
The 2016 Oscars Winner List will be updated LIVE as they are presented and announced tonight from Dolby Theatre, hosted by Chris Rock. Continue reading
The 2016 Oscars Winner List will be updated LIVE as they are presented and announced tonight from Dolby Theatre, hosted by Chris Rock. Continue reading
The 2016 Academy Award winners will be announced tonight, February 28, but here are Tyler’s predictions as to who will walk away with Oscar gold. Continue reading
The 2016 Academy Award nominees have been announced with 12 nods given to The Revenant and zero to anyone of color for the acting categories again. Continue reading
The 2016 Academy Award nominees will be announced on Thursday, January 14, and we have our own predictions of who will earn a nomination for the Oscars Continue reading
Brace your bank accounts, it’s time to see what’s Now Available to Own for the week of January 5, 2016. Every Tuesday we run down new movie and television releases that you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home, as well as some slick deals that can help save you some coin. New on shelves this week are The Walk, Sicario, The Visit, Deathgasm, and more.
Sicario (Denis Villeneuve) Rated R [121 min] – An idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by an elected government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico. Starring Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro, and Jon Bernthal
If you like tense, edge of your seat dramas that leave you in suspense up until the bitter end, Sicario will be your cup of tea. Emily Blunt puts out a wonderful performance alongside a stellar supporting casting, especially Benicio Del Toro who absolutely shines.
Special features include:
The Walk (Robert Zemeckis) Rated PG [123 min] – In 1974, high-wire artist Philippe Petit recruits a team of people to help him realize his dream: to walk the the immense void between the World Trade Center towers. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Charlotte Le Bon, Guillaume Baillargeon, and Émilie Leclerc
Sadly, The Walk is one of the most under seen movies of 2015. The most depressing part about the film isn’t that it’s a dramatization of the thrilling documentary Man on Wire, what’s upsetting is that The Walk is actually a really fun movie that is riveting experience when seen on the big screen. There is some incredible cheese and terrible narration, but overall this movie is one of the most intense things I witnessed in theaters last year. My armpits were dripping with anxiety throughout the last 30 minutes of the film.
Special features include:
The Visit (M. Night Shyamalan) Rated PG-13 [94 min] – A single mother finds that things in her family’s life go very wrong after her two young children visit their grandparents. Starring Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Deanna Dunagan, and Peter McRobbie
M. Night (Signs; The Sixth Sense; The Village; Unbreakable) has not had the best track record after the handful of successes he garnered early on in his career. After a slew of flops, including 2013’s abomination After Earth, the once revered master of twists shows he still has that delicious flare we know and love. The Visit doesn’t have the best characters to fall in love with, but the pacing, direction, and level of mystery delivers a fairly rewarding end. And amazingly, if he continues doing work at this caliber, I am highly intrigued at what he can accomplish next.
Special features include:
The Green Inferno (Eli Roth) Rated R [100 min] – A group of student activists travels to the Amazon to save the rain forest and soon discover that they are not alone, and that no good deed goes unpunished. Starring Lorenza Izzo, Ariel Levy, Aaron Burns, and Kirby Bliss Blanton
Not since 2007’s Hostel II have I really seen anything to jump for joy about when it comes to Eli Roth’s work. And after delays and mixed reviews, I wasn’t so sure I’d walk away from The Green Inferno in any better shape. Surprisingly, I was pleasantly enlightened by its cheeky story. And despite having heard how vicious and disgusting it is, The Green Inferno is pretty tame considering it’s a film about cannibalism.
Special features include:
Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (Christopher Landon) Rated R [93 min] – Three scouts, on the eve of their last camp-out, discover the true meaning of friendship when they attempt to save their town from a zombie outbreak. Starring Tye Sheridan, Logan Miller, Joey Morgan, and Sarah Dumont
Originally entitled Scouts vs. Zombies, a more suitable and grammatically correct title, Scouts Guide, in its truest form, is the stoner comedy answer to the rise in popularity of the undead. Not without its lewd and somewhat refreshing zombie set pieces, the movie fails to deliver characters and a story that matters. Scouts Guide is what would happen if the tripod from Superbad encountered the zombie apocalypse. It’s not revolutionary on any level, but it does have a few gags that are worth fast forwarding to get to.
