What To Watch This Weekend: 'The Lego Movie 2' And More
This weekend, several new releases are headed to theaters featuring genres of the animation, comedy and thriller varieties.
In the animated adventure "The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part," Chris Pratt and Elizabeth Banks reprise their roles as a couple of love birds attempting to save the day in the LEGO universe. Meanwhile, in the gender-flipping comedy "What Men Want," Taraji P. Henderson plays a successful sports agent who has the ability to read men's thoughts.
When it comes to the thriller genre, "Cold Pursuit" stars Liam Neeson as an upstanding citizen-turned-vigilante in search of justice, while "The Prodigy" stars Taylor Schilling as a mother trying to save her son (Jackson Robert Scott) from mysterious dark forces.
Here's what to see and skip this weekend:
Opening This Weekend
"The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part" — Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Channing Tatum; directed by Mike Mitchell, Trisha Gum
Remember the heroes from the mega-hit animated adventure “The Lego Movie”? Well, they’re back for the sequel, which takes place five years after the events of the original movie.
The second installment opens with the town of Bricksburg in a dystopian state, bereft of reason. But for Emmet (Chris Pratt), everything is seemingly normal — that is, until space invaders come to Earth and suddenly everything begins falling to pieces. Will he, along with his sweetheart Lucy (Elizabeth Banks) and the rest of their gang, be able to save the day and restore harmony to the LEGO universe?
See it. The dazzling animation is a blast of solid excitement and joy, further elevated by captivating performances.
Watch the trailer:
“What Men Want” — Taraji P. Henson, Tracy Morgan; directed by Adam Shankman
Adam Shankman’s “What Men Want," which is a reboot of 2000’s “What Women Want,” stars Taraji. P. Henderson as Ali Davis, a top sports agent who is constantly boxed out by her male colleagues at work because she’s not part of their boys’ club.
Her luck soon changes when she drinks an herbal tea brewed by a psychic named Sister (Erykah Badu). Suddenly, she can now read men’s thoughts. Armed with her newly-acquired gift, she becomes more determined than ever to be one step ahead of her competition.
See it. Henderson’s amazing talent buoys an underwhelming screenplay.
Watch the trailer:
“Cold Pursuit” — Liam Neeson, Laura Dern; directed by Hans Petter Moland
A remake of Hans Petter Moland’s 2014 Norwegian film, “In Order Of Disappearance,” the director’s new movie is a dramatic thriller charged with icy revenge, dark humor and violence.
“Cold Pursuit” stars Liam Neeson as Nels Coxman, a snowplow driver at a Colorado resort who has just been named Citizen of the Year. But when his son (Micheál Richardson) is mysteriously murdered by local gangsters over a stash of missing drugs, his peaceful life with his wife (Laura Dern) suddenly spirals into retribution.
Burning with vengeance, the law abiding Coxman turns to a justice-seeking vigilante in search of his son’s murderers.
See it. Moland’s action thriller has an unrelenting movie escapism, and Neeson, the natural-action man he is, gives this revenge movie a lot of enjoyable icy thrills.
Watch the trailer:
“The Prodigy” — Taylor Schilling, Jackson Robert Scott; directed by Nicholas McCarthy
The psychological-horror thriller centers on young Miles (Jackson Robert Scott), the gifted 8-year-old son of Sarah (Taylor Schilling) and John (Peter Mooney), who dote over their "miracle" baby.
However, their family’s life becomes upended when Miles suddenly grows violent in school, going after one of his classmates. Desperate for help, Sarah turns to reincarnation expert Dr. Arthur Jacobson (Colm Feore), who tells the young mother that powerful dark forces have taken over her child’s life. Can Sarah and John save Miles from menace before time runs out?
See it. The leads’ performances, especially Scott’s, will simply wow audiences, though the screenplay, overall, lacks nail-biting tension.
Watch the trailer:
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Main Photo: (clockwise) "What Men Want"/Paramount; "The Lego Movie 2"/Warner Bros; "The Prodigy"/Orion; "Cold Pursuit"/Lionsgate
