Opening this week
Exes Baggage
Carlo Aquino and Angelica Panganiban in “Exes Baggage”
Directed by Dan Villegas; stars Angelica Panganiban, Carlo Aquino, Dionne Monsanto, Dino Pastrano
Polar opposites, a rebel and an introvert, fall in and out of love. Villegas recalls: “I loved working with Angge and Caloy. This would’ve been an entirely different movie if we had different lead stars. I was really attracted to the idea of working with the two.” Panganiban says the romance drama is “light but not shallow.”
The Trigonal
Ian Ignacio and Rhian Ramos in “The Trigonal”
Directed by Vincent Soberano; stars Ian Ignacio, Rhian Ramos, Monsour del Rosario, Sarah Chang
Fighter is forced to return to the ring after his pregnant wife is threatened by a malevolent drug lord. Ignacio studied taekwondo under athlete-turned-politico Del Rosario, who didn’t hesitate to come out of retirement to support his former student. Action flick is directed by international martial arts expert Soberano.
Smallfoot
“Smallfoot”
Directed by Karey Kirkpatrick; with the voices of Channing Tatum, Zendaya, James Corden, Gina Rodriguez, Danny DeVito
Young yeti discovers that there’s a bigger world outside his snowy village. Screen International’s Sarah Ward calls it “a playful inversion of the bigfoot legend, cautioning against unthinking compliance, championing curiosity.” The Wrap’s Alonso Duralde thinks it offers “heady ideas for a mainstream cartoon.”
Night School
Kevin Hart in “Night School”
Directed by Malcolm D. Lee; stars Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, Rob Riggle, Taran Killam
Fast-talking dropout goes back to school, to earn his diploma with other misfits. Commonsensemedia.org notes: “Hart and Haddish are both known for physical comedy and crude humor, and it looks like there will be plenty of both here.” Theplaylist.net remarks: “Has all the ingredients for what should be a huge hit.”
Slender Man
Joey King in “Slender Man”
Directed by Sylvain White; stars Joey King, Julia Goldani Telles, Jaz Sinclair, Annalise Basso
Small-town girls unwittingly bring a horrific monster into their lives. Blu-ray.com’s Brian Orndorf states: “Isn’t as tasteless as feared, but about as languid as expected … meant solely for the sleepover demographic.” Movie Nation’s Roger Moore dismisses it as “a random mashup of horror tropes and in-camera effects.”
Marjorie Prime
Jon Hamm in “Marjorie Prime”
Directed by Michael Almereyda; stars Jon Hamm, Lois Smith, Geena Davis, Tim Robbins
Ailing octogenarian spends her final days with a computerized version of her late husband.” New Yorker’s Anthony Lane relates: “With its coastal haze and fickle gusts of rain, [it’s] likely to lodge in your memory.” Washington Post’s Ann Hornaday observes: “As a sly chamber piece, it reassures and unsettles.”
Papillon
“Papillon”
Directed by Michael Noer; stars Charlie Hunnam, Rami Malek
Wrongly convicted man flees from a penal colony with quirky forger. Vanity Fair’s Jordan Hoffman asserts: “Noer establishes his own rhythm. It’s one of constant action and near-cartoonish brutality.” Village Voice’s Bilge Ebiri agrees: It “brings … a refreshing intensity and sweep, and even a sense of adventure.”
Peppermint
Jennifer Garner in “Peppermint”
Directed by Pierre Morel; stars Jennifer Garner, Richard Cabral, John Gallagher Jr.
Mom turns into a killer, to avenge her murdered family. Parade Magazine’s Neil Pond sums it up as “a red-meat movie and a vicarious shooting gallery for people who are fed up.” Hollywood Reporter’s Frank Scheck quips: “Lacks subtlety and … credibility but, like its heroine, it certainly gets the job done.”
Golden Job
“Golden Job”
Directed by Kar Lok Chin; stars Ekin Cheng, Michael Tse, Jerry Lamb, Eric Tsang
Former mercenaries team up once again to pull off an epic heist. South China Morning Post’s Edmund Lee points out: “Fans of the 1990s triad film series, ‘Young and Dangerous,’ will feel a massive surge of nostalgia.” The Straits Times’ Boon Chan differs: “The new title doesn’t quite work on its own terms.”
Hell Fest
“Hell Fest”
Directed by Gregory Plotkin; stars Amy Forsyth, Reign Edwards, Bex Taylor-Klaus
College kids dodge a serial killer who is mistaken for a theme park’s star attraction. Screenrant.com’s Adrienne Tyler comments: “Will stand out for its photography, which features vibrant colors and neon lights.” birthmoviesdeath.com’s Brian Collins concurs: “Looks great. The mask is creepy.”
