After Garan is sent to Tokyo to complete the job, he meets a group of killers who are there for the same reason. It’s revealed that they will be forced to compete to see who can kill the king of killers, the same man who hired them. While the concept is interesting, the lack of any interesting characters hurts the plot. By the time the movie hits the halfway point, it seems things have only started to get going.

In failing to reach agreements with the striking guilds, Hollywood executives are essentially forced to promote movies without their A-list cast. The first signs of danger may present themselves this month – August -- with the Venice International Film Festival and Telluride Film Festival beginning at the end of this month. In the meantime, film festivals such as the Cinequest Film and Creativity Festival offer a glimpse of what this upcoming season has in store for Hollywood, both professionally and creatively.

While the film deals with themes of grief, government suppression, and love, it’s the theme of moving on that is most interesting. The freight train that moves through town does a good job of symbolizing the sometimes grim reality of life. You move forward, pick up baggage along the way, and even though there are moments that make you wish you could stop time, you have to keep going.

This movie is like a slasher flick crossed with “Fury Road,” and while the kills can get creative and ridiculous in a fun way, I wish there was more heart underneath all the blood and gore. If the movie didn’t have the budget for constant spectacle or complicated choreography, then it would have been nice if it fleshed out the main character to be more interesting, but he doesn’t say a word for most of the movie.

It takes a while for the movie to get going, but once Kristen is in Italy, the humor starts to pick up. Collette has a good sense of comedic timing and the supporting characters do a good job of keeping the movie light and charming. The downside is the humor constantly clashes with the romantic elements, which feel like they were pulled out of a novel you’d find at the airport. 

The trailer set to Also Sprach Zarathustra pays direct homage to 2001: A Space Odyssey, highlighting the tongue-in-cheek humor Gerwig brings to the property. Accompanied by lavish costuming, impressive set designs, and dance montages, Barbie looks to achieve something wholly unique. Hopefully, the film shares more in common with The Lego: Movie rather than G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra.

Nargle’s fear of failure and creative complacency create a real set of issues for the character and it’s interesting to see Wilson’s character navigate the challenges. He spent 19 years trying to create the perfect painting of a local mountain to hopefully get into a museum, yet he never took the initiative to take one of the paintings there himself out of fear of being rejected. The idea of being content with being a big fish in a small pond at the cost of stagnation is relatable.

After a slow start, “Women Talking” falls into a rhythm that drags viewers through the dilemma, asking them to imagine themselves facing the choice. Do they stay, forgiving the men who violated them emotionally and physically, giving implicit approval to their actions by doing so? Or do they leave, uprooting themselves and (in some cases) their young children from the only existence they understand?

Laura Lopez as Blanquita does a great job of portraying a character that has been through a life of trauma but does her best to fight through the difficulty of pursuing the case. She has strong resolve but does show weakness and doubt when things escalate and the danger rises. Alejandro Goic as Father Manuel also puts in a stellar performance as a priest who is tired of children’s suffering being swept under the rug. The film’s writing and direction go a long way in establishing a quiet, serious tone.