OPENING THIS WEEK
Rosa Salazar in “Alita: Battle Angel”
Alita: Battle Angel
Directed by Robert Rodriguez; stars Rosa Salazar, Ed Skrein, Jennifer Connelly, Christoph Waltz
An amnesiac cyborg awakens and learns to navigate life in a treacherous city.
Vinnie Mancuso of Collider gushes, “The detail put into ‘Alita: Battle Angel’s’ world-building is a feast for the eyes,” while Stephen Dalton of the Hollywood Reporter opines that the plot eventually “becomes bogged down in clunky exposition and action-heavy carnage.”
Janine Gutierrez (left) and Enchong Dee in “Elise”
Elise
Directed by Joel Ferrer, stars Janine Gutierrez, Enchong Dee, Miko Raval, Laura Lehmann
Inspired by real events, the film follows the bond between childhood friends who part ways, but meet again years later.
Dee told the Inquirer that he and Gutierrez shared a friendly bond offscreen, “conniving to hasten the ‘pack-up’ moments” during filming of the dramedy.
Mahershala Ali (left) and Viggo Mortensen in “Green Book”
Green Book
Directed by Peter Farrelly; stars Mahershala Ali, Viggo Mortensen, Linda Cardellini
A world-class African-American pianist hires a tough Caucasian bodyguard, eventually confronting the dangers of racism with him.
The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw offers, “It’s a handsomely made and watchable picture … and there is a real warmth in Ali and Mortensen’s performances.” Los Angeles Times’ Kenneth Turan describes it as a “savvy and super effective piece of popular entertainment.”
Diana Agron in “Headlock”
Headlock
Directed by Mark Polish; stars Justin Bartha, Andy Garcia, Diana Agron
A CIA operative is injured during a mission, prompting his ex-agent wife to seek the truth behind a conspiracy. The film is titled “Against the Clock” in the United States.
According to Los Angeles Times’ Noel Murray, “While this movie is pretty incomprehensible, it’s at least memorable.”
Hanggang Kailan
Directed by Bona Fajardo; stars Xian Lim, Louise delos Reyes
Lovers celebrating their second anniversary realize that their relationship has to end.
Lim recently related to the Inquirer that he considered every scene “relatable,” but identified most with his character’s dramatic breakdown moment.
The Knight of Shadows: Between Yin and Yang
Directed by Vash; stars Jackie Chan, Elane Zhong, Ethan Juan
An adventurer hunts other-dimensional monsters with the help of a lawman and unusual allies.
The New Paper’s Jasmine Lim praises both the veteran action hero and the fantasy world: “Chan oozes an easy, effortless, impish charm … the universe created is immense, but it is well-put together.”
Taraji P. Henson in “What Men Want”
What Men Want
Directed by Adam Shankman; stars Taraji P. Henson, Tracy Morgan, Kellan Lutz
A struggling sports agent consults a psychic and drinks a concoction that enables her to hear the thoughts of men.
The pop culture-sports site The Undefeated described it as a film that “celebrates black fatherhood, toasts female empowerment and gives a black woman a megaphone to address sexism and … racism.”
