Rest your watch, flip your clock, a new year means new resolutions, new adventures and a whole new year of movies. The post-holiday movie slate isn't normally packed with blockbusters or Oscar worthy films, but there a few flicks out there that you'd be well served spending a few bucks on, even if it's just a matinee. Check out College Magazine’s pick of potential winners coming out over the next month.
Beneath The Darkness – January 6th
In Beneath the Darkness, four teens decide to investigate rumors of supernatural activities at the home of a withdrawn mortician played by Dennis Quaid. This film looks almost similar to Disturbia (Shia Lebouf) in the sense of teenagers investigating the activities of a strange and suspicious man, who actually turns out to be psycho. Films like this usually go the same way: teens investigate crazy guy, find out some weird stuff, nobody believes them, a life threatening chase pursues, everyone is A-Okay in the end and the crazy guy is put to justice. If they are able to put some engaging and thrilling twists on the standard plot line, this movie has some great potential. It should also be very interesting to see Dennis Quaid out of his comfort zone and in this bizarre and mentally insane role.
Joyful Noise – January 13th
This film, starring Queen Latifa and Dolly Parton, is about a small town in Georgia going through some tough times. This town is counting on the Divinity Church Choir to lift their spirits by winning the National Joyful Noise Competition. This movie is definitely going for that inspirational and lighthearted feel, packed with those touchy feely moments and huge musical numbers. I mean who wouldn’t want to see Dolly Parton sing Chris Brown’s “Forever?" Joyful Noise is definitely going to be one of those feel good movies that everyone secretly loves.
The Divide – January 13th
In this post-apocalyptic, violent horror flick, nine strangers, residents of a New York apartment building escape a nuclear attack by hiding out in the building’s bunker-like basement. Riddled with crazy special effects and thrillingly dramatic scenes, this movie looks like it could be a showstopper. Watching average people slowly go crazy and even start to violently turn on each other after an apocalypse seems like a potentially awesome plot, and is especially appropriate considering the theories of our world’s possible end! Hopefully the story will be interesting and keep us on the edge of our seats.
Man on a Ledge – January 27th
In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) makes a desperate and life-threatening move to prove he is innocent after he is framed for the theft of a rare diamond. Man on a Ledge, however unoriginal the title may seem, looks like a unique and action packed story full of twists and turns. If you are afraid of heights, I probably wouldn’t recommend you see this, considering the bulk of the movie looks like it takes place 20 stories high on a small, small ledge but it seems like it will be an interesting and adventurous movie to check out.
One for the Money – January 27th
Based on Janet Evanovich’s worldwide best-selling mystery series, Katherine Heigl plays Stephanie Plum, an unemployed lingerie buyer who convinces her cousin to give her a job as a bounty hunter. I have never read these books, but in any case, this movie looks witty, funny and action-packed all in one. Katherine Heigl steps outside of her conventional roles in romantic comedies to play this quirky and crazy bounty hunter, and that should be an interesting transition to see. Hopefully to all fans of the book series, this will be accurate and true to Janet Evanovich’s vision.
