This week’s column is chock full of drama and thrillers. The Judge is about a lawyer, who reluctantly returns to his hometown when his father is suspected of murder, The Equalizer is the tale about a former Blacks Ops agent, who comes out of hiding to rescue a young girl and The Two Faces of January is a thriller about a married con artist couple and a stranger who flee Greece after one is caught up in the death of a private detective. All three movies have their own brand of intrigue, secrets and trickery besides actors and actresses, who know how to amp up the adventure so the audience stays on the edge of their seats. To that end, all three flicks have enormous star power in their casts, which is sure to have fans flocking to their local theaters on each film’s opening day.
The Judge is a drama about a big city lawyer, who goes back to his hometown after his father is the prime suspect in a murder. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Leighton Meester, Robert Duvall, Vincent D’Onofrio, Billy Bob Thornton, Vera Farmiga, Dax Shepard. David Krumholtz and Balthazar Getty. The trailer showcases Downey as a jaded and hated big time city lawyer, who returns to his hometown following his mother’s death and must defend his estranged father (Duvall,) an ex-judge, in a local murder. Downey and Duvall’s chemistry as a father and son, who are on the outs, but must come together and learn about each other in order to find out the truth looks riveting. Plus, moviegoers know that both Downey and Duvall always give 110% of themselves in every performance they give. The movie opens in theaters on Friday, October 10.
The Equalizer is an action/crime/thriller based on the mid-to-late 80s CBS action series of the same name. Starring Denzel Washington, Chloe Grace Moretz, Marton Csokas and Melissa Leo, the plot centers around an ex-Black Ops agent (Washington,) who faked his own death and is living quietly, but must come out of hiding in order to rescue a young girl and ends up embroiled with Russian mobsters. The trailer displays Washington’s character being torn between living a tranquil life, but must re-enter into a life of brutality and violence he escaped from. Fans of Washington will see his signature seriousness in the role as his character fights against the bad guys yet again. It opens in theaters on Friday, September 26.
The Two Faces of January is a thriller based on Patricia Highsmith’s 1964 novel of the same name. Starring Kirsten Dunst, Viggo Mortensen and Oscar Issac, it premiered in in February 2014 in the Berlinale Special Galas section of the 64th Berlin International Film Festival. The plot revolves around Chester and Celeste McFarland (Mortensen and Dunst,) a married American couple who happen to be con artists. The trailer shows how the couple tours the country of Greece, finds a mark and cons him, but in the process must flee the country after becoming immersed in the murder of a private detective. In addition, to showcasing the majesty of Greece with its ancient architecture, history and beauty, the movie is filled with secrecy, deception and intricate lies, which are all sure to keep moviegoers enraptured until the end of the film. It opens in theaters on Thursday, August 28.