Take one bad-ass actor. Throw him in the middle of nowhere. Pit him against a pack of wolves. Sounds like the perfect ingredients for a juicy genre film. The Grey is that film, and it is not. Liam Neeson plays the bad-ass who, along with colleagues posted in Alaska, crash lands into a snowy landscape with no hope of rescue. They soon realize that, by their very presence, they have threatened the territory of a pack of wolves, and so begins the survival game.

Director Joe Carnahan, after the stinker A-Team (2010), comes back roaring with a movie that is much more than what the trailers indicate. This is a survival-thriller with subtext. It is not fast-paced nor exploitative. Instead, it is paced rather leisurely (for its genre), and takes its time to explore Neeson’s character’s psychological state. This is a man who starts as someone ready to die, but through the movie, he becomes a man ready to face death — there is a difference and we see that difference. Much like the plane crash scene that triggers the main-plot of the movie, what the movie shows us is not glorified for the audience, neither is it made a spectacle for the visual power it could carry. Instead the movie, and key scenes, are played out for their effect, much of which is based on the audience’s understanding of what’s going on. In doing so, the director shows great restraint, as well as a level of patience hardly seen in present-day mainstream filmmakers.

The Grey is not flawless; far from it. While the first & third act are excellent, it falters in its second act. A few deaths do seem forced, the director/script succumbing to the genre conventions, and these are dealt with in a by-the-numbers way, with little creativity about it. But, even for its flaws, this is Carnahan’s return to form. If riding on the name of Liam Neeson in the lead-role for publicity and marketing The Grey as a genre movie brings the audience into the cinema, to bring such evolved movies to the general populace, so be it. And with a kick-ass ending like that, it is difficult to not be awed by it.

War Horse
Steven Spielberg | USA | 2011
146 min

War Horse is the kind of quaint, old fashioned film that they don’t make anymore. It advocates the virtues of hard work and having faith in the goodness of humanity. Despite being set during the First World War, and having a title that references it as well, it is not as much about the war as it is about the companionship between an animal and its owner transcending all adversity.

Spielberg, a master of staging battle scenes, outdoes himself here, with spectacular scenes of horse mounted attacks and fierce sword fights, but the episodic structure of the tale results in a sprawling narrative that spans many years, numerous locations and half a dozen characters, never letting the film be about the war itself. In this way, the film almost becomes a series of vignette’s, like Cold Mountain, with the journey of Joey, the titular horse, becoming the connecting thread that ultimately leads us back to where it began. It also shares a lot in common with Spielberg’s very own Empire of the Sun in the way it has mainly British protagonists, is set during a great war and is from the point of view of a child (or as it is here, a young man) coming to terms with the effect of the war on the self while trying to survive.

The films setting lets Spielberg’s tender optimism take over. What starts of as a simple story of a family man on a farm trying to plough his field with the help of his son and his newly bought horse (this is essentially the films first and better half) gives way to a heartwarming, intermittently funny, genuinely uplifting tale of survival through bloodshed, suffering and the chaos of the battlefield. The film’s best scene though takes place during its last act and has Spielberg experiment with dark humour, where an English soldier indulges in conversation with his German counterpart in the no man’s land between their trenches. Such moments break the ice for viewers who expect a shallow, banal treatment from a director often mocked for his naivety and child like view of the world. Spielberg’s long time collaborators also perform to their usual high standards of technical perfection, but composer John William’s swelling, sweeping score is a standout. None of them however upstage their director, who lets viewers feast on some of the most gorgeously shot scenes of the year in a film that is as remarkable as it is pure and honest.

Moneyball is a sports movie that’s less about the sports and more about what goes on behind the scenes. A cinematic cousin to Jerry McGuire, it endeavours to explore the commercial and business side of competitive gaming with sensitivity and insight that makes it appealing for anyone, not just sports fan.

Based on a true story and set during the waning years of the Oakland Athletics’ nearly a decade ago, the film deals with a pivotal moment in the history of the sport when the team were able to turn their less than stellar performance into a record setting winning streak after adopting a novel, unorthodox technique of player selection that betted against the established rules of the game. Made in the same vein as last year’s The Social Network (both films share the talents of excellent scriptwriter Alan Sorkin) it features Brad Pitt’s second showcase performance this year (the other, in case you missed the hoopla, was Tree of Life). Pitt imbues  Billy Beane, the Oakland A’s General Manager, with the wisdom of experience on the pitch and the grace that comes with age. At times looking weary and forlorn but shifting into phases of self confidence and poise, his determination and his own past drive his decision to hire Peter Brand (Jonah Hill, stupendously good) a Yale Economics graduate to be his assistant and use number crunching, and not intuition, to put together a winning time against the odds.

