Preview This! ‘Life of the Party’

Opening this week at a theatre near you:

Life of the Party  (2018)  PG-13

Photo courtesy of Warner Brothers

After her husband asks for a divorce, a middle-aged mother (Melissa McCarthy) goes back to college to complete her degree. Life of the Party Facebook Page

What to Watch For:  This is the third film that McCarthy has written with her husband, Ben Falcone. The film was shot in the Atlanta area.

Word on the Street:  Grammy-winning recording artist Christina Aguilera makes a cameo appearance and sings a song in the film.

My Take:  One of my favorite actresses, Julie Bowen, is in the film.

The film opens nationwide on Friday.

Breaking In  (2018)  PG-13

Photo courtesy of Universal

A woman (Gabrielle Union) fights to protect her family from home invaders. Breaking In Website

What to Watch For:  The director of the film, James McTeigue, also directed V for Vendetta (2005) and Survivor (2015).

Word on the Street:  The cast includes Billy Burke, Richard Cabral, and Christa Miller.

My Take:  I always enjoy watching Gabrielle Union work on the screen.

The film opens nationwide on Friday.

The Rider  (2017) R

PHoto courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

After suffering a near-fatal injury in a rodeo and doctors telling him he should never ride again, a young cowboy (Brady Jandreau) has to figure out a new direction for his life. The Rider Website

What to Watch For:  The film has been killing it on the festival circuit, including the International Cinephile Society Awards.

Word on the Street:  The film is based on lead actor Brady Jandreau’s life.

My Take:  I have wanted to see this film for a long time.

The film opens Friday exclusively at Regal Tara Cinemas 4,

Lu Over the Wall  (2017)  PG

Photo courtesy of GKids

Kai is a gloomy middle school student whose life changes when she meets i.u., a mermaid. Lu Over the Wall Website

What to Watch For:  The film won Best Feature Film at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival.

Word on the Street:  The film was fully produced using the Adobe Flash platform.

My Take:  This is director Masaaki Yuasa’s 2nd feature film.

The film opens Friday exclusively at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema

Racer and the Jailbird  (2017)  R

Photo courtesy of Super LTD

Gigi (Matthias Schoenaerts) a high-flying gangster, falls for Bibi (Adele Exarchopoulas), a young racing driver with upper-class roots. Racer and the Jailbird Facebook Page

What to Watch For:  The movie takes place in Brussels.

Word on the Street;  The film is directed by award-winning director Michael R. Roskam.

My Take:  I am always up for a gangster film.

The film opens Friday exclusively at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema

Terminal  (2018)

Photo courtesy of RLJE Films

Terminal follows the twisting tales of two assassins carrying out a sinister mission, a teacher battling a fatal illness, an enigmatic janitor and a curious waitress leading a dangerous double life.  Murderous consequences unravel in the dead of night as their lives all intertwine at the hands of a mysterious criminal mastermind hell-bent on revenge. Terminal Info

What to Watch For:  Cast includes Margot Robbie, Mike Myers, Simon Pegg, Max Irons and Mathew Lewis.

Word on the Street:  This is the first feature film for writer/director Vaughn Stein.

My Take:  I’ll see anything that Margot Robbie is in.

The film opens Friday exclusively at AMC Conyers Crossing 16

If you can’t go to the theatre this weekend, then stay at home and watch movies on Atlanta’s CW:

Saturday

1:00 pm

Just Friends  (2005) PG-13  While visiting his hometown during Christmas, a man (Ryan Reynolds), come face-to-face with his school crush (Amy Smart), a woman who rejected him in high school.

Sunday

1:00  pm

Money Train (1995)  John (Wesley Snipes) and Charlie (Woody Harrelson) are foster brothers who both became transit cops.   John and Charlie are very different.  Charlie is always getting into trouble, and John is always bailing him out.  After Charlie loses his job, he decides to rob the New York’s subway weekly cash haul.  Will John be able to save Charlie’s butt once again?