YOUR GUIDE TO THIS WEEK’S NEW CINEMA RELEASES
Ready to head off to the cinema for a movie? Here are the new releases for this week…
TOP PICK TO SEE
Top of the list is X+Y, a comedy drama in which a socially awkward teenage math prodigy finds new confidence and new friendships when he lands a spot on the British squad at the International Mathematics Olympiad. Nominated for a number of British Independent Film Awards for the acting, this is rating well with audiences.
OTHERS TO SEE
Jude Law stars in the adventure thriller BLACK SEA. In order to make good with his former employers, a submarine captain takes a job with a shadowy backer to search the depths of the Black Sea for a submarine rumored to be loaded with gold. Critics Consensus: Black Sea may not be particularly deep, but thanks to Kevin Macdonald’s judicious direction and a magnetic performance from Jude Law, it remains an efficiently well-crafted thriller. According to Slant Magazine ‘s Chris Cabin, As much as the film is primarily a genre workout for director Kevin McDonald, the script makes room for a tough-minded, psychologically corrosive depiction of vengeance. I’ll definitely be seeing this one.
MAYBE/MAYBE NOT
THE LONGEST RIDE is being appreciated by audiences but not by critics. Based on the book by the author who brought us The Notebook, this story is about the lives of a young couple which intertwine with a much older man as he reflects back on a lost love while he’s trapped in an automobile crash. Sounds like a tear-jerker! Critics Consensus: The Longest Ride is less manipulative than the average Nicholas Sparks film, but it’s still saccharine and hopelessly contrived — not that it’ll matter to the target audience. Variety’s Scott Foundas says that, Appealing performances by a trio of second- and third-generation Hollywood kids keep this three-hankie twaddle more bearable than it deserves. Audiences are rating it around 3.5 stars – so you are going to have to make your mind up!
TO AVOID
Two movies to avoid this week. First is LET’S GET MARRIED. It’s a Chinese romance in which Wenwen, the owner of a bridal boutique, longs to find Mr. Right and walk down the aisle in one of her beautiful wedding gowns. Yi Wen, a violinist, wavers over her engagement after meeting a mysterious man in a foreign country. Lei Xiao, an airport employee, tries to force her pilot boyfriend to marry her. And Hai Xin, a successful business woman, finds herself in a broken marriage and unexpectedly pregnant. Based on the hugely popular Chinese TV series of the same name, Let’s Get Married follows the lives of four couples looking for love and to find that special someone to say “I do.” So far, it’s averaging about 2.5 stars, so give it a wide berth.
Finally, there HOT TUB MACHINE 2. When Lou finds himself in trouble, Nick and Jacob fire up the hot tub time machine in an attempt to get back to the past. But they inadvertently land in the future with Adam Jr. Now they have to alter the future in order to save the past – which is really the present. Critics Consensus: A shallow dip overflowing with juvenile humor, Hot Tub Time Machine 2 is a lukewarm sequel that’s healthiest to avoid. New York Post’s Kyle Smith, warns us: Within five minutes you’ll guess why John Cusack, not overly encumbered with big film roles these days, didn’t return for the sequel: The script is monotonous, meandering and witless.
That’s it for this week. See you at the movies!
*NOTE* Movie summaries are adaptations of movie summary on IMDB. Critics consensuses are from Rotten Tomatoes. Opinions are mine unless credited.