Special features include:
Deathgasm (Jason Lei Howden) Unrated [86 min] – Two teenage boys unwittingly summon an ancient evil entity known as The Blind One by delving into black magic while trying to escape their mundane lives. Starring Milo Cawthorne, James Blake, and Kimberley Crossman
After its big premiere at South by Southwest, Deathgasm has been on my must watch list for quite some time. So does it live up to the hype? Kinda. The movie is really fun and full of hilarious references to the metal scene, and even if you’re not a metalhead, the movie goes a long way to entertain and fully engage you in the rambunctious anarchy. The only downside is that its convenient ending makes the movie feel a bit rushed.
Special features include:
Experimenter (Michael Almereyda) Rated PG-13 [98 min] – Famed social psychologist Stanley Milgram, in 1961 conducted a series of radical behavior experiments that tested ordinary humans willingness to obey authority. Starring Peter Sarsgaard, Josh Hamilton, Taryn Manning, Winona Ryder, and Anton Yelchin
Not having any previous awareness to famed psychologist Stanley Milgram, I didn’t quite know what to expect going into Experimenter, only that the cast is exceptional. That being said, the movie is pretty cut and dry aside from a narrative breaking of the fourth wall by Sarsgaard. The movie tells and never shows. The main social experiment is rather fascinating, and its subjects bring up a lot of concerning and existential conversations. However, there’s nothing too exhilarating about Experimenter to capture and engage like it should with how important Milgram’s findings were.
Special features include:
Kung Fu Panda [Re-Release] (Mark Osborne and John Stevenson) Rated PG [92 min] – In the Valley of Peace, Po the Panda finds himself chosen as the Dragon Warrior despite the fact that he is obese and a complete novice at martial arts. Starring Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong, Randall Duk Kim, and Ian McShane
AND
Kung Fu Panda 2 [Re-Release] (Jennifer Yuh) Rated PG [91 min] – Po and his friends fight to stop a peacock villain from conquering China with a deadly new weapon, but first the Dragon Warrior must come to terms with his past. Starring Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong, and Gary Oldman
Both Kung Fu Panda films have been re-released with extra bonus content in celebration of the upcoming release of Kung Fu Panda 3. While I enjoy both films, the new extra features are fun for the kids, but don’t bring anything really new to those looking for a deeper exploration of the making of the film.
New Re-release Special features include:
Sleeping with Other People (Leslye Headland) Rated R [95 min] – A good-natured womanizer and a serial cheater form a platonic relationship that helps reform them in ways, while a mutual attraction sets in. Starring Jason Sudeikis, Alison Brie, Jordan Carlos, and Margarita Levieva
This may be the first time I’ve found Jason Sudeikis mildly tolerable. That may lie solely on the fact that Alison Brie brings out the best in people. Sleeping with Other People isn’t your traditional FWB romcom, but rather a relationship story based on friendship and support. Crazy concept, I know. It works up until the very end where things start to fall apart. It has some good laughs and witty dialogue, but not revolutionary to the romcom game.
Captive (Jerry Jameson) Rated PG-13 [97 min] – A single mother struggling with drug addiction is taken hostage in her own apartment by a man on the run after breaking out of jail and murdering the judge assigned to his case. Starring Kate Mara, David Oyelowo, Mimi Rogers, and Michael Kenneth Williams
Not much can be said about the rather mediocre Captive. While the performances by Mara and Oyelowo maintain a professional level of commitment with the utmost conviction, the film is rather repetitive, beating the main story beats and themes over the head too often. And by the end, the miles Captive puts in to build to some meaningful, big finale doesn’t come close to the oomph it is hoping for because the damage has already been done.
Special features include:
Broad City (Season 2) [DVD Only] (Ilana Glazer, Abbi Jacobson) Rated TV-14 [22 min] – Broad City follows two women throughout their daily lives in New York City, making the smallest and mundane events hysterical and disturbing to watch all at the same time. Starring Abbi Jacobson, Ilana Glazer, and Hannibal Buress
I hadn’t had the inclination to check out Broad City, but after the opportunity presented itself, and figuring how well received the series has been, I thought I’d check it out. The show definitely lives up to the hype. Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer absolutely crush it. The lives of their characters are hilariously resonating while at the same time utterly fantastical. Season 2 is a big step forward as their characters progress to even further heights and their morals even lower. This show is hilarious and suggest everyone gets on it.
