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.
- If you’re going with the coolest people you know:
The Hateful Eight – A group of bounty hunters are forced to hunker down during a winter storm together.
Directed by Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained)
Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, Walton Goggins
If you can’t tell, this is what the French Toast Sunday crew is seeing on Christmas Day. It’s always a present when Tarantino has a movie in theaters, and it feels like it’s both been a long time and a really short time since we saw Django Unchained on Christmas day in 2012. For some reason going into this year, knowing Tarantino had movie on the horizon I just wasn’t that thrilled, mostly likely just because of the genre. Now that it’s so close I am getting more and more exciting, because let’s be real it’s QT. No matter the genre, this is going to be a good time. - If you just need a laugh after all the Christmas rush:
Daddy’s Home – A stepdad and biodad feud it out for their children’s affections.
Directed by Sean Anders (Horrible Bosses 2)
Starring Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Linda Cardellini, Thomas Haden Church
This looks really silly and could totally end up a disaster, but it could still be fun. Whalberg & Ferrell were an awesome comedic pairing in The Other Guys so I just can’t see this being a total flop. I love anytime Linda Carellini pops up in anything, even though I wish she got better roles in better movies. I don’t think this is anything worrying about seeing while in theaters, but I’ll check it out at home. - If you want to see the fun Oscar contender of Christmas:
Joy – The story of the woman who invented the miracle mop and changed her life.
Directed by David O. Russell (American Hustle, Silver Linings Playbook)
Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, Édgar Ramírez
O. Russell and his gang of actors lead by Lawrence are back at it. I love SLP and really liked AH. They are totally actor’s movies, where the performance can definitely trump story at times. I know some people hate that, but I have liked what I’ve seen so far. Joy is a bit more story based, since it’s a biopic but I expect a lot of the same tone and feel as the other movies. The trailer certainly made it seem that way. Hoping I can catch this in theaters in the next few weeks.
- If you want to see the serious Oscar contender of Christmas:
Concussion – Biopic about the doctor who uncovered the true consequences of brain damage suffered by NFL players.
Directed by Peter Landesman (Parkland)
Starring Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Albert Brooks, Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Now here’s a movie about just one aspect of how the NFL is a terrible organization with nefarious motives, that we all look past to enjoy a sport, myself including. There’s so many different aspects of the NFL that could be torn apart, and player injury is just one of them. This does look kind of boring though. It’s very serious, which I understand, but after a big Christmas dinner this could make me quite sleepy. Nonetheless, this could be a great movie. - If you just want a plain old brainless popcorn flick:
Point Break – An FBI agent goes undercover as a surfer to try to expose a group of criminals.
Directed by Ericson Core (Invisible)
Starring Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey, Ray Winstone, Teresa Palmer
Another ill advised remake, like Red Dawn. There’s not a devoted enough following that would want to see this again, and there’s also not enough of interest to really make this a hit a second time. Especially with no Patrick Swayze or Keanu Reeves. There’s no big draw here, and at a time of the year when there’s so much out this will most likely get lost. - also The Revenant in NY and LA, but I’ll get into that when it releases wife on January 8th. Still a little bitter I can’t see this on Christmas though.
