Ever wish you could time travel? You won’t need a flux capacitor to go back to the 1960s or the 1980s thanks to this weekend’s two big movies.
Today brings the first non-‘Sherlock Holmes’ picture from Guy Ritchie since 2008’s ‘RockNRolla’. Based on the popular television series from the mid-1960s, ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.‘ stars British Henry Cavill as an American spy and American Armie Hammer as a Russian spy. Set smack in the middle of the Cold War, the two are natural enemies – that is, until they’re forced to work together on a joint mission to bring down a former Nazi group attempting to create a nuclear warhead. To do so, they have to work with a German mechanic (played by Swedish Alicia Vikander) who’s trapped in West Berlin. Continuing his string of great (post-‘Revolver’) flicks, in traditional Guy Ritchie fashion, you can expect a smart, playful, fun and entertaining movie.
From the director of ‘The Italian Job‘ remake comes the much-buzzed musical bio-pic ‘Straight Outta Compton‘. Starring a mostly unknown cast (plus Paul Giamatti), the film tells the origin story of iconic hip hop group N.W.A. – including Ice Cube, Dr. Dre and Eazy-E. Learn about their hard times that inspired the lyrics that started a social movement in this nearly two-and-a-half hour drama. On a sad note, Universal is offering to pay for armed security for any theater chains concerned that the film will invite or inspire violent audiences. If you have that concern, check with your local theater management.
Noah Baumbach took a break from directing for several years, but is now on a creative roll after last year’s ‘While We’re Young‘. In ‘Mistress America‘, an out-of-place New York City college student unexpectedly discovers where she belongs when her wild and unpredictable stepsister (Greta Gerwig) enters her life.
Hot off the cult success of ‘What We Do in the Shadows‘, Jemaine Clement stars in the lightweight comedy ‘People Places Things‘. Recently dumped and left to raise his twin girls on his own, a single dad is forced to move on, cope and get back in the saddle.
Bolo
I’ll be seeing ‘Straight Outta Compton’ for sure. I think there’s a lot of strong personalities, interesting issues, and good stories there to be mined. It has a lot of potential to be way more than your average musician biopic if they do it right.
T.J. Kats
Also if you have those concerns about “Straight Outta Compton” you probably have race issues. Didn’t see a big buzz about getting extra security for “Trainwreck” viewings.
Timcharger
Though I can’t comprehend the mind of racists like in the Charleston shooting,
if their goal is to ignite a race war, it would seem that this film may be a target
for their hate. I hope the extra security measures are meant for that reason,
not that the fans of source material are inherently violent. NWA did sell much
more in White suburbia than in Compton.
Hope the film ends with a line about how Dre went from Compton to be one
of the largest shareholders in the largest company in the world.
T.J. Kats
The couple articles I read about it mention violence that happens at Boyz in the Hood showings so it is because of fan base unfortunately.
Im one of the white suburbians they sold to.
Timcharger
Isn’t that original fan base all pushing or exceeding 40-somethings now?
Age, maturity, more wisdom, less violence, no?
NJScorpio
I bet there are white people who want to see ‘Straight Outta Compton’ who will just end up waiting till it’s on Blu-Ray. Not for safety fears, but just that weird white uncomfortableness of potentially being a minority in a crowd.
Julian
Ice Cube is played by O’Shea Jackson Jr., his son. Has any son ever looked this much like his father? It’s a literal carbon copy. Just, wow, excellent casting.
EM
I’m more a Straight Outta Lynwood kind of guy. I do plan on checking out The Gift, which was on my agenda last weekend until I realized my schedule was too crowded.