Happy Saturday, everybody, and welcome to Def Pen’s Weekend Movie Preview – July 15, where we lay out your movie-going options for the weekend. The lastest hype at the box office has been around “Ghostbusters”, but there are also a lot of good-looking indie films releasing as well. Read on to find out more!
“Ghostbusters” – Who you gonna call?
Synopsis: “‘Ghostbusters’ makes its long-awaited return, rebooted with a cast of hilarious new characters. Thirty years after the beloved original franchise took the world by storm, director Paul Feig brings his fresh take to the supernatural comedy, joined by some of the funniest actors working today – Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth. This summer, they’re here to save the world!” (Official Site).
You’ve undoubtedly been hearing about “Ghostbusters”. Maybe not so much about the movie itself, rather the record-breaking backlash that the female-led reboot has been getting. A group of fans unhealthily dedicated to the 1984 original film has worked to make this happen – which is why the film has a 4.1 fan rating on IMDb. But, critics seem to disagree (hello, a 73% rating on Rotten Tomatoes?), and I can see why. Paul Feig, the popular director of “Spy”, is behind the camera, and several people from the original cast and crew are involved with the making. And of course, all of the “Saturday Night Live” stars are exciting. Another point – I’ve seen the movie, and I can attest that it’s great. Feig does a wonderful job of paying homage to the original, while including fresh jokes and playing to the comedic nature of the cast.
“Café Society” – Anyone who is anyone will be seen at Café Society.
Limited Release
Synopsis: “Set in the 1930s, Woody Allen’s bittersweet romance “Café Society” follows Bronx-born Bobby Dorfman (Jesse Eisenberg) to Hollywood, where he falls in love, and back to New York, where he is swept up in the vibrant world of high society nightclub life. Centering on events in the lives of Bobby’s colorful Bronx family, the film is a glittering valentine to the movie stars, socialites, playboys, debutantes, politicians, and gangsters who epitomized the excitement and glamour of the age. With “Café Society”, Woody Allen conjures up a 1930s world that has passed to tell a deeply romantic tale of dreams that never die” (Official Site).
Woody Allen. We all love Woody Allen, and this film has more than Woody Allen to love. Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg are back together again, as they have become a favorite onscreen duo. In addition to those two, the film features other thespian favorites like Steve Carrell and Blake Lively. With this all-star cast and the veteran Allen as director, “Café Society” has the basic ingredients needed to succeed. The film debuted on opening night at Cannes, making Allen the first director to head off the festival three times. Critics have been liking it as well, and it holds a 78% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 66/100 metascore. Sara Hemrajahi writes for Flickering Myth, “‘Café Society’ is charming, funny and includes a fair bit of philosophical musing in its snappy 96 minute running time.”
“Equals” – Find your equal.
Limited release in theaters. Already available with DirecTV.
Synopsis: “In this gripping and emotional sci-fi romance from acclaimed director Drake Doremus, Kristen Stewart and Nicholas Hoult play Nia and Silas, two people who work together in a futuristic society known as ‘The Collective.’ A seemingly utopian world, ‘The Collective’ has ended crime and violence by genetically eliminating all human emotions. Despite this, Nia and Silas can’t help noticing a growing attraction between them, leading them to a forbidden relationship—at first tentative, but then exploding into a passionate romance. As suspicion begins to mount among their superiors, the couple will be forced to choose between going back to the safety of the lives they have always known, or risk it all to try and pull off a daring escape” (A24 Films).
Apparently Kristen Stewart is having a big weekend – first her appearance in “Café Society”, and now “Equals”. Unfortunately, although the premise for “Equals” is intriguing, critics argue that the movie isn’t delivering on its protential. According to Indiewire‘s David Ehrlich, “[‘Equals’] feels more like a Scientologist’s screed against the dehumanizing dangers of anti-depressants.” With an attrocious Rotten Tomatoes rating of 38% and a metascore of 43/100, I’m not sure that “Equals” will be worth anyone’s time this weekend.
“Phantom Boy” – My name is Leo and I have a secret.
Limited Release
Synopsis: “Leo has a secret. A mysterious illness has transformed him into a phantom boy, able to leave the confines of his body and explore the city as a ghostly apparition. While in the hospital, he befriends Alex, a New York City cop injured while attempting to capture a nefarious gangster who has taken control of the city’s power supply, throwing the metropolis into chaos. Now they must form an extraordinary duo, using Leo’s phantom powers and Alex’s detective work to foil the plot and save New York from destruction. Phantom Boy continues Gagnol and Felicioli’s fascination with animated film noir, in a heart-thumping adventure that pushes their trademark visual style to literal new heights, as Leo swoops and soars above the greatest skyline in the world” (GKids Films).
After reading the synopsis and watching the trailer for “Phantom Boy”, my knee-jerk reaction is a disinterested “oh, that’s cute”. If you have an interest in the animated film noir style – a style which is still being developed – this looks like a fun movie for you. While there haven’t been many reviews yet, what’s been said has been positive, and the movie has a glowing 85% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Sheila O’Malley of RogerEbert.com calls the film “beautiful and original, extremely funny, and sometimes very moving.”
“Undrafted” – A story about life’s strikeouts and homeruns.
Limited Release.
Synopsis: “When twelve ragtag teammates set out to play what should be a meaningless summer intramural baseball game, it ends up becoming the most important game of their lives. This collection of characters – the reliever turned starting pitcher (Tyler Hoechlin), a hot dog power hitter (Chace Crawford), an outfielder with anger management issues (Joe Mazzello), a player coach with clipboard envy (Duke Davis Roberts), an over-eager catcher (Ryan Pinkston), the old guy who shouldn’t be playing anymore (Philip Winchester), and the guy everyone forgot was on the team (Matt Bush) – truly gives new meaning to the phrase “amateur status”. As they struggle to transition away from baseball and towards an uncertain future, the best player among them (Aaron Tveit) – who they all felt should have gotten drafted – has to deal with the news that his big league dreams were dashed, leaving him grappling with why he should still play. One game can be just another box score, but when it’s played by a team galvanized around the love of the game, and for the pride they have in each other, it can define a lifetime” (Vertical Entertainment).
Given the fact that “Undrafted” has familiar faces like Chace Crawford and Tyler Hoechlin (who was in the indie gem “Everybody Wants Some” earlier this year), it’s a little surprising that this film has been so far off of everyone’s radar. Like “Phantom Boy”, this one is a little short on reviews, but user ratings on IMDb have been pretty positive. So, if you like sports movies – maybe give this one a try!
Although most of the movies this weekend are limited release films, some of them look pretty good and may be worth the trek out to your closest indie film theater. However, my personal opinion is that you can’t go wrong with “Ghostbusters”!
Thanks for reading, and be sure to let us know which movies you’ll be seeing this weekend!
*This article covers major movie releases and may not cover limited releases or releases on VOD.
