Trio seeks revenge in ‘Going in Style’
‘Going in Style’
With four Oscars among them, the stars of “Going in Style” are after a different kind of prize: revenge.
In a loose remake of the 1979 comedy of the same name, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Alan Arkin play aging buddies who, after their pension fund is tapped out, decide to rob the bank that took their money. Ann-Margret, Matt Dillon and Joey King co-star; the movie’s directed by Zach Braff (“Scrubs,” “Garden State”).
“Going in Style” is rated PG-13 for drug content, language and some suggestive material. It runs for 96 minutes.
‘Smurfs: The Lost Village’
It’s hard to believe there’s something about the Smurfs that we don’t already know (or want to know).
And yet that’s the plot, such as it is, of “Smurfs: The Lost Village,” in which Smurfette and friends head into the forest in search of a lost village, where it turns out the inhabitants are all female, and a secret about the Smurfs’ past. Voices include Demi Lovato, Julia Roberts, Jack McBrayer, Mandy Patinkin, Rainn Wilson and Marquette alum Danny Pudi.
The early reviews are mixed, although the new “Smurfs” has some champions, including The Wrap’s Alonso Duralde, who calls the movie a “vast improvement” over the first two “Smurfs” screen excursions.
“Smurfs: The Lost Village” is rated PG for some rude humor. It runs for 90 minutes.
‘Your Name.’
When it was released in Japan last year, “Your Name.” shattered expectations and box-office records, currently resting at No. 4 on the all-time box-office list in Japan, behind “Spirited Away,” “Titanic” and “Frozen.”
Now, it’s the United States’ turn. Directed by Makoto Shinkai, the animated movie follows two high school students, a boy and a girl who don’t know each other, who one night do the body-switch thing and, as each adjusts to his/her new world, try to build a bridge to each other.
The gorgeously animated movie, showing in Japanese with English subtitles and dubbed in English, was one of the year’s best-reviewed movies. The Hollywood Reporter’s Deborah
Young called it “one wild ride of a film”
“Your Name.” is rated PG for thematic elements, suggestive content, brief language and smoking. It runs for 106 minutes.
‘The Case for Christ’
In “The Case for Christ,” a journalist sets out to debunk the claims of Christianity. Instead, he finds a different story.
Based on Chicago Tribune reporter turned pastor Lee Strobel’s bestselling book, the faith-fueled drama stars Mike Vogel, Erika Christensen, Faye Dunaway and Robert Forster.
“The Case for Christ” is rated PG for thematic elements and smoking. It runs for 112 minutes.
‘Song to Song’
Director Terrence Malick’s latest, “Song to Song,” involves romantic entanglements among a pair of songwriters (Ryan Gosling, Rooney Mara), a music producer (Michael Fassbender) and a waitress (Natalie Portman), all captured in dreamlike cinematography.
Some critics hated it; others swooned. Arizona Republic critic Bill Goodykoontz, who gave it 3 stars (out of 5), is in the middle: “‘Song to Song’ isn’t the sleepy disappointment Malick’s last two films were, but it’s hard not to wish he’d wake up.”
“Song to Song” is rated R for some sexuality, nudity, drug use and language. It runs for 129 minutes.
‘Kedi’
As “Kedi” documents, hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed Istanbul’s streets over the centuries, as a sort of privileged class. Who knew?
Well, those who saw the movie at the 2016 Milwaukee Film Festival, for starters. The movie is now back in a broader theatrical release, part pet-loving lore and part travelogue that Minneapolis Star-Tribune critic Colin Covert gave 3 stars, calling the movie “as soft and warm as a kitten.” “Kedi” is not rated. It runs for 80 minutes.
Opening Wednesday: ‘Gifted’
Frank (Chris Evans) made a promise to his sister when she died: that he would raise her daughter to have a normal life. Turns out the girl (McKenna Grace) isn’t normal: She’s a math prodigy, and that means a bunch of people want him to treat her like she’s special.
“Gifted” co-stars Octavia Spencer, Lindsay Duncan and Jenny Slate, and is directed by Marc Webb, who grew up in Madison and, before directing two “SpiderMan” movies, made the indie hit “(500) Days of Summer.”
USA TODAY critic Brian Truitt gave “Gifted” 3 stars, calling it “decidedly emotionally manipulative without being cloying.”
“Gifted” is rated PG-13 for thematic elements, language and some suggestive material. It runs for 101 minutes.