Denial,
directed by Mick Jackson
(PG-13, 1 hour, 49 minutes)
A detailed, intelligent, and precise courtroom drama, supported by a powerful cast delivering nuanced performances, concerns renowned British historian Deborah E. Lipstadt (Rachel Weisz, winner of the 2006 best supporting actress award for The Constant Gardener).
Armed with courage, knowledge and determination, she charges into a legal battle to prove the Holocaust actually occurred, which becomes the center of a courtroom battle when David Irving (Timothy Spall, winner of the 2014 Cannes best actor award for Mr. Turner) a well-known denier of its existence, sues her for libel. In the British legal system, the burden of proof is on the accused.
Not a fan of the courtoom-drama genre? Give it another try. This clever film may change your mind. With Tom Wilkinson, Andrew Scott, Mark Gatiss; directed by Mick Jackson.
Blair Witch (R, 1 hour, 29 minutes) This poorly reviewed, derivative but occasionally spooky sequel to the groundbreaking 1999 faux found-footage original (famous for its low budget and jittery handheld camera work that made many viewers queasy) concerns a bunch of college students who trek into the wild Maryland woods in search of their friend James' sister, whom they think is connected to the legend of the Blair witch. With James Allen McCune, Callie Hernandez, Brandon Scott; directed by Adam Wingard.
The Monkey King 2 (not rated, 1 hour, 59 minutes) A sequel to 2014's original, this comedic fantasy for kids, set 500 years later, gets rolling when Buddha sends a traveling monk to regain the ancient scriptures of their faith. The monk inadvertently releases the spirit of the Monkey King, an accident that becomes the monk's salvation when he discovers that an evil spirit has been sent to keep him from completing his journey. Guess who comes (somewhat unwillingly) to his rescue? With Aaron Kwok, Li Gong, Kelly Chen ; directed by Pou-Soi Cheang. In Mandarin with English subtitles.
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life (PG, 1 hour, 32 minutes) Most of us won't disagree with the accuracy of this wayward yet amusing 'tween comedy's title, in which imaginative Rafe (Griffin Gluck) decides to take on the overload of rules that must be followed at his new middle school. With Lauren Graham, Thomas Barbusca, Rob Riggle; directed by Steve Carr.
American Romance (not rated, 1 hour, 26 minutes) A dreadful, intensely violent, yet incredibly dull experience concerns newly married Jeff (Nolan Gerard Funk) and Krissy (Daveigh Chase from the HBO series Big Love) who get stuck in a rural area when their car gets a flat tire, where they (naturally) run into a creepy and crazed truck driver who's taking up serial killing after the accidental death of his son. With Barlow Jacobs, John Savage (better known for his work in films such as 1979's Hair and The Onion Field), James Duval, Diane Farr; directed by Zackary Adler.
The Hollow (not rated, 2 hours, 8 minutes) A totally predictable and overly long Southern crime thriller in which a triple homicide in small-town Mississippi takes the life of a congressman's daughter, so a team of FBI agents shows up to investigate. They don't much like the stereotypical antagonists they encounter. A skilled editor could have made this better. With William Sadler, Jeff Fahey, James Callis, William Forsythe, Christian Seidel; directed by Miles Doleac.
MovieStyle on 01/06/2017