Opening This Month: July 2016

Posted on July 1, 2016 at 3:57 pm

Happy July! And welcome to the height of the summer movie season. Today, we kick off the 4th of July weekend with two big movies, Steven Spielberg’s “The BFG,” based on the book by Roald Dahl and starring Oscar-winner Mark Rylance.

And a new version of the classic story with “The Legend of Tarzan,” starring Alexander Skarsgård, Christoph Waltz, and Margot Robbie.

Some of the other highlights of July 2016 at the movies:

July 8

“The Secret Life of Pets” answers the question we all wonder about. What do our dogs, cats, fish, bunnies, reptiles, and other pets do all day while we’re away from home? Voice talent includes Louis CK, Jenny Slate, Kevin Hart, and Eric Stonestreet.

“Life, Animated” is a heartwarming documentary based on the best-selling book about Owen Suskind, a young man with autism whose love for animated films helped him learn how to communicate with his family.

“Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates” stars Anna Kendrick, Zac Efron, Adam Devine, and Aubrey Plaza in a wild, raunchy comedy about two brothers who advertise on Craigslist for dates to take to their sister’s wedding.

July 15

“Ghostbusters” Who ya gonna call? In this reboot, it’s Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon, and Kristen Wiig, with Chris Hemsworth as their administrative assistant.

July 22

“Star Trek Beyond” There are a couple of intriguing new names in the credits of this latest in the beloved series. Simon Pegg, who plays Scotty, co-wrote the script. And Justin Linn of the “Fast/Furious” films, takes over as director.

“Ice Age: Collision Course” Pegg stars in this film, too, along with fellow returning cast members Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Keke Palmer, Queen Latifah, and Jennifer Lopez.

July 29

“Jason Bourne” Matt Damon is back as Bourne. I just hope there’s one of those scenes where the CIA boss says he’s in his office and Bourne is all, “No, because then I’d be looking at you.”

“Bad Moms” Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, and Kathryn Hahn decide to stop trying to be perfect moms like that meanie Christina Applegate.

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Movies This Month: June 2016

Posted on June 1, 2016 at 8:00 am

Happy June! Lots to celebrate — Father’s Day, graduations, the end of the school year, and summer movies! Here’s some of what we have to look forward to this month:

June 3

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows” The heroes on a half shell take on Shredder and Tyler Perry as a mad scientist.

“Me Before You” The best-selling book by JoJo Moyes is about a cheerful young woman who gets a job as a caretaker for a man who was paralyzed in an accident.

“Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” Andy Samberg, whose musical spoofs with Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone were a highlight of his time at SNL, joins forces with them again along with SNL alums Maya Rudolph and Tim Meadows in this story of a rapper in a slump.

June 10

“Now You See Me 2” Daniel Radcliffe and Lizzy Caplan join the cast in this sequel to the hit heist film about the magicians. More twists this time, including a dual role for Woody Harrelson.

June 17

“Central Intelligence” Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Kevin Hart star in this action comedy about a CIA agent to gets help from a high school friend.

“Finding Dory” Nemo and his dad have to help their memory-impaired friend find her family.

June 24

“Independence Day: Resurgance” It’s been 20 years since Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum uploaded that virus to the aliens. Now the aliens are back and so are many from the original cast including Goldblum, Vivica A. Fox, and Bill Pullman.

“Free State of Jones” Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Keri Russell star in this fact-based historical drama about a pre-Civil War integrated community that rebelled against the Confederacy.

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May 2016: Movies This Month

Posted on May 1, 2016 at 12:18 am

Happy May! The blockbuster movie season officially starts this week with the latest superhero movie from Marvel, and the month will end with another superhero movie as well. But we’ll get some good smaller movies, too. Here’s what I’m looking forward to:

May 6

Captain America: Civil War: The Russo brothers, who gave us one of the all-time best superhero movies with the last Captain America film are back with a story that has the Avengers fighting each other.

May 13

Money Monster: George Clooney, Jack O’Connell, and Julia Roberts star in a tense drama about a bombastic television commentator who is taken hostage.

The Lobster: Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz play characters who live in a world where people turn into animals if they do not fall in love. On the other hand, they do get to pick their animal.

High-Rise: Tom Hiddleston is the new resident who gets caught up in the creepiest skyscraper since “Rosemary’s Baby.”

Last Days in the Desert: A carpenter went to the desert to meditate and pray and came out of the desert to perform miracles. Ewan McGregor plays both Jesus and the devil who taunts him in this moving story.

Love and Friendship: Whit Stillman wrote and directed a witty drama based on Jane Austen’s epistolary novel about a manipulative flirt, Lady Susan.

May 20

The Nice Guys: The wicked mind behind “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” has written a new detective story set in the 1970’s.

Weiner: A politician of extraordinary ability and promise makes a mistake — again — that ends his career. This documentary tells the story.

