Justin Hires

The “Rush Hour” Interview

with Kam Williams

A Discussion with Justin!

Justin Hires is a very talented actor, comedian, storyteller, dancer, video jockey and writer who will next be seen playing Detective Carter in the CBS-TV action-comedy series "Rush Hour," based on the buddy films co-starring Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan. The versatile entertainer has been an ensemble cast member on the sketch comedy series "Key & Peele," and he's also appeared in the box-office hit 21 Jump Street alongside Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum,


Justin was born in St. Petersburg, Florida where he was raised by a couple of very supportive parents. Even as a young child, he exhibited a knack for making others laugh.


While attending Clark Atlanta University, Justin was cast in two feature films: Stomp the Yard and The Gospel. He was subsequently hired by MTV as a VJ on their college network, mtvU.


Justin moved to Hollywood after receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Media- Radio, TV, and Film. In L.A., he started doing stand-up in comedy clubs, and began landing a variety of television and film roles, while accumulating over 13 million views of his personal sketches online.

Here, the rising young star talks about "Rush Hour" which is set to premiere on CBS on March 31st at 10 pm ET/PT. (Check local listings)

Kam Williams: Hi Justin, thanks for the interview.

Justin Hires: Thanks for having me, Kam.

KW: I told my readers I'd be interviewing you, so I'll be mixing their questions in with mine.

JH: Sounds exciting…

KW: Congratulations on landing the lead in Rush Hour. Were you a fan of the film franchise?

JH: Absolutely! I grew up watching and studying those films. I’ve always been a huge fan of martial arts and comedy, so Rush Hour was the perfect combination for me.

KW: The trailer looks a lot like the first movie. How will the show be similar and how will it be different?

JH: The pilot episode is a reboot of the original Rush Hour. So, there are some similarities there. However, all the episodes after that, 13 episodes in total, tell completely new and exciting stories that are not connected with the Rush Hour films, at all.

KW: I think the key to the success of the film franchise was the chemistry between Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan. How did you and John Foo go about trying to regenerate that magic?

JH: I completely agree. Fortunately, I think Jon Foo and my chemistry is incredible! Foo is a genuine introvert and I’m a genuine extrovert. We’re the perfect ying and yang, on and off camera.

KW: Editor/Legist Patricia Turnier asks: How did you prepare to play Detective James Carter? Did you get any advice from Chris Tucker?

JH: I’ve been doing stand-up for a strong 8 years and I’ve been the class clown my entire life, all of which prepared me for a role of this magnitude. Also, I watched all those buddy cop movies again: 48 Hours, Lethal Weapon, Bad Boys, etcetera. I didn’t get any advice from Tucker, but I assume his advice would’ve been, “Have fun and be funny!”

KW: Patricia also says: You are an actor, writer and comedian. Which of those endeavors is your favorite?

JH: I honestly love all three equally. Each of those have played a part in getting me to where I’m at in my career right now.

KW: Patricia has another follow-up: Who is your favorite comedian, and do you have a topic you won't touch in a stand-up routine?

JH: Richard Pryor is the Godfather of Comedy. Eddie Murphy is the King. Martin Lawrence is my favorite. Chris Rock is the best. Dave Chappelle is a genius. Bernie Mac is the funniest. I’m a comedy nerd. And… rape is typically never funny.

KW: Sangeetha Subramanian says: Justin, is comedy like writing where an idea just pops in your mind at any given time? If so, what was the strangest occasion on which a joke came to you? :

JH: That’s a pretty accurate insight, Sangeetha. A funny idea might pop up in your head or you may see something that you think is funny--then you go to a comedy club, say that thought out loud, and see if everyone else finds it funny as well. Some of my funniest thoughts come to me while I’m taking a shower.

KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?

JH: Do I prefer Coke or Pepsi? My answer depends on which one wants to give me an endorsement deal one day. [LOL]

KW: AALBC.com founder Troy Johnson asks: What was the last book you read?

JH: Who knows? I’ve just been reading 60-page Rush Hour scripts every week for the last 6 months.

KW: What is your favorite dish to cook?

JH: Fried chicken and roasted potatoes. Yep, the myth is true--I do, indeed, love fried chicken.

KW: Ling-Ju Yen asks: What is your earliest childhood memory?

JH: Either telling my first joke in pre-school that got a huge laugh, or my mom rocking me to sleep in her rocking chair.

KW: Sherry Gillam would like to know what is the most important life lesson you've learned so far?

