Robert Redford's final acting role... maybe.
GUESS THE QUOTE
"Don't everybody thank me at once."
Not much this week except to give nice little h/t to Mr. Robert Redford and his final role (see below).
Gettin cutoff? Go here, click "most recent edition."
NIGHT SCHOOL
AKA
"what they should also offer kids instead of punishing & torturing them for 12 years by making them wake up at ungodly hours every morning just to get an edumacation (us? bitter?)"
PG-13 / 1 hr 51 mins
Comedy / Universal
WHAT'S THE DEAL
The particulars of the story matter far less than the matching of its two stars, Tiffany Haddish and Kevin Hart. Hart's been one, if not the, biggest film comedian(s) working for the past few years and Haddish is still in the aftermath of blowing. the. f*ck. up. last year in Girls Trip, and working that dress again, and again, and again (as she should).
So yeah, big fat greasy duh they're gonna do a movie together. Hell, it could've been set on farm in Turkmenistan and it'd still get hype (along with the confused raised eyebrows). Instead it takes place in a GED program where Hart plays his familiar subordinate role to Haddish's dominate imma punch you in the face (literally) teacher - with a bunch of other fun comedians (see: Rob Riggle) you know for a joke or two.
REVIEWS
Not great, but if you like Hart and/or Haddish, pretty sure you'll get your fix. "'Night School' plays like a bundle of improv sketches squashed together in a seemingly haphazard fashion." - Seattle Times
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 25%
(24 reviews @ publish)
OUR TAKE
Like both the stars, and other comedians involved. But not sure we like how this feels like it's coming off an assembly line of comedy films vs a more concerted effort.
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SMALLFOOT
AKA
"the movie that launched a thousand 'you know what they say about a smallfoot...' dad jokes - and two thousand 🙄 from their wives"
PG / 1 hr 39 mins
Comedy-Family-Animated / Warner Bros.
WHAT'S THE DEAL
There are people in the world who are sure bigfoot, the abominable snowman, yeti - whatever the hell you wanna call the hairy hide & seek Hall of Famers - exists. And who's to tell 'em they're wrong? Us, we are, right now.
But believers, *exasperated sigh* they'll keep on keepin on and forever try and prove us wrong. Which is exactly what happens in Smallfoot, except us humans are the hiders and the giant ones the seekers. Like most non-Pixar animated films it goes heavy on the "all star voice cast" (see: Channing Tatum, Zendaya, Danny Devito), catchy tunes for kids to become obsessed with and just ok animation.
What's slightly different, and a fun twist, is one of the film's messages - don't believe everything you're told, just because you're told it by people in power and everyone else believes it. Whiiiich should be fun for the the ride home with the kids, and post viewing parenting in general. 😀
REVIEWS
It ain't jumping desk lamp level quality, but it's apparently still a decent diversion. "It's not often an animated children's movie features lessons about critical thinking, especially when the movie on the whole is a zippy, silly, zany, cheery little tale with the obligatory upbeat musical numbers." - Chicago Sun-Times (Richard Roeper)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 77%
(22 reviews @ publish)
OUR TAKE
We're all for films that teach healthy skepticism. We just don't have to watch em to be for 'em. :)
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HELL FEST
AKA
"politics in America, 2018"
R / 1 hr 29 mins
Horror / Lionsgate & CBS Films
WHAT'S THE DEAL
If you've ever been to an amusement park that does "Halloween nights," you get this one. All you need is one of those masked marauders sliddin' around on their knee-pads to go off and you have your next NY Times alert. Not sure this goes much beyond that concept though. But if you're looking for a "how many cheeky ways can we find to kill people" horror movie, by all means.
REVIEWS
None yet, but C level horror films ain't critics' favorites.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: TBD
(0 reviews @ publish)
OUR TAKE
We've literally been at these things and been like "man, you could get away with some murderous shit here." So we get the desire. And while this is probably better than the version we could make, it doesn't mean it's a good version.
INDIE"ISH" SPOTLIGHT
THE OLD MAN
AND THE GUN
AKA
"a far sweeter movie than we could've imagined with that title (see: dementia)"
PG-13 / 1 hr 33 mins
Drama / Fox Searchlight
WHAT'S THE DEAL
It may be Robert Redford's last role as an actor. Or maybe not. He originally said it would be, then walked it back a bit, but mostly because it seems it brought too much attention to him, and less the film. So yeah, it probably is his last (note: he hasn't said anything about retiring from directing), and it looks to be a warm bundle of aww as a send off.
