The closing of a trilogy, and a remake of a French film are leading the pack this weekend, but there are even more films to consider, so keep reading!
Glass
Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan
With: Bruce Willis, James McAvoy, Samuel L. Jackson, and Anya Taylor-Joy
What is it about? Security guard David Dunn uses his supernatural abilities to track Kevin Wendell Crumb, a disturbed man who has twenty-four personalities.
Heads Up? The twist end for Split was knowing we were in the Unbreakable universe, and suddenly Glass became one of the most anticipated movies of 2019 among geeks. Although this film is on track of being the first massive hit of the year, reviews are generally unfavorable. The completist in me will surely see the film, but I can’t recommend it whole-heartedly.
The Upside
Directed by: Neil Burger
With: Kevin Hart, Bryan Cranston, and Nicole Kidman
What is it about? A comedic look at the relationship between a wealthy man with quadriplegia and an unemployed man with a criminal record who’s hired to help him.
Heads Up? This is remake of the French film The Intouchables which was based on a true story. The original film went to become a worldwide phenomenon, and one of the biggest French films of all time. It spurred several adaptations in several languages around the world, a few have already been made, and a few are in the making. Naturally a Hollywood remake was a matter of time. The Upside has been completed since 2017 but it was delayed because of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. Now it’s out to mixed reviews but solid fanfare. I think regular filmgoers will enjoy it, but it won’t necessarily impress cinephiles, especially those who have watched the Omar Sy original.
Woman Walks Ahead
Directed by: Susanna White
With: Jessica Chastain, Michael Greyeyes, Sam Rockwell,
What is it about? Catherine Weldon, a portrait painter from 1890s Brooklyn, travels to Dakota to paint a portrait of Sitting Bull and becomes embroiled in the Lakota peoples’ struggle over the rights to their land.
Heads Up? Written by Steven Knight (Locke, Dirty Pretty Thing), this Western drama based on true events was met by mixed reviews calling it two dimensional and uneven, but also praises the performances from Chastain and Greyeyes. This is a small film that will be shown in just a few screens and will likely be pulled out in a week or two, so if you are planning on seeing it, then make it quick.
The Amityville Murders
Directed by: Daniel Farrands
With: John Robinson, Chelsea Ricketts, and Paul Ben-Victor
What is it about? On the night of November 13, 1974, Ronald DeFeo, Jr. took a high-powered rifle and murdered his entire family as they slept. At his trial, DeFeo claimed that “voices” in the house commanded him to kill. This is their story.
Heads Up? The so-called true events around the Amityville murders have inspired several films in the last 40 years, and none of them was any good. Avoid.
