New in Theaters for Friday August 17, 2018 "Mile 22," "Crazy Rich Asians" and "Alpha"

Crazy Rich Asians

Starring: Constance Wu and Henry Golding

Rated PG-13   

Based on the best selling book, a woman travels from New York City to Singapore to meet her boyfriend's family.

“Crazy Rich Asians” is a better-than-expected rom-com that has its basic roots in those 1940's screwball comedies, but offering a little deeper moral about simply being yourself.

The film delivers on laughs and at the right moments some good sentiment without forgetting who its audience is.

“Crazy Rich Asians” is a well paced, funny comedy and deserves a B.

It's rated PG-13.

Mile 22

Starring: Mark Wahlberg and John Malkovich

Rated R   

In the film Wahlberg plays a CIA an elite intelligence operative who is assigned the task of escorting and protecting a cop with highly sensitive information.

“Mile 22” is mostly a bullets and bombs flick. With a high body count, over the top stunts and a lot of fast cuts showcasing its gratuitous violence, the film can not hide from its confusing script.

Mark Wahlberg brutally slices through the city spouting tired cliches and attitude, but the performance is without energy.

The bright spot of the film is an exceptional martial arts performance by Iko Uwais, who I hope we will see in better scripted films.

“Mile 22' gets a C and is rated R.

Alpha

Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee and Johannes Hakur Johannesson
Rated PG-13   

The film is set 20,000 years ago as man is struggling to survive. The story focuses on the son of the chief of a small tribe, who is coming of age and learning how to hunt and make tools. When the men of the tribe take off on a hunt, the young man is wounded and left for dead.

“Alpha” is being touted as a movie about dogs. And, yes there's that element to it, but the film is a beautiful story about the will to survive, the knowledge we carry to help us through and importance of trust.

And despite the film's lack of a real 3^rd act, I found the film to offer a terrific acting job by young Kodi Smit-McPhee mixed with a very fresh approach to this story of relationships and mutual need.

“Alpha” gets an A and is rated PG-13.