CITY Newspaper Summer Guide 2018 by CITY Magazine

SUMMER

GUIDE

2 CITY

SUMMER GUIDE 2018

SUNNY DAYS [ INTRODUCTION ] BY ADAM LUBITOW

MUSIC.......................................... 4 GET OUT INTO THE SUN FOR SOME MUSIC

All right, we’re nearing the end of June now, so I think we can safely call it: winter is officially over. (But be quiet about it; we don’t want to jinx anything.) We’ve entered that glorious time when Rochesterians get to shake off our winter blues and dive headlong into the great outdoors. And you know what? As much as we like to complain about the weather in these parts, Rochester summers are some of the best around. This year’s Summer Guide is packed with suggestions to make the most of these warm weather months. Because music just sounds better if you can listen while bopping around in the sunshine and running through the grass barefoot, writer Frank De Blase rounds up his picks for the summer’s best outdoor concerts and musical festivals. He’s letting you know where you can kick back and enjoy everything from The Who’s Roger Daltrey to classical music on Ontario Beach. For the history buffs, Jake Clapp pays tribute to the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’s chosen birthdate by rounding up notable Upstate New York locations connected to the Underground Railroad. If you’re taking a road trip this summer, consider making the ideas on page 6 a stop and connect with the region’s history. Then, on page 12, Vanessa Cheeks takes a spin through the ins and outs of biking along the Erie Canal, giving you the lowdown on rental options and which trails are best for cycling novices. As much as we’d like to, we can’t spend all our days basking in the sun (you might get burned). So for those times when you just want to be an indoor kid, Katie Libby creates her ideal Rochester food day on page 16, experiencing some of the delicious dining options around the city that she’s been missing out on. And on page 18 we’ve got a look at 15 highlights from the summer movie season. Of course, there’s way too much happening in Rochester for us to cover everything, so let us know how you plan to savor all this gorgeous weather this summer by dropping us a comment below these articles online at rochestercitynewspaper.com.

HISTORY....................................... 6 CONNECT WITH UPSTATE'S UNDERGROUND RAILROAD HISTORY

RECREATION............................... 12 BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO BIKING THE CANAL

DINING....................................... 16 FEAR OF MISSING THE DISH

FILM.......................................... 18 15 PICKS FROM THE SUMMER MOVIE SEASON

On the cover: James W. Johnson with daughter, Avri Mae, 6, and James Jr., 4. Photograph by Ryan Williamson

Publishers: William and Mary Anna Towler Editorial department themail@rochester-citynews.com Special sections editor: Adam Lubitow Contributing writers: Vanessa Cheeks, Jake Clapp, Frank De Blase, Katie Libby Art department artdept@rochester-citynews.com Art director/production manager: Ryan Williamson Designers: Renée Heininger, Jacob Walsh Advertising department ads@rochester-citynews.com New sales development: Betsy Matthews Sales representatives: Tracey Mykins, David White, William Towler Operations/Circulation kstathis@rochester-citynews.com Business manager: Angela Scardinale Circulation manager: Katherine Stathis Summer Guide 2018 is published by WMT Publications, Inc. Copyright by WMT Publications Inc., 2018 - all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, photocopying, recording or by any information storage retrieval system without permission of the copyright owner.

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G. Love & Special Sauce play Party in the Park on July 12. PHOTO PROVIDED

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Get out into the sun and take off your shoes for some summer music [ MUSIC ] BY FRANK DE BLASE

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SUMMER GUIDE 2018

Besides the two weeks of sunshine we’re blessed with each summer — when the mercury settles in at about 80 degrees — it’s also the time when the powers in charge of scheduling the music really let fly. There are a ton of shows popping up this time of year that let us bop around in the sunshine and walk around barefoot. I’ve discovered this is a festival town whether the venue is indoors or out, and there’s nothing like a lawn seat on a hot summer night. So don the bug spray and check out a few of our recommendations for outdoor summer shows below. What music are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below this article online at rochestercitynewspaper.com.

