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Spring Breakers: Heads Up . . .
For The Latest Movies
By Sandra Olmsted
As Spring Breaks breakout all over the place like daffodils and tulips popping up through the dregs of this long winter, the warmth of a movie theater still offers a respite from the chill in the March winds. Here are some films to check out over when the chill makes you want hot popcorn and entertainment.
OPENED FRIDAY, MARCH 15:
‘Wonder Park’ (Paramount): Director David Feiss tackles the difficulties of June (voice of Brianna Denski) dealing with cancer changing and threatening her family as she knows it. When June’s mother (voice of Jennifer Garner) leaves for cancer treatment, and her dad (voice of Matthew Broderick) bumbles through his own issues, June embarks on a quest to repair the magical amusement park she discovers in the woods. Wonderland’s rides and talking animals represent the issues June faces. While the film is derivative of ‘Inside Out’ and deals with such a heavy topic, it does have excellent animation that uses the latest in texturing and sculpturing characters and settings. PG for some mild thematic elements and action; 93 min.
‘Captive State’ (Focus) Director Rupert Wyatt navigates the conflict between familiar connections and political differences in this oddly lo-fi, sci-fi, cult film. When aliens take over the earth, they ban all digital devices to control the humans; in exchange, the aliens offer employment and peace but not a classless society. While some cooperate with the aliens, others resist, which is the core of this story. Gab (Ashton Sanders) has a menial job in a poorer district of Chicago until his brother, Rafe (Jonathan Majors, a resistance leader, is killed. Gab goes off the rails and gets help from Mulligan (John Goodman), a local cop who worked with Gab and Rafe’s deceased father. As Mulligan investigates an impending underground revolution, he wants to protect Gab, yet is suspicious of him. Meanwhile, Rafe becomes an inspirational legend. While not the thrill ride the ads promise, this exploration, like all good sci-fi, contains historical and current metaphors about collaboration vs. resistance. PG-13 for sci-fi violence and action, some sexual content, brief language and drug: 109 min.
‘Five Feet Apart’ (CBS Films) Director Justin Baldoni’s teen drama follows the familiar formula of health challenges interfering with romance. Seventeen-year-old Stella Grant (Haley Lu Richardson) seems normally attached to her laptop and BFFs even though she lives in a hospital as a cystic fibrosis patient. Despite the necessary routines, boundaries, and self-control to keep living, she may risk everything for love when she meets Will Newman (Cole Sprouse), a charming fellow patient. Despite their instant connection, they must maintain a safe distance between them. Even a single touch is off limits. When Will refuses certain treatments, Stella must inspire Will to live life fully and may even be able to save him. PG -13 for thematic elements, language and suggestive material; 115 mins.
‘Climax’ (A24) Director Gaspar Noé takes the audience on a hypnotic, hallucinatory, and ultimately hair-raising depiction of a party that descends into delirium one wintry night. A troupe of young dancers, who gather in a remote, empty school building, rehearse then party until their celebration turns into a nightmare because the sangria is laced with LSD. The party descends into chaotic anarchy, as crushes, rivalries, violence, and a collective psychedelic meltdown. Stars Sofia Boutella and a cast of professional dancers. The booming soundtrack and dizzying cinematography emphasize Noé’s provocative vision. Foreign language, subtitled. R for disturbing content involving a combination of drug use, violent behavior and strong sexuality, and for language and some graphic nudity; 96 min.
OPENING FRIDAY, MARCH 22, LOOK FOR:
‘Us’ (Universal), Director Jordan Peele’s second foray into the horror genre after the phenomenal ‘Get Out.’ This time a family is terrorized by their doppelgängers.
‘Gloria Bell’ (A24) Julianne Moore in the title role plays a free-spirited woman in her 50s seeking love at L.A. dance clubs.
‘The Highwaymen’ (Netflix) Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson star in the untold story of retired detectives who brought down Bonnie and Clyde with their gut instincts and old school skills.