Dealing with concepts common in statistical analysis, the behind the scenes look at the world of baseball is fresh and unfamiliar to the genre of sport films. To be fair, sports is just the context here, providing the framework to explore a classic, text book example of the challenges of change management put to practice – Beane has to deal with going against traditional concepts, fighting negativity and the fear of transformation. Despite all the time spent in locker rooms and tobacco spitting offices, director Bennett Miller manages to capture the unbearable sense of anticipation in the games that are played (seen or heard mostly off-screen or as aftermaths, we rarely see any match in its entirety) by way of Beane’s insistence on not being present at any of the games, but still keeping tabs on what’s happening by way or radio or text messages. The fresh execution of the subject is aided by the script, credited to both Sorkin and Steve Zaillian, who make the film topical, serious and witty in a way that only experts could. Few films can get you excited about a subject you don’t care about or even completely understand. Moneyball does just that and this is perhaps its greatest achievement.

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn is a marvelous movie. It perfectly embodies the beauty of Hergé’s unique visuals with modern animation and motion capture technology, all unfurled on screen with producer/director Steven Spielberg’s master story-telling and child-like energy. Combining their creative genius, Spielberg and co-producer Peter Jackson (whose studio Weta Digital is behind the visuals) make the dream of Tintin fans everywhere come true by presenting the much loved character and his adventures in the best possible way. While the movie does become overbearing at times, owing to its manic pace, it revels in the wonders and freedom of animation, uninhibited by the constraints a live-action adaptation would have imposed.

Tintin (voiced by Jamie Bell), a young journalist, and his dog Snowy are cast into an adventure when “The Unicorn”, a model ship he purchases at a market, becomes the object of everyone’s attention. Ivan Sakharine (voiced by Daniel Craig) tries to buy if off Tintin, but when he refuses, it is eventually stolen from his home. As Tintin embarks on a quest to discover the truth about the ship and its secrets, he stumbles into Captain Haddock (voiced by Andy Serkis) who seems to know more about the mystery than he cares to admit or can even remember. Together, they take on Sakharine in the race to unravel the secret of The Unicorn.

The movie, though it is titled “The Secret of the Unicorn”, is an amalgam of three books: The Crab with the Golden Claws, The Secret of the Unicorn, and Red Rackham’s Treasure. The credited scriptwriters do an excellent job of providing the necessary character introductions while retaining the best bits from the books. In doing so, however, the storyline strays from how the events unfold in each of those three three books. Yet, fans will have little to complain about considering the narrative and pacing are a compliment to Hergé himself. While recent adaptations such as 300 and Sin City have been lauded for how faithful they have been in the transition from comic-book panels to the cinema screens, The Adventures of Tintin takes the next evolutionary step, buoyed by the boundless talents of one of the best directors working in the medium today. Undoubtedly, the biggest reason that Tintin works is the visuals. Weta Digital presents us with a world that walks a fine line between realistec and animated. The texture and backgrounds of this world are photorealistic, while the characters seem like living, breathing 3D counterparts of Hergé’s comic book creations.

It does not take long to be completely taken in by the movie’s love of exuberance. Tintin shares its dynamic sense of fun with Spielberg’s first Indiana Jones movie Raiders of the Lost Ark. References to his past movies, most prominently Jaws, and Spielberg’s recurring motifs only serves to make the entire movie experience all the more enjoyable. Even so, the breakneck pacing catches up and the last action set-piece seems a bit over the top. In other instances, the floating camera (that’s Peter Jackson there) is too quick, causing an uneasiness associated with the use of 3D technology. Though the movie is not perfect, its snags are far and few. The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn is ample proof of how much fun nearly two hours in the cinema can be.

Is it fair to support a film only because it is different? Another Earth is cut from the same cloth as what is commonly labelled the art house film or as known to the cinematically savvy, independent cinema. It is contemplative and quite, thoughtful and intriguing, very low budget but above all, never unoriginal, which is reason enough to insist on viewing it.