Fridays this summer: July 13 and August 10. Max Creek, The Sim Redmond Band, and Extended Family play the July 13 show, which will cause some kind of rhythm-driven frenzy, I’m sure. The August 10 show features Del McCoury Band, Driftwood, Honey Smugglers, and Dirty Blanket. Both shows take place at 400 Park Point Drive. 5 p.m. Free. For more info, check out lovincup.com. The Who’s sold-out concert last summer was one of the biggest crowds I’ve ever shoe-horned my barefoot ass into. This year, vocalist Roger Daltrey returns on Saturday, June 30, to perform the music from that group’s 1969 rock opera “Tommy.” CMAC (3355 Marvin Sands Drive). 8 p.m. $27-$136. cmacevents. com; thewho.com/roger-daltrey.

Park Point’s Concerts in the Square kicked off in June, and happen two more

G. Love & Special Sauce are kind of like that peanut butter and chocolate

The Who's Roger Daltrey plays CMAC on June 30. PHOTO PROVIDED

PSST. Can’t decide on where to eat?

Check with our dining writers for vetted grub.

George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic headlines this year's Summer Soul Music Festival. PHOTO PROVIDED

collision that’s worked out so well — “You got hip-hop in my blues!” Despite his mellower work as of late with artists like The Avett Brothers, Love still brings the blues all funky and sly. G. Love & Special Sauce play Party in the Park on Thursday, July 12. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park (353 Court Street). 5 p.m. $5; $35 for VIP. rochesterevents. com; philadelphonic.com.

Taking Back Sunday plays Saranac Brewery at the end of July. PHOTO PROVIDED

Truly an outdoor event, this is the Vans Warped Tour’s swan song. Started as an alternative festival in 1995, the tour grew to be the biggest traveling music festival in America. It’s sad to see it go. Check it out one more time when Warped Tour plays Wednesday, July 25, at Darien Lake PAC (9993 Allegheny Road). Noon. $30-$55. darienboxoffice. com; vanswarpedtour.com. If you’re up for some nu rock (just coined that now, I think) and you feel like a roadtrip, why not check out this band of boundless energy and melodious strain? Taking Back Sunday is pop music for the angry kids. Taking Back Sunday plays Saranac Brewery (830 Varick Street, Utica) on Saturday, July 28. 7:30 p.m. $26-$30. utica.boxofficeticketsales. com; takingbacksunday.com.

It’s as if Fairport were its own island with its own music scene. The two-day outdoor Fairport Music Festival is on a roll, drawing thousands of fans to get up to get down on the east side. And for a good cause: proceeds from the festival go to the Golisano Children’s Hospital. Fairport Music Festival takes place Friday, August 24, and Saturday, August 25. Go to fairportmusicfestival.com for the lineup. They’ve tried to rekindle this fest since the end of the Johnson administration, and it looks like they’ve finally done it with this year’s Summer Soul Music Festival. Saturday’s lineup includes Angie Stone, Musiq Soulchild, Al B. Sure, Raheem Devaughn, and Kindred the Family Soul. Sunday will be a knockout with George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic coming to town on the Mothership, plus The Mary Jane Girls with Val Young and the Stone City Family, Morris Day & the Time, and Cameo — complete with codpiece. Summer Soul Music Festival takes place Saturday, August 25, and Sunday, August 26, at Frontier Field (333 Plymouth Avenue). Community block party at 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; concerts at 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. $40-$175. rocsummersoulfest.com. And the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra will be popping up at outdoor venues around town, like the Concert by the Shore (a free concert series) at Ontario Beach Park featuring the music of Smith, Bernstein, Gershwin, Dvorak, Williams, and more. Wednesday, July 18, at Ontario Beach Park (50 Beach Avenue). 7:30 p.m. Free. rpo.org.