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising: Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne thought the fraternity next door was a problem in the first “Neighbors.” Now a sorority takes over and they find out what a problem really is.

Maggie’s Plan: A Greta Gerwig movie is always good news. Here she plays an earnest college administrator who falls for a married man — and then learns he might be better suited for his wife.

May 27

X-Men: Apocalypse : Will the most powerful mutant of all wipe out all of humanity?

Alice Through the Looking Glass: More Tim Burton than Lewis Carroll.

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April Movies 2016

Posted on April 1, 2016 at 3:44 pm

Happy April!

Coming this month: Biopics about real-life musicians and sometime bandmates Chet Baker and Miles Davis and follow-ups to two beloved ensemble films: “Dazed and Confused” from writer/director Richard Linklater and “Barbershop” from Ice Cube, and comedies about pushy women from Melissa McCarthy and Susan Sarandon. NOTE: Some of these films are opening on different dates, depending on the location, so check your local listings.

April 1

Everybody Wants Some!! is the “spiritual sequel” to Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused, about college baseball players in 1980. And of course it has a sensational soundtrack.

God’s Not Dead 2 is the sequel to the faith-based hit. A teacher gets in trouble for mentioning Jesus in the classroom and takes the case to court.

Midnight Special The government and a group of religious extremists pursue a man (Michael Shannon) and his son (Jaeden Lieberher), a young boy who possesses special powers.

Born to be Blue Ethan Hawke plays musician Chet Baker.

April 8

The Boss Melissa McCarthy plays a selfish, dicatorial titan of industry who is sent to prison after she’s caught for insider trading. When she gets out, she has to start over.

Miles Ahead An impressionistic look at the life of the brilliant musician Miles Davis, starring co-writer/director Don Cheadle, with Ewan MacGregor as a Rolling Stone reporter.

Demolition Jake Gyllenhaal is mesmerizing in this provocative story of a man who deconstructs his life after his wife is killed in a car accident. Chris Cooper, who played his father in “October Sky,” plays his father-in-law and boss.

April 15

“Barbershop: The Next Cut” Ice Cube, Anthony Anderson, Eve, and Cedric the Entertainer are back, joined by Nicki Minaj, Common, and Regina Hall.

The Jungle Book Director Jon Favreau (“Elf,” “Iron Man”) brings us a life-action remake of the Rudyard Kipling story and Disney animated classic about the boy raised by animals.

“Sing Street” Writer/director John Carney knows about the liberating joy of music (“Once,” “Begin Again”) and this story about a high school band is absolutely delightful.

The Dark Horse A Maori man who struggles with mental illness becomes the coach of a chess team in this inspirational fact-based story.

April 22

The Huntsman: Winter’s War Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron appear in a sequel to the Snow White movie.

April 29

Mother’s Day In the spirit of the all-star ensemble dramedies “New Year’s Eve,” Garry Marshall pays tribute to mothers of all kinds.

Ratchet & Clank The videogame comes to theaters.

Keanu Key and Peele play best friends who get involved with some scary criminals to try to rescue a kitten named Keanu.

A Beautiful Planet Jennifer Lawrence narrates a love letter to our planet.

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Coming to Theaters — March 2016

Posted on March 1, 2016 at 8:00 am

Happy March! Here’s some of what we’ll be seeing in theaters this month.

March 4, 2016

“Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” Tina Fey and Margot Robbie star in this fact-based story of women reporters covering the war in Afghanistan.

“Zootopia” Disney’s latest animated film is set in a big city populated by animals. A bunny cop and a fox con man (con fox?) team up to solve a mystery in this funny, smart, gorgeously imagined story.

“London Has Fallen” Aaron Eckhart and Gerard Butler star in this sequel to “Olympus Has Fallen,” about world dignitaries gathered in London for a funeral who become the targets for an attack.

March 11, 2016

“The Young Messiah” This film explores the childhood of Jesus, as He and those around him begin to understand His purpose.

“!0 Cloverfield Lane” A woman wakes up in an underground shelter with a man who tells her that he rescued her and that the rest of the world has been destroyed. Is he telling the truth? And if he is, what’s next?

“Hello My Name is Doris” Sally Fields stars in the story of a women who develops a crush on her handsome, young, new co-worker (Max Greenfield).

March 18, 2016

“The Divergent Series: Allegiant” Tris, Four, and the rest leave Chicago for discoveries that will lead to the final confrontation in the upcoming fourth film in the series.

“Midnight Special” Michael Shannon plays an estranged father whose son has special powers.

“The Little Prince” Antoine Saint-Exubery’s classic fable about the prince who visits from another planet comes to the screen.

March 25, 2016

“Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice” The Dark Knight and the Krypton superhero battle each other.

“My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” Nia Vardelos and her Greek relatives are back for another warm, lively, story of love and culture clashes.