After a few lacklustre weeks at the box office with no new wide releases last weekend, there is much anticipation for the new releases this weekend. However, if you suffer from coulrophobia (fear of clowns), you may want to stay away from the first movie.
When Stephen King released It in 1986, it became one of his most successful novels of that year and was adapted into a hugely successful TV miniseries in 1990. Now, part one of two planned movies is being released, with the first (unofficially called It: Part 1 鈥� The Losers Club) focussing on a group of outcast preteens living in Derry, Maine, a town which is considered to be cursed due to the number of children who have disappeared over the years. The group of kids are faced with their biggest fears when they square off against an evil clown named Pennywise, whose history of murder and violence dates back for centuries. Pennywise is portrayed by Bill Skarsg氓rd (son of Stellan Skarsg氓rd) whose performance, along with his makeup, looks to surpass the one of Tim Curry in the TV miniseries.
Fans of Netflix鈥檚 Stranger Things might see some familiarity between this movie and the TV show, mainly due to the influence of 80鈥檚 pop culture on the series, including Steven King鈥檚 classic novel. While this movie is from the point of view of the children, the planned second movie will be set 30 years later and will feature the characters as adults, with flashbacks to when they were kids.
If you do suffer from coulrophobia or just want something light, check out Reese Witherspoon in Home Again. She plays a recently separated mother of two who decides to start her life over by moving back home to Los Angeles. During a night out on her 40th birthday, she meets three aspiring filmmakers who happen to need a place to live. She agrees to let the three stay in her guest house temporarily, but the arrangement ends up unfolding in unexpected ways. Her unlikely new family and new romance comes to a crashing halt when her ex-husband (Michael Sheen) shows up wanting to reconcile. This fluffy date-night movie may not get the critics excited, but Witherspoon鈥檚 charm (plus support from Candice Bergen) will likely please audiences.
Classic sci-fi lovers have had a treat over the past few weeks with Terminator 2 (3D), Close Encounters of the Third Kind and The Matrix all back on the big screen. This week George Lucas鈥� directorial debut THX 1138 is showing at Landmark Cinemas Xtreme Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. and Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
Also this week is the start of the Passport to the World film series at Landmark Cinemas Grand 10 and Xtreme. This week it is Vietnam: In the Eye of the Dragon, showing at both theatres on Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. with an additional showtime at the Grand 10 on Monday at 7 p.m.