/ FOOD

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Artists Anthony Clubine, Jen Gandee, Dave Tobin, Jesse Kline, and Paul Elice, along with a host of volunteers, created this tribute to Harriet Tubman last summer at the Genesee Center in Auburn. Tubman made her home in Auburn for more than 50 years. PHOTO BY JAKE CLAPP

FREEDOM PATHS Upstate New York was an important part of the Underground Railroad. Connect with that history this summer [ HISTORY ] BY JAKE CLAPP

In his third autobiography, Frederick Douglass reflected on his anti-slavery work while living in Rochester: Along with speaking and writing against slavery, Douglass wrote in “Life and Times of Frederick Douglass,” one important action “must not be forgotten or omitted.” “My position gave me the chance of hitting that old enemy some telling blows,” he wrote. “I was on the southern border of Lake Ontario, and the Queen’s dominions were right over the way -- and my prominence as an abolitionist, and as the editor of an antislavery paper, naturally made me the stationmaster and conductor of the underground railroad passing through this goodly city.” New York State was a major part of the 6 CITY

SUMMER GUIDE 2018

Underground Railroad. The state was the gateway for many freedom-seekers making their way to Canada, and people following the North Star could find help from the black communities, Quakers and other religious groups, and many anti-slavery organizations spread throughout New York. Those helping freedom-seekers faced a lot of risk. There could be fines or imprisonment under the Fugitive Slave Law, but “I can say I never did more congenial, attractive, fascinating, and satisfactory work,” Douglass wrote. “True, as a means of destroying slavery, it was like an attempt to bail out the ocean with a teaspoon, but the thought that there was one less slave, and one more freeman --

having myself been a slave, and a fugitive slave -- brought to my heart unspeakable joy.” Western and Central New York has an exceptionally rich Underground Railroad history. Trails from the South would find their way to Auburn, where Harriet Tubman helped hundreds of people; to the station homes of Frederick and Anna Murray Douglass, Amy and Isaac Post, Asa Anthony, and other abolitionists in Rochester; and to Buffalo and Niagara Falls for the border crossing to freedom and safety in St. Catharines, Ontario. Understanding this history is always important, but since 2018 marks the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’s chosen birthdate, this is a great summer to learn more

about the area’s role in the fight against slavery. Below, you will find a map of seven locations connected to the region’s Underground Railroad history. Because it’s summer, our hope is that you can use this map to plan day trips from Rochester and connect with this important part of history. There are dozens of documented Underground Railroad-related locations across New York State, but many are now a part of private residences or aren’t accessible. This map gives locations that are open, offer tours, or have informational markers. Monroe County itself has a lot of history to engage with. The Rochester-Monroe

PHOTO BY STEPHEN S. REARDON

PHOTO BY DAVE BURNET

PHOTO BY GERRY SZYMANSKI

PHOTO BY STEPHEN S. REARDON

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CITY 7

Part of the Harriet Tubman House property. Tubman purchased a piece of land from US Senator William Seward, and in her later years opened the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged on her property. PHOTO BY JAKE CLAPP

County Freedom Trail Commission has documented that local history, and you can access a Google map of locations at rochesterfreedomtrail.com. Dr. David Anderson, chair of the Freedom Trail Commission, is also a founding member of Akwaaba, the Heritage Associates. The organization conducts tours, educational presentations, and reenactments of historical figures from the 19th century, specifically those involved in the fight for freedom, as a way to share lessons from that time in history. The group offers a tour of Rochester sites. More information can be found at akwaabatours.org. Go to RocDouglass.com for this story online and a Google map of these locations. Harriet Tubman Home

180 South Street, Auburn | harriettubmanhome. com; 315-252-2081

Harriet Tubman lived one of history’s most extraordinary lives. Born into bondage on the eastern shore of Maryland, Tubman took her freedom, helped by people on the Underground Railroad, but soon after returned to Maryland to lead her family to the North. It’s believed that “Moses” helped more than 300 people to freedom. In 1859, Tubman purchased a piece of land from US Senator William Seward and settled in Auburn. Tubman was not only an abolitionist, but also a suffragist, Union army scout -- in 1863, she led a troop of men in a raid on 8 CITY

