A wanna-be blockbuster, two Oscar hopefuls, two documentaries and a doomed romance. This is one packed December weekend at the movies! Keep reading to find out about them.
Mortal Engines
Directed by: Christian Rivers
With: Hera Hilmar, Hugo Weaving, Jihae, and Stephen Lang
What is it about? A mysterious young woman named Hester Shaw joins forces with Anna Fang, a dangerous outlaw with a bounty on her head, and Tom Natsworthy, an outcast from London, to lead a rebellion against a giant predator city on wheels.
Heads Up? Co-written and produced by Peter Jackson (the director of The Lord of The Rings, King Kong, and The Hobbit Trilogy), I can’t think of a Peter Jackson associated film with a lower buzz in recent memory. Considering this is from a first-time director, I am hoping it will be good but keeping my expectations very low.
Green Book
Directed by: Peter Farrelly
With: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, and Linda Cardellini
What is it about? A working-class Italian-American bouncer becomes the driver of an African-American classical pianist on a tour of venues through the 1960s American South.
Heads Up? Green Book will show up in conversations a lot during awards season for its two main actors and even in the Best Picture race. Our own Faizan Rashid liked it fine, and he has this to say in his 3½ stars review: “While it’s uplifting and entertaining, Green Book seems to oversimplify and airbrush over the complexities of the situation“
Ben is Back
Directed by: Peter Hedges
With: Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges, and Courtney B. Vance
What is it about? A drug addicted teenage boy shows up unexpectedly at his family’s home on Christmas Eve.
Heads Up? Another critically acclaimed drama that had at one point Oscar buzz for both Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges that may or may not materialize in this very competitive year. I would say go for it if you enjoy family dramas.
Fahrenheit 11/9
Directed by: Michael Moore
With: Roger Ailes, Brooke Baldwin, and Ashleigh Banfield
What is it about? Filmmaker Michael Moore examines the current state of American politics, particularly the Donald Trump presidency and gun violence, while highlighting the power of grassroots democratic movements.
Heads Up? The sequel to 2004’s Oscar winning Fahrenheit 9/11 has not fared very well at the box-office despite being very well reviewed. It’s an important if depressing look at the current American administration and the threat it poses not only to the American politics, but to the whole world.
Whitney
Directed by: Kevin Macdonald
With: Whitney Houston, Bobby Brown. Kevin Costner, and Aretha Franklin
What is it about? An in-depth look at the life and music of Whitney Houston.
Heads Up? A documentary about the brilliant singer Whitney Houston that is described as “Whitney shifts from soaring highs to heartbreaking lows with palpable emotion and grace befitting its singular subject“. Watch it if you are a fan of or interested in the artist.
Kedarnath
Directed by: Abhishek Kapoor
With: Sushant Singh Rajput, Sara Ali Khan, and Nitish Bharadwaj
What is it about? A Hindu-Muslim love story, Kedarnath portrays how a Muslim pithoo saves a Hindu tourist from the Uttrakhand floods at the pilgrimage, and the love that eventually develops between them.
Heads Up? Yet another star-kid makes her debut (Sara is the daughter of Saif Ali Khan), and she had a very public tantrum during the production of this movie, even forcing the producers to take legal action to get her back on set. That, and that fact that this is a trite story, would ensure my interest was minimum. But director Abhishek Kapoor has a good track record (Rock On!, Kai Po Che), even when he has misfired (Fitoor suffered for its lead actors, not much else). To watch or not, hold on for the reviews before deciding.
