The Dark Knight Rises is primed to dominate the box office for a third consecutive weekend, as Diary of Wimpy Kid: Dog Days and Total Recall have disappointed critics and could likely disappoint audiences. Meanwhile, specialty markets receive Celeste and Jesse Forever, 360, and our pick of the week …
PICK OF THE WEEK
Mosquita y Mari
Directed by Aurora Guerrero
Written by Aurora Guerrero
Starring: Fenessa Pineda, Venecia Troncoso, Joaquín Garrido
Theater Count: N/A
What’s It About? Chicana high-school students Mari and Yolanda forge an incredible bond with one another in this lesbian drama.
Early Reaction: Though it’s not a marquee limited release like Moonrise Kingdom earlier this year or even this week’s Celeste and Jesse Forever, the film has earned its fair share of acclaim at various film festivals.
Metacritic: N/A
Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
Why It’s Our Pick: Acclaimed on the indie circuit, Mosquita y Mari played at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and recently played at the LGBT film festival Outfest, where it won Outstanding First U.S. Dramatic Feature Film. Fenessa Pineda won the fest’s Outstanding Actress in a U.S. Dramatic Feature Film prize for playing Yolanda. Mosquita y Mari was also nominated for an Independent Spirit Award last year.
WIDE RELEASES
Total Recall
Directed by Len Wiseman
Written by Mark Bomback, Kurt Wimmer (screenplay), Dan O’Bannon, Jon Povill, Ronal Shusett, Kurt Wimmer (screen story), Philip K. Dick (short story)
Starring: Colin Farrell, Jessica Biel, Kate Beckinsale
Theater Count: 3,601
What’s It About? Douglas Quaid (Farrell) believes he’s a spy after taking a trip to virtual-vacation destination Rekall. If this plot sounds familiar, that’s because this film is a remake of the Arnold Schwarzenegger-led film of the same name.
Early Reaction: Even with a strong lead in Farrell and formidable supporting cast, the critics aren’t too hot on this sci-fi thriller.
Metacritic: 43/100
Rotten Tomatoes: 31%
What to Watch For: Cutting-edge visuals. The critical consensus thus far is that this remake is a bomb, but it’s a major Hollywood production that takes place in the future, so we can expect to see some dazzling and simultaneously interesting sets, costumes, and special effects.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
Directed by David Bowers
Written by Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky, Gabe Sachs (screenplay), Jeff Kinney (book)
Starring: Zachary Gordon, Robert Capron, Devon Bostick, Steve Zahn
Theater Count: 3,392
What’s It About? It’s the third film in the surprisingly successful “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” franchise, but it’ll be the first in which protagonist Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon) will enjoy summer vacation – or, if you know anything about these mishap-driven comedies films, try to enjoy summer vacation.
Metacritic: 55/100
Rotten Tomatoes: 45%
Early Reaction: Perhaps it’s time to throw in the towel, as the third time for this franchise definitely isn’t the charm. It’s easily the coolest reception to a “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” film thus far, and that’s being nice.
What to Watch For: If the franchise still works. Ordinary movies about teens or pre-teens are a dime a dozen, but it’s not often that films about students stuck between high school and elementary school are made. Perhaps that was part of the charm in the first film, simply titled Diary of a Wimpy Kid. However, as the main characters of the series inched closer to high school, the sequel Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules more closely resembled the typical and redundant high-school movie and didn’t stay true to the relatable, funny-because-it-happened-to-you-once sense of humor of its predecessor. Hopefully “Dog Days” is a step (back) in the right direction.
LIMITED/INDEPENDENT RELEASES
Celeste and Jesse Forever – Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg play a couple that’s going through the process of divorce yet trying to remain friends at the same time. The dramedy premiered at Sundance earlier this year. (Metacritic: 56/100, Rotten Tomatoes: 76%) – Sony Pictures Classics
360 – Directed by Fernando Meirelles (City of God) and written by Peter Morgan (The Queen), this ensemble drama weaves multiple stories in cities all over the world into one. Starring Sir Anthony Hopkins, Jude Law, and Rachel Weisz, it premiered at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival. (Metacritic: 46/100, Rotten Tomatoes: 29%) – Magnolia Pictures
Soldiers of Fortune – Sean Bean, Christian Slater, and Ving Rhames star in his action-thriller about a service that lets wealthy men be inserted into wartime situations. (Metacritic: N/A, Rotten Tomatoes: N/A) – Roadside Attractions
You’ve Been Trumped – Business tycoon Donald Trump is the main focus of this award-winning documentary that’s played at several film festivals. (Metacritic: 54/100, Rotten Tomatoes: 79%) – International Film Circuit
The Babymakers – Paul Schneider gets his friends to steal his sperm bank deposit from years ago in this comedy, which comes from Beerfest and Super Troopers director Jay Chandrasekhar. (Metacritic: 32/100, Rotten Tomatoes: 4%) – Millennium Entertainment
Dreams of a Life – Zawe Ashton steps into the role of Joyce Vincent, whose death went unnoticed for three years, in this documentary. It played at last year’s London Film Festival. (Metacritic: 62/100, Rotten Tomatoes: 74%) – Strand Releasing
Sushi: The Global Catch – This documentary about the global phenomenon of sushi won the Documentary Special Jury Award at the Seattle International Film Festival last year. (Metacritic: 55/100, Rotten Tomatoes: 71%) – Alive Mind Cinema
Craigslist Joe – Zach Galifianakis serves as an executive producer for this documentary about staying alive by relying on resources from popular website Craigslist – CLJ Films
Free Radicals: A History of Experimental Film – Pip Chodorov makes his feature-length debut with this documentary, which features Robert Breer and Peter Kubelka and played at the London Film Festival last year – Kino Lorber
Girlfriend Boyfriend – This foreign-language comedy focuses on three Taiwanese students making their way in life in the midst of the country’s sociopolitical reformation in the 1980s. (Metacritic: N/A, Rotten Tomatoes: 86%) – China Lion