SUMMER GUIDE 2018

M’Clintock House

14 East Williams Street, Waterloo | 315-568-0024

A marker at B. Forman Park. PHOTO BY JAKE CLAPP

The M’Clintock House is perhaps best known as the site where the First Women’s Rights Convention was planned and the Declaration of Sentiments was drafted. But the home of Thomas and Mary Ann M’Clintock, staunch abolitionists, was also a station on the Underground Railroad. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Howland Stone Store Museum

plantations -- and in her later years opened the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged on her property. Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tours are $5 general; $3 seniors and college students; $2 for ages 6-17. B. Forman Park and Sodus Point

If you’re taking a drive along Lake Ontario this summer, stop at B. Forman Park (4507 Lake Road, Pultneyville). The spot was the site of Samuel Cuyler’s home, which was an Underground Railroad terminus, and it’s said that freedom-seekers could keep watch for a ship captained by Horatio Throop for passage to Canada. The home was destroyed in a fire. If you continue on to Sodus Point -- which is just a great summer destination -- look for a mural (8364 Bay Street, Sodus Point) and plaque commemorating the area’s Underground Railroad history.

2956 State Route 34 B, Aurora | howlandstonestore.org; 315-364-5587

Built in 1837 by the Howland Family, active abolitionists and suffragists, the store -- which is made out of cobblestones -harbored people making their way North. The museum also has frequent historic and social programming; check its website for more information. Open Thursdays and Saturdays, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., in June through September Murphy Orchards

2402 McClew Road, Burt | murphyorchards.com; 716-778-7926

Charles McClew built what is now Murphy Orchards in 1850, and it’s believed that his family aided freedom-seekers up until 1861. Visitors to the orchards can still see the entrance in the barn to a secret room and learn about the farm’s Underground

Railroad history. The business offers guided tours for schools and special groups. Monday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. John W. Jones Museum

1250 Davis Street, Elmira | johnwjonesmuseum.org

John W. Jones was born into bondage in Virgina, and took his freedom in 1844 at the age of 27 by walking 300 miles north until he reached Elmira, New York. He settled there, and by 1851 became an active agent on the Underground Railroad. Jones managed to make an arrangement employees of the Northern Central Railway that passed through the area, and hid freedomseekers on cars bound for Niagara Falls. Most of those people found freedom in St. Catharines, Ontario. It’s believed that he helped more than 800 people. Open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Freedom Crossing at Niagara Arts and Cultural Center

1201 Pine Avenue, Niagara Falls | thenacc.org/ freedom-crossing-home; 716-282-7530

Housed at the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center, the exhibit “Freedom Crossing” examines the history of the Underground Railroad at the active point where freedomseekers finally stepped into Canada. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. General admission is $2.

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CITY 9

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rochestercitynewspaper.com CITY 11

Cema and her sister, Irene, along the canal. PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMSON

TRAILBLAZING A beginner’s guide to biking on the Erie Canal [ RECREATION ] BY VANESSA J. CHEEKS

The Erie Canal is a New York State treasure. Originally completed in 1825, the man-made watercourse is credited with kickstarting the state’s economy by giving smaller, inland towns access to larger ports. The canal put Western and Central New York on the map by promoting trade and tourism throughout the region, traditionally via boat. Today, the canal brings tourists of a different sort: As bicycling increases in popularity, cyclists of every skill level are exploring the 363 miles of Erie Canal Historic Trailway. Flowing through our region’s idyllic countrysides and historic villages, the canal offers riders unique experiences, from affordable one-hour rides to complete on-canal vacations. 12 CITY SUMMER GUIDE 2018

Bike rental options are available along the canal for those that don’t own their own equipment. Towpath Bike Shop in Pittsford’s Schoen Place rents bikes at $14 per hour. In Fairport, RV&E Bike and Skate at 40 North Main Street provides mountain and road bikes at $10 per hour and is located steps from the canal path. Fairport village is also a great place to see part of the canal’s rich history. Traveling on the Heritage Trail, cyclists can take a quick ride to the village’s Main Street and over one of the last remaining lift bridges in the country. The lift bridge is scheduled to be temporarily decommissioned in summer 2019 and will be out of service for about 13 to 15 months according to the NYS Department of Transportation.

