This week at the movies: A sci-fi flick about a brave and loyal sister who fights to find her missing little brother and save the world from alien invaders; a raucous comedy about a young lawyer who is forced to participate in his grandfather’s foolish shenanigans; and a scary story about a life-size boy doll that seeks to terrorize his new caretaker.
The 5th Wave
The human race stands on the brink of extinction as a series of alien attacks decimate the planet, causing earthquakes, tsunamis and disease. Separated from her family, teenager Cassie Sullivan (Chloë Grace Moretz) will do whatever it takes to reunite with her brother Sam (Zackary Arthur). Fate leads her to form an alliance with Evan Walker (Alex Roe), a young man who may be her last hope. Forced to trust each other, Cassie and Evan fight for survival as the invaders prepare a fifth assault.
Perfect For: Young adults; teens who love sci-fi; those who have read Rick Yancey’s best-seller (which the film is closely based on).
What the Critics Say: The reviews seem to be a bit mixed, but most critics are describing The 5th Wave as a mostly satisfactory sci-fi movie that’s strongly suited for a young adult audience. But, as always, fans of the book may have some qualms about the film’s literary accuracy. Says Variety: “Taken on its own, ‘The 5th Wave’ is an effectively decent post-apocalyptic, young-adult, world-in-the-balance survival thriller. Yet the multitudinous devotees of Rick Yancey’s wildly successful 2013 novel may have more issues with what has been edited or left out entirely than with what’s survived the transition.”
Our Take: If you loved movies like The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner, then The 5th Wave is worth seeing (especially if you’ve already read the book and enjoy film adaptations).
Dirty Grandpa
Uptight lawyer Jason Kelly (Zac Efron) is one week away from marrying his boss' controlling daughter, putting him on the fast track for a partnership at his firm. Tricked by his grandfather, Dick (Robert De Niro), Jason finds himself driving the foulmouthed old man to Daytona Beach for a wild spring break that includes frat parties, bar fights and an epic night of karaoke. While Jason worries about the upcoming wedding, Dick tries to show his grandson how to live life to the fullest.
Perfect For: College kids and twenty-somethings; millennials who swoon at the sight of (a shirtless) Zac Efron.
What the Critics Say: Dirty Grandpa is not the most original road trip comedy to ever hit theaters, but De Niro and Efron aren’t bad together as an on-screen pair. NME Magazine says: “It’s not lazy in its efforts to make you laugh, trying constantly for a punchline, but there’s a lot of returning to the same gag… There’s a funny idea in here about the clash of liberal baby-boomers and their more worried millennial grandchildren…”
Our Take: We are curious to see Robert De Niro as such a rowdy elder, and Zac Efron is obviously easy on the eyes – definitely a grownups-only kind of show.
The Boy
A young American named Greta (Lauren Cohan) takes a job as a nanny for an 8-year-old boy in a remote English village. To her surprise, Greta learns that the child of her new employers is a life-size doll. They care for the doll as if it was human, which helps the couple to cope with the death of their own son 20 years earlier. When Greta violates a list of strict rules, a series of disturbing and inexplicable events bring her worst fears to life, leading her to believe that the doll is alive.
Perfect For: Those who enjoy paranormal thrillers. As for you well-versed horror movie-goers – this one might not scare you to the core. But if you think dolls are sort of creepy (which is not an uncommon sentiment), then The Boy will definitely be a spooky experience for you.
What the Critics Say: A bit predictable, but it still has its eerie twists and turns. A.V. Club remarks: “It has its moments of tension and (intentional) comic relief, and lead actress Lauren Cohan, best known for her role as Maggie on The Walking Dead, brings a subtle-yet-palpable spark of insanity to an interesting turn her character takes midway through the second act. But these moments of inspiration, or craftsmanship, or whatever you want to call them, are ultimately seasoning sprinkled onto a mushy, microwaved platter of lukewarm horror cliché…”
Our Take: A weird doll-boy with supernatural tendencies? We are already creeped out!
