[ By DAN DEMING ]
[ ENTERTAINMENT CONTRIBUTOR ]
Two new movies open in Hutchinson this weekend, both highly regarded by critics. "Dolittle" is a reboot of two previous films about the eccentric doctor and is set in 19th century England.
Dr. John Dolittle has become a hermit seven years after his wife's death, talking most to his exotic animals and living in the English backwoods. When young Queen Victoria becomes gravely ill, Dolittle is called upon along with his furry friends to find a cure on a mythical island.
Robert Downey Jr. plays the good doctor with Emma Thompson and Selena Gomez in this family friendly film which carries a hefty $175 million budget. There were three extra weeks of shooting and considerable editing after the original movie got bad focus group reaction.
The other new release comes 17 years after the original "Bad Boys" as "Bad Boys For Life" hits the big screen with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in the lead roles. The story takes place in Miami and involves both a drug cartel and Miami police. Whether "Bad Boys For Life" is an "underwhelming sequel" as one critic puts it, or a delightful action comedy as other reviews say will depend on your viewpoint.
There's no question the just released World War I movie, "1917," is worthy of already bestowed Golden Globes honors and Academy Award nominations. Especially from a technical filming standpoint, using continuous camera footage making it appear the audience is alongside observing the action; it is an unusual and fascinating way to tell a story. It was the top box office draw nationally and at the local B&B Theaters last week, but frankly after watching for more than two hours, it is both gut-wrenching and exhausting.
I counted 13 dramatic depictions of death and trauma with the two principal characters before the film reaches its climax. That's a lot of WWI's trench warfare to endure. Sam Mendes, a Brit, gets well deserved accolades for his direction and writing and the nearly all British actors. The setting is well done and often stunning that pulls off many scenes. But British accents sometimes make the dialogue hard to understand in "1917." Adding captions for an American audience might have been sensible.
The basic plot is about two British soldiers crossing miles of German lines to warn 2,600 comrades, including one messengers' brother, they are about to be slaughtered. However, the film is not based on a true story, it is a composite of what was told to Director Mendes by his grandfather who was in WWI. The two main characters did not actually exist. If it sounds like Saving Private Ryan, without Tom Hanks, it is but not as appealing.
āMovie news you can useā is a weekly feature submitted by Dan Deming. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those of Hutch Post or its affiliates.