JH: Fear will keep you from accomplishing your dreams.

KW: The Viola Davis question: What’s the biggest difference between who you are at home as opposed to the person we see on the red carpet?

JH: I’m really quiet at home. I don’t speak that much. However, when I’m in public, I make sure to speak to everyone.

KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?

JH: Someone trying to achieve greatness. 

 

KW: What's the craziest thing you've ever done?

JH: I turned down a contract with a major network in New York my senior year of college in order to move to Los Angeles and pursue my acting career. But so far it’s working out.

KW: If you could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for?

JH: The power of mind control. I’d be able to get pretty much everything I wanted.

KW: What is your guiltiest pleasure?

JH: Watching “Love & Hip Hop.”

KW: The “Realtor to the Stars” Jimmy Bayan’s question: What would be your dream locale to live in Los Angeles?

JH: Either Malibu or Calabasas.

KW: Harriet Pakula-Teweles asks: With so many classic films being redone, is there a remake you'd like to star in?

JH: One of the reasons I started acting was to re-make The Karate Kid, but Jaden Smith beat me to it.

KW: Larry Greenberg asks: Do you have a favorite movie monster?

JH: Dracula.

KW: The Judyth Piazza question: What key quality do you believe all successful people share?

JH: Being fearless.

KW: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

JH: Do your homework, study the craft, believe in yourself, and out-work everyone.

KW: The Tavis Smiley question: How do you want to be remembered?

JH: He did what many thought was impossible.

KW: Finally, what’s in your wallet?

JH: Rush Hour’ money. [LOL]

KW: Thanks again for the time, Justin, and best of luck with the new show.

JH: Thank you very much, Kam.

To see a trailer for Rush Hour, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE_KzuQNQnU 

The Lady in the Van (FILM REVIEW)

by Kam Williams



Celebrated Playwright and Down-and-Out Pensioner Forge Unlikely Friendship in Bittersweet Docudrama


For a half-dozen seasons, Dame Maggie Smith has been delighting television viewers as dowager Violet Crawley on Downton Abbey. Younger fans of the show might be unaware that she's a two-time Oscar-winner (for California Suite and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie) who had already enjoyed an illustrious career prior to appearing on the the hit PBS series. 
 
In The Lady in the Van, she's been cast as a character practically the polar opposite of the imperious aristocrat we've come to love. For, Margaret Shepherd is a down-and-out homeless woman humbled by having to live out of a van which she parks on the street in the Camden Town section of North London.

At the point of departure in the early Seventies, we learn that Margaret's miserable plight is substantially one of her making,. She's been on the run for five years since leaving the scene of a fatal hit-and-run car accident. 
 
And while the devout Catholic has confessed the sin to her priest, she could never quite bring herself to surrender to the authorities. Consequently, she's forever looking over her shoulder, fearful that her arrest might be imminent.

The plot thickens when she can't afford to fix her misfiring jalopy sorely in need of a tune-up. Most of the owners in the upscale neighborhood where the van is sitting would simply like to see the eyesore towed away from the block once and for all.

But, for some reason, Alan Bennett (Alex Jennings) feels compassion for the ostensibly overwhelmed octagenarian, perhaps because he has a mother also of advanced age. So, against his better judgment, the famous writer allows " Miss Shepherd" to park her disabled car in the driveway on the express understanding that this will be a temporary arrangement. 
 
But Alan proves to be such a soft touch that the cantankerous old coot ends up squatting on his property for the next 15 years. Can a Tony Award-winning playwright and a feisty pensioner coexist peacefully in such crazy conditions?

That is the question at the heart of The Lady in the Van, a heartwarming dramedy inspired by actual events. The film was adapted from Bennett's 1999 theatrical production of the same name which also starred Maggie Smith. 
 
Smith looks oh so relaxed onscreen in the role she originated onstage, whether cadging for alms on the pavement or exhibiting pangs of remorse about the crash which left her in dire straits. Just as effective is Alex Jennings' interpretation of Bennett as a terminally-conflicted soul constantly carrying on an inner dialogue with himself. 
 
A touching tale of empathy blessed by a couple of equally-endearing performances that are nothing short of inspired.



Excellent (4 stars)
Rated PG-13 for a disturbing image
Running time: 104 minutes
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics


To see a trailer for The Lady in the Van, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA8tMziteZM

The Benefactor (FILM REVIEW)

by Kam Williams


Richard Gere's Services Squandered as Flamboyant Philanthropist with a Hidden Agenda


Filthy-rich Francis Watts (Richard Gere) is every bit as flamboyant as he is altruistic. But the Philadelphia philanthropist also has an annoying personality flaw: a need to interfere in the affairs of the recipients of his charity.

