Month: August 2026

Camp Rock 3

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Sixteen years ago, Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam premiered on the Disney Channel. A third film was in the works, but was ultimately scrapped due to what was going on with Demi Lovato at the time. Now, we return for another summer of singing, song writing, instrument playing and dancing fun. When Connect 3 (Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas) lose the opening act of their upcoming reunion tour, they go back to the place where it all began to discover the next big thing. A new crop of teens with a dream will do whatever it takes to be chosen.

I liked the first two Camp Rock films, but I wasn’t obsessed with them like I was with High School Musical. I basically just jumped on the bandwagon because I needed something to fill that void. They were entertaining and they catapulted Lovato and the Jonas Brothers to fame. As legacy sequels are currently all the rage, it was no surprise that this would be getting their own version of that. While I didn’t find it necessary whatsoever, it wasn’t as awful as I was expecting it to be. In fact, I enjoyed the nostalgia trip.

At the helm is Sage (Liamani Seguara) who attends the camp with her brother Desi (Hudson Stone). They befriend Callie (Brooklynn Pitts), Rosie (Lumi Pollack), Cliff (Casey Trotter) and Fletch (Malachi Barton). Though they appear different on paper, they actually have a ton in common and form a bond unlike any other. The acting chops could have been better, but most of them made up for it in their musical talents. The stand outs for me were Segura and Pollack who had lovely singing voices. I do wish we had had more backstory on some of the other characters to flesh them out and give them even more personality.

It was nice to have the Jonas Brothers back on screen together, especially in the way that made them household names. Their characters of Jason, Nate and Shane are definite parodies of themselves and they know it; the way they played into it this time around was appreciated. Other returning cast members included Maria Canals-Barrera as Connie, Mitchie’s mom, who is now running the camp and Mitchie (Demi Lovato) herself in a small cameo. Sherry Cola was along for the ride too, as Lark, Connect 3’s manager. She was a great addition to round out the cast.

Where the film lacked was in it’s story. It was basically a carbon copy of the first complete with covers of the same songs fans have grown to know and love. Whether or not these versions were better, I will leave up to you to decide. There were some original tunes, but none of them were particularly memorable. I also thought that things were wrapped up too quickly and neatly. The beef between Sage and Desi? Squashed almost immediately. Fletch’s deep, dark past? Brushed over with no repercussions. It just didn’t seem realistic.

Overall, despite Camp Rock 3 being the sequel nobody asked for, there were some amusing aspects to it. While I appreciated getting to know some new talent, I was more in it for the throwbacks to the earlier films and thought that that is where they excelled.

Rating: ♥️♥️.5

The End of Oak Street

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Denise (Anne Hathaway) and Greg Platt (Ewan McGregor) are on the brink of divorce. Though they have tried to keep it together for their children Audrey (Maisy Stella) and Brian (Christian Convery), they know that they aren’t fooling anyone. But when a cosmic event takes place and shifts their suburban neighborhood into a world where dinosaurs still exist, they are forced to put aside their differences to do what they can to survive.

The End of Oak Street seemed to come out of nowhere. I hadn’t heard much about it until closer to its release date. The fact that most of the storyline was kept under wraps made it even better as it enhanced the viewing experience. I went into it expecting one thing and ended up getting so much more than I bargained for. It’s probably one of my favorite cinema experiences of the summer!

With Hathaway and McGregor at the helm, it wasn’t a surprise that they would deliver solid performances. While McGregor seemed to be more of a side character to Hathaway’s kick ass mom, the two worked well off each other. I simply can’t get over how dynamic Hathaway is as an actress. This is her fourth feature film of the year and each one has been so different, yet just as impressive as the last. Stella and Convery did a good job as the kids; there was a genuine chemistry between all four of them that really made it seem like they were a real family.

The main event was, of course, the dinosaurs. The way in which they were introduced was well done. Slowly at first, where the audience doesn’t see them in their full form straight away. Instead we are teased by little things here and there before we finally witness how threatening they truly are. The special effects used for these creatures were spot on and there were some positively terrifying moments that had me jumping in my seat. It was absolutely thrilling.

Overall, The End of Oak Street is exactly what you would want from a summer blockbuster. While it never fully explains how this neighborhood is transported back in time, it doesn’t need to. It leans into the crazy all the way that it seems believable enough to happen. The whole experience was a blast and it’s a film that I would definitely revisit in the future.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

The Devil’s Mouth

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Thailand is the perfect location for a holiday. With it’s idyllic beaches, exotic animals and striking caves, it has so much to offer. For Sara (Kathryn Newton) and her friends Max (Lana Condor), James (Nico Hiraga), Greg (Gavin Casalegno) and Adrienne (Tommi Rose), they can’t wait to embark on the adventure of a lifetime: visiting The Devil’s Mouth. Due to a storm, the cave has flooded. When Max suggests they take the hardest path to get through it and the others agree, they start to realize that they are not alone down there.

The shark genre has been around for decades and it’s probably safe to say that we’ve seen all variations possible. Although this one started off seemingly in a similar way, it did ramp up and managed to hold my attention all the way through. I actually enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to and didn’t think it was as bad as everyone has been saying.

A big reason why I wanted to check this one out was because of the cast. It’s pretty much every up and coming actor of our generation starring in one film together. Newton, who has been on a slew of scream queen roles lately, once again smashes it as the lead character. Sara may start off by allowing her friends to step all over her, but once they are in the caves, the tables are turned and she’s the only one can get them to safety. Condor had the part of the spoiled and whiny best friend down to a T; she was grating on my nerves, but that was the point. While Hiraga, Casalegno and Rose were more side characters, I did think they balanced out the group well.

Where the film lacked was in its script. Filled with cringey dialogue and silly one liners that dampened the severity of the situation, sometimes it was hard to look past. I’m not sure if they went this way to poke fun at themselves or to parody this particular horror genre, but it was an interesting choice. Luckily this was made up for in the thrills of the shark sequences that just got more intense as they went on.

So many times did I find myself clutching at my chest and gasping over what was unfolding in front of me. The fact that the majority of the runtime took place in the water added to that perilous feeling. Underwater shots also make me uneasy and this film had that in spades. There was a sense of foreboding right from the beginning and just when I thought it was all going to be okay, something would happen that completely changed my perspective.

If you’re in the mood for something that will keep you on your toes, I recommend checking out The Devil’s Mouth. It doesn’t take itself seriously by any means, but thanks to one very hungry shark, it does enough to keep its audience entertained.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️