Opening This Week: Downhill, Fantasy Island, Sonic the Hedgehog, The Photograph, To All the Boys 2
BY SCOTTIE KNOLLIN
Based on the popular Swedish comedy-drama Force Majeure, Downhill gives Will Ferrell and Julia Louis-Dreyfus their first opportunity to star together in a feature film. The comedians are directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, the duo behind The Way Way Back.
Downhill marks the first film to be released by Searchlight Pictures, the studio formerly known as Fox Searchlight before it was acquired by Disney.
Ferrell and Louis-Dreyfus star as the parents of a family forced to deal with reality after being caught in an avalanche while on vacation. The film premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival before earning a wide release (taking the place of The King’s Man’s original release date). Those who’ve seen the film have mixed-to-positive reactions, mostly bent on the fact that the original Swedish film was so well-received.
Downhill opens in all of North Dakota’s major markets.
Opens in Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks, and Jamestown.
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Loosely based on the ABC series of the same name, Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island is a supernatural horror film starring Michael Pena, Maggie Q, Lucy Hale, and Austin Howell.
The set up is easy: Mr. Roarke (Pena) invites strangers to his luxury island resort where their secret dreams come true. In the film’s trailer, characters are met with moral dilemmas that lead to bloody and deadly ends.
Blumhouse announced in 2018 that it was developing the film with Sony Pictures. Described as a mix of Westworld and The Cabin in the Woods, the film is built as a sexy, graphic horror romp. Receiving a February release, though, doesn’t bode well. It’s easy to see Sony is hoping the Valentine’s Day holiday may draw young couples to see a fun horror film on their romantic night.
Critics have yet to screen the film.
Opens in Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks, Jamestown, Minot, and Williston.
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It’s finally here! The Sonic the Hedgehog movie originally scheduled for a November 2019 release has undergone extreme reshoots and redesign after overcoming a mountain of bad press when the first trailer was filmed.
The most notable difference between the original trailer and the film being released this weekend is in its titular character’s appearance. In the first trailer, Sonic’s design was deemed too realistic and not cartoonish enough. After its redesign, the Sonic character has larger eyes (which are also a different color), new running sneakers, white gloves, and a less humanlike body. In short, Sonic looks more like the video game character on which the film is based. It’s a big departure from the uncanny valley-type of appearance he had before the switch.
Sonic the Hedgehog had its world premiere at the Paramount Theatre in Los Angeles at the end of January. It will open wide to over 4,130 theaters in the U.S.
Critics have given the film the most positive reviews of other wide releases opening this weekend. The film earns praise for its fun plot and Jim Carrey’s manic performance. It’s a nostalgic adaptation that most families will find energetic and fun.
Opening in Bismarck, Devils Lake, Fargo, Grand Forks, Jamestown, Minot, and Williston.
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If you haven’t seen Issa Rae’s HBO series Insecure, do yourself a favor and add it to your binge-watch list. In Universal’s romance drama The Photograph, Rae gets to wear just one hat: star. Typically, when Rae is involved in a production, she’s managing screenplay, producing, and performing duties.
Her efforts seem to have paid off. The film, directed by Stella Meghie, is earning fantastic reviews from critics. Its visuals are being called gorgeous. Its love story is being called affecting. And the chemistry between Rae and Lakeith Stanfield is being referred to as simmering.
Opens in Bismarck, Fargo, and Grand Forks.
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When Netflix released the film adaptation To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before in 2018, audiences went wild. Based on the hit book series from Jenny Han, this second film gives protagonist Lara Jean (Lana Condor) the chance to continue exploring the loves of her life.
The magic of the first film was Condor’s charisma as a leading actor. The second film is earning similar praise. Since we’ve seen these characters and this place before, the schmaltzy plot may not be as effecting, but it’s still just as endearing. Not all critics have loved it, though. Nick Allen of RogerEbert.com said, “It’s hard to get past the hope that Lara Jean will someday soon get something better - a better boyfriend, and a better movie.”
See it now on Netflix.