For instance, the meddling bachelor has purchased a home for Olivia (aka "Poodles") (Dakota Fanning) and Luke (Theo James), newlyweds expecting their first child. Furthermore, he has not only paid off the husband's medical school loans, but secured the physician a position at a children's hospital where he serves on the board.

In this case, there's a logical reason for Franny's Iargesse, namely, his overwhelming regret about having caused the car accident that claimed the lives of Olivia's parents. Still, that doesn't explain why the creepy control freak feels entitled to crawl into bed with the couple or to pressure the young doctor to write him illegal prescriptions for the painkiller he's become addicted to.

That is the intriguing point of departure of The Benefactor, a moralizing melodrama marking the writing and directorial debut of Andrew Renzi (unless you count Fishtail, a documentary he made about life on a Montana cattle ranch). Here, unfortunately, Renzi squanders the talents of A-listers Richard Gere and Dakota Fanning in service of a disappointing script that even their considerable talents couldn't help salvage.
 
Gere's Franny is an ostentatious dandy sporting a flowing silver mane who alternates between making bizarre and generous gestures. However, there is obviously a big hole in his soul but the picture doesn't deign to divulge the source of his angst . No, that's saved for the silly soap opera's big reveal which, quite frankly, wasn't worth the wait.

Meanwhile, Fanning isn't given much to do beyond a variety of vapid reaction shots to Franny's over-the-top antics. Oh, and her belly keeps expanding as her pregnancy progresses, too, if wearing different rubber suits counts as method acting.

An unconvincing melodrama indicting money's power to manipulate as the root of all evil.



Fair (1 star)
Unrated
Running time: 92 minutes
Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn Films


To see a trailer for The Benefactor, visit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1990TMAF9I

Top Ten DVD Releases for 1-19-16

This Week’s DVD Releases

by Kam Williams

Top Ten DVD List for January 19, 2015

March to Freedom: A 400 Year History from Slavery to Freedom

I Believe in Unicorns

The Diary of a Teenage Girl

Straight Outta Compton

Inside Llewyn Davis [The Criterion Collection]

Everest

Bronx Obama

The Yes Men Are Revolting

Mary Higgins Clark [5 Films]

The Intern

Honorable Mention

Grimm's Fairy Tales [6 Classic Stories]

The Cut

Legend: The Complete Series

Adventure Time: Stakes

Jem and the Holograms

12 Monkeys: Season One

The Guardian

2016 Oscar Nominations

by Kam Williams

The Revenant Leads the Pack with 12 Nominations!

But Minority Thespians Snubbed for Second Year in a Row

The frontier survival epic The Revenant landed a dozen Oscar nominations, establishing Leonardo DiCaprio as the early favorite to finally win his first Oscar. The movie with the next most nominations was Mad Max: Fury Road with 10, followed by The Martian with 7, and Bridge of Spies, Carol and Spotlight with 6 each.

While the members of the Academy have nominated a fine slate of actors and actresses, it has failed to include any minorities for the second year in a row. The omission is glaring since a number of laudable performances were ignored, such as Will Smith's in Concussion, the sort of character-driven drama Oscar ordinarily tends to reward. 

 

Also overlooked was Michael B. Jordan for his impressive turn in the title role of Creed, although his co-star Sly Stallone was nominated in the Best Supporting category. Curiously, the critically-acclaimed Straight Outta Compton garnered only one nomination for its screenplay which was written by four white scriptwriters. 

 

These embarrassing oversights ostensibly reflect the lack of diversity in the Academy's ranks, despite the fact that its President, Cheryl Boone, happens to be African-American. Why do not only blacks, but Asians, Latinos and Native-Americans have such a hard time making the grade?

Well, the voters are reportedly 93% white and 76% male with an average age of 63, which helps explain why a tour de force on the part of a minority might fail to register a blip on the radar. Given the demographic trend toward an increasingly ethnically-mixed populace, it is incumbent upon the Academy to figure a way to seriously consider every color of the country's wonderful rainbow, if it wants to ensure that the Oscars remain relevant in the 21st Century. 

