This week’s column deals with a nail-biting thriller, a biographical drama and an exciting fantasy film for the whole family.
Money Monster centers around the pompous host of a popular financial television program and how he and his crew are taken hostage by an investor, who loses everything after the market crashes. Free State of Jones is a fact-based drama that follows a poor farmer, who during the Civil War, leads a faction of rebels against the Confederate army. Finally, Alice Through the Looking Glass finds Alice on yet another mystical journey to Wonderland, but this time going back in time to save the Mad Hatter.
All three motion pictures are certain to appeal to fans of each’s specific movie category. In addition, all three flicks feature top-drawer, high-grossing celebrities giving 110% in their roles thus making the price of a movie theater ticket for moviegoers well worth it.
Money Monster is a financial suspense-filled thrill ride directed by Jodie Foster and starring George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Caitriona Balfe (Outlander), Jack O’Connell (Unbroken), Dominic West (The Affair) and Giancarlo Esposito (Once Upon A Time). The film revolves around Lee Gates (Clooney), the pretentious host of a successful financial network program, who is held hostage on-air, along with his production crew by an enraged investor when the stock market crashes and loses all of his money. The edgy flick’s trailer expresses how Gates and his producer, Patty Fenn (Roberts), try to defuse the situation, but in the process uncover astronomical fraud, lies and betrayals within the financial world. It opens in theaters on Friday, May 13.
Free State of Jones is a historical drama starring Matthew McConaughey, Keri Russell, Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Concussion), Jacob Lofland f(Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials), Sean Bridgers (Room) and Mahershala Ali (House of Cards). This feature tells the true story of Mississippi rancher Newton Knight (McConaughey) and his band of armed revolutionaries, who fought against the Confederacy in Jones County, Mississippi during the American Civil War. This biopic’s trailer illustrates how Knight and his men were willing to die rather than surrender to the Confederate troops. Emotions run high as McConaughey digs deep to show the great struggle and immense loss Knight endured in his mission. It also opens in theaters on Friday, May 13.
Alice Through the Looking Glass is a fantasy adventure film produced by Tim Burton and is the sequel to 2010’s Alice in Wonderland. Returning cast members include Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, the late Alan Rickman as the voice of the Blue Caterpillar, Michael Sheen as the voice of the White Rabbit, Stephen Fry as the voice of The Cheshire Cat and Timothy Spall as the voice of Bayard. New cast additions include Andrew Scott (Sherlock), Sacha Baron Cohen, Ed Speleers (Downton Abbey), Rhys Ifans and Frances de la Tour (Into the Woods). This go-around, Alice (Wasikowska) goes back in time returning to the unpredictable Wonderland in her quest to save the Mad Hatter (Depp). The motion picture’s trailer displays unbelievable special effects and gorgeous costumes as Alice ventures into the past, traversing the even more peculiar twists and turns of Wonderland while also evading the Red Queen’s nefarious plans for her, all in her fight to rescue the Mad Hatter. It opens in theaters on Friday, May 27.