‘Florida Project,’ ‘Breathe.’
‘The Florida Project’
One of the potentially biggest stars of 2017 is also one of the year’s smallest.
Meet Brooklynn Prince, who plays free spirit Moonee in “The Florida Project.” The movie follows the 6-yearold on her adventures over the course of a summer as she and her single mother (Bria Vinaite) scrape by in a roadside motel run by a gruff manager (Appleton native Willem Dafoe).
A lot of critics think the slice-of-life drama by Sean Baker — who wowed critics in 2015 with “Tangerine,” a drama filmed using iPhones — could be an Oscar contender. Chicago Tribune critic Michael Phillips gave “Florida Project” 31⁄2 stars, calling it “a dazzling mosaic, alert to the ebb and flow of human resilience in the face of everyday crises.”
“The Florida Project” is rated R for pervasive language, disturbing behavior, sexual references and some drug material. It runs for 115 minutes.
‘Breathe’
A true story about a couple who continue to fight after one of them is hit with a devastating, and often fatal disease — sounds like another Oscar contender.
Especially when the couple are played by Andrew Garfield, nominated for an Oscar last year for “Hacksaw Ridge,” and Claire Foy, who has been collecting awards as young Queen Elizabeth II in “The Crown.”
“Breathe” is based on the story of Robin and Diana Cavendish, who, instead of giving in to the death sentence that polio could have been, worked with an inventor (Hugh Bonneville) to find a way to live their lives to the fullest, and help other polio patients as well.
The movie itself is getting mixed reviews. “Garfield and Foy both give admirably unfussy performances …,” The AV Club’s Jesse Hassenger wrote, giving the movie a C-minus. “There just isn’t much to tell.”
“Breathe” is rated PG-13 for mature thematic material. It runs for 117 minutes.
‘The Snowman’
In “The Snowman,” Michael Fassbender plays a Norwegian detective who, investigating the murder of a woman on the first snow of winter, senses a link to similar cases — and, possibly, a serial killer.
Based on the bestseller by Norwegian crime master Jo Nesbø, the movie co-stars Rebecca Ferguson, J.K. Simmons, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Val Kilmer and Chlöe Sevigny.
Despite its pedigree, “The Snowman” is not getting good reviews so far. “For all its high-caliber talent mix, ‘The Snowman’ is a largely pedestrian affair, turgid and humorless in tone,” Hollywood Reporter reviewer Stephen Dalton wrote.
“The Snowman” is rated R for grisly images, violence, some language, sexuality and brief nudity. It runs for 119 minutes.
‘Only the Brave’
Unwittingly timely, “Only the Brave” is about a firefighting team that battles wildfires, and is based on the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a group of Arizona firefighters that got caught battling a blaze in 2013.
The war-movie-style drama stars Josh Brolin as the 20-person unit’s leader, Miles Teller as the new recruit trying to put his life back together, and Jeff Daniels as a fire chief.
Reviews have been positive, not least for the onscreen heroics. “As fires rage in California, tragic events recalled from the summer of 2013 on screen assume fresh ache and urgency,” the New York Daily News’ Joe Dziemianowicz wrote in his 31⁄2-star (out of 5) review. “Only the Brave” is rated PG-13 for thematic content, language and drug material. It runs for 133 minutes.
‘Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House’
For 40 years, his identity was the biggest secret in Washington.
Then, in 2005, Mark Felt outed himself, admitting he was “Deep Throat” — the unnamed source who provided key information to Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward as he and Carl Bernstein broke open the Watergate story.
In “Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House,” Felt, played by Liam Neeson, is a principled FBI official who decides to risk his career to protect his country.
In his 21⁄2-star review, Minneapolis Star-Tribune critic Colin Covert called Neeson “pitch perfect” but called the movie “a fact-rich but drama-poor film.”
“Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House” is rated PG-13 for some language. It runs for 103 minutes.
‘Geostorm’
The good news: They finally got sick of all these volatile storms and created a satellite network to manage the world’s weather.
The bad news: The system appears to be attacking us instead.
Directed by “Independence Day” writer Dean Devlin, “Geostorm” stars Gerard Butler, Jim Sturgess, Abbie Cornish, Eugenio Derbez and Ed Harris.
“Geostorm” is rated PG-13 for violence and meteorological mayhem. It runs for 109 minutes.
‘Tyler Perry’s Boo 2! A Madea Halloween’
The first “Madea Halloween” movie was enough of a hit last Halloween for Tyler Perry to serve seconds this year.
In “Tyler Perry’s Boo 2! A Madea Halloween,” the gun-totin’, aphorismspoutin’ Madea (Tyler Perry) and friends have to retrieve her brother’s granddaughter from a Halloween party at a creepy lake house, where there have been a string of horror-movie-type murders.
“Tyler Perry’s Boo 2! A Madea Halloween” is rated PG-13 for drug content, language and some scary images. It runs for 101 minutes.
‘Same Kind of Different as Me’
To appease his wife and bolster his marriage, an art dealer agrees to serve meals at a rescue mission, where they meet a homeless man who changes their lives.
The faith-fueled drama “Same Kind of Different as Me” is based on a true story. Greg Kinnear plays the art dealer, Renée Zellweger is his wife, and Djimon Hounsou is the homeless drifter who could help them both find answers.
“Same Kind of Different as Me” is rated PG-13 for thematic elements, including some violence and language. It runs for 119 minutes.