Special features include:
All prices from Amazon.com. Best Buy, Frys, and Target all price match online prices.
What will you be taking home this week? Tell us in the comments section below!
All plot synopses come courtesy of IMDb.com
Image: Fighting in the War Room
After last week’s nominations were revealed for the 22nd Annual SAG Awards and 73rd Golden Globes, it feels like it could be anyone’s game at this point. This morning the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) and Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA) announced their 21st Critics’ Choice Awards nominees with George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road leading the charge with 13 nods. Hosted by T.J. Miller, the winners will be revealed during a live broadcast from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica on A&E, Lifetime, and LMN on Sunday, January 17, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. EST/5:00 p.m. PST.
Mad Max: Fury Road has undoubtedly become the underdog favorite of this awards season, as it has become one of the most revered features of the year by critics, myself included – my review. The big topic of conversation, aside from gaining Best Picture recognition, is Charlize Theron’s nods for both Best Actress and Best Actress In An Action Movie. Tom Hardy, of course, is nominated for Best Actor In An Action Movie, but it’s George Miller for Best Director that has really invested my interest into whether he could be a contender come Oscars. The film has also garnered nominations for Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Hair and Makeup, Best Visual Effects, Best Action Movie, and Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie.
Trailing behind the whirlwind, critically acclaimed hit is Carol, The Martian, and The Revenant with nine nominations each. While this year’s big favorite, Spotlight, has earned itself eight nominations from critics, followed by The Big Short and The Hateful Eight with six each. Bridge of Spies, Brooklyn, The Danish Girl, Jurassic World, and Sicario each earned five nominations and Room obtained four. Charlize Theron isn’t the only actress up for multiple Best Actress categories, as Jennifer Lawrence is up for three for her work in Joy and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, while Rachel McAdams is up for two awards for Spotlight and True Detective.
And while the film categories are all up in the air, the television categories prove that the increasing output of excellent programming continued this year with FX, ABC, and HBO both gaining 14 nominations each; FOX is close on their heels with 12 nods. The big standout series this year, as determined by critics, is FX’s Fargo with eight nominations. The Leftovers (HBO) and Transparent (Amazon) are not far behind with five nominations each; Black-ish (ABC), Mr. Robot (USA), and Penny Dreadful (Showtime) each earned four.
So what can we takeaway from this year’s 21st Critics’ Choice Awards nominees? For starters, no other awards group has seen more movies this year than the critics, assumably. It’s their jobs to assess the year in film. Who better has a sound voice of reasoning than those who sit in dark rooms and watch movies multiple times per week? In the long run, sure, all awards are practically meaningless gold statues, and the varying award categories the BFCA and BTJA have set have little influence when it comes to the Oscars, but if these voices of reason can help sway voters to at least make an earnest decision at the polls we can be safe in knowing we won’t have another year where a Shakespeare in Love wins against a Saving Private Ryan.
BEST PICTURE
BEST ACTOR
BEST ACTRESS
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS
BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
BEST DIRECTOR
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
BEST EDITING
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
BEST HAIR & MAKEUP
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
BEST ACTION MOVIE
BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE
BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE
BEST COMEDY
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
BEST SCI-FI/HORROR MOVIE
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
BEST SONG
BEST SCORE
While we provide you with a list of available new releases Now Available to Own every Tuesday, Coming Soon to Blu-ray and DVD looks at all of the recent home video announcements. For the week of November 14, 2015 we have the Sicario, Pan, Legend, The Diary of a Teenage Girl, and more. Find out when they’ll be out and what special features movie fans can expect below.
