New Lara Croft, same old ‘Benji’ await viewers
Ready, Player Two? That could be the motto for Alicia Vikander as the Oscar-winning actress slips into the action shoes worn so well by Angelina Jolie for this week’s biggest release, a reboot of “Tomb Raider.” But will the “Ex Machina” star rival Jolie’s sexy performance as video game action hero Lara Croft? Game on.
Among other big- studio releases, “Love, Simon,” is my mustsee of the weekend, a rom-com centered around a teen (the starbound Nick Robinson) who falls online for another closeted guy. Neither knows the other’s real identity. And fans of faith-based entertainment should expect to get their spirits boosted from “I Can Only Imagine,” a dramatization of what inspired and influenced Christian music artist Bart Millard to create his incredibly popular song.
If you prefer dramatizations based on headline-making incidents, turn to “7 Days in Entebbe.” Starring Rosamund Pike and Daniel Brühl, it revisits the 1976 Air France plane hijacking and the daring mission that ensued. Note: Early buzz is bad.
The indie front
Three newbies demand attention. My personal favorite is the edgy comedy- drama “Oh Lucy!” Shinobu Terajima is on point as an unhappy middle-aged woman in Tokyo who falls for a cute, kooky English instructor (Josh Hartnett, rarely better). It’s quite the find from talented filmmaker Atsuko Hirayanagi. What a debut!
For more serious fare, there’s the wily and audacious “Foxtrot,” from Israel. It landed a spot on the foreign language Oscar shortlist, but ultimately failed to net a nomination. That’s a shame. Samuel Moraz’s unpredictable drama about a family grieving for a soldier son continually pulls the rug out from under the viewer. It’s a very strong, very passionate piece of filmmaking. Don’t miss it.
Finally, there’s “The Death of Stalin,” a zany, zippy farce that finds Stalin’s parasitic wannabes scrambling and bumbling about after the dictator bites it. The great cast includes Steve Buscemi, Michael Palin, Jeffrey Tambor and Jason Isaacs, and all are at the top of their game.
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Couch surfers are in for a doggie treat this week. Netflix reboots the 1974 family-friendly heart-tugger “Benji.” Haven’t see it, but let’s hope it doesn’t turn out to be a dog of a different cinematic breed. It will be released Friday.