NEW THIS WEEK
One of the year’s splashiest and most all-out entertaining
movies finally comes home. Inspired by the imagination of P. T. Barnum, The
Greatest Showman is an original musical that follows his life from the
creation of his humble beginnings to the ultimate creation of the circus and the
birth of modern show business. Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, and Zendaya all star in
this magical musical celebration of an artist’s imagination.
We Said: “If focusing on
Barnum's most glowing trait is what it took for Jackman to get his raucous,
hugely entertaining show off the ground then I'm okay with that.” Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Paul
Thomas Anderson’s latest film reunites him with Daniel Day-Lewis, who stars as
Reynolds Woodcock, a high-strung, stuffy fashion designer seeking his latest
muse. Set in the glamour of 1950’s post-war London, the renowned dressmaker finds
a kindred spirit in waitress Alma (Vicky Krieps), who soon becomes the
centerpiece of the house of Woodcock, for better or for worse.
.We Said: “I don't
know if the Alma and Reynolds are meant to be; and I don't know if that's even
what Anderson wants us to think about with Phantom Thread. In this twisted love
story, chaos and dysfunction are the ties that bind, and if that union leads to
more beauty in the world then who are we to judge?” Rating: 4 out of 5
Based on the unbelievable true story, director Ridley Scott’s
new thriller All the Money in the World follows the kidnapping of 16-year-old John
Paul Getty III and the desperate attempt by his devoted mother Gail (Michelle
Williams) to convince his world-famous billionaire grandfather (Christopher
Plummer) to pay the ransom.
We Said: “It's a solidly
successful crime film that shows Scott's remarkable professionalism and
willingness to move mountains to do what was ultimately the right thing in
removing Spacey. When all is said and done, the film may be best remembered for
what it almost was rather than what it actually is.” Rating: 3 out of 5
Molly’s Game tells the incredible true story of Molly Bloom (Jessica
Chastain), a brilliant former Olympic athlete who finds herself falling deep
into he world of illegal underground poker. The directorial debut of legendary
screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, this film is high-stakes captivating from start to
finish.
We Said: “It's a character
study of a fearless woman who dared to strike out on her own and faced the full
power of male anger, not to mention the U.S. government, against her for doing
that. Molly's Game is in top form when the focus can be narrowed to
her fight against the male-dominated establishment, and how she learned to
always deal herself a winning hand.” Rating:
3 out of 5
Taraji P. Henson stars in this 70’s style action throwback as
Mary, a no nonsense hit woman whose life is turned upside when her path crosses
a yet again with a young boy from her past.
We Said: “I don't blame
Taraji, nor do I put fault on Jahi Di'Allo Winston who has the makings of a
rising star. She's fearless when given opportunity to show it, but it seems
like Najalfi wants to edit away the scenes where Mary shows vulnerability.
Actually, it seems like he wants to edit away anything that would give Proud
Mary any sense of style. And if there's one thing we can say about
Taraji P. Henson is that she has style. She deserves a better chance to show it
than Proud
Mary affords her.” Rating: 2 out
of 5
Also Available: Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay, Outlander: Season Three, Mohawk, Braven, and My Friend Dahmer
