Reel News: Week of Sept. 16 – Prisoners, Battle of the Year, World War Z, Disconnect

Upcoming Theatrical Releases

Prisoners
Director: Denis Villeneuve
R; 153 mins.
Trailer

PRISONERS, from Oscar (R)-nominated director Denis Villeneuve, stars Oscar (R) nominees Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal in a story that poses the question: How far would you go to protect your child? Keller Dover (Jackman) is facing every parent’s worst nightmare. His six-year-old daughter, Anna, is missing, together with her young friend, Joy, and as minutes turn to hours, panic sets in. The only lead is a dilapidated RV that had earlier been parked on their street. Heading the investigation, Detective Loki (Gyllenhaal) arrests its driver, Alex Jones (Paul Dano), but a lack of evidence forces the only suspect’s release. Knowing his child’s life is at stake, the frantic Dover decides he has no choice but to take matters into his own hands. But just how far will this desperate father go to protect his family? (Synopsis by the WB)

A homage to Hollywood revenge films that is also a testament to solid direction and good action. Sophisticated, stylish, and riveting. This is as close as you can get to a sure bet.

Battle of the Year
Director: Benson Lee
PG-13; 109 mins.
Trailer

Battle of the Year is an international dance crew tournament that attracts all the best teams from around the world, but the Americans haven’t won in fifteen years. Los Angeles Hip Hop mogul Dante (Alonso) wants to put the country that started the Sport back on top. He enlists his hard-luck friend Blake (Holloway), who was a championship basketball coach, to coach his team. Armed with the theory that the right coach can make any team champions, they assemble a Dream Team of all the best dancersacross the country. With only three months until Battle of the Year, Blake has to use every tactic he knows to get twelve talented individuals to come together as a team if they’re going to bring the Trophy back to America where it started. (Synopsis by Screen Gems)

Oh great, another dance movie. Good thing you can’t see this kind of drivel from the comfort of your own couch. Need more proof it is going to be terrible? Chris Brown is in it.

Upcoming DVD Releases

Disconnect
Director: Henry Alex Rubin
R; 115 mins.
Trailer

A hard-working lawyer, attached to his cell phone, can’t find the time to communicate with his family. A couple is drawn into a dangerous situation when their secrets are exposed online. A widowed ex-cop struggles to raise a mischievous son who cyber-bullies a classmate. An ambitious journalist sees a career-making story in a teen that performs on an adult-only site. They are strangers, neighbors and colleagues and their stories collide in this riveting dramatic thriller about ordinary people struggling to connect in today’s wired world. (Synopsis by LD Entertainment)

This cautionary tale about the overuse of technology has some powerful moments, but lays it on too thick at times. Trying to be too sophisticated doesn’t always work. Luckily, the cast is up to the task.

World War Z
Director: Marc Forster
PG-13; 115 mins.
Trailer

The story revolves around United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Pitt), who traverses the world in a race against time to stop a pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself. (Synopsis by Paramount)

If you go into this realizing you are going to see a “summer blockbuster” style film, you won’t be too disappointed. The biggest complaint is this doesn’t live up to its potential. Its biggest asset is being able to creates feelings of panic as the situation closes in. Give Pitt credit for attempting to bring humanity into this maelstrom.