Here to take a look at the films coming out in wide and limited release this coming weekend. I’ll give you my thoughts to help you decide what’s worth checking out.
- American Ultra – A stoner and his stoner girlfriend’s lives are in danger when his secret CIA training is activated just as the government is sent to take him out.
Directed by Nima Nourizadeh
Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Babe of the Week Kristen Stewart, Connie Britton, Topher Grace
A review will be up tomorrow, but Lindsay & I caught a screening for this one. It’s not quite the stoner comedy the trailer makes it out to be – it’s much more focused on the action and romance angles. It’s an enjoyable watch though. It might depend entirely on how you feel about the leads, but as an Eisenberg fan I was down to watch him kick some ass and talk some weed-induced nonsense. You get the idea that Eisenberg and Stewart likely smoke together a bit on their recreational time as well. - Sinister 2 – The haunting of Bughuul continues with a new family, new creepy children, and new disturbing home movies.
Directed by Ciarán Foy
Starring James Ransone, Shannyn Sossamon, Robert Daniel Sloan, Dartanian Sloan
Hey Shannyn Sossamon! I was always hoping for her career to pick up although I’m not positive this movie is a sign of that happening. Either way, I am definitely interested in checking this out. I was surprised by just how much I liked Sinister when it came out. It was very tense and freaky with those amazing home movies that were something I hadn’t really seen utilized very well in other horror movies. Plus the score was just awesome. This is helmed by a different director but was written by the same duo so I look forward to their mythology expanding a bit, including more detective work from the Deputy that served as comedic relief in the first movie. Hopefully it’s at least a fun horror flick since we haven’t had many of those this year. - Hitman: Agent 47 – A deadly assassin is finally tasked with a challenge that require the use of his elite skill and abilities.
Directed by Aleksander Bach
Starring Rupert Friend, Hannah Ware, Zachary Quinto, Ciarán Hinds
I’m not familiar with the Hitman video game this is based on, so this really just looks like a generic action movie to me. There’s not much draw to this, and it really just makes me want to go watch John Wick again.
- Digging For Fire – A married couple split up for the weekend and end up on their own adventures.
Directed by Joe Swanberg
Starring Jake Johnson, Rosemarie DeWitt, Orlando Bloom, Brie Larson, Sam Rockwell
I saw this back in May when it played the Maryland Film Festival. It’s not quite the perfect note of Drinking Buddies or the subtle charmer of Happy Christmas, but it has it’s own special qualities and a good sense of humor. I could also just watch Jake Johnson in anything. It’s really about how a couple feels after years of being together and wanting to do something just for themselves… and the mischief that can lead to. I’ve started looking forward to Swanberg’s movies every year, because there’s just not much out there like them. They’re very simple and some may argue don’t have much of a point or need to exist, but in the midst of huge blockbusters and movie magic I enjoy his human slice of life stories.