As you watch the Colonial Belle tour boat and other leisure vessels go under the bridge, you can take the time to stop at Moonlight Creamery, co-owned and operated by Heidi Grenek. The Fairport native and her neighbor opened the artisanal ice cream shop in July 2007, seeing the potential to offer a special gathering place in their hometown. “I grew up in Fairport and with all of the opportunities the canal has to offer,” Grenek says. Located directly across from the lift bridge in Key Park, Grenek’s shop gets its share of cyclists taking a detour. “It’s a really nice place for people to take a little break, get their ice cream, watch the boats,” she says. With many businesses located on or close to the canal path, riders can stop

by stores like Fairport’s Main Street Mercantile for Erie Canal memorabilia. On hot summer days, bike to the Lock 32 Brewing Company in Pittsford for a cold beer. Not just for scenic towns, the canal also connects to other trails, making it possible to turn an hour’s ride into an allday event. From the heart of Rochester’s city center, cyclists can easily follow the Genesee River to Genesee Valley Park and connect to the canal path. From there, you can travel to any part of the Erie Canal by bike. “I use it to get to the Genesee Valley Greenway, which in turn links up to the Lehigh Valley Trail, which links to Auburn,” says cyclist Sara Hoffee. “You

James W. Johnson with his kids Avri Mae, 6, and James Jr., 4. PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMSON

can really see so many different aspects of our area using the canal as a jumpingoff point.” Hoffee not only rides longer distances for fun, but also uses the canal path to commute to Nazareth College, where she works as a staff pianist. Connecting to other trails and towns makes the canal a highway of sorts. Its easy, mostly paved paths make it a good option for those who want to avoid biking on the road. Riders also get a tour of the region’s wildlife while taking connecting trails and parks. “Usually starting in May I see a bald eagle near Lock 32 on a regular basis, and in the winter, several foxes come out to play on the ice with their babies,” Hoffee says. “You do have to be careful of the deer.” But her favorite sight is the people

she connects with during her regular rides. Even solo cyclists like Hoffee find comradery along the canal, and for some that’s part of the fun. Cyclists looking to take extended group trips can reach out to businesses like Erie Canal Bike Tours, operated by Diane Kolifrath. Kolifrath organizes long-distance trail rides that range from Cycling 101 — a six-day, five-night tour which provides training, on-trail support and overnight accommodations at $1,089 per person — to an 11-day trip for $1,389 that takes riders from the start of the canal in Buffalo to its end in Albany. These biking vacations come complete with overnight stays, shuttle service from your final destination, and activity

recommendations. More information can be found at gobikeerie.com/cycle-stay. “People who book our group tour, they don’t wanna have this as a solo experience,” Kolifrath says. “They tend to be very open and friendly. You’re probably going to quickly buddy up and have that really great social interaction.” ECB’s 11-day, end-to-end tour has already sold out, with other five- to eightday tours not far behind. The organized rides have groups cycle 40 miles a day at a pace that allows for frequent stops to take in the beauty of the trail. The low impact and slower pace of cycling also makes it ideal for people who may not be able to participate in traditional physical activities but still want to get out and enjoy the waterway.

