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Over twenty years ago Jurassic Park’s gates were closed and Isla Nubar was considered a tragic disaster. Miraculously, the theme park was re-opened under the name Jurassic World with new energy and operators and business. But, to keep audiences interested and coming back, new exhibits and attractions have become a necessity. So, when the park’s scientists develop and engineer their own dinosaur that’s bigger, faster, louder, cooler and more intense, all in an effort to appease the corporation, surely humans will still have the upper hand? Wrong. When containment of this new attraction goes awry it’s the park’s inhabitants and guests who are now in peril, again. It’ll take the dashing ex-military, Owen (Chris Pratt), and park manager, Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard), to save the day, but what if they’re already too late?Directed by Colin Trevorrow (Safety Not Guaranteed), Jurassic World is clearly a product of its ancestry, drawing heavily on the concepts outlined in Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park, in fact there’s almost zero new territory explored here; however, that doesn’t necessarily make for a bad film, rather, it makes a fine dc al coda with just a few minor adjustments. In the end, dinosaurs are still at the top of the food chain, and we humans are left to watch as scientists play god, again. Is there deep character study or development involved here? Nope. Are their superfluous subplots that don’t need to exist? Yup. Are the dinosaurs still as exciting as they were 22 years ago, meh, not really, we’ve grown accustomed to and been spoiled by modern special effects– but, it sure is fun to revisit the old stomping grounds every now and then and this might just be the case to do that. Fun body chomping action for the whole family this weekend, Jurassic World is rated PG-13.

In the 1960’s the musical genius behind the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson (Paul Dano, John Cusack), would stop touring with the band to instead focus on writing new material for the band. As it was, Wilson was slipping into psychosis, but for the love of music and his drive to create sounds the world had never imagined, the impossible became reality. Some twenty years later, abandoned by family and badgered by Dr. Eugene Landy (Paul Giamatti) it would take the love and intrigue of a random car saleswoman, Melinda Ledbetter (Elizabeth Banks), to help free Brian and allow him to continue on his creative path, this is his story. Directed by Bill Pohlad this decade skipping insight to the mind of a wildly creative individual shines on as a great exposure to the world of Brian Wilson. With an ensemble that shines nicely, all parts play in tune. Most notably though is the film’s score produced by Atticus Ross (The Social Network), a haunting streaming of conscious created and fabricated from Wilson’s actual master reels punctuating the high level mathematic musical theory flowing through Brian’s mind. This love story and musical trip is one to pay close attention to. Love & Mercy is rated PG-13.

Setting up as an origins story of the insidious evils that psychic Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) will battle later in her life, this is the tale of Quinn Brenner (Stefanie Scott), a young girl mourning the loss of her mother, trying to reach out to the other side for contact with her mother’s spirit. Alas, as we’ve learned, calling out to the dead opens doors to the spirits that can have horribly unintended results. For Quinn and family (Dermot Mulroney and Angus Sampson) it’s the soul sucking Man Who Can’t Breathe (Micheal Reid MacKay) who’ll need to be destroyed. Can Elise gain the strength and knowledge she’ll need to help the Brenner family? Written and Directed by Leigh Whannell, it’s the power of the good ol’ jump scare that works to the strengths of this simple and mostly effective prequel. Of course knowing that some characters have to live on takes away some suspense; but, for the love of fog machines, and simple staging, what might be lurking in the air vents or under the bed manages to keep audiences jumping and uneasy throughout. Sadly, much like its other chapters, Chapter 3 unfortunately runs on fumes in the third act leaving little unpredicted suspense and less to keep you awake late at night. Still, if you’ve made it this far, yeah, this fits nice on the shelf with its mates. Date movie for the horror buffs, why not? Insidious: Chapter 3 is rated PG-13.