New releases hold something for every one this week, especially if you love gory sci-fi, long car trips, dying teenagers, and films released by 20th Century Fox.
1. Alien: Covenant (Fox, 3,760 Theaters, 122 Minutes, Rated R for sci-fi violence, bloody images, language and some sexuality/nudity, Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer at press time: 74% Fresh: [196 Reviews]): With every studio looking through their film archives looking for a franchise to revitalize, everyone should look towards Fox and the way they brought back the Alien series.
Starting with the stealth prequel Prometheus and leading to this one, a sequel to that film and another prequel as well, Fox had given the franchise a solid shot in the arm and it looks like this one will keep the reboot going strong.
This time, a colonist ship is drawn to the planet where the last movie takes place. They think it is a paradise worthy of colonization. The nefarious aliens have a different idea.
Be on the look out for FBOL Head Honcho Rich Drees review of the film when it shows up at some point this weekend.
2. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul (Fox, 3,157 Theaters, 91 Minutes, Rated PG for some rude humor, Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer at press time: 25% Fresh [28 Reviews]): Well, this is a franchise that will never die. The last film was supposed to be the last film of the series, because the cast was growing out of their roles. But the books the films are based on have 12 installments and each film was a hit so you didn’t really expect something like easily replaceable actors getting old stop them from making another film.
Yes, this film replaces the cast with all new actors, including Alicia Silverstone as the mom. Yes, the teenage Lolita of the Aerosmith videos and The Crush is playing a mom. Let that start your weekend off on a depressing note.
This time the film show the family’s misadventure over a road trip vacation.
3. Everything, Everything (Warner Brothers, 2,801 Theaters, 96 Minutes, Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and brief sensuality, Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer at press time: 46% Fresh [26 Reviews]): What is the deal with Young Adult novels and death? Either the teens in them are trying to kill each other (The Hunger Games). unable to die from old age (Twilight), or already dead (Before I Fall). Are teens really this death obsessed?
Death shows its bony face here as it is what a teen girl who is allergic to everything must face if she dares leave her hermetically house. However, when a cute boy moves in next door, she comes to realize that a life of seclusion isn’t really much of a life at all.
Next week, the new releases will show if dead men telling know tales can breathe life into the world’s most favorite pirate franchise.
