By JACKSON MURPHY
Contributing Critic
New in Theaters
“ARRIVAL” – Amy Adams plays a linguist brought-in to investigate spacecraft found on Earth that may contain Alien life. Jeremy Renner (who co-starred with Adams in “American Hustle”) and Forest Whitaker round-out the principal cast. Director Denis Villeneuve (“Sicario”, “Prisoners”) promises to deliver another intense action/thriller. Adams has two shots at a Best Actress Oscar nomination this year, with “Arrival” and the drama “Nocturnal Animals” (opening in a few weeks).
“ALMOST CHRISTMAS” – ‘Tis the Season for a Holiday Comedy. Gabrielle Union, J.B. Smoove, Danny Glover and Monique play members of a dysfunctional family dealing with Christmas chaos in the latest from director David E. Talbert (“First Sunday”, “Baggage Claim”).
“SHUT IN” – In this horror film, Naomi Watts stars as a child psychologist who’s tasked with rescuing a young boy during a violent winter storm. Watts joins Jacob Tremblay, the 10-year-old breakout star of “Room”. The two will also appear together in the family drama, “The Book of Henry”, next year.
“New on DVD/Streaming” Pick of the Week
“KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS” – From Laika, the stop-motion animation makers of “Coraline”, “ParaNorman” and “The Boxtrolls”, comes this action-packed, entertaining epic. A boy named Kubo must embark on a quest with a talking Monkey and life-size Beetle (voiced by Charlize Theron and Matthew McConaughey) in order to find his late father’s legendary suit of armor. The animation is breathtaking, and the final act is bold and incredibly effective.
“Also In Theaters” Pick of the Week
“TROLLS” – DreamWorks Animation’s answer to Disney’s mega-hit musical “Frozen” is a bubble gum, candy-colored adventure that sparkles and shines with a sensational sense of spirit. Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake lead the vocal ensemble, with great chemistry as Poppy and Branch, Trolls who must save their friends who were taken by the evil Bergens. Kendrick and Timberlake also perform several songs – classic and contemporary hits. The soundtrack is a must-download.
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