Chase Whale
On Jingle Bell Rocks! And This Weekend's Wide And Special Releases.
Wild.
Director: Jean-Marc Vallée.
Writer: Nick Hornby (screenplay), Cheryl Strayed (memoir, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail).
Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern.
Playing At: Angelika Film Center (Dallas).
The title says it all. A wild and disheveled woman goes on a 1,100-mile hike into the wild to help her heal from her past life of pain. The film is powerfully moving and emotionally resonant. Check out my full review here.
Top Five.
Director: Chris Rock.
Writer: Chris Rock.
Cast: Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Rosario Dawson, Kevin Hart.
Playing At: Wide.
Comedian Chris Rock wrote, directed and stars in this comedy about comedian (I know, right!?) who tries to be taken seriously when his reality TV star bride-to-be convinces him to add their wedding to her popular show. I know this may sound lame, but the trailer is hilarious and word on the street is Rock has a hit on his hands. Our ” target=”_blank”>own Kip Mooney certainly thinks he does.
Jingle Bell Rocks!
Director: Mitchell Kezin.
Writer: Mitchell Kezin.
Cast: Bill Adler, Clarence Carter, Andy Cirzan.
Playing At: Texas Theatre.
It’s Christmas! And of course the Flaming Lips and that band's friends want you to celebrate it with them in full rock 'n' roll fashion. The idea behind Jingle Bell Rocks! is that it takes a peek into the alternate world of Christmas music by way of rock, rap and other ways that you won't hear at the local church. Filmmaking weirdo John Waters (Pink Flamingos) and Run-DMC co-star, among other surprises.
The Captive.
Director: Atom Egoyan.
Writer: Atom Egoyan , David Fraser
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Scott Speedman, Rosario Dawson.
Playing At: Wide.
Ryan Reynolds stars in a movie that nobody has heard of, can you believe that? That can't be good, can it? That said, it's from one of the best indie distributors in the biz — A24, the company that brought you Spring Breakers and Obvious Child — so I'm probably going to see it. Plus, that Reynolds charm is tough to deny.
Exodus: Gods and Kings.
Director: Ridley Scott.
Writers: Adam Cooper, Bill Collage, Jeffrey Caine, Steven Zaillian.
Cast: Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, Ben Kingsley.
Playing At: Wide.
Wel, Kip Mooney’s review confirmed my suspicions that Ridley Scott’s Exodus: Gods and Kings: It drowns in the big ocean of bad movies. With critics not to kind to it and all of the controversy surrounding the film — people are boycotting it because of Scott hired A-list white actors instead of folks of Egyptian descent — it's not looking good for ticket sales. Perhaps Scott never saw M. Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender, a film that also suffered and failed in part due to whitewashing.
Blade Runner: The Final Cut.
Director: Ridley Scott.
Writer: Hampton Fancher, David Webb Peoples (screenplay), Philip K. Dick (novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?)
Cast: Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young.
Playing At: Texas Theatre.
Fortunately, there's some good news this week for Ridley Scott fans, too: The Texas Theatre is presenting the final cut of Blade Runner in 35mm this weekend. So skip his latest atrocity and see one of his biggest cult hits instead. This film is badass on so many levels, folks. And it's a real joy to watch on the big screen. Plus, this is your chance to say “I saw Blade Runner in theaters!”
