Alpha PG-13
Set during an ice age 20,000 years ago, Alpha is a tale of few words. Teen Keda (Kodi Smit-McPhee) awakens injured and alone after being left for dead during his first hunting expedition. Believing he will perish unless he finds his tribe before winter, Keda befriends a young wolf also separated from its pack. Together, they navigate treacherous terrain. Written and directed by Albert Hughes, this adventure is set in Europe during the Upper Paleolithic Era but was filmed against breathtaking Canadian mountain vistas and minimalistic Icelandic backgrounds. Solid storytelling and IMAX 3D cinematography elevate this drama that examines the roots of our bond to our canine friends.
Crazy Rich Asians PG-13
Adapted from the bestseller by Kevin Kwan, this romantic comedy is seen from the perspective of American-born Rachel Chu (Constance Wu). A New Yorker and the longtime girlfriend of Nick Young (Henry Golding), Rachel agrees to be his date for the Singapore wedding of Nick’s best friend. Rachel is unaware, prior to their trip, that Nick’s family is fabulously wealthy, so she is ill-prepared for the disapproval of Nick’s protective, imperious mother, Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh). Raised by a single mother, there is evidence Eleanor’s concerns are valid in the difficult marriage of Nick’s favorite cousin, Astrid (Gemma Chan). Despite distractions of extreme opulence (Nick’s cousin’s wedding costs $40 million dollars!), the film is firmly grounded in family traditions and the chemistry between its principal characters.
Mile 22 R
Mark Wahlberg portrays CIA operative James Silva. Paired with a top-secret tactical team, Silva sets out to retrieve and transport a high-priority informant. The group’s 22-mile journey to get their informant to an extraction point is a perilous exercise in outwitting the terrorists that hunt them. Director Peter Berg filmed modern combat-style action sequences for realism by using several camera teams to capture separate elements in real time. This fourth collaboration between Wahlberg and Berg is the first of a planned trilogy. Released by American company STXfilms, the studio was founded with sizeable Chinese investments and an eye toward making films for both Chinese and American markets.