To be fair, the film, about a great loss, a cautious romance and an ironic opportunity at redemption, is good because it constantly feeds you with ideas. Co-writer Brit Marling, who performs double duty playing the lead role of Rhoda, deserves heaps of praise for handling her character’s delicate situation convincingly. As a college student, Rhoda is imprisoned for causing the accidental death of two people in a family during a night of drunk driving after being distracted by the sight of another Earth in the sky. Once released after her 4 year prison term is up, she tries to face John (William Mapother), the only surviving member of the family from the accident.  John never learned of her identify because she was a minor at the time and he now lives in perpetual mourning, but Rhoda’s guilt prevents her from revealing who she really is and their continuous encounters eventually lead to a relationship. The backdrop of this is an effort by scientists to initiate contact and possibly plan a trip to the nearby planet, now dubbed Earth 2, which piques the interest of both Rhoda and John for different reasons.

Director Mike Cahill, who worked with Marling on the script, uses cinéma vérité’s documentary feel to let the film remain natural looking and detached, and while this may be a turn off for some, it augments the script’s mysterious nature. While the performances aren’t always even and Cahill’s direction is sometimes clunky, some of the heavy handed metaphoric motifs – Rhoda feeling alienated on this Earth and wanting to leave it for instance – only makes it more apparent that this is the work of first time filmmakers and therefore forgiveable.

To call the film science fiction is misleading. While it has the elements of the genre, it is never encapsulated by it and remains, on the surface at least, a relationship drama. The film is at its strongest when it is suggesting things to us. Could there be life on this other planet? What if we found out it was exactly identical to our own, right down to having the very same people? If that second question seems intriguing, then know that the film goes places with it, especially during the absorbing third act and also with its metaphysical ending, and because of this succeeds in lingering in your memory with probing thoughts and countless uncertainties. In its own introspective way, Another Earth is moving and delicate and only underscores that as human beings, we are life’s greatest wonder.

Shawn Levy, director of Real Steel, makes an admirable transition from comedy to mainstream-drama. I say mainstream-drama because, even though the movie is set in the near future, it isn’t really much of a Sci-Fi. This future world features fighting robots, but the focus of the movie is on a father-son relationship. Despite the familiarity of many of the scenes, Levy makes it work mainly due to the charismatic lead actor that Hugh Jackman is and the novelty of the backdrop that the story is set against.

Adapted from Richard Matheson’s short story Steel, the movie follows Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman), a reckless man who seldom gives much thought to his instinctive decisions. Once a promising boxer when human fights were still legal, he now lives out of a trailer, trying to make a living out of robot-boxing. When saddled with his long estranged son (Dakota Goyo) for a summer, father and son team up to put together a robot, Atom, which the 11-year old reckons can take them to the championship.

Although Shawn Levy is more known for his inane comedies (Pink Panther and Night at the Museum among others), he proved himself more competent with 2010’s Date Night. With Real Steel, he breaks further away from his comfort zone and enhances his resume. As a staple offering of the genre, Real Steel suffers from a simplified plot and contrived scenes that are clearly meant to please the crowds. Even so, the movie has heart. It is easy to root for the underdog Atom, though its wins come across as too convenient if given some thought. The robot-boxing sequences though are a spectacle. These robots are mercifully realized as burly and heavy metal machines, not light-weight acrobatic marvels; this makes the fights exciting. When Atom steps into the ring for the final fight, it has dents (bruises?) on its body.

Real Steel, though, also suffers from being predictable and mediocre in many parts. Shawn Levy limits his motive. He does not try to be too ambitious, instead settling for being safe. He sets the movie away from big cities, evoking a decidedly small-town appeal. Yet, even with the robots, his movie’s biggest draw is its leading man, Hugh Jackman. His Kenton grows from careless to caring, and Jackman makes him believable and identifiable – when cocky or vulnerable. Despite not setting any new precedents or being too memorable, Real Steel proves to be a good time at the cinema. Without slowing down too often for the dramatic parts, the movie engages for most of its 127 minute run-time. While it may be an enjoyable yet forgettable movie, Real Steel hints at better work from Shawn Levy in the near future.

