Emily Baldoni in James Ward Byrkit's sci-fi drama Coherence
School’s out, grads are still partying and Dad can’t wait to not use his Father’s Day gifts. Say hello to summer, and let’s go to the movies.
June 20th’s releases are giving audiences a break from the summer blockbusters and presenting us with a chance to visit our local limited-release theaters.
My top pick of movies to see this week goes to the independent sci-fi drama, Coherence. Writer and director James Ward Byrkit (Rango) unveils a cerebral experience when eight friends at a dinner party undergo a perplexing chain of events caused by an astrological anomaly. This low-budget film mixes sci-fi with a sense of reality, so expectations shouldn’t be set for top-of-the-line CGI or space battles. Instead, you should go into this film ready to be tested, mind boggled and taken through a plot-twisting mystery that will leave you on the edge of your seat. The assemblage of unfamiliar cast members intrigues me even further because there is nothing more enjoyable than getting into a film and feeling that sense of realism brought by fresh actors/actresses.
Feel like watching a biopic and dancing in your seat this Friday night? Catch Clint Eastwood’s big screen adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical, “Jersey Boys.” The compelling story based on the hit Broadway play takes us through the journey of how the Four Seasons became the iconic ’60s rock group by overcoming a slew of challenges and winning the hearts of the public for decades to come. I expect nothing but a captivating tale from Eastwood’s first directorial musical and performances from Vincent Piazza (“Boardwalk Empire”) and the phenomenal Christopher Walken (Hairspray).
Musicals aren’t your thing? Give romantic comedy Think Like a Man Too a shot. Inspired by Steve Harvey’s best-selling book, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, this sequel takes the group of couples introduced in the first movie from two years ago on a weekend-long debacle in Las Vegas. In Hangover fashion, the fellas find themselves getting into a couple of high-strung predicaments, such as landing themselves in jail. After feeling indifferent watching the first movie, I would hope that Kevin Hart isn’t the only thing keeping this new narrative on its feet as he did in the previous. With a lively cast featuring Michael Ealy (Barbershop), Regina Hall (the Scary Movie franchise) and Romany Malco (The 40-Year-Old Virgin), I would hope that history doesn’t repeat itself, and we get to see more potential out of this talented ensemble.
Moving away from the wide-release selections, a film flying under the Hollywood radar is making its way to select theaters this week. From Paul Haggis, the writer/director of Crash (2004), comes another interrelated story of three couples that tackles the mystery of love, hope and betrayal in the drama, Third Person. Featuring an onslaught of talent such as Liam Neeson, Mila Kunis, James Franco, Olivia Wilde and Adrien Brody, Third Person takes audience members through an engaging romance plot interweaved through Rome, Paris and New York.
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