Kam's Kapsules for movies opening August 25, 2017

Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun 

by Kam Williams 

OPENING THIS WEEK

BIG BUDGET FILMS

All Saints (PG for mature themes) Faith-based drama recounting the real-life struggle of a pastor (John Corbett) to save his cash-strapped church by farming its grounds with the help of some Vietnamese refugee congregants. With Nelson Lee, Gregory Alan Williams, Cara Buono and Chonda Pierce.

Birth of the Dragon (for violence, profanity and mature themes) Philip Ng plays Bruce Lee in the biopic, set in San Francisco in the Sixties, and revolving around a showdown between the martial arts legend and a kung fu master (Xia Yu). Cast includes Billy Magnussen, Xing Jing and Terry Chen. (In English and Mandarin with subtitles)

Leap! (PG for action and impolite humor) Animated adventure about an 11 year-old orphan (Elle Fanning) living in Brittany who runs away to Paris with a friend (Nat Wolff) to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a prima ballerina. Voice cast featuring Mel Brooks, Carly Rae Jepsen and Maddie Ziegler.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

Bushwick (Unrated) Harrowing tale of survival, set after a bloody riot breaks out on the streets Brooklyn, about a young woman's (Brittany Snow) attempt to get home with the help of an army veteran (Dave Bautista). Cast includes Jeff Lima, Paco Lozano and Christian Navarro.

Good Time (R for violence, drug use, sexuality and pervasive profanity) NYC crime drama revolving around a mobster's (Robert Parkinson) efforts to spring his brother (Ben Safdie) from jail after a botched bank robbery. With Buddy Duress, Barkhad (I'm the Captain, now!") Abdi and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Polina (Unrated) Anastasia Shevtsova handles the title role in this coming-of-age saga about a Russian prima ballerina who leaves the prestigious Bolshoi Company to explore improvisation and modern dance. (In French and Russian with subtitles). With Veronika Zhovnytska, Juliette Binoche and Aleksey Guskov. (In French and Russian with subtitles)

Served Like a Girl (Unrated) Band of Sisters documentary chronicling the efforts of five, female combat vets to help 55,000 homeless comrades suffering from PTSD and other illnesses after serving overseas in Iraq or Afghanistan. 

 

Tulip Fever (R for nudity and sexuality) Romance drama, set in 17th Century Amsterdam, chronicling an artist's (Dane DeHaan) passionate affair with a married woman (Alicia Vikander) whose portrait he's been commissioned to paint. With Christoph Waltz, Zach Galifiniakis and Dame Judi Dench.

Unleashed (Unrated) Romantic comedy about a woman unlucky at love (Kate Micucci) who lands in an unlikely love triangle when her pet pooch (Steve Howey) and cat (Justin Chatwin) mysteriously morph into great guys she'd love to date. Featuring Sean Astin, Josh Brener and Illeana Douglas.

The Villainess (Unrated) Ok-bin Kim plays the title character in this action thriller, set in South Korea, as a trained assassin-turned-aspiring actress forced to take the law into her own hands when a couple of goons (Ha-kyun Shin and Jun Sung) from her former life come a-callin'. With Ye-ji Min, Eun-ji Jo and Seo-hyeong Kim. (In Korean with subtitles)