Home Entertainment Movies out Today: 29 May 2015

Movies out Today: 29 May 2015

5 min read
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In the wake of Kervyn’s announcement yesterday regarding The Extras posts, I’ve also decided to make a little change on the Movies Out Today posts. Instead of struggling to come up with headlines on a weekly basis (which is something that the other guys know I am seriously bad at), I’ve decided to just add a date to the headline. The benefits of this is two-fold: firstly, if anyone somehow forgets the date, you’ll have a handy reminder (every Friday at least). Secondly, it makes my life easier, which is not a benefit for you guys per se, but it helps keep me sane!

  • The Age of Adaline

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After miraculously remaining 29 years old for almost eight decades, Adaline Bowman has lived a solitary existence, never allowing herself to get close to anyone who might reveal her secret. But a chance encounter with charismatic philanthropist Ellis Jones reignites her passion for life and romance. When a weekend with his parents threatens to uncover the truth, Adaline makes a decision that will change her life forever.

I thought that The Age of Adaline might have fared better than it has, but it’s only gotten a lukewarm 54% on Rotten Tomatoes. While it might be quaint, beautifully shot and shamelessly romantic, the story gets kind of absurd and Blake Lively’s attempt at aloof comes across as wooden, which makes it difficult to relate to the main character.

  • Barely Lethal

Barely Lethal

Megan Walsh is a teenage special ops agent who yearns for a normal adolescence. After faking her own death, she assumes the role of an exchange student and quickly learns that surviving the treacherous waters of a typical American high school can be even more difficult than international espionage.

If that premise sounds completely ridiculous to you, that’s because it is. Barely Lethal comes out as nothing more than a typical American high-school teen comedy with a silly twist that makes it all the more embarrassing. Sadly, in the end it’s just another juvenile comedy that you won’t remember two weeks from now.

  • Poltergeist

Poltergeist

A reimagining of the classic tale about a family whose suburban home is invaded by angry spirits. When the terrifying apparitions escalate their attacks and take the youngest daughter, the family must come together to rescue her.

Pure nostalgia has never been a good reason to remake a movie, but unfortunately that’s all that this remake is going on. It’s rushed, contrived, unnecessary and more importantly, just not that scary. Poltergeist might not desecrate the original, but with 33% on Rotten Tomatoes, it doesn’t do it any justice either. Keep an eye out for Kervyn’s review later today.

  • The Rewrite

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Once upon a time, Keith Michaels was an Award-winning Hollywood screenwriter, but divorce and a string of unsuccessful films have left him with nothing but bad debts and blank pages. So, when his agent arranges a job as guest screenwriting professor at a remote university in upstate New York, a desperate Keith can’t say no. Initially hoping to give minimal effort to actual teaching so he can focus on his next script, Keith unexpectedly finds himself becoming invested in his students’ lives, including Holly, a single mom looking to start her own new chapter.

Harking back to the romantic comedies of nineties, Hugh Grant does his best to be Hugh Grant in The Rewrite, and he pulls off his usual stammering, foppish and witty performance as only he can. The Rewrite isn’t exactly going to be breaking new ground, but it does well as a simple and entertaining movie, with a comfortable 64% on Rotten Tomatoes.

  • Serena

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North Carolina mountains at the end of the 1920s. George and Serena Pemberton, lovestruck newlyweds, begin to build a timber empire. Serena soon proves herself to be equal to any man, overseeing loggers, hunting rattle-snakes, even saving a man’s life in the wilderness. With power and influence now in their hands, the Pembertons refuse to let anyone stand in the way of their inflated love and ambitions. However, once Serena discovers George’s hidden past and faces an unchangeable fate of her own, the Pembertons’ passionate marriage begins to unravel, leading to a dramatic reckoning.

For a period drama, we’d expect the production quality, set pieces and costumes to be magnificent, and they are. Unfortunately that’s about the best thing that anyone can say about Serena. It’s otherwise stilted, boring and a waste of a good cast, stumbling its way to a terrible 18% on Rotten Tomatoes.

  • Survivor

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After being mysteriously framed for a terrorist bombing, a Foreign Service Officer must evade government capture and death by a ruthless assassin in order to stop the real perpetrators’ master-and much deadlier-plan.

There’s no real consensus on Survivor as yet, but the reviews that are out generally agree that it’s predictable, mindless B-grade entertainment, somewhere in the “it’s so bad it might actually be good” territory.

  • Treurgrond

treurgrond3

This is the painful story of a farming community in South Africa trying to survive the onslaught of farm attacks confronting them almost every day, affecting not only those related to the victims, but setting in motion a chain of events. Amidst this anxiety, Lukas Van Staden tries to protect his family, his friends, and his farm. Relationships, regret, revenge and forgiveness are brought together by one circumstance from which hope and healing arises.

There’s no doubt that farm attacks are a serious topic, but with the main character being played by Steve Hofmeyer, I have to wonder how balanced and fair this movie will be. We can hope that they tackle the topic with the unbiased maturity it deserves, instead of causing more racial controversy.

Last Updated: May 29, 2015

4 Comments

  1. RinceTheElfRoot

    May 29, 2015 at 11:20

    Treurgrond, just not a Treumovie

    Reply

  2. James Francis

    May 29, 2015 at 11:26

    I hope Survivor will be less of a mess than November Man.that started so good, then just lost it all.

    Reply

  3. The Sten

    May 29, 2015 at 12:01

    “Megan Walsh is a teenage special ops agent who yearns for a normal adolescence”

    I cringed so freaking hard when i read that lol.

    Anyway, looks a good weekend to finally watch Mad Max on.

    Reply

    • Skyblue

      May 29, 2015 at 22:40

      Go watch it, that is all

      Reply

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