IN THEATERS:
Ride Along (PG-13)
Starring Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, John Leguizamo
Story by Greg Coolidge
Screenplay by Greg Coolidge and Jason Mantzoukas and Phil Hay & Matt Manfredi
Directed by Tim Story
Like Cop Out, there’s no way this movie can be funny like it needs to be with a PG-13 rating. Alternately, you can stop reading before “like” in the previous sentence.
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit* (PG-13)
Starring Chris Pine, Keira Knightley, Kevin Costner
Written by Adam Cozad and David Koepp
Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Despite making lots of big errors (like a confusing third act and wasting Keira Knightley), the movie has a solid framework, a commanding lead and great bad guy (director Kenneth Branagh). Read my review at College Movie Review.
The Nut Job (PG)
Starring the voices of Will Arnett, Brendan Fraser, Liam Neeson
Story by Daniel Woo
Screenplay by Lorne Cameron
Directed by Peter Lepeniotis
An animated heist movie could be clever, but this just looks needlessly lazy. Adults and kids expect more out of their cartoons these days, as they should.
Devil’s Due (R)
Starring Allison Miller, Zach Gilford, Sam Anderson
Written by Lindsay Devlin
Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett
Zach Gilford (Friday Night Lights) deserves so much better than a rip-off of Rosemary’s Baby.
Check out movies opening in limited release after the jump…
The Past (PG-13)
Starring Bérénice Bejo, Tahar Rahim, Ali Mosaffa
Written and directed by Asghar Farhadi
Farhadi continues to confront our failures as humans as a man has to deal with the consequences of abandoning his wife and children.
PLAYING AT THE MAGNOLIA
The Invisible Woman
Starring Ralph Fiennes, Felicity Jones, Kristin Scott Thomas
Written for the screen by Abi Morgan
Directed by Ralph Fiennes
Secret lovers… inspiration for a great writer’s works… Secret lovers…
PLAYING AT ANGELIKA DALLAS
AT HOME:
Top Pick
The Spectacular Now (92%)
There are teen romances, and then there’s this raw, brutal, uncompromising portrayal of young love that doesn’t feel like anything Shailene Woodley or Miles Teller have been in or will be in for awhile. Plus, there’s a killer cameo from Kyle Chandler. If you enjoyed having your heart ripped out during The Perks of Being a Wallflower, this is another movie that’s only interest is authenticity.
To rent (click the link to watch on Netflix):
• 20 Feet from Stardom (99%) — Academy Award nominee for Best Documentary Feature
• A.C.O.D. (51%)
• Big Sur (45%)
• Blue Caprice (85%)
• The Butler* (73%)
• Carrie (49%)
• Enough Said (96%)
• Fruitvale Station* (94%)
• I’m in Love with a Church Girl (6%)
• Our Nixon (92%)
• Rewind This! (100%)
• Riddick (59%)
• Short Term 12 (99%)
• A Single Shot (51%)
• You’re Next* (74%)
To buy:
Music: Marvin Hamlisch: What He Did for Love
TV: Gasland Part II
Blu-ray: Blind Date, Buffalo ’66, A Chorus Line, In the Heat of the Night*, Sunrise (1927), The Year of the Cannibals
Criterion: Rififi, Thief
*recommended
(Release dates and locations subject to change.)