Green Lantern

In a year that has seen two excellent superhero movies from Marvel already with another promising one on the way, rival super-hero publisher DC’s only outing this year is Green Lantern, and what an embarrassing movie it is. While fans of the comic-book hero are bound to be disappointed, the movie does not hold much for those new to the Green Lantern lore either. There is enough of the good-looking lead pair and by-the-numbers action and special-effects to keep the summer-movie audience engaged during its runtime, but it has little to call it a good movie. In an era when the standard for superhero movies has been set by The Dark Knight (the same studio behind Green Lantern as well) this film is a comparatively dismal effort.

Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) is a test pilot for the US Air Force. After a botched-up day at work (Jordan crashes a new fighter jet after sacrificing his wing-man as bait), he becomes the first human chosen to join the Green Lantern Corps, an age-old team of warriors who police the Universe against any threats. Green is the color of will, a good energy that gives the Green Lanterns their power. Unfortunately for them, Yellow is the color of fear, a bad energy that gives power to the evil being Parallax that devours worlds – a being so powerful that no lantern, alone or in teams, can stop it. Damsel-in-distress Carol Ferris (Blake Lively) is Jordan’s boss and unnecessary love interest. Dr Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard) plays an ugly and uncool Silver Surfer-esque , Earth-based agent for Parallax, and Sinestro (Mark Strong) is a politician in the guise of a Green Lantern – he talks a lot and promises much but hardly does anything.

Ryan Reynolds tries to play off his charm to make his character likeable, but it works against him this time. The role of Hal Jordan, one of DC’s leading second-string characters, demanded a “Hero”, someone who could embody honesty, bravery and the willingness to set things right for the sake of doing right. These qualities have so well been embodied by many other actors playing superheroes in varying degrees based on the hero they play (Tobey Maguire, Christian Bale and chief among them: Christopher Reeves). Reynolds’s Hal Jordan though is just a goofy guy who cannot be trusted with anything. The “Green Lantern” ring finds him for what is in him, a quality that even he may not be aware of, and daresay the ring may be right, but the movie fails in showing it to us. The lack of any growth in the character becomes the movie’s biggest flaw. Without seeing Hal Jordan grow from a regular guy to a world-saving hero, he’s just a guy in a bad CGI suit and a bandit mask.

The grand finale of the movie, the supposed action set-piece is also a half-baked attempt. With thousands of Green Lanterns from all over the universe unable to save Earth, Hal Jordan manages just that, not because he is fearless or has “humanity”. It is because the rest of them are not clever enough to think of the plan that Hal Jordan comes up with. Either director Martin Campbell did not seem to have understood what the modern super-hero movie requires, or was the wrong man for the job. His final product lacks interesting characters and suffers from predictability, bad effects and a haphazard narrative. Presenting it in 3D is also likely to give further impetus to the detractors of this technology. Though Warner Bros may have been hoping for a new franchise with Green Lantern, its fate may as well be the same as the title of Ryan Reynolds’ previous movie, buried.

X-Men: First Class

Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, Rose Byrne and Jennifer Lawrence
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Genre: Action, Adventure
Running Time: 132 Min

Synopsis: In 1963, Charles Xavier forms a school and later a team, for humans with mutant abilities. Among them is Erik Lensherr, his best friend… and future archenemy.

What We Think: One of the most anticipated film of the summer, it is also of the best reviewed wide releases of this year. With an excellent director like Mathew Vaughn behind the camera, and with Fassbender and MacVoy, two of the most talented actors of their generation, leading a stellar cast, we really can’t recommend this enough. Our very own resident critic Faizan Rashid says in his review that “X-Men: First Class does precisely what the graphic novels and the first two films in the series did – make the story and the characters relatable”

Kung Fu Panda 2

Starring: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Oldman and Jackie Chan
Director: Jennifer Yuh
Genre: Animation, Adventure
Running Time: 90 Min

Synopsis: Po joins forces with a group of new kung-fu masters to take on an old enemy with a deadly new weapon.

What We Think: The sequel to the beloved 2008 film is getting almost as strong reviews as the original. It’s action packed, full of humor and in 3D. If you are a fan of the original, this one won’t disappoint.

Jane Eyer

Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender and Jamie Bell
Director: Cary Fukunaga
Genre: Drama, Romance
Running Time: 120 Min

Synopsis: After a bleak childhood, Jane Eyre goes out into the world to become a governess. As she lives happily in her new position at Thornfield Hall, she meets the dark, cold, and abrupt master of the house, Mr. Rochester. Jane and her employer grow close in friendship and she soon finds herself falling in love with him. Happiness seems to have found Jane at last, but could Mr. Rochester’s terrible secret be about to destroy it forever?

