Seen and reviewed (Oct. 16)
New films in theaters this week:
– “The Boys are Back” (rated PG-13), a drama starring Clive Owen as a widower father.
– “Law Abiding Citizen” (rated R), a revenge-thriller starring Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler.
– “More Than a Game” (rated PG), a documentary feature about Akron’s “Fab Four” basketball champions.
– “Opa!” (rated PG-13), a romantic comedy-drama set in Greece, starring Matthew Modine.
– “The Stepfather” (rated PG-13), a remake of the 197 horror-thriller.
– “Where the Wild Things Are” (rated PG), a live-action adaptation of the beloved Maurice Sendak tale.
The “Stepfather” remake was not widely pre-screened for critics, and the word of mouth is not good.
Surprisingly, the gory and wrong-headed “Law Abiding Citizen” was pre-screened, which is a surprise. It unsuccessfully cobbles together “torture-porn” unpleasantness with elements of courtroom dramas and serial-killer thrillers.
And the other film opening are all flawed. Owen’s performance helps “The Boys Are Back” overcome a cliched plot, the storytelling of “More Than a Game” is strictly superficial, and “Opa!” has a bland male lead in Modine.
Poster art courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures
The week’s best film is “Where the Wild Things Are,” though it was not made for children. Rather, it’s a sensitive fantasy-drama more intended for grown-up “wild things” — those who loved Sendak’s storybook when they were kids.
Which, if any, of these movies fit into your weekend viewing plans?