Reel News: Week of June 2 — Edge of Tomorrow, The Fault in Our Stars, RoboCop, Lone Survivor

Upcoming Theatrical Releases

Edge of Tomorrow
Director: Doug Liman
PG-13; 113 mins.
Trailer

The epic action of “Edge of Tomorrow” unfolds in a near future in which an alien race has hit the Earth in an unrelenting assault, unbeatable by any military unit in the world. Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) is an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he is unceremoniously dropped into what amounts to a suicide mission. Killed within minutes, Cage now finds himself inexplicably thrown into a time loop-forcing him to live out the same brutal combat over and over, fighting and dyingagain…and again. But with each battle, Cage becomes able to engage the adversaries with increasing skill, alongside Special Forces warrior Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt). And, as Cage and Rita take the fight to the aliens, each repeated encounter gets them one step closer to defeating the enemy. (Synopsis by Warner Bros.)

Check out my review later this weekend on The Dagger.

The Fault in Our Stars
Director: Josh Boone
PG-13; 125 mins.
Trailer

Hazel and Gus are two extraordinary teenagers who share an acerbic wit, a disdain for the conventional, and a love that sweeps them – and us – on an unforgettable journey. Their relationship is all the more miraculous, given that they met and fell in love at a cancer support group. THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, based upon the number-one bestselling novel by John Green, explores the funny, thrilling and tragic business of being alive and in love. (Synopsis by Fox)

A heartfelt, funny film that wisely sticks closer to the drama than the comedy. It is overly formulaic, but even still, it is well made, surprisingly engaging and wise. See it.

Upcoming DVD Releases

Lone Survivor
Director: Peter Berg
R; 122 mins.
Trailer

LONE SURVIVOR, starring Mark Wahlberg, tells the story of four Navy SEALs on an ill-fated covert mission to neutralize a high-level Taliban operative who are ambushed by enemy forces in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan. Based on The New York Times bestseller. (Synopsis by Universal Pictures)

If there is a flaw, it is that the focus is more on the intense action depicted than on the heart of the book–namely the individual sacrifice and the drama surrounding the mission. It’s not as good as the source material (when are movies ever?), but it is a passable substitute. See it.

Robocop
Director: José Padilha
PG-13; 117 mins.
Trailer

In RoboCop, the year is 2028 and multinational conglomerate OmniCorp is at the center of robot technology. Overseas, their drones have been used by the military for years – and it’s meant billions for OmniCorp’s bottom line. Now OmniCorp wants to bring their controversial technology to the home front, and they see a golden opportunity to do it. When Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) – a loving husband, father and good cop doing his best to stem the tide of crime and corruption in Detroit – is critically injured in the line of duty, OmniCorp sees their chance to build a part-man, part-robot police officer. OmniCorp envisions a RoboCop in every city and even more billions for their shareholders, but they never counted on one thing: there is still a man inside the machine pursuing justice. (Synopsis by Sony)

It simply doesn’t have the punch of the original. The edge of satire is missing, replaced with a futile attempt to understand the man in RoboCop. Yes–that’s as terrible to watch as it sounds. Skip it.