Judd Apatow, Emma Thompson, Matthew McConaughey, Stanley Tucci, Julianne Moore, Rosanna Arquette, and Blake Lively all shine this weekend in films that will pull at your heartstrings and fill your mind with new information. There are a few documentaries to enjoy, from ‘The Dawn Wall’ which deals with legendary free climber Tommy Caldwell, or famed fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez, to the clarion call of ‘American Chaos,’ your set to learn a great deal from these films. Matthew McConaughey returns to the silver screen in ‘White Boy Rick’ to the real-life story of a teenager drug dealer turned FBI informant that will capture your imagination.
Out pick of the week is the film ‘The Children Act’ a script that reveals the religious objections of a young man refusing a blood transfusion on moral grounds starring Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci, Fionn Whitehead, Ben Chaplin. This film is a wonderful story that needs to be told.
Enjoy the movies this weekend, we always do!
MDMA (2017)
(NR) 98 min – Crime
Director: Angie Wang
Stars: Francesca Eastwood, Elisa Donovan, Pierson Fode, Ron Yuan
Only in real life could a script this powerful be written in true events, as in the mid-80s, the most powerful drug dealer in the west was not a crime figure in his 40s, but a 19-year old coed. Watch the drama unfold in this delicious film. [ watch trailer
The Dawn Wall (2017)
(NR) 100 min – Documentary
Directors: Josh Lowell | Peter Mortimer
Stars: Tommy Caldwell, Kevin Jorgeson
Tommy Caldwell is an American free climber with no equal, hoping to scale of the world’s most dangerous mountainside – the 3000 feet of the Dawn Wall of El Capitan. You don’t have to be an adrenaline junkie to appreciate the strength and insanity of this climber, you are only asked to climb the wall with him. This is a powerful film about the human limit and courage. [ watch trailer
Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex Fashion & Disco (2017)
(NR) 95 min – Documentary
Director: James Crump
Stars: Joan Juliet Buck, Paul Caranicas, Michael Chow, Tina Chow
Antonio Lopez became an iconic disco fashion designer in the height of a music revolution, moving from Paris to New York to be at Studio 54 and in the middle of a fashion upheaval. You will love the color and style of this film. [ watch trailer
The Predator (2018)
(R) 101 min – Action
Director: Shane Black
Stars: Yvonne Strahovski, Olivia Munn, Jacob Tremblay, Boyd Holbrook
Following the Predator franchise formula to a T, a young man accidentally triggers Predators to return to Earth. Yes, only a handful of Predator hunters can save the earth, and they are ready for whatever happens next. There are a few twists to the storyline that make this film a must see for any Predator fan. [ watch trailer
American Chaos (2018)
(R)90 min – Documentary
Director: James D. Stern
How do you explain the rise of nationalism, the election of a non-politician, and the chaos that it generates? If you’re a political junkie or casual political observer, you will love the questions this documentary asks in presenting a genuine cause and effect with our current President. [ watch trailer
Hal (2018)
(NR) 90 min – Documentary
Director: Amy Scott
Stars: Allison Anders, Judd Apatow, Rosanna Arquette, Hal Ashby
The films ‘Harold and Maude,’ ‘Shampoo’ and ‘Being There’ were wonderful Oscar-winning movies, giving film director and producer Hal Ashby fame and fortune. What was he like? This documentary hopes to pull the covers back on one of Hollywood’s most interesting figures in all of cinema. Someday he could have been one of the greatest in his time, but his commitment to his films and uncompromising values may have cost him his ultimate prize. [ watch trailer
The Children Act (2017)
(R) 105 min – Drama
Director: Richard Eyre
Stars: Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci, Fionn Whitehead, Ben Chaplin
A judge fighting her own demons personally must decide in a case that involves a teenage boy who is refusing sound medical treatments on the grounds of religious principle. [ watch trailer
Lizzie (2018)
(R)105 min – Biography
Director: Craig William Macneill
Stars: Kristen Stewart, Chloë Sevigny, Kim Dickens, Fiona Shaw
What really happened in the 1892 murders of the Borden family? This film takes us back to a time when nothing made sense for Lizzie and revisits the horrors of her deeds. This is one scary film. [ watch trailer
Unbroken: Path to Redemption (2018)
(NR) Biography | Drama
Director: Harold Cronk
Stars: Samuel Hunt, Merritt Patterson, Will Graham, Gary Cole
Adopted from the Laura Hillenbrand bestseller ‘UNBROKEN: PATH TO REDEMPTION’ this film continues the wonderful story of Olympian and World War II hero Louis Zamperini’s ability to forgive his captures. Although you may be familiar with the real man and his story, this movie goes deeper than any project to date. [ watch trailer
White Boy Rick (2018)
(NR) Crime | Drama
Director: Yann Demange
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Rory Cochrane, Eddie Marsan
Richard Wershe Jr. became an undercover informant for the FBI during the darkest days of drug proliferation in America. You’ll have to watch the film to understand how this man finds himself too far gone to save, as he’s ultimately sentenced to life in prison in spite of his cooperation. [ watch trailer
A Simple Favor (2018)
(R) 117 min – Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller
Director: Paul Feig
Stars: Henry Golding, Blake Lively, Linda Cardellini, Anna Kendrick
Anna Kendrick plays Stephanie, a mommy blogger who hopes to use social media and her wit to discover how and why her best friend, played by Blake Lively, disappears from their little town. [ watch trailer
Bel Canto (2018)
(NR) 102 min – Drama | Thriller
Director: Paul Weitz
Stars: Julianne Moore, Christopher Lambert, Ken Watanabe, Sebastian Koch
A world-famous opera singer find herself a hostage after she agrees to perform for a wealthy businessman in South America. Julianne Moore is wonderful in this film. [ watch trailer
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