Weekend Movie Watch

In a sort of calm before the storm, this weekend's releases are relatively low-key, with the exception perhaps being Ice Age: Continental Drift. It seems few want to compete with the blockbuster behemoth that is Batman, so we'll be seeing a good amount of small releases. Before the frenzy over The Dark Knight Rises hits, let's take a look at what's playing this weekend. 

Ice Age: Continental Drift

In a last-ditch effort to milk one prehistoric franchise, Ice Age: Continental Drift was born. The general consensus among viewers who have seen the film is that the series has long overstayed its welcome. What is this, the fourth movie? The film follows Manny, Diego, and Sid as they embark on another adventure on top of a drifting iceberg. At sea, they encounter ocean monsters and pirates. Along with Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, and Denis Leary, we've got the most random selection of voice actors ever. There's Nicki Minaj, Josh Peck, Heather Morris, Patrick Stewart, Alan Tudyk (hooray Firefly!) and way too many more to list. Check out the trailer here:

The trailer looks funny enough for young kids but there are really plenty of better ways to spend the $15 bucks movie tickets cost these days (at least in my area). With that said, props to whoever picks trailer music for the very fitting cover of REM's “It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine).”

Easy Money

Up-and-coming Swedish director Daniel Espinosa, who directed the very recent Safe House is finally having his film Snabba Cash released in the states. Now titled Easy Money, the film tells the story of JW (Joel Kinnaman), a poor man who turns to dealing drugs to help maintain his expensive double life. Based on those in Sweden who have already seen the film, Easy Money is a sleek, compelling thriller and Joel Kinnaman plays his role with all the right nuances. Take a look at the trailer:

Again with the fantastic music! In case anyone's wondering, the track used in this trailer is called “Smooth Operetta.” Easy Money is based on the book Snabba Cash by Jens Lapidus, and could very easily follow in the footsteps of Stieg Larsson's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo in terms of Swedish books turned popular American films.

Red Lights

Red Lights is one of those films that looks fantastic from the surface. It's directed by Rodrigo Cortes, the mastermind behind the brilliant 2010 film Buried, which trapped Ryan Reynolds in a coffin for a whole movie. The amazingly talented cast features Robert De Niro, Sigourney Weaver, Cillian Murphy, and one of the Olsen sisters (not a twin) Elizabeth Olsen. The plot is also intriguing enough: a paranormal investigator and her assistant investigate a reputable psychic. Yet somewhere along the lines, the film went wrong. At least, that's what critics over at Rotten Tomatoes are saying. Currently at a rotten 33%, Red Lights is being bashed for its incoherent storyline and lack of focus. Bummer. See for yourself:

Some parts of this do look like a generic thriller and De Niro seems underutilized, with special effects overshadowing his acting. Even if you are a diehard Cillian Murphy fan, maybe you should wait until this comes out on DVD.

The Imposter

The Imposter is the film I'm most looking forward to this weekend because its retelling of a true crime looks intensely gripping. The documentary relays to us the 1997 case of Frederic Bourdin, a serial impostor who impersonated a missing boy from Texas. In spite of having different physical features than the boy, Bourdin fooled both authorities and even family members into thinking that the boy had finally returned home. Through re-enacted events, we see the course of both the family and Bourdin's journey, along with a private investigator's quest to uncover the facade. Take a look at the haunting trailer here:

Shudders. So unsettling. If I were that family, I'm not sure if I'd be angry, sad, or just plain freaked out. Probably a huge mix of all three.

What films are you looking forward to this weekend?

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