In the dead of winter, many cinema fans prefer to stay home and watch Netflix rather than braving cold weather to go out to a theater. That’s why film studios often slow down their releases in the first few months of the year. But as always — There are still many people who catch new movies on the weekends. So if you fit into this category, don’t be afraid of the January lull. There are no new blockbusters this weekend, but several new films are coming to theaters this week. This weekend, we will get a new thriller set on a tropical island, a family-friendly adaptation of a medieval tale and an exciting new horror story.
Serenity
Set on the tropical enclave Plymouth Island, “Serenity” is the year’s first ‘sexy’ noire thriller. Yeah, you might want to leave the kids at home for this one. The film follows Baker Dill, a fishing boat captain who leads tours off of the island. Dill’s quiet life is interrupted when his ex-wife Karen appears on the island with their son, pleading Dill to save them from her new abusive husband. This thrusts Dill back into a life that he would rather forget, as he is forced to decide what is right and what is wrong. “Serenity” stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway and Jason Clarke. The film is written and directed by Steven Knight, Academy Award nominated screenwriter of 2002’s “Dirty Pretty Things”. Anyone looking for a suspenseful adventure will want to see “Serenity” this weekend.
The Kid Who Would be King
Ordinary boy Alex Elliot lives an ordinary life — being picked on at school and just trying to survive. His whole world is turned upside down, however, when he accidentally finds King Arthur’s legendary sword Excalibur. He soon learns that he must gather a new round table of knights and, with the help of the famous wizard Merlin, defeat the evil enchantress Morgana. The film stars Louis Ashbourne Serkis, Tom Taylor, Rebecca Ferguson, Angus Imrie and Patrick Stuart. The family-friendly adventure is written and directed by Joe Cornish, writer of 2011’s “The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn,” 2011’s cult hit “Attack the Block” and 2015’s “Ant-Man”. Families and medieval history buffs alike will want to see “The Kid Who Would Be King” this weekend.
The Final Wish
When his antique collector father passes away, Aaron Hammond is forced to return to his hometown to help his distraught mother grieve. Amid complex and strained family dynamics, Aaron decides to go through his father’s belongings. He comes across a mysterious urn — and his luck begins to change. But as one might expect from the film’s ominous trailer, things quickly go sour as Aaron learns to be careful what he wishes for. “The Final Wish” stars Lin Shaye, Michael Welch, Melissa Bolona and Spencer Locke. The film is written by Jeffrey Reddick, creator of the “Final Destination” franchise. “The Final Wish” will be in theaters only on Thursday, so horror fans should take advantage of this brief window to see Reddick’s new horror story on the big screen.
