In this week’s new releases, DC Comics greatest heroes take on a disfigured boy, the animals in you nativity set, and critics everywhere.
1. Justice League (Warner Brothers, 4,051 Theaters, 120 Minutes, Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer at press time: 39% Fresh [228 Reviews]: Oh, DC Extended Universe, what are we going to do with you.
After a bright and shining entry in the franchise with Wonder Woman, one would have had hoped that this film would not be the trainwreck that its appeared to be on paper. However, that Tomatometer score and the criticism in some of the reviews I read makes it seem that I should have listened to my fears and not my hopes.
But I have seen this story before. Now fans will snipe at the critics and their reviews. People will probably be scared away and the film will not make the $1 billion Warners wants it to make and eventually, I’ll be accused of being on Marvel’s payroll.
Hold off on your accusations towards me until I get a chance to see it and post my review here, probably before the weekend is over. But if you want to know what FBOL head honcho Rich Drees thought of it, you can read his review here. Spoiler: it appears that his check from Marvel was a bit short because he liked it—sorta,
2. Wonder (Lionsgate, 3,096 Theaters, 113 Minutes, Rated PG for thematic elements including bullying, and some mild language, Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer at press time: 83% Fresh [70 Reviews]: This film’s trailer caught my eye when I saw it months ago. I’m not a fan of treacly, heart-tugging dramas, but the film had a great cast, including an on point Julia Roberts. The clip spoke to me and the film became one I looked forward to.
The film is based the omnipresent-in-bookstores novel by R. J. Palacio. It details a disfigured child who leaves homeschooling to enter a local prep school for the first time. His looks bring him attention, both good and bad, and he faces an uphill climb to be accepted for who he is on the inside and not on the outside.
The film has received fairly good reviews and is the best bet for the week.
3. The Star (Sony/Columbia, 2,837 Theaters, 86 Minutes, Rated PG for some thematic elements, Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer at press time: 62% Fresh [26 Reviews]: Hey everybody! Are you ready for an animated retelling of the nativity, but this time from the perspective of the animals? No? Well, too bad, because you are getting one regardless.
This comes to us from Sony’s Affirm subsidiary, the shingle that creates films aimed at the conservative Christian market. I have no idea how this film will go over with its target audience. On one hand, it might be a way to introduce kids to the story of Jesus, but on the other hand it turns that story into a bit of a farce. Christians don’t like that too much.
The voice cast is eclectic to say the least (You have Oprah, Tyler Perry and Tracy Morgan voicing camels and The Walking Dead‘s Steven Yeun voicing the lead donkey) and if you have always wanted to hear a character in the story of the birth of Jesus say that they are looking for somebody to poop on, well, you’re in luck.
Next week, Pixar returns to take us to the land of the dead. See you then.