Due to partnerships between Rochester Accessible Adventures and companies like Erie Canal Boat Company, options ranging from hand-operated bikes to three-wheeled recumbents are available for any cyclist with disabilities. At no additional cost, RAA also offers a “Canal Pal” with each bike rental reservation. This RAA trained volunteer accompanies the rider on the trail, giving support and additional independence for users. Owners and staff are trained to assess a user’s need and pair them with the appropriate accessible equipment. Additional support is offered through the RAA year round. More information can be found at rochesteraccessibleadventures.org.

rochestercitynewspaper.com CITY 13

Festa Italiana

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SUGAR & SPICE 6/13 | 8pm

RUBY SHOOZ SATURDAY 6/14

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14 CITY SUMMER GUIDE 2018

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FEAR OF MISSING THE DISH ILLUSTRATION BY RYAN WILLIAMSON

[ DINING ] BY KATIE LIBBY

Scrolling through my social media accounts, I frequently have two thoughts: One, the people I follow are going out to eat a lot in Rochester; and two, I want what they’re having. Between my full-time job, my freelancing job, and another part-time job, I don’t really have a lot of time to get out and try all of the dishes that pop up on my feed. And those dishes give me serious FOMO (Fear of Missing Out, for those who actually like using their words). In the interest of self-care and living my truth, I decided to clear my schedule for the day, go out, and try as many of those dishes as I could in 24 hours. Below is what an ideal food day in Rochester looks like for me. FOMO? No mo’. My day started at McCann’s Local Meats (739 South Clinton Avenue, @ mccannslocalmeats on Instagram) for the homemade buttermilk pancakes. Every time this dish shows up on my Instagram feed, I get angry that I’m not there shoveling it into my mouth. The pancake preparation mirrors that of a Dutch baby pancake, which results in a crisp outside and fluffy interior. The cakes are topped with homemade whipped cream made with Pittsford Dairy cream and served with a side of maple syrup from Kettle Ridge Farm in Victor. It’s a 16 CITY SUMMER GUIDE 2018

celebration of local ingredients and I, too, was celebrating because I checked this one off my FOMO food list. McCann’s serves brunch on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The rest of the brunch menu is nothing to shake a stick at, with homemade corned beef hash and shakshuka, a Mediterranean baked eggs dish. Asking someone in Rochester about who has the best pizza is almost as intense as asking who has the best garbage plate: people have opinions that they feel very strongly about, and they are not afraid to let you know what is good and what is shit. Based on the fact that multiple people I follow on social media check in to Pizza Stop (131 State Street, @thepizzastoproc on Instagram) at least once a week, I knew that was going to be my second stop on my FOMO food tour. Pizza Stop excels at the New York-style thin crust pizza by the slice; I went for a slice of plain cheese loaded up with dried oregano, crushed red pepper, and parmesan cheese — and it totally lived up to the hype. The State Street location is open from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Thursday; and until 8 p.m. on Fridays. A second location has recently opened at 2532 Ridgeway Avenue.

I had some time to kill before my dinner reservation, so I headed over to Flight Wine Bar (262 Exchange Boulevard, @flightwineroc on Instagram) in Corn Hill Landing. Sitting out on the patio with three flights of wine and a cheese board in front of me is my idea of happy hour. The flight menu is organized by various categories; I’m a red wine drinker and my goto is the Smooth Operator, which includes a Sangiovese, a Pinot Noir, and a Syrah. Whether you favor red or white, sweet or dry, or you want to stick with the bubbly, there are 12 different flight categories to choose from. As for the cheese, I selected three: a Pecorino Toscano, Espresso BellaVitano, and a Barber’s Cheddar. The cheese board is served with baguette and honey, although you can request a gluten-free cracker instead. The menu at French bistro Roux (688 Park Avenue, @Roux688 on Instagram) changes seasonally, and the nightly special changes with that menu as well. The spring menu at Roux has a Côte de Boeuf (“beef rib”) special on Saturday nights and once that popped up on Roux’s Instagram feed, I didn’t just want it, I needed it. The beef rib cut is one of the more flavorful cuts of beef and it doesn’t hurt that it’s presented with two

