New Releases; March 4, 2016

1. Zootopia (Disney, 3,827 Theaters, 108 Minutes, Rated PG for some thematic elements, rude humor and action, Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer at press time: 99% Fresh [98 Reviews]):
99% Fresh. Just look at it. And that’s with a healthy 98 reviews in.

I’ve spoken before about how Disney’s in house CGI animation arm has been outpacing its Pixar arm. But these kind of reviews might put it into the lead for sure. And in eases my worries that the hilarious “Sloth trailer” won’t be the funniest thing in the film.

The film details Officer Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), a the first rabbit to be a cop on the Zootopia police force, as she investigates a missing persons case. With her budding career on the line, she turns to a street hustler fox named Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) to help crack the case. However, they soon find a conspiracy that threatens the entire city.

2. London Has Fallen (Focus Features, 3,490 Theaters,99 Minutes, Rated R for strong violence and language throughout, Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer at press time: 23% Fresh [78 Reviews]): Ah, Gerard Butler. Seldom does any actor have the chance to disappoint two weekends in a row. Although, this film should do better than last week’s Gods of Egypt.

That’s because this film is a sequel to Olympus Has Fallen, the winner of 2013’s “White-House-attacked-by-terrorists” sweepstakes (Beating out White House Down). The original was a surprise hit, so the sequel ups the stakes and relocates to Europe.

This time, terrorists attack the state funeral of the British Prime Minister, hoping to kill all the world leaders in attendance and to plunge the world into chaos. Unfortunately, the American president Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart) brought his terrorist killing Secret Serviceman Mike Banning (Butler) along on the trip.

3. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (Paramount, 2,374 Theaters,112 Minutes, Rated R for pervasive language, some sexual content, drug use and violent war images, Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer at press time: 57% Fresh [74 Reviews]): I love Tina Fey. I mean, not in a “restraining order worthy crush” sort of a way. Well, that too. But I think she is one of the funniest people on the planet, an incredibly witty and intelligent writer and a great on-screen performer. And I am digging that this film is allowing her to stretch just a little bit.

Of course, she’s a producer on the film, so the only way she can stretch is to cast herself in something that will allow her to stretch. That’s Hollywood for you.

The film is based on Kim Barker’s life as a journalist in war-torn South Asia, adapted on her book The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It details the rather wild and freewheeling party lifestyle many of the ex-pats there had while the war raged on.