After a busy weekend, here is one that’s very low-key with no big releases, so let’s see what might be worth seeing in a multiplex near you.
Destroyer
Directed by: Karyn Kusama
With: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Tatiana Maslany, and Sebastian Stan
What is it about? A police detective reconnects with people from an undercover assignment in her distant past in order to make peace.
Heads Up? Karyn Kusama’s (Girlfight, Jennifer’s Body, The Invitation) latest film was supposed to be Nicole Kidman‘s Training Day/Monster as she plays an anti-hero and “uglified” herself at the same time. Even though the Oscar hopes did not materialize, this film has mostly favorable reviews, with emphasis on how great Ms. Kidman is in the film. One of these favorable reviews came from our resident critic Faizan Rashid. In his ★★★★☆ stars review he wrote: “If the whole purpose of a truly transformative performance, the kind where the person playing it is largely altered, is to separate the movie star from the thespian, Kidman completely succeeds“. I think this is a film that mature audience might appreciate, so go for it.
A Dog’s Way Home
Directed by: Charles Martin Smith
With: Ashley Judd, Jonah Hauer-King, Edward James Olmos, and Bryce Dallas Howard
What is it about? A female dog travels four hundred miles in search of her owner throughout a Colorado wilderness.
Heads Up? This family film is designed in a lab to tug on your heart’s strings. If you have seen the trailer (or even think about the film title for a sec) then you know what’s gonna happen. Still, if you are looking for a harmless film to watch with the family, then you can do worse than this.
Replicas
Directed by: Jeffrey Nachmanoff
With: Keanu Reeves, Alice Eve, Emily Alyn Lind, Thomas Middleditch
What is it about? A scientist becomes obsessed with bringing back his family members who died in a traffic accident.
Heads Up? I don’t know about you, but I am always rooting for Keanu Reeves, presumably one of the nicest and most beloved men in Hollywood. But man this film is a failure on all levels, as it has been savaged by critics and shunned by audience upon its release in the US. I’m glad he has a John Wick sequel coming out later this year, but needless to say you should avoid this one.
The Gandhi Murder
Directed by: Karim Traïdia, Pankaj Sehgal
With: Stephen Lang, Luke Pasqualino, Vinnie Jones, and Om Puri
What is it about? A conspiracy theory period movie based on true events, that led to the eventual assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. .
Heads Up? a JFK style historic thriller about a supposed conspiracy behind the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Does this sound intriguing to you? I myself am a bit curious, but not fully onboard.
Thackeray
Directed by: Abhijit Panse
With: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Laxman Singh Rajput, Radha Sagar, and Amrita Rao
What is it about? Biographical account of Shiv Sena Supremo, Balasaheb Thackeray.
Heads Up? A biography of a controversial political figure who had a big presence on the Indian political and cultural scene since the 60s. While Thackerey himself was a hardliner whose policies you may agree with or not, his life makes for a fascinating story. And when portrayed by one of the best actors of our generation, this movie should make it to your watch-list. But the director has no track record, and it is easy to pander when making the movie in the subject’s stronghold city. Another movie to take the wait-and-watch approach with, or perhaps just watch it on streaming.
