Happy Thanksgiving, friends! And happy Big Movie Season too! "Life of Pi" kicked things off this past Wednesday, and is joined by the first of the holiday flicks and the year's second film about the Master of Suspense. So if you're not too worn out from Black Friday shopping, or still sleeping off the tryptophan, get your Turkey Day fix at the multiplex this weekend. But before you go, tell us what's getting your attention in the comments below!
"Life of Pi" opened Wednesday. Directed by Ang Lee. Starring Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Rafe Spall, and Adil Hussain. Our review: "Making the familiar feel universal, Lee digs deep with every facet of filmmaking – sound, vision and poignant texture — to create an engrossing cinematic experience that is ultimately emotionally involving and rich." Metacritic: 78 Rotten Tomatoes: 87% The Playlist: A-
"Red Dawn" opened Wednesday. Directed by Dan Bradley. Starring Chris Hemsworth, Josh Peck, Josh Hutcherson, Isabel Lucas, Adrianne Palicki, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Our review from Fantastic Fest: "'Red Dawn' is a victory of small battles and heavy artillery, sentimental but rarely too hackneyed, energetic without becoming too silly." Our alternate review: "You keep wondering when the real leading character will emerge, and when the real movie will actually begin. Keep waiting." MC: 33 RT: 12% PL: B- (Fantastic Fest) and F
"Rise of the Guardians" opened Wednesday. Directed by Peter Ramsey. Starring Alec Baldwin, Hugh Jackman, Isla Fisher, Chris Pine, and Jude Law. Our review: "The design work in 'Rise of the Guardians' is jaw-dropping," but "sometimes the gears of the storytelling machine squeak too loudly." MC: 57 RT: 77% PL: B
"The Central Park Five." Directed by David McMahon, Ken Burns, and Sarah Burns. The documentary unites extensive archival footage and detail-heavy interviews to create an effective and engaging retelling of the 1989 Central Park Jogger case. MC: 74 RT: 89%
"Hitchcock." Directed by Sacha Gervasi. Starring Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Toni Collette, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jessica Biel, and Scarlett Johansson. Our review: "While Gervasi’s comedy-drama presses charmingly on this period in Hitchcock’s career, the film ultimately collapses under its own lightweight intentions of tribute-turned-romance." MC: 63 RT: 64% PL: C
"Rust and Bone." Directed by Jacques Audiard. Starring Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenaerts. Our review: "'Rust And Bone' is a standout, and a towering picture we can't wait to see again." MC: 67 RT: 81% PL: A-
