This weekend’s slate of new releases is dominated by remakes, reboots, and sequels. But not all of them are created equally. Let’s see if we are excited about any of them.
Toy Story 4
Directed by: Josh Cooley
With: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Tony Hale, and Keanu Reeves
What is it about: When a new toy called “Forky” joins Woody and the gang, a road trip alongside old and new friends reveals how big the world can be for a toy.
Heads Up: 24 years ago, Pixar‘s debut feature film Toy Story released and became a game changer. Everyone thought the series ended on a high note with 2010’s Toy Story 3 which won two Oscars and was one of the biggest hit of that year. And while no one thought a new Toy Story film was a good idea, the 4th film in the series is getting reviews as positive can be. I think revisiting Woody and the gang every couple of years is a good idea. I know I am gonna take my kid to see it for sure, and I you definitely should too.
Men in Black: International
Directed by: F. Gary Gray
With: Tessa Thompson, Chris Hemsworth, Rebecca Ferguson, Emma Thompson, and Liam Neeson
What is it about: The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest threat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organization.
Heads Up: Another 4th film in a long running series is releasing this weekend. Men in Black: International is a spin-off of a successful franchise, but unlike Toy Story, the Men in Black series didn’t maintain the level of quality and popularity in all of its sequels. Men in Black: International reunites Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson after working on Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Endgame, and has an impressive supporting cast. Unfortunately most of its reviews are negative, putting it on the same level as the maligned Men in Black II. So, if you already have given up on this franchise, then skip this one.
Child’s Play
Directed by: Lars Klevberg
With: Aubrey Plaza, Brian Tyree Henry, Gabriel Bateman, and Mark Hamill
What is it about: A mother gives her son a toy doll for his birthday, unaware of its more sinister nature.
Heads Up: The original 1988 Child’s Play is remembered as a classic horror comedy, and it spun out 6 sequels from 1990 up to 2017. This one is a remake/reboot, and it has one great asset to it, which is the voice of Mark Hamill as the iconic psychopathic doll Chucky. It’d be fun to see this one with a good audience at a late night show, but whether it would be a good film is another story.
The Dead Don’t Die
Directed by: Jim Jarmusch
With: Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Chloë Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, and Tom Waits
What is it about? The peaceful town of Centerville finds itself battling a zombie horde as the dead start rising from their graves.
Heads Up: Director Jim Jarmusch is a pillar of independent cinema for the last 40 years. After tackling vampires in his 2013’s Only Lovers Left Alive, he is now going after zombies, and while that film was met warmly by critics, this one is getting a very lukewarm reception. It still a Jarmusch film and the cast is impressive, so I think it’s worth seeing if you are a cinephile.
Kabir Singh
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
With: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Arjan Bajwa, and Suresh Oberoi
What is it about? a short-tempered house surgeon gets used to drugs and drinks when his girlfriend is forced to marry another person.
Heads Up: Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga‘s Hindi language remake of his 2017’s Telugu film Arjun Reddy, which was a commercial and critical hit. I was turned off by the trailer as it presents Shahid Kapoor as an irredeemable A**hole, but I am willing to give the director the benefit of the doubt.
