NEW THIS WEEK
In
this follow-up to the iconic The Ring horror franchise, the
killer video tape returns to terrorize the young people dumb enough to watch it.
When a young woman uncovers a previously unknown secret feature on the tape, a
whole new mess of horror is unleashed.
We Said: “The jump scares
are there and the imagery is creepy as it ever was, but again, it already was.
There are some video segments added but they feel more like deleted scenes of
the first. I don’t think I can even give the film points for creepiness
because, while the original Samara video is one of the most disturbing things
one can watch, it’s not new…it stole its creep factor.” Rating: 1 out of 5
Based
on the best selling novel of the same name, A Dog’s Purpose focuses
on a the existential journey of a dog’s soul (voiced by Josh Gad) as it is
reincarnated into multiple dogs over time, enriching the lives of all the
humans he lives with over the course of several decades, particularly Ethan
(Bryce Gheisar and later Dennis Quaid), his beloved first owner.
We Said: “It's irritating
how little A Dog's Purpose gives back to viewers despite asking for all of
your tears and emotions, and it's frustrating how its ending reinforces all the
problematic gender dynamics it displays up until then. Gad does a nice job
voicing a cute dog. Aside from that, A Dog's Purpose doesn't have much to
offer.” Rating: 2 out of 5
Robert
DeNiro stars as Jackie Burke, a washed-up comedy icon attempting to reinvent
his image and make a comeback. After an altercation with a rowdy audience member
leads him to a court-ordered community service sentence, Jackie hits it off
with a young woman (Leslie Mann) who gives him the inspiration he needs to keep
moving forward.
We Said: “An aging stand-up
comic in New York City with a checkered romantic past struggles to maintain his
career. He's best known for a toothless,
lowbrow sitcom decades in his past, which he desperately wants to leave behind,
but his fans won't let him be anyone else.
No, it's not Louie or Bojack Horseman, both of which are
infinitely more nuanced and insightful than anything to be found in The
Comedian.” Rating: 2 out of 5
Also Available: Gold, I Am Not Your Negro, The Salesman, The Resurrection of Gavin Stone, Age of Shadows, One Piece Film: Gold, The Autopsy of Jane Doe, Beyond the Gates, Cup of Culture, Galaxy of Horrors, Envisage, Hunting Grounds, Cigarette Soup, and The Last Heist
