What's your favorite superpower? "Being myself" doesn't count cheaters.
GUESS THE QUOTE
"What the hell is that?
A dress!
Says who?
Calvin Klein..."
So we get to see the first real look at Joaquin Phoenix as The Joker this week (see trailers below) and it's... how about we just let you take a look and come back to us with your thoughts.
Gettin cutoff? Go here, click "most recent edition."
SHAZAM!
AKA
"the second major Captain Marvel movie to come out this year. Seriously."
PG-13 / 2 hrs 10 mins
Comedy-Superhero-Action / WB
WHAT'S THE DEAL
Barring the character's incredibly confusing comic book origins that commenced in 1939 (see the AKA above for full details), this one is straightforward, but what seems like the best way possible. In that it's basically a moving picture version of every conversation you had when you were 14 about what would happen if you suddenly had superpowers and looked like a superhero. Which, like, hell yeah. Gimme them powers.
But we can't get those powers 😑 , so as a proxy for you, me, us, we have Zachary Levi (TV show Chuck) as the superhero"ified" version of an orphaned teenager bequeathed the ability to summon his abilities by yelling... you guessed it. If you're thinking this sounds a lot like BIG x Superman, you'd be right (and been reading our emails the last few weeks). Sure, it's another capital (G)oddamn superhero movie, but think of this as more of a comedy than something like the weighty Avengers or *shudder* self serious Justice League.
QUESTION/ANSWER?: this is a DC Comics movie, so is it in the same universe as Aquaman, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman et al? Yes and no. Theoretically yes, but unclear how much they'll actually tie them together, but if it does well, yeah, probably. Some spoilers on the issue.
REVIEWS
Almost relieved reviews saying it's focused (more) on fun and joy vs brooding and darkness.
""Shazam!" suggests that if you're taking a superhero's powers deadly seriously, you may not be totally connecting with the spirit of the comics. The movie says: You've got to giggle at this stuff. That's part of the adventure." - Owen Gleiberman, Variety
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
(127 reviews @ publish)
WHO'S IT (NOT) FOR?
For: bullied middle schoolers (former included) who could use a bit of wish fulfilment
(Not): for those who're already not reading this because they read the word "superhero"
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PET SEMATARY
AKA
"best movie this weekend to help determine if you should go on a second date - 'But for real though, do you know how to actually spell it?' "
R / 1 hr 41 mins
Horror / Paramount
WHAT'S THE DEAL
You're going to die.
....@#@%....?!
Wait, no, stop, don't call the cops. That wasn't a threat; we meant eventually. As in some point waaaaay in the future (phew, rough start). But when that say day inevitably comes, if someone you knew could bury the vestige of your former self in a secret cemetery, er, sematary, that brought you back to life, would you want them to?
Too bad, you're dead and you don't get to decide.
Which, is kinda shitty, and super unfortunate for the child and her soon to be terrorized family in Pet Sematary, because she probably should've stayed gone even as sad as it is 😢. But then we wouldn't get to have the sweet jeebus scared out of us and be able to ruminate on our own eventual bodily demise. Which is exactly the way Mr. Stephen King wanted it when he wrote the novel the movie is based on back in '86.
REVIEWS
Plenty are saying the re-animation of this story after the 1989 original was a better idea than you might've thought. Noting the quality actors they got to help solidify the dark take on dying.
"Its terrifying story about death still leaves audiences with much to think about long after the credits roll, and the twists that lead to a new ending are fun to follow." - Monica Castillo, The Wrap
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
(53 reviews @ publish)
WHO'S IT (NOT) FOR?
For: (dead) animal lovers and horror fans who enjoy some thought provocation along with their armrest gripping
(Not): for those who believe all dogs go to heaven (is their favorite movie)
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THE BEST OF ENEMIES
AKA
"children and gravity"
PG-13 / 2 hrs 12 mins
Drama / STX
WHAT'S THE DEAL
On a scale of 1 to 10, humans sit at about 153 for their love of movies about unlikely friends (see: Green Book winning the Oscar over, in our preferences, much better candidates, and murdering it at the box office all over the world). Is it the hope we can actually resolve our issues, or do we just like watching other people do the work of overcoming distaste for their adversaries so we don't have to? /shrug
Well Ms. Ann Atwater, the civil rights activist who was black (played by Taraji P. Henson), certainly did work. The most famous effort, and on which this movie is based, was choosing to be on a committee to prevent violence in, and integrate of, schools in North Carolina - wiiiiiith the head of the local KKK. Yeah, #work.
Sam Rockwell, playing the Klan leader, is probably doin some work in compartmentalizing, as this is his second recent role as a racist buttwipe. But if the audience is to be left with an "aw gee shucks the world ain't so bad afterall" feeling, you can bet his character's views at the end of the film will be quite incongruous with those from the beginning. And he'll have Ms. Atwater's work to thank for that.
REVIEWS
None yet!
Rotten Tomatoes Score: TBD
(0 reviews @ publish)
WHO'S IT (NOT) FOR?
For: those who are still racist buttwipes, and people who want some positivity vs the calamity that is the news
(Not): people who thought Green Book was too trite and "bowtied"
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LIMITED RELEASE SPOTLIGHT
HIGH LIFE
AKA
"Snoop's life"
R / 1 hr 50 mins
Sci-Fi-Drama / A24
WHAT'S THE DEAL
Space. Love. Time. Sex. Death. Fear. Loneliness. Madness.
