After a crowded box office last weekend, things slowed down a bit heading into the final release weekend of the month. That said, there are still a number of solid options if you are looking to head to the movies this weekend.
The Lost City (Theaters)
Writers: Oren Uziel, and Dana Fox, Adam & Aaron Nee | Directors: Aaron & Adam Nee
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe, and Brad Pitt
There are a lot of movies about lost cities that typically thrive in the action-adventure space. I am sure this movie has both of those, but it’s the comedic aspect that’s appealing. The film boasts plenty of A-list star power and that’s definitely a strong selling point, but it’s the self-awareness and willingness to have fun with some cliches that got my attention. I’m glad I took the time to watch the trailer, rather than glossing over it as another derivative story.
*Everything Everywhere All At Once (Theaters) – Editor’s Pick*
Written & Directed by: Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (aka Daniels)
Starring: Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, and Ke Huy Quan
Struggling with mounting debt, the wall between dimensions is broken and a Chinese immigrant goes on a wild adventure through her connected lives that puts her in a positions to save the world. This is the second feature film for directing duo Daniels and they are always up to some crazy stuff (I thoroughly enjoyed Swiss Army Man). The basic premise reminds me a little bit of the James Wong movie The One starring Jet Li, which was way ahead of its time and not realized to its full potential (although I still enjoyed it). I first saw Michelle Yeoh in Super Cop back in 1992 and I have been a fan ever since, so I am excited to see her get this showcase.
7 Days (Theaters)
Writers: Roshan Sethi, and Karan Soni | Director: Roshan Sethi
Starring: Karan Soni, Geraldine Viswanathan, and Gita Reddy
Traditional Indian customs and Covid-19 square off in the comedy about an arranged first date that takes an awkward and unexpected turn when shelter-in-place orders go out. This is the debut feature for writer/director Roshan Sethi who wrote this film with Karan Soni who also stars in the film. Some of it is obviously geared towards a specific cultural experience, but beyond that there are a lot of universals present in the examination of that experience in a modern setting. The trailer was funny and looks very down to earth, so I am more than happy to give it a watch.
Infinite Storm (Theaters)
Writers: Joshua Rollins, Pam Bales (based on the life of)
Director: Malgorzata Szumowska
Starring: Naomi Watts, Denis O’Hare, and Billy Howle
At a glance, Infinite Storm sounds like the kind of disaster movie I don’t want to see. However, this film is based on the true story of Pam Bates as she attempts to rescue a stranded hiker in blizzard conditions, before it’s too late. Malgorzata Szumowska makes some interesting films and Naomi Watts is well-equipped to tell this kind of story, so I am a lot more interested now that I was at first glance. I may end up waiting until it hits video-on-demand, but it’s worth checking out.
What Else Is New…
Mothering Sunday (Theaters)
Writers: Alice Berch (screenplay), Graham Swift (novel) | Director: Evan Husson
Starring: Odessa Young, Josh O’Connor, Olivia Colman, and Colin Firth
I have no doubt that Colin Firth and Olivia Colman deliver, as they always do, but they aren’t the stars in this tale of a young house maid who’s having a secret affair in England after the end of World War I. Period romance movies are not my thing (like not even a little) so I am not the target demographic, but this trailer was boring. It’s probably fine, but I’ll pass.
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