What to Watch in the Theater:
SmallFoot (PG) opens today. This animated family film is about a community of Yetis coming to grips with the discovery of a mythical creature called a SmallFoot (aka human). There are some interesting parallels to real life, with Yeti characters ranging from believers in the SmallFoot (labeled as kooks), to skeptics, to elders who literally carry the law, and unquestioning followers of every aspect of the history and laws set forth by the elders. It’s a fun movie full of exploration of beliefs, songs, and larger than life characters. There are some great lessons to be learned, but they come about very naturally and in a highly entertaining way. It’s a smart movie, which can be enjoyed by all ages.
Our rating: 4.67 out of 5
Night School (PG13) opens today. We were concerned Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish would compete for laughs, but the pairing works very well, with Kevin playing his usual over-the-top character and Tiffany playing a convincing no-nonsense teacher with wit and heart. The supporting cast brings extra fun to the ensemble, with a lot of laugh out loud silliness and great camaraderie. Our only concern is that the humor is quite a bit more adult than we’d expect for a PG13 film. It’s a good time, but not recommended for the younger kids.
Our rating: 4.17 out of 5
What to Watch at Home (Or Not):
Midnight Sun (PG13) is available on DVD. This teen drama follows Katie, played by Bella Thorne, a teen who suffers from a disease that requires her to stay out of the sun, or risk death. She leads a relatively happy life, with her overprotective dad homeschooling her, a best friend who visits often, and her music. When she finally meets the boy she’s been crushing over for years, her world is turned upside down. We’re along for the highs and lows as Charlie (Patrick Schwarzenegger) gives her the time of her life. There are some small plot holes, but they’ve fit quite a happy and sad story into a 90-minute film. Not bad at all for a teen drama where Bella Thorne doesn’t play the mean girl, and sings.
Our rating: 3.67 out of 5
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan (TVMA) is an Amazon original. Here we get to see how Jack Ryan first went from CIA analyst to working in the field. This larger than life character, that we’re more familiar with from movies, is made more relatable when played on the small screen by John Krasinski. He’s not just some guy from the office (or “The Office,” for all those doubting his casting here) – he was in the military, he’s in good shape, and he quickly learns how to operate in the field. You get a more in-depth telling of the story here, than in movies, as the action is spread out over 8 episodes. We look forward to finishing this season and seeing what happens in season 2 (in 2019).
Not rating until we’ve finished Season 1.
Plus box office results, movie news, what’s leaving Netflix, what’s out on DVD & Blu-Ray and more!