It might be easier to cut this one down into singular words than a strung together sentence of them. In other words, get ready for the weird and the confounding. Which if you're familiar with French director Claire Denis, makes sense. If you're not, just go in with an open mind. But if you positively need plot, we'll give you a ship in space full of death row inmates who are on a mission to mine energy from a black hole; except the only ones you meet alive are the (tried to be) celibate Robert Pattinson and his infant daughter.
And don't think that because this stars Pattinson it's likely to be more accessible. It may be better for his presence (see reviews), but his acting choices became quite off the mainstream, often in a good way, after the end of the Twilight series. Also stars Juliette Binoche as the ships iniquitous doctor as well Mia Goth and André "3000" Benjamin.
REVIEWS
Could sum them up as "challenging, yet rewarding." Pattinson getting praise for doing a lot with little dialogue. Say Claire Denis' first English language film is still 100% Denis.
""High Life" is an unnervingly lyrical vision of human entropy, a space odyssey smeared in the effluvia of blood and urine, sweat and semen, milk and tears." - Justin Chang, LA Times
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
(52 reviews @ publish)
WHO'S IT (NOT) FOR?
For: people who hear "challenging" in a film review and think "i accept"
(Not): for people who can't take more than seconds of no dialogue in a movie, let alone minutes
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ALREADY IN THEATERS + BOX OFFICE
(3-Day Weekend / Domestic Total - $ = millions)
1) Dumbo ($46) NEW
Live action (cept the big eared little guy)
48% RT - Trailer - Showtimes
2) Us ($33.2 / $128)
Jordan Peele's next horror fest
95% RT - Trailer - Showtimes
3) Captain Marvel ($20.7 / $354)
Lucky 21?
78% RT - Trailer - Showtimes
4) Unplanned ($6.8) NEW
Religious anti-abortion (rights) story
95% RT - Trailer - Showtimes
5) Five Feet Apart ($6.2 / $36)
Dying (or are they?) teens fall in love
53% RT - Trailer - Showtimes
6) Wonder Park ($5 / $38)
Girl's imagination powers amusement park
29% RT - Trailer - Showtimes
7) How To Train Your Dr... ($4.4 / $153)
Culmination (maybe) of the well liked series
91% RT - Trailer - Showtimes
8) Hotel Mumbai ($3.2 / $3.3)
Fictional telling of true life horror
75% RT - Trailer - Showtimes
9) Tyler Perry's A Madea... ($2.7 / $ 70)
Madea makes one last(?) appearance
13% RT - Trailer - Showtimes
10) The Beach Bum ($1.8) NEW
Harmony Korine lets McConaughey loose
49% RT - Trailer - Showtimes
AFTER
Think teen version of Fifty Shades of Grey except for the BDSM stuff, it's a girl losing her virginity stuff. Based on a fanfiction book series that originally starred Harry Styles from the boyband One Direction (first published on the social storytelling app Wattpad).
HELLBOY
Reeeeeboooot. This time it's David Harbour hoppering into the role of the benevolent hero demon baby who becomes trained witch, other demon, all around bad g-uy/irl killer (instead of the original Hellboy, Ron Perlman). Guillermo Del Toro, who directed the original two, is not involved either.
LITTLE
Issa Rae (Insecure) is assistant to Regina Hall, but also Marsai Martin (girl twin on Black-ish), cuuuuz they're the same person. Hall/Martin are a raging jerk of a boss who gets cursed. Inevitably lessons will be learned, but not before jokes and insults are made.
MISSING LINK
Next one from Laika Studios, whose become quite adept at making quality stop motion animated movies - e.g. Coraline, Boxtrolls, Kubo and the two Strings. This time it's Hugh Jackman traipsing the world with Zoe Saldana and Zach Galifianakis as the titular character (aka Susan).
AVENGERS: ENDGAME
June 14, 2019
What's that? You need more Avengers preview"ish" stuff (You really don't though)? Cool, here you go. PS this is technically a "special look" rather than a trailer (mainly exists so they can put "tix on sale" messaging at the end of it).
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SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE 2:
FARMAGEDDON
May 15, 2019
Full trailer. Adorable alien crashes on the farm and needs help getting home. From Aardman, people who made Wallace & Gromit / Chicken Run. NOTE: ignore the date at the end of the trailer, it's for the UK.
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THE DEAD DON'T DIE
June 14, 2019
Adam Driver, Chloë Sevigny and Bill Murray are cops when zombies attack their town. Directed by Jim Jarmusch (Only Lovers Left Alive, Broken Flowers).
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ANNABELLE COMES HOME
June 28, 2019
Next movie in The Conjuring universe and a sequel to the first two Annabelle movies. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga (stars of the original The Conjuring) are in it, but seems as supporting than full roles.
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SCARY STORIES
TO TELL IN THE DARK
August 8, 2019
The popular kids book series (that gave you nightmares) becomes a movie. Set in a small town in 1968 where lots of shit gets weird and goes darkly wrong. Note: produced by Guillermo Del Toro.
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JOKER
October 4, 2019
One off origin story about The Joker, played by Joaquin Phoenix (also starring Atlanta's Zazie Beetz) and directed by Todd Phillips - as in Old School & The Hangover movies. Looks almost like one of those fake Oscar trailer takes on the supervillain. Cept it's not a joke.
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