6 films to see on the week of January 18 — January 24, 2019
Once Upon a Deadpool
DEADPOOL 2 has essentially been toned down and recut to earn a “PG-13” rating (US release) for this rerelease — but it is not that simple. While basically telling the same story (without the nudity, cursing, and violence), it does so by paying homage to The Princess Bride (1987) with the adult Fred Savage, who starred in the classic film, kidnapped by Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) and told the Deadpool 2 story much the way that Mr. Savage’s grandfather told the tale of The Princess Bride. Directed by David Leitch, the film also stars Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Julian Denison, and Zazie Beetz. Vulture’s Bilge Ebiri writes, “… Deadpool 2 was already a fourth-wall-breaking, fashionably meta superhero flick that couldn’t stop winking at its audience. So now it’s winking again — but it’s winking through its own winks. It feels like overkill. It is overkill. But then again, isn’t that what the Deadpool films are all about?” Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 52% rating.
MTRCB Rating: PG
Replicas
AGAINST the odds, synthetic biologist Will Foster attempts to bring his family back to life after they are killed in a car accident. Directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff, the film stars Keanu Reeves, Alice Eve, and Thomas Middleditch, and John Ortiz. Hollywood Reporter’s Frank Scheck writes, “Replicas manages to be perversely entertaining for its fast-paced first half, if only because of the sheer absurdity of its storyline. But it eventually devolves into tedious thriller tropes…” Rotten Tomatoes gives it a meager rating of 9%.
MTRCB Rating: PG
Glass
M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN merges the stories of two of his films in this thriller, bringing together David Dunn, the lone survivor of a tragic train accident, and Elijah Price (aka Mr. Glass) from Unbreakable and Kevin Wendell Crumb, a patient with multiple personalities, from Split. Mr. Glass, Dunn, and Crumb find themselves locked in a psychiatric hospital where Dr. Ellie Staples conducts studies to convince them that they are not superheroes by suppressing their physical abilities. The film stars Bruce Willis, James McAvoy, Samuel L. Jackson, and Sarah Paulson. Entertainment Weekly’s Chris Nashawaty writes, “As Glass progresses, you can sense Shyamalan spinning his storytelling wheels, piling on thickets of exposition and laying the groundwork for a climax that takes too long to get to. How long? Even one of the characters stops the story in its tracks to talk about the inevitable third act climax. Put into comic-book terms, Glass takes too long to get from one panel to the next.” Rotten Tomatoes give is a 35% rating.
MTRCB Rating: R-13
Holmes and Watson
A COMEDIC take on the adventures of detective Sherlock Holmes and his partner Doctor Watson as they solve a mystery. Directed by Ethan Cohen, the film stars Will Farell, John C. Reilly, Rebecca Hall, Rob Brydon, Kelly Macdonald, and Ralph Fiennes. Rolling Stone’s David Fear writes, “It’s so painfully unfunny we’re not sure it can legally be called a comedy.” Rotten Tomatoes’ “Critics Consensus” is brutal: “The lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson than does Holmes and Watson.” The review aggregate site gives it a 9% rating.
MTRCB Rating: PG
Sakaling Maging Tayo
COLLEGE freshmen Laya and Pol go on a trip to Baguio, and there they play a series of dares which draw them closer to each other. Directed by JP Habac, the film stars Elisse Joson and McCoy de Leon.
MTRCB Rating: PG
Alpha: The Right to Kill
SET against the drug crackdown of the Philippine government, a SWAT team launches an operation to arrest meth dealer Abel and his gang in a shoot-out in the slums of Manila. Corrupt police officer Espino and his informant Elijah get involved in a series of dangerous events after evidence goes missing. Directed by Brillante Mendoza, it stars Allen Dizon, Elijah Filamor, and Baron Geisler.
MTRCB Rating: R-16
