Thursday, April 15, 2010

What to See: 4/16/2010


Couple of films opening big this weekend: Kick-Ass and Death at a Funeral. Kick-Ass is a comic book movie about a bunch of regular folks who decide to become superheroes. Depending on who you listen to, Kick-Ass is either “the best superhero movie since The Dark Night” (ReelViews) or “morally reprehensible” (Roger Ebert). It is rated R, has a lot of violence, cussing, and a 13 year old girl playing an 11 year old girl who kills people -- bad people, but still. Kick Ass will win the box office derby this weekend; the only question is by how much. Death at a Funeral is a remake of a 2007 film of the same name; this one was made with a mostly African American cast. Variety calls it a “strained, mirthless comedy” and Roger Ebert “laughed all the way through.” What’s with old Roger, anyway? I thought the original was mostly entertaining, and I would probably see this one if I have a free afternoon. In limited release, The Joneses is the story of a perfect family that turns out not to be a family at all – mom, dad, and the teenage kids are employees of a marketing company that sells “lifestyles,” and all the attendant fashion and electronic gizmos that go along with that. Basically, the folks next door are living, breathing subliminal advertisements. So far, pretty average reviews for this one; seems the film doesn’t really go anywhere with its intriguing premise. Other than that, you can still catch the 3-D trio (Clash, Alice, Dragon) or Date Night – although if you’re having a nice time at dinner, and you’re wondering if you should order more wine, or rush off to catch Date Night, go with the wine.

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