Tuesday Releases: Contraband

April 24, 2012 / Leave a Comment

APRIL 24TH, 2012

Better late than never on this week’s new releases:

Mark Wahlberg fans rejoice. Two big releases this week, sprinkled along with some semi-big titles as well. Contraband, the “one last heist” film starring Markie Mark and the always impressive Ben Foster captivates with just enough action to keep things interesting. Minus the striking resemble of this story compared to Gone In 60 Seconds, Contraband doesn’t entirely disappoint and at least serves its purpose.

The two sub-big releases that I am interested in seeing for the first time are Pariah and The Innkeepers. Pariah is about a young African American girl who dresses like a boy and enjoys the company of fellow females (if you catch my drift). Her family would never approve so she hides it. But the poetic nature of the film is alluring and Pariah was highly regarded during the For Your Consideration phase of the Academy Awards. Also, The Innkeepers, which, on a surface level, comes off like an unoriginal ghost horror movie. But from close friends and critics, the film is successful in producing quality scares and I can never turn down a good horror film.

The Wicker Tree, which apparently is neither a remake or a sequel, but a “companion piece” to the 1973 version of The Wicker Man (not the flop that was the Nicolas Cage abomination), was released this week. My interest is peaked as the original Wicker Man is regarded as one of the eeriest and best horror films around.

Halle Berry is slumming these days and if you don’t believe me, check out Dark Tide. What looks like a straight-to-DVD release follows Berry’s character, a “shark whisperer” who loses her “mojo”. These are actual descriptors used to sell this movie. What a joke! I might watch this just to see how bad it is. To think Halle Berry once got paid a million dollars to show her goods in the movie Swordfish. Now she’s diving for dollars in this sadly marketed bottom feeder.

The last notable film released this week is British drama, Albatross, starring the beautiful Felicity Jones, from one of my favorite films last year Like Crazy.

New Releases