Sensitive topics such as race, religion and drugs take the spotlight in the new films hitting theaters this weekend. Some of these issues unite people while others tear them apart. One man receives the backing of a nation in an inspirational true story about a man on a quest for the gold.
A man overcomes the odds and becomes an Olympic legend in Race. The PG-13 drama tells the story of runner Jesse Owens. The two-hour and 14-minute film follows his struggles of racial segregation and his triumphs on the track as he makes history at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany under the eye of Hitler. Stephan James and Jason Sudeikis star in the biopic.
Set in Biblical times, Risen tells the story of a Roman military official who tries to get to the bottom of what really occurred after Jesus’ death on the cross. The non-believer sets out to prove that Jesus did not rise from the dead. Joseph Fiennes stars in the PG-13 drama. It runs for one hour and 47 minutes.
Facing exile from the church, a man moves his family to a secluded home on the outskirts of a forest in The Witch. There, they are tormented by the dark spirits that surround their new residence. The limited released horror film runs one hour and 30 minutes. It’s rated R for violence and nudity.
A man struggling with his past returns to his hometown in Forsaken. As he tries to repair his relationship with his father, he finds himself protecting the place where he grew up. Father and son duo Donald & Kiefer Sutherland share the same roles on-screen in this limited released drama. The one hour and 30-minute film is rated R for violence and language.
The battle lines are drawn in the snow in Snowtime!. In the one hour and 22-minute animated comedy, two teams face off in an epic snowball fight. The friendly game takes a turn and becomes extremely competitive. The PG family film is playing in limited theaters.
As newspapers begin to fold with the emergence of digital media and culture, The Denver Post tries to take advantage of the Colorado marijuana boom in Rolling Papers. The periodical set aside a section specifically for those interested in the newly legal drug and its effect on the culture. The limited released documentary shows how the recently appointed marijuana editor covers these hot button stories. The one hour and 19-minute film is unrated.
In this week’s Race, Jesse Owens took to the field the hopes of winning a medal. Olympic dreams continue next week with Michael “Eddie” Edwards in Eddie the Eagle. Casey Affleck’s dramatic thriller Triple 9 also enters theaters on Feb. 26, alongside the adventure film Gods of Egypt.
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