What We Think: Charlotte Brontë’s ever beloved novel is adapted yet again to the big screen with a young promising director and two very talented leads (it’s a double dose of Fassbender this weekend). Critics are very positive about this adaption, which has been hailed as fiery and elegant, with a special nod to Wasikowska, in the title role, who delivers possibly the best portrayal of the title character ever. We say make an appointment to see this film with your other half, because it is like to be a perfect date film.

Freakonomics

Starring: James Ransone, Zoe Sloane and Alisha Nagarsheth
Director: Heidi Ewing, Alex Gibney, Seth Gordon, Rachel Grady, Eugene Jarecki, and Morgan Spurlock
Genre: Documentary
Running Time: 93 Min

Synopsis: Freakonomics is the adapatatiom of the phenomenally bestselling book about incentives-based thinking by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner. Like the book, the film examines human behavior with provocative and sometimes hilarious case studies, bringing together a dream team of filmmakers responsible for some of the most acclaimed and entertaining documentaries in recent years.

What We Think: This educational/entertaining documentary is only playing in The Picturehouse at Reel Cinema. Its episodic format multiple directors means you may not like each segment, but overall will be entrained by at least some of them. Documentaries rarely ever find themselves released in the region which is why we recommend you catch this one.

Ready

Starring: Salman Khan, Asin, Arya Babbar and Paresh Rawal
Director: Anees Bazmee
Genre: Comedy
Running Time: 145 Min

Synopsis: In Thailand, Prem is a chartered accountant and heir to his family’s business empire. His father wants him to get married. But Prem is enjoying bachelorhood, until a case of mistaken identity leads him to Sanjanna. Sanjanna is an orphan and all her greedy feuding uncles want to get their hands on her inheritance. Returning to India, Prem and his family concoct a grand scheme to win hearts and take home the bride

What We Think: Well, it is an Anees Bazmee film starring Salman Khan. Expect load of slapstick jokes and silly action. It is about time for Bollywood to get back on track after a long lull. We say go for it.

In The Name of Love

Starring: Aga Muhlach, Angel Locsin and Jake Cuenca
Director: Olivia Lamasan
Genre: Romance, Drama
Running Time: 120 Min

Synopsis: With barely anything to live for, Emman Toledo, a former dancer, is just about to start his life all over again. He holds the good memories of his past dearly, knowing he will never be able to bring back his better days. An unlikely opportunity comes up when he is assigned to be the dance instructor for the upcoming Governor’s Ball of the powerful political family of the Evelinos, a chance for him to rekindle his lost passion

What We Think: Nothing about it peaks our interest, beside the poster which makes it look like a vampire film. That’s why we think it will only appeal to its target audience, the Filipino community.

Walad Wi Bint (A Boy and a Girl)

Starring: Ahmed Dawoud,Sawsan Badr,Aya Hamida and Sami El Adle
Director: Kariem El Adle
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 112 Min

Synopsis: A romance full of emotions, adventure and humor, the love of a lifetime is what the film is about. But between this boy and this girl the story is not so simple. Although their bond is unbreakable they keep separating over the years. It’s not circumstantial forces or even external pressures, but the very individuality of each is what keeps getting in the way in spite of all the love that’s cherished within. In tracking their early zigzagged path the film delves into the complex and intricate web of inner conflicts that arise between young men and women of this age and ultimately innovatively poses the eternal question: Can Adam and Eve live happily ever after?..

What We Think: Also for its target audience. Although it is a step-up from the stupid so-called comedies that Egyptian cinema has been throwing at us in the last decade or so.

The Hangover (2009) was perhaps the most potent comedy of the last decade, putting an excellent mix of characters in an extraordinary situation that lent itself to all the fun. One way of making a good sequel to it would be to take those eccentric characters and put them in a new situation. Another way would be to get a new bunch of characters and put them in the same situation. Unfortunately, The Hangover: Part II does neither, and instead takes the same characters and puts them in the same situation, proving what it exactly is: a sequel made to milk the success of the first. If it was released a few years later, it could just as well have been called a reboot.