sizeable pats of butter sprinkled with chives on top. It’s decadent. The steak is served on top of oven-roasted potatoes that soak up all that delicious au jus. Other spring specials at Roux include a Bouillabaisse (seafood stew) on Friday nights that is not to be missed as well as dollar oysters on Wednesdays. The Spirit Room (139 State Street, @ thespiritroomroc on Instagram) has been open less than a year, but already has a following for its Southern-influenced menu and craft cocktails. I knew this was where I was going to end my FOMO food tour. One dish in particular is photographed and posted more than the others: the Magic Banana Pudding. Go ahead, look up the Spirit Room on Instagram, and scroll through until you see it — I’ll wait. It doesn’t get much more Southern than banana pudding, a mixture of vanilla custard, fresh banana, whipped cream, and in The Spirit Room’s recipe, animal crackers. It’s luscious, creamy, and the perfect end to a day of treating myself to all the good food I’ve been wanting to try around town. Where would you go if you were to plan an ideal food day in Rochester? Leave your suggestions in the comments below this article online at rochestercitynewspaper.com.

rochestercitynewspaper.com CITY 17

SIZZLING SUMMER CINEMA It’s worth staying indoors for these 15 movies [ FILM ] BY ADAM LUBITOW

Summer is upon us at last. And as the sunshine and blue skies reemerge, so too returns the annual tsunami of sequels, reboots, spin-offs, and franchises to flood our multiplexes. There’s a lot of massivelybudgeted entertainment jockeying for your attention, but the key to getting the most out of your summer movie viewing is finding that perfect balance between flashy Hollywood blockbusters and more distinctive indie fare. After all, you can’t survive on a diet of junk food alone (as delicious as that might sound). What follows are our picks for 15 movies that will get your adrenaline pumping, give your brain a workout, or ideally do both at once. Hopefully they’ll all be worth foregoing a few of those ohso-precious warm-weather hours. What are you excited to see this summer? Let us know in the comments below this article online at rochestercitynewspaper.com. 18 CITY SUMMER GUIDE 2018

“Damsel”: I loved David and Nathan Zellner’s utterly original “Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter,” so I was pretty much in the bag for whatever the brothers decided to do next. And by the looks of it, the off-kilter Western comedy “Damsel” lives up to the promise of that earlier film. It tells the story of a pioneer (Robert Pattinson), his beloved fiancée (Mia Wasikowska), and the drunken parson the would-be hero drags across the country to marry them. That turns out to be easier said than done, and along for the ride is Rochester’s own Robert Forster, plus a loveable miniature horse named Butterscotch. (June 22) “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”: Colin Trevorrow’s “Jurassic World” was a global box office juggernaut, but I found myself underwhelmed; the rampaging dino action was fun, but the script left something to be desired. Still, the trailer

for this follow-up boasts some killer imagery, and with director J.A. Bayona’s background in horror, I’m hoping he’s able to bring both the terror and the awe that is this series’ sweet spot. (June 22) “The First Purge”: This prequel to the politically-minded horror series rewinds back to when the country’s authoritarian

regime first began testing out the idea for an annual holiday legalizing all crime (including murder) for 12 hours. With a bold teaser poster — featuring a certain infamous red baseball cap — I’m hoping the franchise’s trademark blend of splattery horror and barbed commentary will be on full display. (July 4)

rochestercitynewspaper.com CITY 19

“Ant-Man and the Wasp”: One of the best things about the first “Ant-Man” film was its (literally) small stakes in comparison to every other entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It was a nice reminder that not every comic book movie has to center around costumed heroes foiling a potentially world-ending catastrophe. This sequel looks like good pulpy fun — just the thing to cheer up fans after the devastation of “Avengers: Infinity War.” Plus scene-stealer Michael Peña returns and we get the franchise’s first appearance of Michelle Pfeiffer, making a welcome return to the superhero genre. (July 6) “Sorry to Bother You”: Marking the

directorial debut of hip-hop artist Boots Riley, this surreal, punk rock, anticorporate satire absolutely blew the roof off Sundance this year. With its story of a struggling African-American millennial (Lakeith Stanfield, “Get Out”) who lands a job at a telemarketing firm and discovers the key to climbing the corporate ladder by learning to use a “white voice” when making his calls, this is clearly a movie with much on its mind. (July 6)

