NEW THIS WEEK
This
1920’s set Harry Potter spin-off stars Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, a
world-traveling wizard in search of rare magical animals to rescue and
document. After accidentally losing his holding case of creatures while on a
visit to New York, Newt and his new allies are in a race against time. They
must track down all of his fantastic beasts before they further damage the
already fragile divide between the non-magic and wizarding worlds.
We Said: “Fantastic
Beasts and Where to Find Them, the first of what will be five movies
when all is finished, shows that Rowling's Potterverse has a limitless
potential for growth. There are so many wonderful characters and concepts
introduced that any one of them could branch out into something new and
spectacular.” Rating: 4 out of 5
The
latest collaboration between Mark Wahlberg and director Peter Berg, Patriot’s
Day focuses on the tragic Boston
Marathon bombing of 2013. This true-crime thriller follows the special agents
and first responders who helped track down the suspects in the aftermath of the
attack.
We Said: “It's an impressive
feat [director Peter] Berg and his talented cast have pulled off with Patriots
Day, making us feel the tension they must have felt while the terrorists
were loose in the city. That's why it was also important to end by showing the
actual people depicted in the film; to see that they have indeed come out on
the other side of this tragedy stronger than ever.” Rating: 4 out of 5
Matrin
Scorsese's sobering new epic tells the story of two Portuguese missionaries (Andrew
Garfield and Adam Driver) who travel to Japan to rescue their former mentor (Liam
Neeson). Set during the Kakure Kirishitan period of the 17th
century, the missionaries find themselves in a place where Chirstianity is
violently forbidden by the Japanese government.
We Said: “The strength of
Scorsese's convictions carries Silence through its weakest
stretches, and you can sense the weight being lifted off his shoulders
completing his greatest passion project.
With help from Garfield and Driver's exhaustive performances, Scorsese
forces us to feel the weight of their spiritual burden, so that we must ask if
any of us would be worthy of carrying it..” Rating:
3.5 out of 5
This
acclaimed dramadey follows a sigle mother (Annette Benning) as she struggles to
connect with her young son during the countercultural shift of the late 1970’s.
With the help of two younger, more adventurous women (Greta Gerwig and Elle
Fanning) she manages to form an unconventional family for herself and her son
to be a part of.
We Said: “Everyone in this
story navigates an emotional journey, full of moments so small and perfect they
could only have been pulled from a deep well of personal memories. As sharply
observed as it is incredibly funny, this is [writer/director Mike] Mills and
his wonderful cast at their very best.” Rating:
4 out of 5
Why Him? is a raunchy comedy
which pins overprotective dad Ned (Brian Cranston) against his daughter’s
boyfriend, the wealthy and boundary pushing Laird (James Franco). When Laird
asks Ned for his blessing to marry his daughter Stephanie (Zoey Deutch), the
gloves come off and the two men spend the remainder of their holiday vacation
together battling over who knows what’s best for her.
We Said: “Why
Him? is fine. Nothing really special, but if you’re looking for some
easy holiday entertainment, you could definitely do worse than Why
Him?” Rating: 3 out of 5
This
new fantasy drama film tells the story of a young boy struggling to come to
terms with the failing health of his single mother (Felicity Jones). One night,
The Monster (Liam Neeson) suddenly appears to him, and as a means to help him
through this troubling time, takes him on a fantastical journey that blends
imagination with tragic reality.
We Said: “Adapted by author
Patrick Ness and directed by J.A. Bayona, A Monster Calls weaves a story that
will resonate with anyone who has had to overcome terrible, debilitating grief.”
Rating: 4 out of 5
