There is only one film opening in wide release this weekend, the reborn The Invisible Man, but there is more than enough indie cinema opening as limited release too…it may just be tougher to find.
The Invisible Man
Written & Directed by Leigh Whanell
Starring: Elizabeth Moss and Aldis Hodge
The classic H.G. Wells story brought to life once more for a new generation. This is the only big release coming out this weekend and…by most accounts…it appears to be pretty darn good. Director Leigh Whanell has made a nice home for himself at Blumhouse and this looks to be his best offering yet. Upgrade was a fast-paced, violent thriller but this film slows all that down and really takes a cerebral approach to fear. Horror movies that don’t succeed usually are lacking in the acting department but since you can see Elizabeth Moss is killing it in the trailer and I have no doubts she brought her A-game. This is definitely on the Watch-list.
The Jesus Rolls – *Limited*
Written by John Turturro & Bertrand Blier – Directed by John Turturro
Starring: John Turturro, Bobby Cannavale, Audrey Tautou, Jon Hamm, and Susan Sarandon
Returning to the world of The Big Lebowski 22-years after the fact is an interesting prospect. Clearly, this film is aimed at that very loyal fanbase and, considering John Turturro wrote, directed, and starred in it, this project is obviously close to his heart. The cast is absolutely stellar but it still feels like this movie is reaching for something that’s no longer there. The Coen Brothers are no longer involved so taking this character on an extended test drive is purely a passion project. It’s not at the top of my list but Lebowski fans should get a kick out of it.
Guns Akimbo – *Limited* – *Editor’s Pick*
Written & Directed by Jason Lei Howden
Starring – Daniel Radcliffe, Samara Weaving, and Rhys Darby
Even after a very public and controversial series of angry tweets by Director Jason Lei Howden, Saban Films has decided to go forward with the film’s release and hopefully we can call just enjoy what it is. Daniel Radcliffe wakes up in an involuntary game of “Edward 40-hands” only in this case he’s got .40 caliber pistols surgically bolted to his hands and must battle his way out to save his girlfriend. It’s a pretty straight forward shoot-em-up that likely has some last twist to spice things up but heavily stylized action flicks usually catch my attention.
Wendy – *Limited*
Written by Benh & Eliza Zeitlin – Directed by Benh Zeitlin
Starring: Yashua Mack, Devin France, and Gage Naquin
Another reimagining of the Peter Pan story, this time told from the perspective of Wendy. Director Benh Zeitlin hasn’t made a movie since Beasts of the Southern Wild in 2012 but it did net four Oscar-nominations so there’s nothing wrong with taking your time. A good deal of that same visual timbre is present here but making people care in the context of this story is the challenge. It’s not at the top of my list right now but things can change.
Burden – *Limited*
Written & Directed by Andrew Heckler
Starring: Garrett Hedlund, Forest Whittaker, and Andrea Riseborough
For a movie that debuted at Sundance in 2018, it sure didn’t gain any traction over the last year before being dumped (one of the) weakest theatrical weekends of the year. Despite being based on a true story, the reformed white supremacist who learns the error of his ways and reforms is a cliche at this point. The cast is pretty good and the ideas are contemporary so it may add up to more than the sum of its parts.
Greed – *Limited*
Written & Directed by Michael Winterbottom – Additional Material by Sean Gray
Starring: Steve Coogan and Isla Fisher
With primary season now firmly underway in the United States, it’s hard to believe this satirization of the super-rich wasn’t strategically slated for release this weekend. Anyway, Steve Coogan is usually pretty great if you give him a chance and coupling him with Isla Fisher should make for an entertaining experience. This one doesn’t really move the needle for me one way or the other but things can change.
Saint Francis – *Limited*
Written by Kelly O’Sullivan – Directed by Alex Thompson
Starring: Kelly O’Sullivan, Charin Alvarez, and Bradin Crothers
The first thing that came to mind was Theodore Melfi’s 2014 St. Vincent and really the premise is fairly close. After some unfortunate event, an unlikely babysitter gets in over their head before managing to befriend the child they were tasked with watching. This is the first full-length feature for both Writer Kelly O’Sullivan and Director Alex Thompson but that means it was made with care. Boasting a 93% RottenTomatoes score and 7.1 on IMDB, it looks like this could be one of your better options this weekend.
The Whistlers – *Limited*
Written & Directed by Corneliu Porumboiu
Starring: Vlad Ivanov, Catrinel Marlon, and Rodica Lazar
A whistleblower for the Romanian mafia embarks on a journey to learn an ancestral whistling language while trying to avoid police surveillance. While risky, the payoff was far too great to give up on. I am unfamiliar with the director and the cast but the idea behind it all is actually pretty interesting. This could either work out great or could be a total dud, I just don’t see it landing firmly in the middle.
Thanks for stopping by and have fun at the movies!