At the Movies: June 10

Now You See Me 2, The Conjuring 2, Warcraft

This week at the movies: The ‘Four Horsemen’ of the Now You See Me franchise return for a magical sequel; The Conjuring horror movie franchise also returns for a scary good second installment; and videogame aficionados will be pleased to see World of Warcraft come to life on the big screen.

Now You See Me 2

After fleeing from a stage show, the illusionists (Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson) known as the Four Horsemen find themselves in more trouble in Macau, China. Devious tech wizard Walter Mabry (Daniel Radcliffe) forces the infamous magicians to steal a powerful chip that can control all of the world's computers. Meanwhile, vengeful FBI agent Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) hatches his own plot against Thaddeus Bradley (Morgan Freeman), the man he blames for the death of his father. Also starring Dave Franco, Lizzy Caplan, and Michael Caine.

Perfect for: Those who saw the first Now You See Me film; magic show enthusiasts.

What the Critics Say: A bit convoluted in terms of characters and story, but the magic tricks are still a ride (like they were in the first movie). Movie Pilot states: “There is not any kind of believable magic going on here, but movie magic, made to manipulate it's audience. Granted, this film deals with far less CGI, making for much more believable sequences… Overall, Now You See Me 2 is an average thriller at best, with solid direction, some cool camerawork, and fun performances all around.”

Our Take: We enjoyed the first film and are looking forward to the twists and trickery behind this one…

The Conjuring 2

In 1977, paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) come out of a self-imposed sabbatical to travel to Enfield, a borough in north London. There, they meet Peggy Hodgson (Frances O’Connor), an overwhelmed single mother of four who tells the couple that something evil is in her home. Ed and Lorraine believe her story when the youngest daughter, Judy (Sterling Jerins), starts to show signs of demonic possession. As the Warrens try to help the besieged girl, they become the next target of the malicious spirits. Directed by James Wan.

Perfect for: Those who saw the first Conjuring movie, and enjoy getting spooked out of their seats.

What the Critics Say: No kidding – this flick is scary. And we mean really scary. The New York Daily News raves: “Just when sequels are threatening to scare everyone away from the movie theaters, here comes one that's deliberately scary… Horror fans sick of all the imitators (and sequels) have nothing to worry about here, because the ghost busters of The Conjuring 2 are scary good.” Cinemablend concurs, and also commends the actors: “Between the fantastic talent of and chemistry between Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, and the vision of James Wan, The Conjuring 2 demonstrates incredible potential for the emerging franchise.”

Our Take: We are already terrified, but in a good way – this one sounds like it’ll be the most spectacularly spooky show of the summer.

Warcraft

Looking to escape from his dying world, the orc shaman Gul'dan utilizes dark magic to open a portal to the human realm of Azeroth. Supported by the fierce fighter Blackhand, Gul'dan organizes the orc clans into a conquering army called the Horde. Uniting to protect Azeroth from these hulking invaders are King Llane, the mighty warrior Anduin Lothar (Travis Fimmel) and the powerful wizard Medivh. As the two races collide, leaders from each side start to question if war is the only answer. Also starring Paula Patton and Ben Foster.

Perfect for: Videogame and fantasy/action movie aficionados.

What the Critics Say: Campy and lots of videogame-like combat (obviously), this one won’t appeal to every audience but fans of the online game will likely be thrilled. Variety opines: “Warcraft plunges headfirst into a fantasy realm teeming with mythical creatures, magical spells and exotically named characters and locations. It’s a take-it-or-leave-it approach likely to have most audience members opting for the latter, though devotees of the immersive role-playing source material may have an entirely different experience.”

Our Take: If you love big budget special effects, fantastical beasts, and lots of on-screen dueling – or if you have played World of Warcraft ­– then this movie will be right up your alley.