The dog days of summer include a story of the first dog, plus a  wide range of specialty offerings including a pair of biographical documentaries,  Mark Wahlberg in action and a culturally-unique romantic comedy.

The 20,000-years-ago setting of Alpha emphasizes images in its "boy and his (first domesticated) dog" story. McQueen profiles fashion designer Lee Alexander McQueen with a focus on his work, but too little on the man. The Miseducation of Cameron Post serves up a story about a teenager in a program to "cure" her of homosexuality, without enough context for her journey. The gothic teen horror of Down a Dark Hall brings the ghost story tropes but ignores any emotional framework.

David Riedel laments the dull, humorless, jingoistic action nonsense of Mile 22.

Eric D. Snider finds Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood offering a sympathetic back-story for the profile of a pimp for secret same-sex affairs by Golden Age movie stars.

In this week's feature review, Crazy Rich Asians finds an ideal balance between satisfying romantic comedy formula and cultural specificity.

Also opening this week, but not screened for press: the true story of post-independence India's quest for its first Olympic medal in Gold.