AA_Feb17_WEB

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entertainment ║ gotta see
Gotta See
Janet Montgomery
“the space between us”
By skip sheffield
In all honesty, February is the dumping
ground of new movie releases.
However there are some good films
that were screened early for awards voting
that are just now making it to theaters.
We will take note of a few of these.
February 3
“Rings” is one of those movies that
will never be considered for any awards.
Also known as Rings 3, it is a continuation
of the franchise that has made a lot
of money since 2002. A young woman is
concerned her boyfriend is getting too
deep in the dark subculture of a video
tape that is said to kill its viewer in seven
days. Actor Javier Guitierrez makes his
directorial debut and the cast includes
Johnny Galecki, Alex Roe, Matilda Lutz,
Aimee Teegarden, Zach Roerg and Andrea
Powell.
A much better prospect is the science
fiction film “The Space Between
Us,” which was originally to be released
in December, but held until now. It is
described as a Romeo and Juliet story
about the first human born on Mars
and a streetwise girl in Colorado named
Tulsa who is his Internet pen pal. Gardiner
Elliott’s mother died in childbirth
and he never knew his father. At age
16 he decides to travel to Earth and
go in search of his father with the help
of Tulsa. But can he survive in Earth’s
atmosphere? Peter Chelsom (“Hector
and the Search for Happiness”) directs
Asa Butterfield, Britt Robertson, Janet
Montgomery, B.D. Wong, Carla Gugino
and Gary Oldman.
February 10
Many people have been anticipating
the sequel “Fifty Shades Darker.” Your
wait is over. James Dornan and Dakota
Johnson return as Christian Grey and
his submissive love Anastasia Steele.
In this sequel Ana has decided not to
be so submissive and wounded Grey is
wrestling with demons and disruptive
forces such as former business partner
and lover Elena Lincoln, played
by Kim Basinger. Sam Taylor-Johnson
bowed out as director. She is replaced
by James Foley. The screenplay is written
by Niall Leonard, husband of original
novelist E.L. James. A third sequel is
planned for 2018.
What can you say about “The LEGO
Batman Movie?” Let’s guess. It’s a Batman
movie with Lego characters instead
of real people. This spinoff of The Lego
Movie of 2014 features the voices of Will
Arnett as Batman, Michael Cera as Robin,
Zach Galifiankis as The Joker, Rosario
Dawson as Batgirl, Ralph Fiennes as Alfred
Pennyworth and Mariah Carey
as Mayor Marion Grange.
Back by popular demand is Keanu
Reeves in “John Wick: Chapter
2.” We can only guess there
will be more danger and mayhem
for the former hitman-turned
do-gooder, whom we first saw
in 2014. Bridget Moynihan
is Helen Wick and additional
cast are Ruby Rose, Ares, Ian
McShane, Common, John Leguizamo
and Laurence Fishburne
as The Bowery King.
February 17
“The Great Wall” of China
is not a documentary but
an action-thriller starring Matt
Damon as a mercenary warrior
imprisoned in the Great Wall. When
marauding beasts begin attacking, he
puts together an elite force to save the
world. This is the first English language
film for Zhang Yimou (“House of Flying
Daggers”). The screenplay is by Marshall
Herskovitz (“Jack Reacher: Never
Go Back”) and the cast includes Willem
Dafoe, Pedro Pascal, Andy Lau, Tian
Jing and Ryan Cheng.
“A Cure For Wellness” is a psychological
drama about an ambitious young
executive who is sent to fetch his company’s
CEO from a lovely but mysterious
“wellness center” in the Swiss Alps. His
sanity is tested when he is diagnosed
with the same alleged illness that keeps
guests virtual prisoners, longing for a
cure. This is director Gore Verbinski’s
first movie since “The Ring” in 2002.
Dane DeHaan, Mia Goth, Jason Isaacs,
Celia Imrie, Susanne Wuest and Carl
Lumley star.
February 24
“Get Out” is a horror-thriller about
Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and Rose (Allison
Williams), a couple who have reached
the meet-the-parents stage. Rose invites
him to a weekend getaway at the family
estate with parents Missy (Catherine
Keener) and Dean (Bradley Whitford).
What could go wrong? Well, for starters
Chris is black and Rose is white and maybe
the parents aren’t so tolerant. This
is the directorial debut of Jordan Peele,
who also wrote it.
Sure, it happens all the time. “Rock
Dog” is an animated feature about a Tibetan
Mastiff who catches a radio that
falls from the sky, inspiring him to follow
his dream of becoming a musician. Voices
are provided by Luke Wilson, Eddie Izzard,
J.K. Simmons, Lewis Black, Kenan
Thompson and Mae Whitman. Ash Brannon
(“Surf’s Up”) directs.
Oh boy, another car chase movie. At
least the “Collide” cast looks good. Nicholas
Hoult and Felicity Jones are Casey
and Juliette, a young American couple in
Germany who get in the middle of feuding
gangsters, played by Anthony Hopkins
and Ben Kingsley, resulting in the
aforementioned cat-and-mouse chase
across Germany. Writer-director is Eran
Creevy (“Welcome to the Punch”).