July 23, 2026
The Odyssey will continue to dominate the box office and not much was released locally this week staying out of its way. This weekend, I focused on two movies of exceptional quality and geared toward adults. One relationship comedy and one Broadway musical production.
Toy Story 5, The Minions, and Moana are still in theater for the kids, and next weekend Spider-Man: Brand New Day rolls out into every corner of the world, so take a break and check out some unusually good flicks for this time of year.
40 Something Relationships (R)
Summer theaters are filled with superheroes, dinosaurs, and family adventures, but The Invite (R), offers something completely different. This sharp relationship comedy follows Joe and Angela, a married couple trying to reconnect by inviting their mysterious upstairs neighbors over for dinner. What begins as an awkward evening quickly turns into a funny, uncomfortable, and surprisingly thoughtful look at modern relationships.
Critics have embraced the film, giving it a remarkable 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and calling it one of the year’s smartest comedies. Olivia Wilde’s direction has earned particular praise, while Edward Norton, Penélope Cruz, Seth Rogen, and Wilde herself have been singled out for performances that balance humor with genuine emotion.
If you’re looking for an adult movie that trusts its audience and delivers laughs without explosions or special effects, The Invite may be the best film playing this weekend.
It’s playing in several spots:
Five Nights Only on the Big Screen
Hadestown: The Musical (Unrated), stars the five original principal cast members of the Tony Award-winning Broadway production in a professional filming of the live show. Instead of trying to convert this unique musical into a film, they decided to let audiences see the actual Broadway show.
Set to music that draws from contemporary American folk traditions and New Orleans-inflected jazz, Hadestown re-tells the stories of Orpheus, his love Eurydice, and Persephone and her husband Hades. This modern adaptation of two classic Greek tales captured eight Tony Awards including Best Musical, and Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album from its original Broadway production.
Reviewers are calling this film the closest we can get to seeing the show live, describing Hadestown as “mesmerizing” and the production value “one of the best filmed stage productions ever”. So if you’ve been itching to catch one of Broadway’s biggest hits, catch it here.
It’s playing in a few local theaters:
Still In Theaters
Evil Dead Burn (R)
Horror fans have had one great film after another this summer. This is a sequel, but that doesn’t prevent it from effectively delivering the terror.
Moana (PG)
Almost a scene by scene recreation of the animated film. Never has Disney’s cash play been more evident than with this one. Watch the animated version instead.
Minions & Monsters (PG)
The Minions are back in a wild, laugh-filled adventure that mixes Hollywood, monsters, and plenty of their trademark chaos. When their biggest mistake yet puts the whole world in danger, it’s up to the lovable troublemakers to save the day.
Supergirl (PG-13)
Kara, Superman’s cousin, is given her own movie, which failed to find an audience last summer’s Superman but has received great reviews nonetheless.
The Odyssey (R)
A gargantuan Hollywood spectacle which don’t get made any longer. A beautifully filmed, written, directed and acted gem which is a top contender for every department in the Oscar race.
Toy Story 5 (PG)
The toys grapple with technology. When Lilypad, a tablet programmed with her own thoughts on what deserves Bonnie’s attention, arrives, toys and screens compete to keep up in a world vastly different from when they first “woke up.”
Young Washington (PG-13)
Before he became America’s first president, George Washington was a young soldier facing impossible choices on a dangerous frontier. This historical drama follows the events that shaped the courage, leadership, and character of the man who would one day lead a nation.