Sicario (Denis Villeneuve) Rated R [121 min] – An idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by an elected government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico. Starring Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro, and Jon Bernthal
Special features include:
Deathgasm (Jason Lei Howden) Unrated [86 min] – Two teenage boys unwittingly summon an ancient evil entity known as The Blind One by delving into black magic while trying to escape their mundane lives. Starring Milo Cawthorne, James Blake, and Kimberley Crossman
Pan (Joe Wright) Rated PG [111 min] – 12-year-old orphan Peter is spirited away to the magical world of Neverland, where he finds both fun and dangers, and ultimately discovers his destiny — to become the hero who will be forever known as Peter Pan Starring Levi Miller, Hugh Jackman, Garrett Hedlund, and Rooney Mara [Watch the Trailer]
Special features include:
Legend (Brian Helgeland) Rated R [131 min] – The film tells the story of the identical twin gangsters Reggie and Ronnie Kray, two of the most notorious criminals in British history, and their organised crime empire in the East End of London during the 1960s. Starring Tom Hardy, Emily Browning, and Taron Egerton
Special features include:
The Diary of a Teenage Girl (Marielle Heller) Rated R [102 min] – A teen artist living in 1970s San Francisco enters into an affair with her mother’s boyfriend. Starring Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård, Kristen Wiig, and Christopher Meloni
Batman: Bad Blood (Jay Oliva) Rated PG-13 [Runtime N/A]– Bruce Wayne is missing. Alfred covers for him while Nightwing and Robin patrol Gotham City in his stead. And a new player, Batwoman, investigates Batman’s disappearance.Director:Writer: J.M. DeMatteisStars: Stuart Allan, Morena Baccarin, Steve Blum
Special features include:
The Condemned 2 (Roel Reiné) Rated R [90 min] – A former bounty hunter who finds himself on the run as part of a revamped Condemned tournament, in which convicts are forced to fight each other to the death as part of a game that’s broadcast to the public. Starring Randy Orton, Eric Roberts, and Wes Studi
Special features include:
Extant Season 2 (Mickey Fisher) Rated TV-14 [42 min] – An astronaut struggles to learn how she became pregnant while on a 13-month-long solo space mission. StarringHalle Berry, Pierce Gagnon, and Grace Gummer
Under the Dome Season 3 (Brian K. Vaughan) Rated TV-14 [43 min] – An invisible and mysterious force field descends upon a small fictional town of Chester’s Mill, Maine, USA, trapping residents inside, cut off from the rest of civilization. The trapped townsfolk must discover the secrets and purpose of the “dome” and its origins, while coming to learn more than they ever knew about each other. Starring Mike Vogel, Rachelle Lefevre, Alexander Koch
Special features include:
Kick off the holidays with the family favorites from the Original Christmas Classics Anniversary Collection featuring Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town 45th Anniversary Collection, Frosty the Snowman 45th Anniversary Collector’s Edition, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition, and The Original Christmas Classics Anniversary Collector’s Edition Gift Set featuring all-new bonus material, including singing, fun facts, crafts, and more.
Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town! 45th Anniversary Collector’s Edition special features include:
Frosty The Snowman 45th Anniversary Collector’s Edition special features include:
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition special features include:
The Original Christmas Classics Anniversary Collector’s Edition Gift Set special features include:
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation – The Final Season (Anthony E. Zuiker) Rated TV-14 [60 min] – An elite team of police forensic evidence investigation experts work their cases in Las Vegas.Starring Laurence Fishburne, Marg Helgenberger, George Eads
And that’s it for this week. What are you looking forward to picking up when they release?
Stay tuned for more Blu-Ray and DVD announcements every Saturday.
All plot synopses courtesy of IMDb.com
Every week, movie studios select candidates to enter the glorious battlefield for your hard-earned dollars. The weekend warriors of September 18, 2015 includes The Scorch Trials, Black Mass, and Everest, as well as a handful of limited releases. Box Office Battlefield is here to help you decide which movie(s) will take priority over the others and determine who will be victorious. Should you see ’em, skip ’em, or rent ’em? Find out below!
Last weekend, two low-budget films, The Visit and The Perfect Guy, battled it out in a close match up to gain supremacy. In a surprising turn of events, Perfect Guy beat out Visit by about $400 thousand. Do they have what it takes to fend off some heavy hitters this weekend? UNLEASH THE POWER OF APPLES! This is the Box Office Battlefield:
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (Wes Ball) Rated PG-13 [131 min] – After having escaped the Maze, the Gladers now face a new set of challenges on the open roads of a desolate landscape filled with unimaginable obstacles.Director: Wes BallStars: Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Giancarlo Esposito, Ki Hong Lee, Dexter Darden, Jacob Lofland, Rosa Salazar, Aidan Gillen, and Patricia Clarkson
Rotten Tomatoes Score: Critics – 49% • Audience – 69%
My review:
I’m highly impressed with director Wes Ball. For only being his second feature length film, his first being The Maze Runner, the man has an eye for adventure. Which is what predominately The Scorch Trials consists of. The plot of the movie is pretty thin, exhibiting little depth to build the post-apocalyptic world the story inhabits. But what it lacks in plot The Scorch Trials makes up for in action.
