By Tony Beal

IN THEATERS

“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”
The story of Furiosa, from her being taken from her home to the creation of the imperator that she would become in the wasteland.

After 45 years, George Miller still manages to surprise with his action series “Mad Max,” smartly doing something different from Fury Road. In tone, edit, action, all of it; “Furiosa” is a haunting story, like an old Greek tale of determination and vengeance in a brutal world. Furiosa is played by two actresses at different ages, and in both performances, you can feel the trauma, pain, and rage that accompany this character who’s trapped. The filmmaking concurs with that, with editing and pacing that are more patient than “Fury Road’s” constant movement, but never boring. It’s a slow burn that builds up to an appropriate climax. Along the way, the action is astonishing but more brutal in a way that harkens back to the original film. There’s nothing else like “Furiosa” this month, and we are lucky to live in a time like it.

“In a Violent Nature”
A demonic killer is revived after a group of campers steal one of his possessions.

It’s hard to tell if this is a case of missed potential or pushing an idea too far. “A Violent Nature” has a lot of lovely imagery and creative kills with incredible gore. But beyond that, there’s little to offer here. For all the talk of this being from the killer’s POV, it doesn’t give much characterization to him, even in a physical sense. The little that there is comes off as rather stereotypical or as traditional exposition. Everyone else is exactly what you expect from this type of movie, but more unlikable. Its slow pace lacks the tension needed to captivate the audience, making it feel quite monotonous.. By the end, it feels like it is trolling the audience, and not in a good way.

“The Watchers”
A young woman becomes trapped with a group of strangers in the Irish woodland, who have to entertain the mysterious force that has taken them.

Ishana Night Shyamalan has taken many good cues from her well-known father, but “The Watchers” also shows that she has taken on her own identity. Through many classic film zooms and modern techniques, there’s an uneasy sense throughout the film that captures the entrapped feeling. There’s also a sense that they are going mad, with the whole cast delivering in a way that you would expect from people trapped for longer than they remember. The film is let down a bit by a script that works for the most part but has bad cases of exposition dumping and explaining too much. But even then, with the way it loves its characters, its sincerity, and its tense atmosphere, it comes together. It’s a great introduction to Ms. Shyamalan and makes you want to see what she delivers next.
ON NETFLIX

“Hit Man”
A school teacher who does part-time work as a fake hit man finds himself breaking protocol for a woman he becomes infatuated with.

Charisma and sensuality best describe Richard Linklater’s latest — a cool and funny film that’s only hindered by one aspect: the rather pedestrian directing. The blocking of actors and overall imagery fail to match the film’s tone and mood. However, beyond that, it’s hard to find a flaw here.The chemistry between Glen Powell and Adria Arjona is immaculate, and the comedic timing is on point. The cast meshes perfectly with the script, with everyone, including the smallest characters, cast correctly. It’s the type of movie that’s for everyone but doesn’t aim to tick every box. A good time for all, funny and at the right times scary.
UPCOMING RELEASES
July 3
“Despicable Me 4”
“Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F” (Netflix)

July 4
“Space Cadet” (Amazon Prime Video)

July 5
“MaXXXine”
“Mother, Couch” (Limited)

July 12
“Longlegs”
“Fly Me To The Moon”
“Touch”
“Sing Sing” (Limited)

July 19
“Twisters”

July 26
“Deadpool & Wolverine”
“Didi”