YOUR GUIDE TO THIS WEEK’S NEW CINEMA RELEASES
Believe it or not, this week’s TOP PICK to see is a Sylvester Stallone movie …
CREED is a spin-off of the Rocky Balboa movies in which he, the former World Heavyweight Champion, serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed. The critics are averaging pretty high scores on this one and general audiences are enjoying it. Variety’s Andrew Barker says that, With his “Rocky” spinoff, Creed, writer-director Ryan Coogler confirms every bit of promise he displayed in his 2013 debut, “Fruitvale Station,” offering a smart, kinetic, exhilaratingly well-crafted piece of mainstream filmmaking, and providing actor Michael B. Jordan with yet another substantial stepping stone on his climb to stardom.
OTHERS TO SEE
The story of the now infamous Lance Armstrong is told in THE PROGRAM, a drama in which an Irish sports journalist becomes convinced that Lance Armstrong’s performances during the Tour de France victories are fuelled by banned substances. With this conviction, he starts hunting for evidence that will expose Armstrong. According to CineVue, It must be said that Foster – who adhered to the actual doping program during filming – excels as Armstrong. Bearing an unnerving physical resemblance to the fallen cycling hero, he is a revelation in a remarkable tour de force — not France — performance. Sounds like the actor may be the best part of the movie as both critics and general viewers are rating it around average.
MAYBE/MAYBE NOT
With the holiday season around the corner, it’s time for some new kids animations to hit the screens. HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 has arrived. In this episode, Dracula and his friends try to bring out the monster in his half human, half vampire grandson in order to keep Mavis from leaving the hotel.’ Boston Globe’s Tom Russo is scathing — For the haters out there, you could see where Sandler reprising his role as a cartoon Dracula in Hotel Transylvania 2 might just be the perfect metaphor: Yep, there he goes again, evilly sucking the lifeblood out of decent entertainment. Now come on, let’s grab the torches!
TO AVOID
A couple of movies to avoid this week if the ratings are anything to go by. First is LOVE THE COOPERS starring Diane Keaton and John Goodman. When four generations of the Cooper clan come together for their annual Christmas Eve celebration, a series of unexpected visitors and unlikely events turn the night upside down, leading them all toward a surprising rediscovery of family bonds and the spirit of the holiday. For The Hollywood Reporter’s Jon Frosch, it’s A Christmas comedy of numbing tedium and tackiness. Stay away from this one!
Finally, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s long awaited BY THE SEA opens this week. Set in France during the mid-1970s, Vanessa, a former dancer (Angelina Jolie Pitt), and her husband Roland (Brad Pitt), an American writer, travel the country together. They seem to be growing apart, but when they linger in one quiet, seaside town they begin to draw close to some of its more vibrant inhabitants, such as a local bar/café-keeper and a hotel owner.’ (Written by Production) The Hollywood Reporter’s Todd McCarthy reports that There’s no catharsis at the end from the journey taken, just relief that it’s over. Getting low scores so think twice about checking it out!
That’s it for this week. See you at the movies!
*NOTE* Movie summaries are adaptations of movie summary on IMDB. Opinions are mine unless credited. These updates are written from an Australian perspective so openings of the movies in cinemas may vary in other parts of the world.