Editorial

The Bottom Line: June 5, 2015: Silly Spies and Cocky Guys

Last week, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson proved he could bring in a crowd for an original tent-pole film, with San Andreas rocking the box office with almost $55 million. Overall, however, the box office results of the week were thoroughly unimpressive. The 2, 3, and 4 films – Pitch Perfect 2Tomorrowland, and Mad Max Fury Road – all mingled around the $14 million range. Meanwhile, the only other major release, Aloha, barely registered in the 6 spot with just under $10 million. The week of June 5 might have some better luck bringing in audiences, as Summer is finally kicking into gear. More students are out of school which means more time for them to fill with movies. With such a varied offering this weekend, everybody should be able to find something to see.

Entourage – (R) 104 min. – I’m going to be honest with you up front: I hated Entourage the TV show. I hated the grating characters and the phony, self-important way the show presented itself. So I’m a more than a little pleased to see reviews for Entourage the movie be so negative. Currently at a measly 30% on Rotten Tomatoes, most critics are saying that Entourage – once again following the exploits of actor Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier) and his, um, entourage – is nothing but a bloated, cameo-filled episode of the show. That in itself is enough to inform you whether or not you should see this movie. If you liked the show (which I admit many people do, even if the reasons why escape me), you will see the movie and like it. If you dislike the show or did not watch it, it’s probably not going to do anything for you.

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Spy – (R) 120 min. – Melissa McCarthy has, for better or worse, become a mainstay of modern comedy. Her movies are hit-and-miss in terms of both quality and success, but that won’t stop studios from putting her as the lead in no fewer than two movies a year. This isn’t a complaint, by the way. McCarthy is remarkably talented and funny. It’s just unfortunate that the material written for her isn’t always the best to work with. It looks like that won’t be an issue for Spy, which has earned rave reviews thus far. McCarthy re-teams with Bridesmaids director Paul Feig for an action-comedy about CIA analyst that gets out from behind her desk and takes on the undercover world of arms dealers. With a stellar supporting cast featuring Jason Statham, Rose Byrne, and Jude Law, Spy might be a surprise hit this summer. Better yet, it’s an R-rated comedy, so the humor can take some risks, which is where McCarthy really shines.

Insidious: Chapter 3 – (PG-13) 97 min. – It would be really nice if Insidious: Chapter 3 turned out to be really good. The first Insidious was a surprise hit, and for good reason. It was a super scary, atmospheric horror film by the team behind SawInsidious: Chapter 2…not so much. This time, writer Leigh Whannell steps into the director’s chair for the first time to bring us the third film in the series. A prequel to the first two films, Insidious: Chapter 3 will tell the story of how recurring psychic character Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) began her journeys into helping families deal with supernatural entities. It appears the film was not screened for critics, which is never a good sign, but that doesn’t mean it won’t bring in serious money. It’s worth noting that this is the only PG-13 release this weekend, so the younger crowd that can’t get in to Spy or Entourage might see Insidious: Chapter 3 out of lack of other options.

The Bottom Line: The only movie that critics say will be worth any of your time is Spy, so I’m inclined to say check that out before the other two major releases. As for what will actually win the weekend, I think it will be a toss-up between Entourage and Insidious. It’s hard to gauge fan loyalty and interest from the Entourage crowd, so it’s hard to say how successful it will be. Insidious is a safer bet because it’s a recent franchise with a lower MPAA rating. Spy might surprise everyone, but I just haven’t heard that much in terms of interest from the general public.


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Nick DeNitto

Nick DeNitto graduated with Honors from Adelphi University. He began writing movie reviews in middle school and has worked tirelessly to mold his own unique critical voice. He is currently affiliated with the National Board of Review and hopes that one day he is remembered as “The People’s Film Critic.”
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