 

Complete List of Academy Award Nominations

Best Picture
The Big Short
Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, Producers
Bridge of Spies
Steven Spielberg, Marc Platt and Kristie Macosko Krieger, Producers
Brooklyn
Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers
Mad Max: Fury Road
Doug Mitchell and George Miller, Producers
The Martian
Simon Kinberg, Ridley Scott, Michael Schaefer and Mark Huffam, Producers
The Revenant
Arnon Milchan, Steve Golin, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Mary Parent and Keith Redmon, Producers
Room
Ed Guiney, Producer
Spotlight
Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin and Blye Pagon Faust, Producers



Best Actor
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Matt Damon, The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl



Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn



Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Tom Hardy, The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
Mark Rylance, Bridge Of Spies
Sylvester Stallone, Creed



Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara, Carol
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs



Directing
The Big Short, Adam McKay
Mad Max: Fury Road, George Miller
The Revenant, Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Room, Lenny Abrahamson
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight



Film Editing
The Big Short
Hank Corwin
Mad Max: Fury Road
Margaret Sixel
The Revenant
Stephen Mirrione
Spotlight
Tom McArdle
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey



Foreign Language Film
Embrace of the Serpent (Colombia)
Mustang (France)
Son of Saul (Hungary)
Theeb (Jordan)
A War (Denmark)



Original Score
Bridge of Spies
Thomas Newman
Carol
Carter Burwell
The Hateful Eight
Ennio Morricone
Sicario
Jóhann Jóhannsson
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
John Williams



Production Design
Bridge of Spies
Production Design: Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration: Rena DeAngelo and Bernhard Henrich
The Danish Girl
Production Design: Eve Stewart; Set Decoration: Michael Standish
Mad Max: Fury Road
Production Design: Colin Gibson; Set Decoration: Lisa Thompson
The Martian
Production Design: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Celia Bobak
The Revenant
Production Design: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Hamish Purdy



Visual Effects
Ex Machina
Andrew Whitehurst, Paul Norris, Mark Ardington and Sara Bennett
Mad Max: Fury Road
Andrew Jackson, Tom Wood, Dan Oliver and Andy Williams
The Martian
Richard Stammers, Anders Langlands, Chris Lawrence and Steven Warner
The Revenant
Rich McBride, Matthew Shumway, Jason Smith and Cameron Waldbauer
Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Roger Guyett, Patrick Tubach, Neal Scanlan and Chris Corbould



Adapted Screenplay
The Big Short
Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Adam McKay
Brooklyn
Screenplay by Nick Hornby
Carol
Screenplay by Phyllis Nagy
The Martian
Screenplay by Drew Goddard
Room
Screenplay by Emma Donoghue



Original Screenplay
Bridge of Spies
Written by Matt Charman and Ethan Coen & Joel Coen
Ex Machina
Written by Alex Garland
Inside Out
Screenplay by Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley; Original story by Pete Docter, Ronnie del Carmen
Spotlight
Written by Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy
Straight Outta Compton
Screenplay by Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff; Story by S. Leigh Savidge & Alan Wenkus and Andrea Berloff



Animated Feature Film
Anomalisa
Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson and Rosa Tran
Boy and the World
Alê Abreu
Inside Out
Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera
Shaun the Sheep Movie
Mark Burton and Richard Starzak
When Marnie Was There
Hiromasa Yonebayashi and Yoshiaki Nishimura



Cinematography
Carol
Ed Lachman
The Hateful Eight
Robert Richardson
Mad Max: Fury Road
John Seale
The Revenant
Emmanuel Lubezki
Sicario
Roger Deakins



Costume Design
Carol
Sandy Powell
Cinderella
Sandy Powell
The Danish Girl
Paco Delgado
Mad Max: Fury Road
Jenny Beavan
The Revenant
Jacqueline West



Documentary Feature
Amy
Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees
Cartel Land
Matthew Heineman and Tom Yellin
The Look of Silence
Joshua Oppenheimer and Signe Byrge Sørensen
What Happened, Miss Simone?
Liz Garbus, Amy Hobby and Justin Wilkes
Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom
Evgeny Afineevsky and Den Tolmor



Documentary Short Subject
Body Team 12
David Darg and Bryn Mooser
Chau, Bbeyond the Lines
Courtney Marsh and Jerry Franck
Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah
Adam Benzine
A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
Last Day of Freedom
Dee Hibbert-Jones and Nomi Talisman



Makeup and Hairstyling
Mad Max: Fury Road
Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega and Damian Martin
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared
Love Larson and Eva von Bahr
The Revenant
Siân Grigg, Duncan Jarman and Robert Pandini