The biggest downfall of the series thus far is how they’re handling the lead character, Thomas (Dylan O’Brien). He’s a strong, emotive character, but the story isn’t giving us enough to completely understand his motivations. He has a very one track mind that isn’t very compelling, and it hurts the credibility of his sidekicks as they go along with him just because. We’ve gained more backstory from his gal pal Teresa (Kaya Scodelario) than anyone else in the entirety of both films.
With only one movie left in the trilogy – which is great because I’m sick of studios splitting up the last book of YA franchises just to make a quick buck– there needs to be more in order for us to root for Thomas, otherwise this will be a very disappointing trilogy because its premise has a lot of promise. MATINEE IT!
Black Mass (Scott Cooper) Rated R [122 min] – The true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf. Starring Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch, Joel Edgerton, Jesse Plemons, Dakota Johnson, Adam Scott, Kevin Bacon, Peter Sarsgaard, Corey Stoll, David Harbour, and Julianne Nicholson
Rotten Tomatoes Score: Critics – 76% • Audience – 80%
My review:
Full disclosure: if you put Johnny Depp in anything I’m going to be very unenthusiastic going in to a movie. His recent stints in makeup (The Lone Ranger; Alice in Wonderland; Into the Woods) and without (Transcendence; Tusk; Mortdecai) have been quite indigestible. With that said, I found Depp to be quite satisfactory as Whitey Bulger. I am happy to see the actor take a more grounded role that doesn’t call for any of his Depp-isms or any quirky behavior traits. Bulger is a straight up thug who played the system very well. And the rest of the cast are excellent too; although I couldn’t comprehend Benedict Cumberbatch’s Boston accent.
Be that as it may, I can’t help but find Black Mass to be your ordinary gangster film. There isn’t much to say about Bulger, what drives him, or anyone really. Black Mass has a very linear plot that recalls events from A to B rather than putting any kind of effort to provide perspective or depth to Bulger. This bland representation, and maybe that’s who he was, doesn’t make for an entertaining piece of cinema. RENT IT!
Everest (Baltasar Kormákur) [IMAX Only] Rated PG-13 ]121 min] – A climbing expedition on Mt. Everest is devastated by a severe snow storm. Starring Jason Clarke, Ang Phula Sherpa, Thomas M. Wright, and Martin Henderson
Rotten Tomatoes Score: Critics – 72% • Audience – 76%
Their reviews:
“Everest is a sobering character story packed with bravery, horror, and humility – as well as thrilling tension.” – Ben Kendrick (ScreenRant)
“Film has two big issues, one dramatic, one having to do with awful and stupid 3D conversion.” – James Verniere (Boston Herald)
My take:
Everest looks like a thrilling sit. It’s sad that the trailer had to explain the entire situation and leave no surprise for moviegoers. But the fact that the only way to see Everest is in a 3D IMAX theater makes me shudder to think what was going on in the minds of the studio execs who green-lit that decision. Is the gimmick of a 3D IMAX experience worth the trip to the theaters? I don’t personally think so. If Everest was presented in regular IMAX I would be more accepting, but 3D? Come on. MATINEE IT IF YOU TRULY HAVE TO SEE IT!
Sicario (Denis Villeneuve) [Limited] Rated R [121 min] – An idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by an elected government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico. Starring Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro, and Jon Bernthal
Rotten Tomatoes Score: Critics – 88% • Audience – 91%
Their reviews:
“Directed by Denis Villeneuve from a script by Taylor Sheridan, the film manages to somehow be sleek and sprawling, focused and cagey at the same time, often in the same scene.” – Mark Olsen (Los Angeles Times)
“Villeneuve, cinematographer Roger Deakins and composer Jóhann Jóhannsson combine to make the action scenes gorgeous, scary and exciting, while the script by Taylor Sheridan is mordant and smart, with not a wasted word.” – Kyle Smith (New York Post)
My take:
Emily Blunt is unstoppable. There’s no other way in saying it. She is a Jill of all trades going from hardcore action to musicals and thrillers to dramas. What can’t she do? Sicario looks great and absolutely suspenseful with all the right tension. I have been avoiding the marketing as much as possible because I’ve heard really positive things. So when it comes to your town be prepared. SEE IT!
