mobanmarketThis weekend is jam-packed with new movie releases that are a mix of drama, mystery, action and true stories. But which flicks should you go see?
The stylish film noir “A Simple Favor” stars Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively as unlikely friends involved in a suburban whodunnit.
Fans of true crime dramas can check out “White Boy Rick,” in which Matthew McConaughey and Richie Merritt play a father-son duo trapped in a crime-infested city.
Sequels are also making a big splash this weekend. “The Predator” is the follow-up to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1987 original film and stars Olivia Munn, Boyd Holbrook and Keegan-Michael Key as members of a ragtag crew fighting to save the human race from a deadly threat. In the second installment of the “Unbroken” franchise, Samuel Hunt portrays Olympian and War World II hero Louis Zamperini.
Here’s what to see and what to skip this weekend:
Movies Out This Weekend
“A Simple Favor” — Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, directed by Paul Feig
Friendship, dirty secrets and fatal lies abound in Paul Feig’s latest female-centric film, which is based on Darcy Bell’s best-selling novel.
At the center of the film noir are two mothers who strike up an unlikely friendship while picking up their sons at school. The two women have different lifestyles: Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) is a down-to-earth mommy vlogger while Emily (Blake Lively) is a super-posh fashion executive.
One afternoon, Stephanie takes Emily’s son Nicky (Ian Ho) home with her, and discovers that her friend has disappeared without a trace. Clueless but determined, she takes it upon herself to search for her best friend, along with the help of Emily’s husband Sean (Henry Golding).
The search sets in motion a lurid web of deception, shocking truths and transgressions.
See it. Further elevated by the leads’ irresistible chemistry, the whodunnit thriller is stylishly twisty and clever.
Watch the trailer:
“White Boy Rick” — Matthew McConaughey, Richie Merritt, directed by Yann Demange
Based on true events, Yann Demange’s latest movie tells the story of a single, blue-collar father, Richard Wershe Sr. (Matthew McConaughey) and his teenage son, Rick Jr. (Richie Merritt).
It’s 1984, and the crack-cocaine epidemic is taking a toll on the streets of Detroit. Fourteen-year-old Rick Jr. lives with his dad and his older sister Dawn (Bel Powley), a rebel plagued with drug addiction.
To earn some extra income, Rick’s dad moonlights as a paid informant for law enforcement. However, when he’s caught doing illicit activities, the police threaten him with jail time. To save his dad, Rick Jr. agrees to become a pawn in a dangerous scheme to identify the city’s most notorious drug dealers.
See it. McConaughey, Merritt and Powley will win audiences over with their brilliant performances.
Watch the trailer:
“The Predator” — Olivia Munn, Boyd Holbrook, Keegan-Michael Key, directed by Shane Black
Originally introduced to audiences in 1987, the terrifying alien known as the predator is back for a sequel to the original film. This time around, this ultimate hunter has morphed into an even more deadly and ferocious beast.
The film opens with army ranger-turned mercenary Quinn McKenna (Boyd Holbrook) as he is unexpectedly thrust into the path of a predator that has crash-landed on Earth. After surviving the initial skirmish, McKenna leads a pack of military soldiers — Williams (Trevante Rhodes), Coyle (Keegan-Michael Key), Baxley (Thomas Jane), Lynch (Alfie Allen) and Nettles (Augusto Aguilera) — to uncover the predator’s master plan. Joining them in their mission is renowned evolutionary biologist Dr. Casey Brackett (Olivia Munn), whom the government has tasked with investigating extraterrestrial creatures.
Skip it. Though the gore-laden film has some satisfying moments, it languishes in a muddle of unwelcome chaos and confusion in its narrative.
Watch the trailer:
“Unbroken: Path to Redemption” — Samuel Hunt, Merritt Patterson, directed by Harold Cronk
The sequel to Laura Hillenbrand’s best-selling book (and Angelina Jolie’s 2014 biopic) “Unbroken” comes to life in Harold Cronk’s movie about faith, fortitude and forgiveness.
In “Path to Redemption,” Samuel Hunt plays Louis Zamperini, an Olympian and World War II hero suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Haunted by nightmares of torment four years after his internment in a Japanese POW camp, he and his new bride Cynthia (Merritt Patterson) are facing an uphill battle to keep their marriage afloat.
Then the couple hear young Reverend Billy Graham (Will Graham) speak about forgiveness, and Zamperini realizes his need to be forgiven and to forgive others in order to heal his crippling wounds.
Skip it. Though Hunt’s performance is compelling, the movie fails to capture the full magnitude of Zamperini’s internal struggle.
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Top Photo: Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively attend the World Premiere of “A Simple Favor” in New York City on Sept 9, 2018. (Photo Credit: Marion Curtis/Lionsgate)