In theaters this week
Published 10:36 am Friday, October 20, 2017
Can’t decide what to see this weekend?
Bowling Green Daily News film critic Micheal Compton is here to tell you the best – and worst – now playing at your local cineplex.
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American Assassin (C)
A by the numbers action film that should appease fans of the genre, although if you’ve ever seen an action flick than you will see every twist and turn coming way in advance. (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12)
American Made (B)
After a couple of setbacks with “The Mummy” and “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back,” Tom Cruise is back to doing what he does best in this drama based on the true story of an American pilot named Barry Seal who became a drug runner for the CIA.
“American Made” finds Cruise in his comfort zone – playing the kind of cocky character that is the foundation of the 55-year-old actor’s career. (Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10, Highland Cinemas, Franklin Drive-In)
Annabelle: Creation (C)
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The world of “The Conjuring” continues to expand with the second spin-off centering on a creepy possessed doll that wreaks havoc wherever she goes.
“Creation” does manage to be an improvement over the first “Annabelle” film, but it is still a step behind the two “Conjuring” pictures – a horror film that doesn’t know when to quit, leaving the audience completely exhausted by the time the final credits roll. (Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10)
Battle of the Sexes (B-)
Using sports – the 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) and Bobby Riggs (Steve Carrell) – as a backdrop, but it has plenty more to say at its core.
It’s a film about the rise of feminism that shows how that fight continues today, even echoing some themes from the recent presidential election. While the film has its flaws, it is still an intriguing piece of cinema from Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, the directing team behind “Little Miss Sunshine.” (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12)
Blade Runner 2049 (B)
The sequel to the 1982 si-fi cult classic is a visual marvel that falls short of greatness with a lengthy running time that takes too much time to unwind a plot that is pretty easy to see coming ahead of time. (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12)
Boo 2: A Madea Halloween (D)
Tyler Perry is back in a film that just goes in circles, retreading the same material from the previous Madea Halloween movie. (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Highland Cinemas, Franklin Drive-In)
The Foreigner (C-)
Two films fighting as once with Jackie Chan stuck in some aRambo type operative seeking revenge for the death of his daughter film and Pierce Brosnan stuck in a political thriller about corruption. Neither story works well. (Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10, Highland Cinemas)
Geostorm (not reviewed at this time)
(Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10, Highland Cinemas)
Girls Trip (B-)
Anchored by four very charming lead performances from Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith and Tiffany Haddish, this predictable – yet very funny – comedy finds a way to charm thanks to plenty of raunch and filth, but also a little heart. (Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10)
Happy Death Day (B-)
The material isn’t very original, borrowing the “Groundhog Day” formula and inserting it into what is essentially a slasher film, but it still manages to provide an original spin in a surprisingly fun manner.
Anchored by a fun performance from Jessica Rothe, with some sleek direction from Christopher Landon (the son of late actor Michael Landon), this proves to be way better than expected. It’s a self-aware bit of fluff that is more fun than it probably should be. (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Highland Cinemas)
Home Again (C-)
A generic romantic comedy with Reese Witherspoon full on contrived plot devices and completely unrealistic characters and situations. (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12)
It (B+)
The latest adaptation of the Stephen King novel draws strength from its strong young cast – especially Sophia Willis, with a star-making type of a performance that reminded me of Natalie Portman in “The Professional” and Kirsten Dunst in “Interview With the Vampire.” (Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10, Highland Cinemas)
Kingsman: The Golden Circle (C)
The sequel to the very fun 2014 action adventure lacks much of the imagination and charm of the original, an overstuffed follow-up that for the most part wastes a very good cast. (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10)
The Lego Ninjago Movie (B)
The LEGO cinematic world continues to expand with this solid follow-up to “The LEGO Movie” and “LEGO Batman.”
It doesn’t quite have the sharp pacing and across-the-board humor as the previous two films, but it is still lots of fun with enough moments to appease the entire family. (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12)
Mother! (D)
The latest from writer/director Darren Aronofsky (featuring Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, and Michelle Pfeiffer) is a pretentious pile of trash that will leave audiences saying “Oh Brother!” (Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10)
The Mountain Between Us (C)
A struggle for survival after a plane crash quickly evolves into Lifetime Movie Network territory, wasting the talents of Kate Winslet and Idris Elba. (Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10, Highland Cinemas)
My Little Pony: The Movie (C-)
Little kids will be satisfied, but parents that are forced to attend likely won’t find much to appreciate in this animated film based on the popular toy line. (Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10, Highland Cinemas)
Only the Brave (not reviewed at this time)
(Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12)
The Snowman (not reviewed at this time)
(Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12)
Spider-Man: Homecoming (A-)
The latest reboot of the neighborhood web slinger is one of the best “Spider-Man” films to date – a delightful mix of the Marvel Universe and the world of John Hughes that has plenty of laughs and human elements mixed into the action. (Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10)
Stray (not reviewed at this time)
(Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12)