Cooties (Jonathan Milott and Cary Murnion4) Rated R [88 min] – A mysterious virus hits an isolated elementary school, transforming the kids into a feral swarm of mass savages. An unlikely hero must lead a motley band of teachers in the fight of their lives. Starring Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, and Alison Pill
Rotten Tomatoes Score: Critics – 36% • Audience – 60%
Their reviews:
“If Cooties subscribes slavishly to the conventions of teacher movies, it at least has fun with them.” – Nathan Rabin (AV Club)
“The engaging opening third of “Cooties” is enough to make the rest of the 96-minute film a mildly amusing diversion, but as the minutes roll by, you’ll wish the brains of the film had remained intact.” – Kevin Jagernauth (The Playlsit)
My take:
Cooties looks cute. A silly romp that you laugh at and with. Elijah Wood has been doing a lot of great work in the horror realm, and throwing him into the horror comedy genre makes me anticipate its release. However, the reviews are pretty negative, which doesn’t bode well and lessens my expectations, but I am still looking forward to seeing it regardless. RENT IT!
Captive (Jerry Jameson) [Limited] Rated PG-13 [97 min] – A single mother struggling with drug addiction is taken hostage in her own apartment by a man on the run after breaking out of jail and murdering the judge assigned to his case. Starring Kate Mara, David Oyelowo, Mimi Rogers, and Michael Kenneth Williams
Rotten Tomatoes Score: Critics – 35% • Audience – 69%
Their reviews:
“A Lifetime movie shoved into a cage and fattened with sermons and platitudes until it is ready to be served up cold and bland.” – James Rocchi (The Wrap)
“A credit-sequence television clip of Mr. Warren and the real Ms. Smith with Oprah Winfrey makes the entire movie feel like the strangest book infomercial in memory.” – Nicolas Rapold (New York Times)
My take:
Faith-based films have been running rampant lately. There was a huge surge last year, and the trend has only continued with each new success. Now equipped with A-list stars, Captive looks like it has the best intentions, but from what I’ve seen from the trailers the themes look inherently forced. I can’t get past it. WAIT FOR IT ON NETFLIX!
Pawn Sacrifice (Edward Zwick) [Limited] Rated PG-13 [114 min] – Set during the Cold War, American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer finds himself caught between two superpowers and his own struggles as he challenges the Soviet Empire. Starring Tobey Maguire, Liev Schreiber, Peter Sarsgaard, and Michael Stuhlbarg
Rotten Tomatoes Score: Critics – 80% • Audience – 76%
Their reviews:
“Edward Zwick’s “Pawn Sacrifice” is an enthralling piece of mainstream entertainment that captures the essence of Fischer’s mad genius, perfectly re-creates the tenor of the times AND works as a legit sports movie about the great game of chess.” – Richard Roeper (Chicago Sun-Times)
“There’s much to recommend it… thanks to some sharp lines from screenwriter Steven Knight and first-rate performances.” – Keith Phipps (Uproxx)
My take:
Where has Tobey Maguire been? I feel like he’s been running around in the shadows trying to get the taste of Spider-Man out of his mouth. Pawn Sacrifice seems like a well-crafted biopic that has a dark edge to it, something that brings a little more color into the genre. It doesn’t look like it is playing it safe or straight forward, so I’m intrigued. MATINEE IT!
First off, as exciting as Everest appears to be, I can only imagine it will make very little money because of the gimmick and the limited amount of IMAX screens to begin with. They go up the mountain, they go down the mountain. Not much to it. Although Johnny Depp’s performance is grand and at a high caliber we haven’t seen him at in years, Black Mass is nothing to run home about. Plus it’s rated R so you’re losing a lot of moviegoers there. And then we have The Scorch Trials, which is a PG-13 action flick based on a young adult book series starring a Teen Wolf hunk. There haven’t been a lot of big movies geared toward that tween/young adult genre in about a month since Ant-Man. With school back in session, The Scorch Trials seems like the perfect hangout movie for youths to enjoy. So as it stands, I believe the victor for this weekend will be:
What will you be watching this weekend? What did you think of the current releases? Tell us in the comment section below.
Movie synopses courtesy of IMDb.com and Tomatometer Scores from Rotten Tomatoes