Opening in theaters:
“Identity Thief”: Starring Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy, “Identity Thief” follows Diana (McCarthy), a woman who has been using her credit card to go on outrageous shopping sprees on the outskirts of Miami. Only one problem: The credit card she has been using belongs to Sandy Bigelow Patterson (Bateman), a businessman in Denver. Patterson now has to find Diana and bring her back to Denver in order to clear his name.
Thoughts: The fact that this is under Seth Gordon’s direction, also the director of the hilarious “Horrible Bosses,” gives this movie some hope. On the other hand, the screenplay is by Craig Marzen, whose credits include “The Hangover Part II” and “Scary Movie 4.” This really could go either way. With any luck, the trailers did not show the best this movie has to offer and we end up watching something closer to “Horrible Bosses” than “The Hangover Part II.”
“Identity Thief,” a Universal Pictures release, opens Feb. 8. Rated R for sexual content and language. Running time: 147 minutes.
“Side Effects”: Rooney Mara and Channing Tatum star as Emily and Martin, a New York couple awaiting their reunion upon Martin’s release from jail. Everything begins to fall apart when Emily’s psychiatrist (Jude Law) prescribes her a new drug to treat her anxiety disorder. The drug has unforeseen side effects that may manage to ruin all of their lives.
Thoughts: This marks the third team up for director Steven Soderbergh and writer Scott Z. Burns, both of whom worked on 2011’s “Contagion.” Soderbergh, also the director of “Ocean’s Eleven” and “Magic Mike,” claims that this will be his last theatrical film before his retirement, which puts a little extra pressure on it to do well. However, it has seen favorable reviews so far.
“Side Effects,” an Open Road Films release, opens Feb. 8. Rated R for sexuality, nudity, violence and language. Running time: 105 minutes.
New on DVD:
Flight: Theatrically released in November, “Flight” stars Denzel Washington as Whip Whitaker, an alcoholic airline pilot that is able to pull off an astonishing landing following a mid-air catastrophe. The public praises Whitaker as a hero, but as more is learned, they realize he may not be the man they thought he was.
Thoughts: This is Robert Zemeckis’ first live-action film since 2000’s “Castaway.” He marks that return with another plane crash. However, that crash alone is enough of a reason to check out the DVD. Not to mention a performance from Washington that earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
“Flight,” a Paramount Pictures release is rated R for drug and alcohol abuse, sexuality, nudity and an intense action sequence. Running time: 139 minutes. Rotten Tomatoes score: 78 percent.
Also out:
“Here Comes the Boom”: Starring Kevin James, Henry Winkler and Salma Hayek. This Sony/Columbia Pictures release is rated PG for bouts of MMA sports violence, some rude humor, and language. Running time: 105 minutes. Rotten Tomatoes score: 39 percent.
“Alex Cross”: Starring Tyler Perry, Edward Burns and Matthew Fox. This Summit Entertainment release is rated PG-13 for violence including disturbing images, sexual content, language, drug references and nudity. Running time: 101 minutes. Rotten Tomatoes score: 12 percent.
Movies News:
“Star Trek Into Darkness” may not open until May 17, but if you are willing to fork out a little extra you can see it up to two days early. Paramount has recently finalized a deal with IMAX to allow the film to premiere on May 15, but only on IMAX 3D screens.
This news follows more Trek-related news about a Star Trek Into Darkness app. Downloading the app gives you a chance to purchase your $18 ticket for May 15 or enter into a sweepstakes to attend the premiere. The app will continue to update until the release to offer various news and rewards.
Television News:
Greendale Community College fans rejoice as “Community” and all its meta-humor and pop culture references return tomorrow night. This comes after a long delay that saw the fourth season’s debut pushed back from Oct. 19 to Feb. 7.
The 13-episode season debuts at 8 p.m. on NBC.
