Here to take a look at the films coming out in wide and limited release this coming weekend. In this weekly film guide, I’ll give you my thoughts to help you decide what’s worth checking out.
WIDE RELEASES
Directed by Jake Szymanski (directorial debut!, besides lots of TV credits)
Starring Zac Efron, Adam Devine, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza
I wish that this looked better. I really enjoy the four leads and I think they could certainly do great work together. It also seems like a decent idea for a throwaway summer comedy. The trailer just does not sell it. It looks a little too base level and reliant on slapstick-y gags. The whole face getting four-wheeled bit makes me cringe especially. This just seems like an easy miss unfortunately.
Directed by Yarrow Cheney (debut!), Chris Renaud (Despicable Me, The Lorax)
Starring Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate, Ellie Kemper, Albert Brooks
This looks pretty darn cute. Every trailer I see I can’t help but chuckle at something going on. The idea is clever but so simple at the same time. Any dog owner has to have wondered what their pet is up to all day when they’re gone. I mostly assume just laying on the couch for awhile, moving to another chair and snoozing some more. In this Pixar world of course they’re up to plenty more hijinks than that. If you have kids you need to take to the movies, this seems like a choice you won’t be suffering through.
LIMITED RELEASES
Directed by Matt Ross (28 Hotel Rooms)
Starring Viggo Mortensen, George MacKay, Samantha Isler, Steve Zahn, Kathryn Hahn
On paper this plot seems like it could be a quirky comedy, but it actually looks quite serious. I mean Viggo is in it, so it must be depressing. It’s got comedic moments mixed in (hey Hahn & Zahn!) and a dose of mushy-gushy family drama, but it’s definitely a drama about loss and principles. There will be arguments about which lifestyle is better. There will be really sad scenes with children mourning their dead mother. There will be goofy fish-out-of-water moments as a pick-me-up. Overall, this has been getting solid reviews so this might be worth checking out if you’re into family dramas.