Original Song
“Earned It” from Fifty Shades of Grey
Music and Lyric by Abel Tesfaye, Ahmad Balshe, Jason Daheala Quenneville and Stephan Moccio
“Manta Ray” from Racing Extinction
Music by J. Ralph and Lyric by Antony Hegarty
“Simple Song #3” from Youth
Music and Lyric by David Lang
“Til It Happens To You” from The Hunting Ground
Music and Lyric by Diane Warren and Lady Gaga
“Writing’s On The Wall” from Spectre
Music and Lyric by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith



Animated Short Film
Bear Story
Gabriel Osorio and Pato Escala
Prologue
Richard Williams and Imogen Sutton
Sanjay’s Super Team
Sanjay Patel and Nicole Grindle
We Can’t Live without Cosmos
Konstantin Bronzit
World of Tomorrow
Don Hertzfeldt



Live Action Short Film
Ave Maria
Basil Khalil and Eric Dupont
Day One
Henry Hughes
Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut)
Patrick Vollrath
Shok
Jamie Donoughue
Stutterer
Benjamin Cleary and Serena Armitage



Sound Editing
Mad Max: Fury Road
Mark Mangini and David White
The Martian
Oliver Tarney
The Revenant
Martin Hernandez and Lon Bender
Sicario
Alan Robert Murray
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Matthew Wood and David Acord
/
Sound Mixing
Bridge of Spies
Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom and Drew Kunin
Mad Max: Fury Road
Chris Jenkins, Gregg Rudloff and Ben Osmo
The Martian
Paul Massey, Mark Taylor and Mac Ruth
The Revenant
Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, Randy Thom and Chris Duesterdiek
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio and Stuart Wilson

Straight Outta Compton (DVD REVIEW)

DVD Review by Kam Williams



DVD Revisits Rise and Fall of Groundbreaking Rap Group


Back in the Eighties, the CIA began orchestrating the introduction of crack-cocaine to African-American communities all across America, starting with the South Central L.A. By the middle of the decade, the epidemic had turned Compton into a godforsaken wasteland rife with drug addiction and crime. 
 
Thus, it should come as no surprise that when a young Ice Cube (O'Shea Jackson, Jr.) teamed up with MC Ren (Aldis Hodge) to write songs, they'd reflect the reality of what they'd witnessed growing up in the 'hood. In 1988, together with Dr. Dre (Corey Hawkins), Eazy E (Jason Mitchell) and DJ Yella (Neil Brown, Jr.), they released “Straight Outta Compton,” the debut album of N.W.A., aka Niggaz with Attitudes.

The controversial group pioneered a seminal sub-genre of rap revolving around black-on-black violence, misogyny and police brutality. While detractors criticized their glorification of ghetto dysfunction, proponents countered that N.W.A. was merely telling it like it is.

Despite that first CD's going double platinum, Cube soon departed to embark on a solo career, ostensibly after being ripped off by their manager, Jerry Heller (Paul Giamatti). In fact, he subsequently threatened to “put a bullet to his temple” in a tune where he also suggested his former bandmates “get rid of that devil” because they couldn't be gangstas “with a white Jew tellin' you what to do.” Meanwhile, his abandoned homeys promised Cube via lyrics that they would “f*ck you with a broomstick.” 
 
Ironically, they would all eventually wise up and come around to agree with Cube, most notably, Dre, who finally left Ruthless Records in 1991 to sign with his bodyguard Suge Knight's (R. Marcus Taylor) new label, Death Row Records. Eazy E would remain loyal to Heller the longest, leaving not long before he died of AIDS at just 31 years-of age.

All of the above is recounted in vivid fashion in Straight Outta Compton, a gritty raptrospective that unfolds like an extended episode of VH1's Behind the Music. Directed by F. Gary Gray (Law Abiding Citizen), the film does seem to be celebrating the sort of depraved behavior that might lead to an early death.

For, between off-stage and concert performances of N.W.A. hits. we're basically being treated to such sights of these hedonistic pop stars as “drowning in pussy” in a hotel room littered with groupies, settling their differences with adversaries at gunpoint, and being arrested after ignoring orders by the authorities to stop performing the incendiary F*ck the Police.“ 
 
The cinematic equivalent of a nostalgic fanzine designed with die-hard devotees of gangsta' rap in mind.

