21 Movies Like Twisters (2024) (Page 2)

With the high-caliber list of actors starring in The Instigators, you’d think the movie would be better—not necessarily novel or smart, but funny or entertaining, at least. You keep waiting for that moment to happen, but it never comes. If there are jokes, they're delivered in a deadpan manner that doesn’t seem to fit with the movie’s tone. The Instigators is an okay film to put on when you’re scrambling to look for something to watch with your dad. He’ll recognize more than a few faces and enjoy the banter between hardcore Bostonians Damon and Affleck (the other one). Backed by Apple’s deep pockets, it’s also a spectacle of an action film, with explosions and car crashes to spare. Just don’t expect anything more than that, then you should be able to sit through the movie.

Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime

Actor: Alfred Molina, André De Shields, Billy Smith, Casey Affleck, David Gborie, Don DiPetta, Hong Chau, Jack Harlow, Jason Furlani, Matt Damon, Michael Rodrick, Michael Stuhlbarg, Mike Bash, Natalie Carter, Paul Walter Hauser, Richie Moriarty, Rob Gronkowski, Robert Harvey, Ron Perlman, Shawn Fitzgibbon, Slate Holmgren, Toby Jones, Toby Onwumere, Tom Mariano, Tommy Nohilly, Ving Rhames

Director: Doug Liman

Rating: R

The first My Spy film was a fun caper that let kids imagine what life could be like if they trained and fought alongside the country’s top agents. This second film, set in Italy and following a now-tween Sophie, tries to be more grown up than the last but instead falls flat in every aspect. The script is bland, the plot is cliched, and even the performances aren’t as exciting this time around. To be sure, there are still laughs to be had, especially when Bobbi (Kristen Schaal) is onscreen, but for the most part, the stacked cast’s talents are wasted. Bautista and Ken Jeong, who plays the boss, are perennial worrywarts, while Anna Faris (in a secret role) is stuck playing a caricature. What a waste of comedic potential! If you’re planning to see this with your kids, it’s harmless good fun, but don’t expect to pick up anything new or worthwhile watching this.

Genre: Action, Comedy

Actor: Adam Neill, Andrew Roux, Anna Faris, Aurélia Agel, Beniamino Marcone, Billy Barratt, Chloe Coleman, Craig Robinson, Dave Bautista, Devere Rogers, Flula Borg, Kathleen Stephens, Ken Jeong, Kristen Schaal, Lara Babalola, Mo Mjamba, Nicola Correia Damude, Nkosinathi Mazwai, Noah Dalton Danby, Paul du Toit, Peter Butler, Peter Segal, Richard Wright-Firth, Taeho K, Tamer Burjaq

Director: Peter Segal

Rating: PG-13

Fly Me to the Moon is many things: a movie about the power of marketing, the glory of outer space, the beauty of human connection, and famous pretty people doing their thing. But what it isn’t is believable. Nothing about this movie is, except perhaps for Scarlett Johansson’s endearing performance (she’s the only one who seems to care, which tracks because she’s credited as a producer). The plot is implausible, the backgrounds are painfully flat, the tone is weirdly uneven, and maybe most disappointing of all, the acting just doesn’t pack a punch. It’s been reported that Channing Tatum, who plays Johansson’s love interest, was cast as a last-minute replacement for Chris Evans. If it’s true, it shows. He seems lost. His deadpan delivery may work in boisterous comedies like 21 Jump Street, but here it feels jarring. This is the guy Johansson’s impassioned character is supposed to have chemistry with? The guy who can’t so much as lift his eyebrows to express any emotion other than mild annoyance? To its credit, the movie has an interesting lead in Kelly (Johansson), an ad woman who isn’t defined by the men surrounding her, and who is morally complex and nuanced. I also appreciate her friendship with her secretary Ruby. They provide a fresh angle to a well-known story, it’s just too bad the direction seemed to go off the rails in the end.

Genre: Comedy, History, Romance

Actor: Anna Garcia, Channing Tatum, Christian Clemenson, Christian Zuber, Colin Jost, Colin Woodell, Dariusz Wolski, Donald Watkins, Gary Weeks, Gene Jones, Jessie Mueller, Jim Rash, Joe Chrest, Kade Pittman, Nick Dillenburg, Njema Williams, Noah Robbins, Peter Jacobson, Ray Romano, Scarlett Johansson, Stephanie Kurtzuba, Todd Allen Durkin, Victor Garber, Woody Harrelson

Director: Greg Berlanti

Rating: PG-13

To be fair to this visibly low-budget adaptation of H. G. Wells' seminal science-fiction novel, it doesn't always settle for the cheap way out. Though it still leaves much to be desired in its visual effects, awkward action scenes, and generally unimaginative direction, Fear the Invisible Man makes a valiant effort to deepen its story by placing a strong, unlikely protagonist at its center (played in all seriousness and with admirable resolve by Mhairi Calvey). Since the titular villain isn't actually the star of the show—nor is he made out to be an ever-present threat, like in the modern 2020 adaptation—this version of The Invisible Man is able to circle relatively newer ideas about a woman's "invisible" place in the world, and how she's tempted to go down a path of pride and violence. If only the rest of the film could keep up with the script's ambition.

Genre: Horror, Science Fiction, Thriller

Actor: David Hayman, Delroy Brown, Emily Haigh, Grahame Fox, Joe Tucker, Marc Danbury, Mark Arnold, Mhairi Calvey, Mike Beckingham, Simon Pengelly, Wayne Gordon

Director: Paul Dudbridge