Bad Moms: Not a Bad Time

*Warning: Potential Spoilers*

Coming from the writers of The Hangover (2009), you think you know what you’re getting with a movie entitled Bad Moms – raunchy language, stupid sex jokes, and maybe, just maybe, some semblance of a powerful and deeply impactful lesson at the end of it all. And you know what? You get all of that, but somehow, you can’t help but wonder if maybe less constant swearing and dirty jokes would have helped, because the message behind the movie is somehow sweet, deep and something somehow perfect without trying to appeal so greatly to the mothers in the audience. And that’s the audience for this film, don’t be mistaken- daughters might love it, boys might enjoy the dirty jokes and swearing, but the story itself is for mothers and it’s a sweeter story than its title might suggest.

Star Trek Beyond: New Feel, Old Times

*Warning: Potential Spoilers*

For some, the voyages of the starship Enterprise and her crew are as familiar as the back of one’s hand whilst holding up the Vulcan salute. Their adventures are piloted by William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, and a new generation takes over where the first left off. For others, such as myself, Kirk and Spock are shaped like Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, and the adventures we know began in 2009 when the U.S.S. Kelvin was attacked by the Romulan starship Narada. Star Trek Beyond has found a melding point between these two- while the previous two films in this reboot series, Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) have held a slightly darker tone, Beyond is more playful, more colorful, and (according to my more Trekkie friends) more like the original TV series. At the same time, the journey of Captain Kirk in this new life and the interactions amongst himself and his crew are still the same ones we’ve come to love as the reboot has started branching out.

Independence Day: Definite Resurgence, But Not in a Good Way

*Warning: Potential Spoilers*

Two decades after aliens first threatened our world, prepare for a movie that tells the exact same story on a slightly bigger scale with better graphics and more characters that you barely care about. That’s right- Independence Day: Resurgence is basically Independence Day (1996) all over again, with a few slight tweaks to bring the movie forward twenty years and a new cast of characters that they expect you to like when really, all you want to do is cut back to Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman (who are the only ones worth caring about). Plus they don’t even have Will Smith anymore, so really, what’s the point? Oh right, the point is to open it up for more sequels.

Finding Dory: Cute, but Falls Short

*Warning: Potential Spoilers*

With many movies, the need for a sequel is highly debated (especially in this day and age when it seems like anything can have a sequel if it makes enough money). Finding Nemo was a movie whose sequel was not only wanted but practically campaigned for over the last 13 years. Everyone who saw the original tail (haha) wanted to see more of Marlin, Dory and Nemo, no matter what capacity that new movie would show them in. Now, Finding Dory answers that wish, but it seems to me like it will be more enjoyable to children than the adults that awaited it, and though we all loved Dory before, a movie devoted to her may be a bit too much. This sequel is basically cute for the sake of being cute.

The Conjuring 2: Real Horror is Back, Folks

*Warning: Potential Spoilers*

I’m not going to lie to you guys – for the first time in I don’t even know how long, I left the lights on while I slept. I took someone to this movie with me because I didn’t want to go by myself. I am fairly certain that if I look the wrong way down a dark hall, that creepy nun is going to be looking back at me. In short, James Wan has done something really incredible with The Conjuring 2– not only is this a good horror movie, but it’s a strong horror sequel to its predecessor. While nothing in this movie is quite as scary as the original film’s hide-and-seek clapping, I guarantee you that you will jump, try to force yourself back in your chair, and maybe shriek a little at this fright fest.