Good (2 stars)
Rated R for violence, drug use, pervasive profanity and ethnic slurs, graphic sexuality and frontal nudity
Running time: 147 minutes
Distributor: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack Extras: Deleted scenes; Becoming N.W.A.; a never before seen performance; N.W.A.: The Origins; Impact; Director's Journey; The Streets: Filming in Compton; N.W.A. Performs in Detroit; Feature commentary with director/producer F. Gary Gray.

To see a trailer for Straight Outta Compton, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F5WcFPDzko

To order a copy of the Straight Outta Compton Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack, visit:  

Kam's Movie Kapsules for 1-22-16

OPENING THIS WEEK

Kam's Kapsules:

Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun

by Kam Williams

For movies opening January 22, 2016

BIG BUDGET FILMS

The 5th Wave (PG-13 for violence, destruction, profanity, mature themes and brief teen partying) Post-apocalyptic, sci-fi thriller set on a planet already overrun by aliens and revolving around a teenager's (Chloe Grace Moretz) desperate attempt to save herself and her little brother Zackary Arthur) with the help of a stranger (Evan Roe). Ensemble includes Liev Schreiber, Ron Livingston, Gabriela Lopez, Maria Bello, Maika Monroe and Matthew Zuk.

The Boy (PG-13 for violence, terror and mature themes) Supernatural thriller about an American nanny (Lauren Cohan) who arrives in England to find that she's been hired to care for a life-sized porcelain doll by a couple (Jim Norton and Diana Hardcastle) grieving the loss of a young son. Supporting cast includes Ben Robson, James Russell and Rupert Evans. 

Dirty Grandpa (R for profanity, drug use, frontal nudity and pervasive crude humor and sexual content) Robert De Niro plays the title character in this unlikely-buddies comedy about a retired Army general who embarks on a raunchy road trip to Florida with his grandson (Zac Efron) for Spring Break. With Aubrey Plaza, Zoey Deutch and Dermot Mulroney.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

Exposed (R for profanity, violence and rape) Supernatural thriller about an attractive Latina (Ana de Armas) who witnesses a miracle before being befriended by a cop (Keanu Reeves) investigating his partner's mysterious death. With Big Daddy Kane, Mira Sorvino and Christopher McDonald.

Get Happy! (Unrated) Romantic comedy about a hopelessly miserable misanthrope (Chris Riggi) who gets a new lease on life when he starts dating a free-spirited bon vivant (Lauren Sweetser). Cast includes Adam LaVorgna, Rebecca Blumhagen and Jordan Lane Price.

Ip Man 3 (Unrated) Donnie Yen reprises the title role in a high attrition-rate sequel which finds the legendary martial arts master taking on a gang doing the bidding of a ruthless real estate tycoon (Mike Tyson). With Lynn Hung, Jin Zhang and Patrick Tan. (In Cantonese and English with subtitles)

Jeruzalem (R for violence, sexuality, nudity, brief drug use and pervasive profanity) Horror flick about a couple of young Americans (Danie Jadelyn) whose vacation in Israel is ruined by the arrival of an apocalypse of Biblical proportions. Support cast includes Dibi Ben-Yosef, Odo Di Capua and Geri Gendel.

Mojave (R for profanity and violence) Cat-and-mouse thriller about a suicidal artist (Garrett Hedlund) who ventures into the desert to die only to encounter a homicidal drifter (Oscar Isaac). Featuring Walter Goggins, Mark Wahlberg and Dania Ramirez.

Monster Hunt (Unrated) Martial arts comedy, set in medieval China, revolving around the efforts of a half-human/half-monster baby's parents to protect him from both the humans and monsters who want him dead. Starring Boran Jing, Baihe Bai, Wu Jiang and Elaine Jin. (In Mandarin with subtitles)

Naz & Maalik (Unrated) Out-of-the-closet dramedy, set in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, about a couple of gay, African-American lovers (Curtis Cook, Jr. and Kerwin Johnson, Jr.) whose secretive relationship leads an FBI Agent (Annie Grier) to suspect them of terrorism. With Ashleigh Awusie, Anderson Footman and Bradley Brian Custer.

Prescription Thugs (Unrated) Healthcare expose examining Big Pharma's role in the abuse of prescription drugs.

Synchronicity (R for profanity and sexual references) Sci-fi thriller about the creator (Chad McKnight) of a time machine who must travel to the past in order thwart a temptress' (Brianne Davis) attempt to steal his invention for a unscrupulous venture capitalist (Michael Ironside). With AJ Bowen, and real-life husband and wife Scott Poythress and Claire Bronson.