NEW THIS WEEK
Accaimled director Ava DuVernay adapts the classic book of
the same name, in Disney’s latest family adventure – A Wrinkle in Time. The
film follows a pair of brilliant young siblings who set out on an adventure to
find their missing scientist father (Chris Pine). Joined by their classmate and
a trio of mysterious astral guides (Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, and Oprah
Winfrey), the children brave a dangerous journey across dimensions to conquer
their fears and save the lost scientist.
We Said: “Clocking in at
under two hours, A Wrinkle in Time has a strong lead performance by Storm Reid
and enough vibrant costumed characters to keep younger aged moviegoers
interested. But even with the lavish budget, visual effects, and A-list stars
it only just manages to best its less flashy 2003 made-for-TV predecessor. ” Rating: 2.5 out of 5
A remake of the cult classic 70’s revenge thriller, this
gritty update stars Bruce Willis as a mild mannered surgeon, tipped over the
edge of sanity after his family is attacked. Obsessed with setting right the
wrongs that were commited, he becomes a morally gray one man vengeance machine,
killing anyone who stands in his way.
We Said: “The Death Wish story has been watered
down for decades by hundreds, maybe thousands of copycat movies. While nobody
expected this reboot to break the mold or anything, the complete lack of any
ambition is also a real drag. Despite the violent times we live in this Death
Wish would rather go off half-cocked than have anything useful to say.”
Rating: 2 out of 5
The new action-comedy Gringo follows mild-mannered U.S.
businessman Harold (David Oyelowo) who finds himself caught in a Mexican drug
war after reluctantly accepting a high risk job from his shady employers (Joel Edgerton and Charlize
Theron). Stuck way over his head in a situation he barely comprihends, Harold
fights for survival at every turn, and the in the process, crosses the line
from law-abiding citizen to wanted international criminal.
We Said: “As you can tell
there are a lot of moving parts in Gringo, but they all manage to fit
well with each other. The end result is a hell of a ride and quite the good
time.” Rating: 4 out of 5
A small rural town is faced with two monsterous problems at
the same time – a hurricane bearing down on the Gulf coastline, and the well
armed mercenaries who intend to take of advantage of it, using the storm as
cover for their robbery of the local branch of the treasury department.
We Said: “The
Hurricane Heist is a broken movie. Is it good? No. But it’s also not
the worst thing I’ve seen all year (looking at you, 15:17 to Paris). It’s not
something I would recommend shelling out actual money to see in a theater, but
if you happen to come across it on Netflix one day, it might give you a
chuckle. An EXTREME chuckle.” Rating: 1.5
out of 5
A viscious dark comedy, Thoroughbreds follows an affluent
overacheiver (Anya Taylor-Joy) who reluctantly befriends a strange and troubled
classmate resently released from a mental health facility (Olivia Cooke). While
the two initially seem to have nothing in common, they soon bond over their
mutual moral ambiguity, hatching a violent plan for revenge with the help of a
local drug dealer (Anton Yelchin).
We Said: “The film isn't
overly concerned about the high school social scene, but peer pressure? Toxic
friendships? Entitlement? [Director Cory] Finley's conclusion doesn't wrap up
his various ideas in a way that truly grips, but Thoroughbreds more than leaves
an impression, it'll have you hoping to see these troublemakers reunited on the
big screen.” Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Also Available: Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Complete Series, South Park: The Complete Twenty First Season, Devil’s Gate, The Midnight Man, The Last Ship: The Complete Fourth Season, Freak Show, and Every Day
