Posted by Say my name and receive my powers! … Jud Crandall!
Awesome! Now I can bring animals back from the dead and make them less racist!
Wait. I don’t think that’s right. I’m getting mixed up again. All of this weeks wide releases just got jumbled up. Ahem. Let’s unjumble them and look at the week. Check out the newest episode of the Podcast to hear Bob, Cody, and Kim talk about this week and others for the next few months.
Wide Releases
Pet Sematary
Horror; Written by Jeff Buhler, screen story by Matt Greenburg (what?) from the novel by Stephen King; Directed by Kevin Kolsch & Dennis Widmyer; Starring Jason Clarke, John Lithgow; R; 1h41m
Shazam!
Superhero Comedy; Written by Henry Gayden from the DC Comics character; Directed by David Sandberg; Starring Zachary Levi, Mark Strong, Jack Dylan Glazer. PG-13 2h12m.
Outside of Wonder Woman, this is the first time I’m wholly excited for a DCEU movie, without a caution to the optimism. Shazam, based on the DC hero who once was named Captain Marvel and outsold Superman in the 40s, looks like a ton of fun. The trailers have been charming and funny, without feeling forced; un-cynically satiring the genre. The story is a super-hero Big. Billy Batson is a 14 year old orphan. After defending his foster-brother – Eddie from It – he’s chosen to take the mantle of Shazam. When he’s the hero – he’s in a 30 adult body – so we get humour of a super-hero fan 14 year old in a superhero’s body. It looks earnest and a joy.
Reviews are very positive at 75 on Metacritic, only one point below Wonder Woman. Review blurbs point a light, fun excise from the normally dour DCEU that feels like an Amblin’ picture of the 80s.
PS – it’s not an issue but dammit it bothers me in the trailer when he snacks as he leaves the convenience store change in each shot? It’s beer, then a bunch of random things.
The Best of Enemies
Drama, based on a true story; Written and Directed by Robin Bissell, from the book by Osha Gray Davidson. Starring Taraji P Henson, Sam Rockwell, Anne Heshe; PG-13
I seriously hope this story of degregating schools is Durham, NC doesnt’ become another Green Book – ignoring the most interesting parts of the story to become a “racist white dude becomes not-racist after befriending a black person.” The trailers seem to lead that way for Rockwell’s head of the local KKK. He’s picked to be the third person on a board to integrate local schools. He meets and befriends Henson’s opposition. Great cast and if done well heis can be good works.
This needs to be Henson’s movie. If it isn’t, I’ll be mad.
no reviews yet
Limited Releases
There’s a bunch so a quick run down this week
Amazing Grace – Documentary/Live Performance- 87 minutes – A recently found and restored 1972 Aretha Franklin peformance at a LA Baptist Church. Looks wowing. 96 on Metacritic makes it the #2 on Metacritic currently.
Billboard – Drama – 89 minutes – Eric Roberts (boo) and Heather Matazarro (yeah!) star in a film about a struggling radio station holding a billboard sitting contest. Wasn’t that a Boy Meets World episode with Shawn and the Super Bowl? One review on Metacritic is a 40.
High-Life – Sci-fi Drama – 110 minutes This I’m very excited for. Claire Denis tells the story of Robert Pattison and his daughter – the only ones left after the rest of their crew on a spaceship vanish. Looks wonderful, quietly distrubing, and weird. 81 on Metacritic.
Peterloo – historical drama – 154 minutes – Michael Leigh’s new film is the story of an awful massacre committed by British soldiers firing into a protest of 100,000 in Manchester in 1819. Reviews, averaging at 71, state it’s compelling and blood-boiling with a great look of detail.
The Public – Drama – 1h59m- The homeless of Cincinnati take shelter from the cold in a public library, causing a standoff with police. No Metacritic
Storm Boy – Drama – 1h39m -An older man (Geoffrey Rush) remembers being a young man during which he saved and raised a pelican. Sits at 60.
Suburban Birds – Drama; 1h54m; From China; a man investigates an empty neighborhood after siesmic issues. Here he reads a diary of a friend group and finds it relates to his life.It has a 66 average, and says it’s weird and enigmatic.
The Wind – horror – 1h26 – a woman alone in the prairies faces harsh isolation. 60 with even the meh reviews seemingly more positive. I’ll check it out.
