Provocative indie for fans of Tucci
One of the most highly anticipated 2018 releases — Ava DuVernay’s “A Wrinkle in Time” — is the big draw this weekend. Other Bay Area film releases swing from horror to heist thrillers. Here’s a rundown.
Nash Edgerton follows up his worthy 2008 noir pulse-pounder “The Square” with the action-packed comedy “Gringo,” a quirky enterprise about a businessman tangling with Mexico’s drug cartel due to his company’s latest invention — a pot pill. The killer cast of David Oyelowo, Charlize Theron and Joel Edgerton could prevent it from going up in smoke.
If you want some heebie-jeebies, throw out the bloody welcome mat for “The Strangers: Prey at Night,” a sequel that strands a family in a creepy mobile home park. Oh the horror! Searching for an edgy teen comedy with homicide on its mind? Gallop to “Thoroughbreds” — in which two annoyed besties plot the demise of a freaky stepdad.
For the B-movie crowd who love playing Garanimals with genres, “Hurricane Heist,” Rob Cohen’s disaster-cum-heist flick promises much mayhem and serviceable “Watch out!” dialogue. Meanwhile, Donald Sutherland and Helen Mirren portray an elderly couple with debilitating diseases who embark on a road trip in “The Leisure Seeker.” The early reviews have not been kind, to say the least.
Recommended indies
A trio of documentaries and a provocative drama make up my indie picks of the week.
The standout is “Leaning Into the Wind,” a lovely, profound addendum to “Rivers and Tides.” the hypnotic documentary about natural environment artist Andy Goldsworthy. “Wind” is a more mature work, an existential documentary that burrows into the soul of an artist as he confronts the latest chapter in his life.
Movie buffs will want to catch “Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story,” a fascinating deep dive into the life of the influential actress and revolutionary scientific thinker. It’s terrific.
“Sacred,” on the other hand, is the most ambitious of this indie bunch. It tethers together intimate portraits of the faithful and the faith challenged from throughout the globe. A cadre of 40 enabled director Thomas Lennon on his vision. It hopscotches a lot but does a fine job of bringing various religions to light.
Finally, if you happen to be a Stanley Tucci fan — I sure am — check out “Submission,” an uncomfortable thought-provoker about a writing professor who takes too much of an active interest in an ambitious college student. Fresh off its Cinequest screenings, “Submission” opens in limited release in the Bay Area.