Stu (Ed Helms) is getting married in Thailand, since his bride’s parents live there. Two days before the wedding, Stu sits down with his friends and brother-in-law for a safe drink – sealed bottles of beer are handed out to each. As expected, three of them wake up the next morning in a dingy room of a shady hotel in Bangkok. Phil (Bradley Cooper) is cool, Alan (Zach Galifianakis) is shaven bald and Stu has a tattoo on his face. Doug (Justin Bartha), back at the wedding resort, is safe. But Stu’s brother-in-law Teddy (Mason Lee) is missing. Also, there’s a monkey in the room. So begins, nay restarts the search for the missing person without memory of anything that transpired the previous night.

Director Todd Phillips pulls off a Michael Bay with The Hangover: Part II. Like the latter did with his Transformers sequel, Phillips relies on the success of the first movie and the existence of its characters in this movie to be enough to bring in the crowds. He does not aim to make a better movie, or even a different one. The agenda simply seems to be to capitalize on the box office success of the original. Many scenes are cloned, the sequence of events is closely followed and even the final reveal is strikingly reminiscent of the previous film. Yet, all this emulation is done at the cost of dumbing down the movie. Instead of piecing together clues, at least two characters have an epiphany about what might have happened. Many jokes are aimed squarely below the belt, forcing cheap laughs. There is hardly a genuine laugh-out-loud moment in this entire movie.

The wolfpack of the original movie were good-natured guys just caught in a bad situation. They are not as likeable now, especially Galifianakis’ Alan, who had a method to his madness then but just acts randomly strange now. Other characters also behave abnormally to situations, only further exposing the lack of any hard work put behind this movie.

As with most Todd Phillips’ movies, The Hangover: Part II is rated R. It is strongly suggested to take this rating very seriously when considering watching this movie. Not just in visuals, but even in language and implications, the movie pushes the envelope of crude entertainment.

The Hangover Part II

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha and Ed Helms
Director: Todd Philips
Genre: Comedy
Running Time: 102 Min

Synopsis: When Phil, Stu, Alan and Doug jet to Thailand for Stu’s wedding, Stu’s plan for a subdued pre-wedding brunch goes seriously awry.

What We Think: This film is basically the first film all over again but relocated to Thailand, which to many is a straight cash grab and a ripoff. In his review our own Shariq Madani says: “Director Todd Phillips pulls off a Michael Bay with The Hangover: Part II. Like the latter did with his Transformers sequel, Phillips relies on the success of the first movie and the existence of its characters in this movie to be enough to bring in the crowds. He does not aim to make a better movie, or even a different one. The agenda simply seems to be to capitalize on the box office success of the original.” .

Blood Creek

Starring: Henry Cavill, Dominic Purcell, Emma Booth and Michael Fassbender
Director: Joel Schumacher
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Running Time: 90 Min

Synopsis: A man and his brother on a mission of revenge become trapped in a harrowing occult experiment dating back to the Third Reich.

What We Think: It is directed by Joel Schumacher, a director written off by many. While majority of the reviews are unfavorable, there is something about the idea of Nazi Zombies is so appealing to us. We say go for it, why not?

Game of Death

Starring: Wesley Snipes, Zoe Bell, Gary Daniels and Robert Davi
Director: Giorgio Serafini
Genre: Action
Running Time: 98 Min

Synopsis: Secret Ops agent Marcus is sent to Detroit to take out an arms dealer and the head of a hedge fund that is financing him. His CIA backup has other plans and turns on him and it’s a fight to survive in a hospital.

What We Think: It is a straight to DVD B-action film. Should appeal to genre fans only.

Henry’s Crime

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Vera Farmiga and James Caan
Director: Malcolm Venville
Genre: Comedy
Running Time: 108 Min

Synopsis: Released from prison for a crime he didn’t commit, an ex-con targets the same bank he was sent away for robbing.

What We Think: This a small heist comedy with Keanu Reeves trying to show his acting chops. Critics are lukewarm mainly for its predictability and pacing. On the bright side, it has the always wonderful Vera Farimga and James Caan. We are somehow curious.

Pope Joan

Starring: Johanna Wokalek, David Wenham and John Goodman
Director: Sönke Wortmann
Genre: History, Drama
Running Time: 149 Min

Synopsis: A 9th century woman of English extraction born in the German city of Ingelheim disguises herself as a man and rises through the Vatican ranks.

What We Think: This is a historic drama that we frankly are not sure who it is targeted towards. Take your chances or not, at your own risk!