Coming Attractions.

On Ted 2 and The Rest Of The Weekend's New Releases.

Ted 2.
Director: Seth MacFarlane.
Writers: Seth MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin, Wellesley Wild.
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Seth MacFarlane, Amanda Seyfried, Morgan Freeman.
Playing At: Wide.
The first Ted was a pleasant surprise back in 2012. What appeared to be crude and juvenile actually had some heart and genuine laughs. But this sequel gives me bad flashbacks to The Hangover, Part II. Instead of taking what worked with the first one and telling a new story with the characters we enjoyed, they just tried to go broader and grosser. In this one, the foul-mouthed teddy bear fights for his rights when he's denied a marriage license to his (human) girlfriend Tami Lynn.

Max.
Director: Boaz Yakin.
Writers: Boaz Yakin, Sheldon Lettich.
Cast: Thomas Hayden Church, Lauren Graham, Josh Wiggins, Robbie Amell.
Playing At: Wide.
If you thought Inside Out was going to make you cry, get ready for Max, which tells the story of a the dog that has PTSD from serving in Afghanistan. (No, seriously.) Anyway, he's adopted by a young boy who also needs a friend. I'll bet you $1 million there is a Lassie-ike scenario in which the dog has to run to get help for a trapped kid.

The Overnight.
Director: Patrick Brice.
Writer: Patrick Brice.
Cast: Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman, Judith Godreche.
Playing At: The Magnolia, Angelika Plano.
Adam Scott and Taylor Schilling play a couple that moves into the trendy Silver Lake area of Los Angeles then receives a dinner invitation from their new neighbors (Jason Schwartzman and Judith Godreche). It seems like the premise for a nice evening, but thing gets progressively weirder as the night goes on. No spoilers, but this is not a movie to watch with your parents. You should still see it, though. Check out my full review.

Testament of Youth.
Director: James Kent.
Writer: Juliette Towhidi.
Cast: Alicia Vikander, Kit Harington, Taron Egerton, Miranda Richardson.
Playing At: The Magnolia, Angelika Plano.
You know what we haven't had in a while? One of those grand, sweeping romances. Luckily, England is here to satisfy our needs. Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina) plays a woman recalling a tragic affair she had with a soldier (Game of Thrones' Kit Harrington). Bring some tissues.

Gemma Bovery.
Director: Anne Fontaine.
Writers: Anne Fontaine, Pascal Bonitzer.
Cast: Fabrice Luchini, Gemma Arterton, Jason Flemyng, Niels Schneider.
Playing At: Angelika Dallas, Angelika Plano.
Life imitates art as Madame Bovery (Gemma Arterton) moves to a small French town and finds herself tempted to stray from her husband (Jason Flemyng). Fabrice Luchini plays the semi-omniscient neighbor who draws parallels between the young woman and the protagonist of Gustave Flaubert's most famous novel.

A Little Chaos.
Director: Alan Rickman.
Writers: Jeremy Brock, Alison Deegan, Alan Rickman.
Cast: Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet. Matthias Schoenaerts, Jennifer Ehle.
Playing At: Angelika Dallas.
Be prepared: Your grandmother might ask that you take her to see this one. Here, Kate Winslet and Matthias Schoenaerts play two landscapers in the court of King Louis XIV, and their blossoming romance leads them to tend to each other's gardens. (OK, I'll stop with the botanical puns now.)

Escobar: Paradise Lost.
Director: Andrea Di Stefano.
Writer: Andrea Di Stefano.
Cast: Josh Hutcherson, Benicio Del Toro, Brady Corbet, Claudia Traisac.
Playing At: Angelika Dallas.
Comedian Christian Finnegan has a great bit about how many guys are intimidated by their girlfriend's dads — but that no one can top his situation because his girlfriend's dad is in prison for attempted murder. Well, Nick Brady (Josh Hutcherson) might be able to one up him. While surfing the coast of Colombia, he meets Maria (Claudia Traisac). Their passionate affair comes with a little extra baggage, though. Her uncle is notorious drug dealer Pablo Escobar (Benicio Del Toro).

The Yes Men are Revolting.
Directors: Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno, Laura Nix.
Cast: Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno.
Playing At: Texas Theatre.
Believe it or not, this is not actually a Portlandia skit. Rather, Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno make up The Yes Men, a sketch comedy troupe that uses elaborate pranks to expose corporate greed and bureaucratic idiocy. The amount of laughs you get from their efforts may vary.

The Terminator/Terminator 2: Judgment Day Double Feature.
Director: James Cameron.
Writers: James Cameron, Gale Anne Hurd, William Wisher Jr.
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, Edward Furlong.
Playing At: Alamo Drafthouse.
Showing: Monday, June 29.

Before Terminator: Genisys comes along to remind us of everything this franchise can't get it right without James Cameron involved, check out two of the best sci-fi films of all time, screened back-to-back. Judgment Day in particular still stands as one of the best sequels and best summer blockbusters ever, but you can see them both on the big screen and see how much James Cameron evolved as a filmmaker from 1984 to 1991. It's hugely impressive, really. Also impressive? That I didn't even make an “I'll be back!” joke!