“Eighth Grade”: Comedian Bo Burnham brings a sensitive touch to this comingof-age story that lets viewers relive their harrowing teenage years through the eyes of 13-year-old Kayla (Elsie Fisher) as she tries to survive her last few days of middle school. The rave reviews out of Sundance suggest something that’s equally awkward and heartfelt in the best possible way. (July 13)

“Blindspotting”: Part buddy comedy, part

blistering social commentary, “Blindspotting” follows childhood friends Collin (“Hamilton” Tony-winner Daveed Diggs) and Miles (Rafael Casal), and picks up with the pair as Collin tries to get through his last three days of probation. Touching on issues of race, class, gentrification, and police brutality, this effort from first-time writers Diggs and Casal — directed by first-time feature director Carlos López Estrada — has a bit of a “Do the Right Thing” vibe that I’m really digging.

“Mission: Impossible – Fallout”: With only one dud entry so far, the “Mission: Impossible” series is shaping up to be one of the all-time great action franchises. It will never not be entertaining to watch Tom Cruise run real fast and hang off tall objects. Plus, thanks to series newcomer Henry Cavill, we finally get our chance to see the moustache that nearly brought down the Justice League. (July 27)

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“BlacKkKlansman”: Spike Lee is no

stranger to provocative stories, so it makes a certain sense for him to tackle this true story of Ron Stallworth. An AfricanAmerican police officer, Stallworth went undercover to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan in the 1970’s, and managed to reach the group’s highest levels. The film picked up the Grand Prix at Cannes last month, so my expectations are high. (August 10) “Christopher Robin”: This family-

friendly fantasy sees a grown-up Christopher Robin (played by Ewan McGregor) reunited with his childhood friend Winnie-the-Pooh — along with the rest of the gang from the Hundred Acre Wood — who returns to save him from his middle-aged malaise. What? No, you’re already crying! (August 3) “Searching”: Told entirely through

computer screens, smartphones, social media accounts, and text messages, this inventive thriller follows a widowed father (John Cho) during his desperate online hunt to find out what happened to his teenage daughter after she goes missing. Reviews from the film’s festival run suggest it’s more than a simple whodunit, delving into some Big Ideas about identity and how we live our lives online. (August 3)

“The Spy Who Dumped Me”: Mila Kunis and national treasure Kate McKinnon star in this action-comedy playing roommates who find themselves entangled in an international conspiracy after learning Kunis’ ex-boyfriend (Justin Theroux) is actually a secret agent with a team of assassins on his trail. I’m on board for that cast alone.

(August 3) 24 CITY SUMMER GUIDE 2018

“The Happytime Murders”: Two detectives

(one human and one puppet) are forced to work together to find a killer who’s bumping off cast members of a beloved

80’s children’s show, “The Happytime Gang.” Directed by Brian Henson, this looks like a decidedly adult take on “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” (with a dash of Peter Jackson’s 1989 puppet gross-out cult oddity, “Meet the Feebles”), and I cannot wait. (August 17) “Crazy Rich Asians”: When it comes

to on-screen representation, Asians and Asian-Americans are a perpetually underserved audience, which is why I’m looking forward to this romantic-comedy based on Kevin Kwan’s frothy best-selling novel. The plot follows an American-born

Chinese woman (Constance Wu) as she accompanies her longtime boyfriend on a trip to Singapore to meet his family. Once there, she discovers they’re a bunch of extravagantly wealthy eccentrics out to make her life hell. (August 17) “Replicas”: I love an ambitious sci-fi cautionary tale, so I’m intrigued by this thriller about a biologist (Keanu Reeves) who violates every law of nature to create clone versions of his wife and children after his real family is killed in a car accident. You may be shocked to learn that things don’t go according to plan. (August 24)

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