Which is kind of interesting considering it's about a serial bank robber and prison escapee. But this isn't that violent caper movie with shoot-outs. It's about a guy who fell in love with stealin' & confusing the authorities (see: Casey Affleck). Sissy Spacek joins him as a willing partner, if not accomplice - unless we're talking about stealing hearts.
REVIEWS
Just a big solid hug. "At a time when bluster, bragging and histrionic displays of self-pity are apparently the defining characteristics of American manhood, it's nice to be reminded of the virtues of discretion and quiet." - NY Times (A.O. Scott)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
(32 reviews @ publish)
OUR TAKE
Hopefully we'll see it, but we're almost just happy enough that Redford seems to be going out on a high note (not as common as one may hope).
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ALREADY IN THEATERS + BOX OFFICE
(3-Day Weekend / Domestic Total - $ = Millions)
1) The House With A Clock... ($26.6) NEW
Jack Black teaches orphan nephew magic
67% RT - Trailer - Showtimes
2) A Simple Favor ($10.3 / $ 32)
Neo-noir cheeky mystery
84% RT - Trailer - Showtimes
3) The Nun ($10 / $101)
The Conjuring nun gets her own prequel
27% RT - Trailer - Showtimes
4) The Predator ($9.2 / $ 41)
They're back, and they're bigger
34% RT - Trailer - Showtimes
5) Crazy Rich Asians ($6.3 / $159)
Cultural moment romantic comedy
93% RT - Trailer - Showtimes
5) White Boy Rick ($4.9 / $17)
'80's kid FBI informant turned drug dealer
58% RT - Trailer - Showtimes
7) Peppermint ($3.7 / $30)
Jenn Garner revenge flick/Taken director
11% RT - Trailer - Showtimes
8) Fahrenheit 11/9 ($3) NEW
Michael Moore takes on the orange one
77% RT - Trailer - Showtimes
9) The Meg ($2.3 / $140)
Tiny shark movie
46% RT - Trailer - Showtimes
10) Searching ($2.2 / $23)
John Cho thriller / everything on screens
93% RT - Trailer - Showtimes
A STAR IS BORN
Bradley Cooper directs himself and Lady GaGa in remake (it's actually the fourth take on the fated love story). Tons of reviews already and they're pretty ecstatic about it.
VENOM
Spider-man's complicated frenemisis gets his own story where he's played by Tom Hardy. Whether Spider-man is IN the movie though, is unknown.
INDIE"ISH" SPOTLIGHT
THE HATE YOU GIVE
Girl already has to deal with split worlds - her school of mostly affluent, mostly white, and home, mostly poor, mostly black. Then her best (black) friend is killed by a (white) cop.
MID90S
October 19, 2018
Second trailer. Loner kid finds his crew with a bunch of skater punks. In the vein of Kids. Written/directed by Jonah Hill (yes, that Jonah Hill).
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THE OATH
October 19, 2018
Red band trailer. Tiffany Hadish and writer/director Ike Barinholtz (the not Jon Cena dad in Blockers) in dark "political comedy."
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FANTASTIC BEASTS:
THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD
November 16, 2018
Final trailer. Second movie in new series that takes place in Harry Potter land. Note: these are prequels to the HP story.
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CREED II
November 21, 2018
Second trailer. Creed takes on the son of Ivan Drago, who killed his father Apollo. Ryan Coogler who directed the first (and Black Panther) not back for this one.
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RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET
November 21, 2018
Second trailer. Ralph is back, and still breaking shit, like the internet. Come for Ralph, stay for the exploding bunny.
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IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
November 30, 2018
Full trailer. Next film from Barry Jenkins, the director of Moonlight. Based on James Baldwin book of same name. Woman in Harlem struggles to prove innocence of her fiancé (and father to her unborn child).
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BUMBLEBEE
December 21, 2018
Full trailer. Origin story of sorts for the mute Autobot, set in the 1980's. Stars Hailee Steinfeld and John Cena. Key: NOT directed by Michael Bay.
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