister Vera when it debuted back in 2013! Look, The Nun may well be the LEAST frightening thing you see about the Catholic Church this week (and the air horn noise goes here). Be that as it may unless you enjoy trying to get butter stains out of your clothing, do yourself a favor and skip the popcorn when you see it — the jump scares are strong with this one.
Age of Summer
This is so weird. We were JUST talking about Peter Stormare! If you want to squeeze in one last summer coming-of-age film before the freakin’ leaves start to turn, now’s your chance — Age of Summer may not reinvent the wheel, but it’ll get you where you want to go just the same. In this case, “there” is Hermosa Beach circa the 80s. Get ready for babes, bikes, and bad decisions! Stormare, for his part, seems to be stepping out of his character-actor comfort zone, playing a cairn-building beach guru instead of, you know, an evil, Eastern European doctor. Are we here for it? Heck da.
Are you a little behind on your to-watch list? Fear not! Our Weekend Movie Guide: August 31-September 2 and Weekend Movie Guide: August 24-26 have got you covered. And don’t miss our recent videos on Quentin Tarantino, Keanu Reeves, Olivier Assayas, and Edgar Wright.
