At the Movies: Unhinged, Words on Bathroom Walls, The One and Only Ivan, The Sleepover, Chemical Hearts
BY SCOTTIE KNOLLIN
Unhinged
Directed by Derrick Borte, “Unhinged” is a thriller, starring Russell Crowe, that cinemas are hoping will welcome patrons back to theaters. Though films have been slowly releasing to drive-ins and some indoor theaters for the past few weeks, this weekend marks the first wide release since March. Critics have been mixed with reviews of the action film set in New Orleans. Most reviews highlight Crowe’s effective performance as a “compulsively watchable villain.” Others note that the film feels more like a B-movie than a big screen blockbuster.
Opening this Weekend in Fargo and Grand Forks.
Words on Bathroom Walls
Hoping to fill the same void as “The Fault In Our Stars” and similar films is Thor Freudenthal’s “Words on Bathroom Walls,” a coming-of-age drama starring Charlie Plummer and Taylor Russell. If you saw “Waves” last year, Russell was a standout who could be the next big thing. “Bathroom Walls” offers her the chance to test the waters of teenage drama and emotional portrayals. The film was initially intended to release earlier in 2020. In June, Roadside Attractions acquired the distribution rights. Critics have been mixed-to-positive, offering high remarks for the film’s handling of mental illness. The movie is also the first motion picture to be scored by the band The Chainsmokers.
Opening this Weekend in Fargo and Grand Forks.
The One and Only Ivan
Like other digital releases this year, “The One and Only Ivan” was intended to be a theatrical release in 2020. But, due to the pandemic, Disney pulled it from its summer release schedule and is now rolling it out on its streaming service, Disney+. The fantasy film from Thea Sharrock is based on the novel of the same name by K. A. Applegate and features an impressive voice cast including Angelina Jolie, Sam Rockwell, Danny DeVito, and Helen Mirren, plus a starring turn by Bryan Cranston. “The One and Only Ivan” has been in development since 2014. The wait seems worth it. Critics have praised the film’s sensibilities, lifting it up as an enthralling film, especially for younger viewers.
Streaming this Weekend on Disney+.
The Sleepover
If you missed the kid capers from the past few decades, you’re in luck. Netflix’s latest family film, “The Sleepover” offers adult actors doing silly things and kid actors going on citywide adventures. Think “Adventures in Babysitting,” but maybe not as a nostalgicly fun. Trish Sie helmed the film, which stars Malin Akerman, Joe Manganiello, and Maxwell Simkins and Sadie Stanley. Kid film fans may recognize Stanley as the titular Kim Possible in the most recent 2019 live-action Disney Channel Original Movie.
Streaming this Weekend on Netflix.
Chemical Hearts
Based on the novel of the same name, “Chemical Hearts” is a new romantic drama starring Austin Abrams and Lili Reinhart as two teenagers falling love. The film was shot in New Jersey in the summer of 2019. It went into development in 2016 and, at the time, it was planned as a theatrical release. Once Reinhart joined the cast, studio execs were hoping to use her “Riverdale” fame to boost the film’s prospects. During filming, however, Amazon Studios acquired distribution rights. The film has received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, mostly commenting on the chemistry between the film’s stars and Reinhart’s performance. She may the “Riverdale” cast’s greatest hopes of post-television series success.
Streaming this Weekend on Prime Video.
