Children’s and young adult fiction top this week’s new releases.
Chemical Hearts (On Disc/Streaming August 21, 2020, PrimeVideo)
Seventeen-year-old Henry (Austin Abrams) fancies himself a writer and a true romantic. He is unexpectedly tested after becoming co-editor of the school paper along with new girl Grace (Lili Reinhart). She limps, is wittily sarcastic and obviously sad. Smitten, Henry seeks to gain Grace's trust as he tries to uncover her mysterious past. Adapted from the YA-romance, Our Chemical Hearts by Australian writer Krystal Sutherland, the story is unusually told from a male’s perspective. Meeting reader expectations requires the film stick to Henry’s vantage while illuminating his challenges.
The One and Only Ivan (Streaming August 21, 2020, Disney+)
This Mike White screenplay adapts the 2012 children's book by Katherine Applegate for an animated feature. Great Ape Ivan (voice of Sam Rockwell) is stolen from the African wild while still a toddler. He grows into a handsome silver-back and becomes the star attraction at shopping mall animal display. Ivan shares a relatively small space with aging elephant Stella (Angelina Jolie), her young charge Ruby (Brooklynn Prince), stray dog Bob (Danny DeVito) and several other CGI animals— all overseen by animal-owner Mack (Bryan Cranston). Ivan narrates this tale, gently introducing young viewers to the concept of animal rights. His fictional story is inspired by an actual captive gorilla's relocation to more favorable conditions at the Atlanta Zoo.
To read more film reviews, click here.
To read more articles by Lisa Miller, click here.
