FILM

Now in Theaters: 5 New Movies for the Weekend of June 14

Who asked for a Men in Black reboot? Why would anybody want that?

Welcome back to "Now in Theaters: 5 New Movies for the Weekend."

This week, someone rebooted Men in Black for some reason.

WIDE RELEASE:

Men in Black: International

The first Men in Black was just okay. It benefits from nostalgia goggles, but so do the Burger King tie-in toys it spawned, and nobody's going to argue that those were high-quality. There wasn't really any fan demand for a reboot of this franchise (are there even Men in Black fans?), and there probably wasn't any reason behind the decision besides "reboot everything." The point is, Men in Black: International doesn't seem like a story anyone genuinely wanted to tell, and the trailer reflects that. It looks painfully generic.

Shaft

SHAFT – Official Trailer [HD]www.youtube.com

Like everything else in 2019, the new Shaft arrives with a wink and a nod. Five films deep, the Shaft franchise has shifted from blaxploitation crime action to action comedy. The premise is really cool, centering around a new Shaft (Jessie Usher) teaming him up with the original two (Samuel L. Jackson and Richard Roundtree). The trailer seems fun, so hopefully the Shaft franchise can adapt to this new tone while still maintaining the serious themes that made it so culturally prescient in the first place.

LIMITED RELEASE:

Plus One

PLUS ONE Official Trailerwww.youtube.com

Plus One is a rom-com about two friends who make a pact to be each other's plus ones at the many, many weddings they need to attend. It stars the incredibly talented Maya Erskine (PEN15) and was written and directed by Jeff Chan and Andrew Rhymer, both writers for PEN15. The plot may sound a bit contrived, but that's part of the fun of rom-coms. The trailer looks funny and, again, Maya Erskine is fantastic. As such, Plus One is my PICK OF THE WEEK.

The Dead Don't Die

THE DEAD DON'T DIE - Official Trailer [HD] - In Theaters June 14www.youtube.com

The Dead Don't Die is a horror movie with a cast. We know this because "CHECK OUT THIS CAST" has been their primary marketing point. I tend to distrust movies that market like this. If a movie needs to rely on the size and renown of its cast, it usually doesn't have a narrative that holds up on its own. Granted, the cast here really is great. Bill Murray, Adam Driver, and Tilda Swinton are phenomenal. But chances are that the movie itself is just okay, at best.

Hampstead

HAMPSTEAD Official Trailer (2019) Diane Keaton Romantic Movie HDwww.youtube.com

Brendan Gleeson absolutely kills every role he's ever been given. I love, love, love him. Old people movies though? Eh. Queen of old people movies, Diane Keaton (Book Club, Poms, etc.) plays a widow who falls in love with a kooky squatter and, as a result, discovers the spice of life or something. Brendan Gleeson is, of course, the squatter who just wants to be left alone in a shack that the government is trying to take away. But he's about to find out that sometimes, the only thing better than a shack is shacking up with an old person. Nice.

FILM

Now in Theaters: 5 New Movies for the Weekend of May 10th

The first live-action Pokémon movie finally hits theaters with Detective Pikachu.

POKÉMON Detective Pikachu - Official Trailer 2 - Warner Bros

via youtube.com

Welcome back to "Now in Theaters: 5 New Movies for the Weekend."

This weekend we want to be the very best, like no one ever was. Because Pokémon.

WIDE RELEASE:

Pokémon Detective Pikachu

POKÉMON Detective Pikachu - Official Trailer 2www.youtube.com

Pokémon: The First Movie came out in 1999, right at the height of Pokémon fever. For 90s kids, it was the event of the decade. Everyone and their mother (literally, we were too young to go to the movies unattended) went on opening day, not just to see Mewtwo duke it out with Mew, but to get the promo card included with every ticket. Two decades later and there still hasn't been a single good live-action video game movie. Enter Pokémon Detective Pikachu to break the trend. Featuring a fuzzy, realistic Pikachu voiced by Ryan Reynolds and a brand new promo card with every ticket, I expect to see every fellow trainer at the movies this weekend.

Oh, and here's the full movie in its entirety, leaked by Ryan Reynolds himself:

POKÉMON Detective Pikachu: Full Picturewww.youtube.com

The Hustle

THE HUSTLE | Official Trailer | MGMwww.youtube.com


In The Hustle, Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson star as a pair of scam artists. Anne Hathaway, coming off her similarly scammy role in Ocean's 8, plays a master trickster, expertly ripping wealthy men off for everything they're worth. Rebel Wilson, on the other hand, is a low-level criminal who steps into the role of protege. I love a good female-oriented comedy, and the two leads here are both fully capable of carrying a movie on their own. The Hustle probably won't be groundbreaking, but it looks fun.

Poms

Poms | Official Trailer [HD] | In Theaters Fridaywww.youtube.com


Every year, without fail, we get like three old people movies. Old people movies are always about Dame Judy Dench or Diane Keaton doing old people stuff but with a spicy twist––things like going to an old people resort and smooching (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) or having a book club where they read erotica (Book Club). This presumably makes viewers, all of whom are also old people, feel like there's still more to their lives than watching FOX News and soiling their pants. Anyways, if you're an old person who wants to vicariously pretend you could still be a cheerleader, Poms is for you.

Tolkien

TOLKIEN | Official Trailer | FOX Searchlightwww.youtube.com

J.R.R. Tolkien is easily one of the most defining figures of Western literature. His imaginative tales about a men's walking club have captivated readers for generations and established much of the groundwork for the entire fantasy genre. The biopic, however, appears unimpressive. On top of sporting a pretty boring trailer, Tolkien's estate has publicly stated they had no connection with and do not endorse the movie. Early reviews suggest Nicholas Hoult does a fine job as the famous author, but otherwise, the narrative seems to fall short.

LIMITED RELEASE:

Wine Country

Wine Country | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflixwww.youtube.com


Directed by Amy Poehler and starring a slew of SNL alums including Maya Rudolph and Tina Fey, Wine Country is a comedy about female friendship and alcohol. It looks like the kind of movie that might really speak to middle-aged people wrestling with doubts about their lives and relationships, but I'm not the target audience for that so what do I know? Luckily, this one will be debuting on Netflix, so if you don't feel like going out this weekend, you can watch it at home.


Dan Kahan is a writer & screenwriter from Brooklyn, usually rocking a man bun. Find more at dankahanwriter.com


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MAY 17TH-19TH | What's coming to theaters this weekend?

Variety,com

A bad super hero, a bad book club, but a good love story? Might be all you need this weekend at the movies.

In Popdust's column, Box Office Breakdown, we aim to inform you of the top flicks to check out every weekend depending on what you're in the mood to enjoy. Looking to laugh? What about having your pants scared off? Maybe you just need a little love? Whatever the case may be, we have you covered. Take a peek at our top picks for this week…

Deadpool 2

It's back and just as wild as the first time around, though you'd never get that from the description online. The world's worst super hero is back and this time in order to take on the troubles of the world, he needs a little help from his friends. He works to assemble a team that will be able to help him fight off trouble in the city (and of course still look young and hot in due time as the franchise continues). Get ready for as much action as there are laughs in this sequel.

Purchase Tickets for Deadpool 2

NR | Running Time 2hr | Marvel Entertainment | Director: David Leitch

Starring:Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Zazie Beetz, and more!

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