NEW THIS WEEK
When an old enchanted video game sucks it’s four young
players into the game, they’re not only stuck as the avatars they chose (Dwayne
Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, and Karen Gillan), they’re also left stranded
in its dangerous jungle setting. A followup to the original Robin Williams
classic, this Jumanji is one of the year’s biggest family hits.
We Said: “Jumanji:
Welcome to The Jungle is full of enough laughs, action, and adventure
that it would have been able to stand on its own as an enjoyable Hollywood
blockbuster. We’ll never know how it would have done as its own separate film,
but regardless of that, it is an entertaining ride that children and adults of
all ages should be able to appreciate.”
Rating:
4 out of 5
Following a disappointing hiatus, the Bells reunite for one
last acca-awesome job: an overseas USO tour. The friends come together one last
time for more music, more dancing, and more questionable decisions.
We Said: “Director Trish Sie
struggles with the severe shifts in tone, but nails it when the girls do what
they do best, which is banter and sing.[…] Pitch Perfect 3 delivers a swansong
worth listening to, but it probably won't be a favorite on your playlist.” Rating: 2.5 out of 5
Set in a future where shrinking yourself down to five inches to
combat overpopulation is a hot new trend, overworked everyman Paul (Matt
Damon) and his wife Audrey (Kristen Wiig) decide to abandon their stressful lives
in order to get small and move to a new downsized community — a choice that
triggers life-changing adventures. Equal parts funny and soul-searching, Downsizing
is an emotional roller coaster of a movie.
We Said: “Like the disillusioned characters we've become so familiar
with in Alexander Payne's movies, Downsizing ends in a very different
place than where it began. From a kooky idea ripped from a B-movie plot emerges
an engaging love story and humanist tale. Payne's ambitions may get away from
him a little bit, but there's no downsizing how big the film is on ideas,
heart, and sincerity.” Rating: 3 out of 5
Also Available: Small Town Crime, The Divine Order, and The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928): Criterion Collection
