Civil War, Invincible S02, Sasquatch Sunset, Sting movie reviews

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC4) — Alex Garland is putting you on the front lines in ‘Civil War’, but will you be waiving a white flag and looking for other things to watch? ABC4 film critic Patrick Beatty is hear to tell you what to see and what to skip.

Civil War

Where to Watch: Theaters

Directed By: 

Alex Garland

Written By: 

Alex Garland

Starring:

Nick Offerman, Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura

Genre:

Action

Rated R

All media courtesy of A24

Starting off the summer movie season a little early is the new Alex Garland film centered around a group of journalists on a mission to get to the president before the western alliance of California and Texas do. The civil war isn’t concerned about explaining how it came to be, rather the true cost of what it could look like if it were to become a reality.

This is an uncompromising look with a singular vision from Garland that evokes fear but also emphasizes the importance of journalism and what happens when trust in your neighbor erodes. Kirsten Dunst does an incredible job as a veteran journalist unphased by the horrors she has to document. The cast as an ensemble is one of the strongest of the year so far and their performances are real and emotional.

If you’re going into this looking for answers as to why Texas and California joined forces together, or how the president played by Nick Offerman has been able to serve a third term, or anything explaining the political side of the conflict you’re immersed in, this isn’t that movie. Instead, it’s a prominent look at the true cost of humanity, kindness, and trust, and is done in a visceral movie experience that will leave you horrified.

The sound design is also really well done, every bullet you hear has the weight of 10 bullets. You are on the front lines with these characters and for the last third of the film, you may need earplugs due to the volume of the war. Regardless of what political side of the aisle you are on, throw out all of your notions of what this film is and allow yourself to judge it on its story. You may be surprised at how you react to it, and for me, it’s definitely one I would recommend.

See it or Skip it? See It

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Invincible Season 2

Where to Watch: Prime Video

Created By: 

Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley, Cory Walker

Written By: 

Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley, Cory Walker

Starring:

Steven Yeun, Sandra Oh, J.K. Simmons, Zazie Beets, Walton Goggins, Gillian Jacobs, Seth Rogan

Genre:

Animation, Action, Adventure

Rated TV-MA

All media courtesy of Prime Video

Returning from a mid-season hiatus is Invincible Season Two, now fully available on Amazon Prime Video. Not only does this season up the action, the story, and its characters, but it delves into things teased in season one and expands beautifully.

I loved the voice acting and where this season took us. If you are a fan of superhero films and haven’t given this show a chance, go and check out season one and you’ll be grateful you did. Note that this is rated TV-MA with mature themes, bloody violence, and swearing that may not be suitable for a younger audience.

See it or Skip it? Skip It

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Sasquatch Sunset

Where to Watch: Theaters

Directed By: 

David Zellner, Nathan Zellner

Written By: 

David Zellner

Starring:

Jesse Eisenberg, Riley Keough, Christophe Zajac-Denek

Genre:

Action, Adventure, Comedy

Rated R

All media courtesy of Bleeker Street

Sasquatch Sunset debuted in 2024’s Sundance Film Festival and centers around a family of Sasquatches wrestling with the winds of change in their world as it quickly shifts around them.

I loved the cinematography and makeup work done with the characters, and respect that the entire runtime of the film has zero lines of dialogue while still keeping you engaged. That being said, this is essentially an SNL sketch that goes on way too long. It’s crass, has nonsensical toilet humor, and fails to live up to the premise of the film. The independent spirit is certainly in this film’s DNA, but while films like Swiss Army Man easily blend the toilet humor with characters you care about with strong motivations, Sasquatch Sunset fails miserably.

Maybe this one is something you’d enjoy, but for me, I can’t give it a recommendation.

See it or Skip it? Skip It

Sting

Where to Watch: Theaters

Directed By: 

Kiah Roache-Turner

Written By: 

Kiah Roache-Turner

Starring:

Tony J Black, Alyla Browne, Alcira Carpio

Genre:

Horror, Thriller

Rated R

All media courtesy of Studiocanal

This is the story of a girl who meets Spider. The Spider, who is quickly growing in size and intelligence, is hungry for anything that moves. As the girl continues to stow the spider away hiding him from her family, horror escapes and begins to terrorize the entire apartment complex they are living in during a massive snowstorm.

I really enjoyed this film for its uniqueness in telling a monster story with heart. The family dynamics are a little formulaic, but don’t let this sway you from a fun and short watch that may end up surprising you.

See It or Skip It? See It

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