1. Chronicle (FOX, 2,907 Theaters, 83 Minutes, Rated PG-13): Here a mix of two things I bet you’d never seen together, a superhero film and a faux-documentary/found footage type of film.
The story, co-written by Max Landis, son of John, deals with four teenagers who develop superpowers. As their powers grow and they become stronger, they must decide what to do with them. Judging from the trailer I’ve seen, some decide to become total douche bags.
As far as I know, this is not adapted from any comic book. Not that similar themes haven’t been explored in that medium before. Absolute power corrupting absolutely is a well-worn theme in comics. Maybe this film will add something new.
2. The Woman In Black (CBS Films, 2,855 Theaters, 95 Minutes, Rated PG-13): Transitioning out of a immensely popular genre role is tough. It’s even harder if it’s a role you have been playing almost exclusively since you were 12. But that is what Daniel Radcliffe is going to begin this week as he stars in his first post-Harry Potter film.
And as a vehicle for the start of the rest of his cinematic life, he might have made a wise choice. He plays a lawyer named Arthur Kipps who comes to a remote town to settle an estate. While there, he finds the town terrified of a woman wearing a black dress, whose presence means a child will soon die. Kipps is forced to solve the mystery of the woman in black before his own child becomes a victim of the curse.
The supernatural theme and PG-13 rating might entice the Potter fanbase in. And the film was produced by Hammer Films, a name that any horror fans would tell you adds luster to the film. Let’s see if that’s enough to encourage audience to stop seeing Radcliffe only as Harry.
3. Big Miracle (Universal, 2,128 Theaters, 107 Minutes, Rated PG): This film is based on a true story dating way back to the year of 1988. I’m going to have a moment of silence for that year, my junior year in high school, being ancient history.
A family of whales get trapped under miles of ice in the northern most point of Alaska, with only a small opening for them to come up and breathe through. As the temperatures get colder, that opening get smaller as more of the water freezes. The story becomes a global sensation as a race against time ensues to save the whales’ lives.
Anyone alive during this time probably knows how the story ends (Here’s a hint: Bring tissues with you to the theater), but if you are a fan of these kinds of films, it might be an enjoyable, if somewhat bittersweet, experience for you and your family.
