It’s easy to miss a good movie. With everything playing in theaters it’s hard to catch everything. Never fear, this year our Jeremy Harriot — The official NegusWhoReviewsMovies saw over 75 movies in theaters and even more at home so that he can tell you what you should catch when it hits your local Redbox, or digital video service choice.
Movie: Ex Machina
Why you missed it: It’s a foreign flick filmed in Norway by an English director.
What’s it about: A lonely coder wins a contest to test the limits of artificial intelligence in a game that’s more cat and mouse than he anticipated. Trust and allegiances continue to shift until the full truth about the nature the events are revealed.
Who’s in it: Domhnall Gleeson (About Time), Alicia Vikander (The Man From UNCLE) and Oscar Isaac (Star Wars (The Force Awakens)
How good is it: 92% on Rotten Tomatoes
Why You Should Watch It: Ex Machina stands to come out on top as this years sci-fi philosophical powerhouse. The movie asks questions you didn’t know you needed to ask and still doesn’t give you the answers until you work for them. At the end of the film it even leaves some loose ends, reflecting the nature of future philosophy.
Movie: Chiraq
Why you missed it: Directed by Spike Lee and produced by Amazon Films the flick mainly played in AMC theaters.
What’s it about: An urban revamp of the Greek play “Lysistrata”. The women of the hoods of Chicago vow abstinence as a bargaining chip in persuading their gangster boyfriends and husbands to reach a peace treaty.
Who’s in it: Nick Cannon (Drumline), Wesley Snipes (Blade), Teyonah Parris (Dear White People
How Good Is It: 81% on Rotten Tomatoes
Why You Should Watch It: This flick is part musical, part greek tragedy, part comedy. The balance of parts is amazing as the actors rhyme their way through scenes. Also the timeliness of the subject matter couldn’t be more current. As Chicago is well known for its murder and violence rate. Appearances from stars like Jennifer Hudson, Angela Basset and John Cusack also bolster the film.
Movie: The Secret In Their Eyes
Why you missed it:It had a fairly short run in theaters.
What’s it about: A former FBI investigator makes a break in a cold case that hits a little to close to home. Upon his discovery he stirs up old feelings of romance and anger amongst those he formerly worked alongside causing a series of events no one could have predicted.
Who’s in it: Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman), Nicole Kidman (Eyes Wide Shut), Chiwetel Ejofor (12 Years a Slave)
How Good Is It: 41% on Rotten Tomatoes
Why You Should Watch It: This movie does what The Pelican Brief didn’t have the guts to do 20 years ago which was let the black guy get the (white) girl. Interestingly enough Julia Roberts stars in this movie as well while Nicole Kidman plays the love interest. Also it’s Chiwetel Ejofor (whom some have dubbed the next Denzel) who’s thee potential love interest. Beyond the rewriting of cinematic history the mystery intrigues into the final moments where the viewer is forced to reevaluate everything they’d watched for the later hour and a half.
Movie: Sicario
Why you missed it: Fairly unknown director with unpopular subject matter.
What’s it about: A tactical hostage negotiator stumbles upon a case that has her cooperating with international tasks forces that operate with little to no governance on a set of missions she has no knowledge of. As the rabbit hole gets deeper the truth becomes more obscured to what side she’s actually on or who the good guys are supposed to be.
Who’s in it: Josh Brolin (Men in Black III), Emily Blunt (Edge of Tomorrow), Benicio del Toro (Guardians of the Galaxy)
How Good Is It: 93% on Rotten Tomatoes
Why You Should Watch It: Mystery and intrigue of the reach of drug cartels makes for a dangerous game of chess. What makes it more dangerous is the ignorance of the main character of what she’s being coerced into doing. When all the cards are face up on the board the web of deceit is alarming.
Movie: Dope
Why you missed it: It featured relative newcomers, playing on around 2,000 screens nationwide.
What’s it about: A nostalgic hip hop youth living on the outskirts of LA ends up on a slippery slope of circumstances that will test his ingenuity and resolve to make a name for himself as he tries to get accepted to Harvard and win the girl of his dreams.
Who’s in it: Zoe Kravitz (Mad Max: Fury Road), Blake Anderson (Workaholics), Kimberly Elise (Set it Off)
How Good is It: 88% on Rotten Tomatoes
Why You Should Watch It: The film plays as a strange balance of period piece and modern rendition of Friday or Boys in the Hood. As the main character comes of age he runs into a myriad of characters all with their own set of motives. In the mean time his only motivation is survival in the urban jungle he has to do a few dirty deeds while trying to walk the straight and narrow.
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About the author
Jeremy Harriot
Jeremy Harriot is a techie, cinephile and picky-palette foodie. He's the co-founder and Proto-Geek at Geek Street Collective. You can find him plane hopping, local shopping or on the internet redefining the landscape of film critique. Follow him on twitter at @techieondeck
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