"A Quiet Place"

4 stars

Director John Krasinski ("The Office") shows one of the most effective ways to create scares and tension by using a very quiet approach. His film about a world where any noise can attract deadly attacks by strange creatures speaks volumes with limited dialogue.

Each scene is staged in such a way that even a family game of Monopoly becomes terrifying. Krasinski's use of silence is so effective, you may catch yourself holding your breath as to not make a sound. When a film can draw the viewer in to that degree, it is a joy to watch.

The added bonus is both Krasinski and Emily Blunt ("The Girl on the Train") turn in outstanding performances as the parents of three children living a silent existence. The parents are trying to survive while knowing even the slightest whisper or footstep can bring death, while also looking for a way to deal with the creatures.

Toss in a pregnancy and this is a demanding role for Blunt. But, she continues to show that because she brings such a pure and honest approach to acting, her performances shine.

The film is worth owning alone, but the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Combo Packs include behind-the-scenes footage that examines the unique sound design, string visual effects and how the cast and crew dealt with the silence on set and on film.

"A Quiet Place" is one of the best and most unique thrillers to come along in years. Its praises should be shouted.

“Isle of Dogs”

4 stars

Describing the Wes Anderson animated film does it no justice because the only way to fully appreciate this production is to experience it on multiple levels. At the heart is the story of 12-year-old Atari Kobayashi (voiced by Koyu Rankin), the ward of the massively corrupt Mayor Kobayashi (Kunichi Nomura). Taking advantage of an overpopulation of sick dogs, the mayor decrees that all the canine pets of Megasaki City are to be exiled to a vast garbage dump. The action seems to be in regards to public safety but is the end result of centuries of bad blood.

Atari flies to Trash Island in search of his bodyguard dog, Spots (Liev Schreiber), the first canine sent into the trash island exile. With the assistance of a pack of newly found mongrel friends, Atari begins a journey through this junkyard of failed adventures and misguided endeavors that will decide the fate and future of the entire prefecture.

“Isle of Dogs” can be enjoyed as a simple story or as a complicated metaphor for life. Being able to pull off such diverse story elements coupled with the dazzling look is a reminder that while we may think Anderson has shown us his best, he continues to produce work that takes filmmaking to an even higher level.

“Rampage”

2.5 stars

Even in a movie that is based so thinly on a popular arcade game, Dwayne Johnson continues to prove he is the biggest action star of the 21st century. Without Johnson, “Rampage” would be just a notch above those smashup monster creature features that appear on cable, where it could have been called “Wolfbatasaurus” or “Crocopine.”

If all you want is to see a lot of buildings fall and people get chomped, “Rampage” is the film that will tide you over until a better movie comes along. The weak writing and poorly developed characters aren’t a big surprise. The only purpose that drives a movie like “Rampage” is to have fun watching the carnage. And that’s not different from the original arcade game, so it succeeds on that level.