Fall films are on full swing this weekend with 4 major films aiming to capture different segments from the audience; a disaster film, a YA fantasy, a comedy, and an animation. But that is not it, there is also an Emirati drifting action film and a Bollywood sport biography, and they are all vying for your attention. With that in minds, let’s preview this weekend’s releases.
Deepwater Horizon
Directed by: Peter Berg
With: Mark Wahlberg, Dylan O’brien, Kate Hudson, and Kurt Russell
What is it about? A story set on the offshore drilling rig Deepwater Horizon, which exploded during April 2010 and created the worst oil spill in U.S. history.
Heads Up: It seems that after the commercial and even critical success of The Lone Survivor that director Peter Berg has found his muse in Mark Wahlberg and his calling doing films about the “courage under fire” of men in dire situations, and this film is getting even better reviews. If you like disaster films, this film would be perfect for you if you don’t mind the schmaltz and tugging on the heart’s strings that are shown in the trailer.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Directed by: Tim Burton
With: Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, and Samuel L. Jackson
What is it about? When Jacob discovers clues to a mystery that spans different worlds and times, he finds Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. But the mystery and danger deepen as he gets to know the residents and learns about their special powers.
Heads Up: Based on a bestselling novel, this film on paper is right up Tim Burton‘s Alley. That said, lately Mr. Burton‘s output has been disappointing to say the least, and this film is getting mixed reviews in general. Maybe the younger crowd will enjoy it, but I don’t think it is going to be a victorious return for him.
Masterminds
Directed by: Jared Hess
With: Zach Galifianakis, Owen Wilson, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Jason Sudeikis
What is it about? A night guard at an armored car company in the Southern U.S. organizes one of the biggest bank heists in American history.
Heads Up: This broad comedy, with a stellar cast of who’s who in the comedy world today, is helmed by the director of Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre. I was hoping for its success because I would hate to see such on-screen talent go to waste, but unfortunately our own Lloyd Bayer saw it and was highly disappointed. In his 2* review he wrote: “There’s an unwritten rule when it comes to bratpack comedies – Don’t expect much wit. Masterminds has none and that’s not even the biggest downside given the combined comic talent in this film“. So there you have it.
Storks
Directed by: Nicholas Stoller, Doug Sweetland
With: Andy Samberg, Katie Crown, and Kelsey Grammer
What is it about? Storks have moved on from delivering babies to packages. But when an order for a baby appears, the best delivery stork must scramble to fix the error by delivering the baby.
Heads Up: This is from the WB the studio that gave us a few years ago The Lego Movie, but despite being stacked with voices of comedic geniuses, and being co-directed by Nicholas Stoller (Neighbors, Forgetting Sarah Marshall), this does look like a very typical kid’s film with little to offer to mature audience. I say go only if you have little children that would enjoy it.
Hajwala (The Missing Engine)
Directed by: Ali Bin Matar, Ibrahim Bin Mohamed
With: Yasser Al Jarraf, Omar Aljabri, Haleem Aljabri, Anwar Aljabri, and Ali Almarzouqi
What is it about? Khalid and Kehailan are two team leaders who are passionate about car racing, drifting and challenges. Their passion leads them to enter a high-stakes drifting competition. What follows is a series events that changes their lives forever.
Heads Up: The good news, from the trailer the stunts and drifting scenes look very well done and the production values for the film in general looks good. The bad news, all the dialogue and “acting” that is featured in the trailer are excruciatingly bad. My advice to you is to turn to YouTube for your drifting fix if you must and avoid this one.
M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story
Directed by: Neeraj Pandey
With: Sushant Singh Rajput, Anupam Kher, and Fawad Khan
What is it about? The untold story of Dhoni’s journey from ticket collector to trophy collector – the world-cup-winning captain of the Indian Cricket Team.
Heads Up: MS Dhoni is loved by Indians and cricket-fans enough to build the intrigue in his life. And Neeraj Pandey has garnered enough critical acclaim to look forward to this movie with hope. That said, it feels eerily like a cash-in on the man’s popularity rather than a much-needed biopic. Our stand: given the subject and the helmer, take a chance with the movie. more likely than not you will come away satisfied.
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