3 Best Movies in Theaters Right Now: ‘Midnight Special’ and More
There are several notable new films set to hit theaters this week, including a new film from The Big Bang Theory star Melissa Rauch and the latest from the Divergent franchise. Can’t decide which option to check out first? Here are our staff’s picks for the top three flicks to check out this weekend.
1. Midnight Special
Written and directed by Jeff Nichols, the sci-fi drama centers on a man (Michael Shannon) and his son (Jaeden Lieberher), a young boy who possesses special powers, as they are pursued by the government and a group of religious extremists. Kirsten Dunst, Joel Edgerton, Adam Driver, and Sam Shepard co-star in the movie.
The movie has earned a widely positive reception, currently holding an 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics have called it an “imaginative” and “immensely gripping” sci-fi thriller, with Shannon and Lieberher earning particular praise for their terrific performances. Midnight Special is currently only in select theaters, but is expected to see an expanded release in April.
2. The Bronze
Melissa Rauch plays Hope Ann Greggory, a gymnast who became America’s sweetheart after clinching an unlikely bronze medal at the Olympics while suffering from a ruptured Achilles. Years later, she’s still living in her dad’s basement and spends her days at the mall milking her minor celebrity for free food and favors. That routine is upended when she learns that she must coach a newest gymnastics prodigy Maggie (Haley Lu Richardson) in order to receive a sizable financial inheritance. Sebastian Stan, Thomas Middleditch, and Cecily Strong co-star.
Written by Rauch and her husband, the over-the-top and raunchily funny movie has earned mixed reviews. “The Bronze isn’t a brilliant game-changer, just a funny and filthy diversion,” the New York Daily News wrote of the flick.
3. The Divergent Series: Allegiant – Part 1
The third installment in the Divergent franchise follows Tris (Shailene Woodley) and Four (Theo James) as they journey beyond the wall that encloses Chicago. For the first time, they leave the only city and family they have ever known to find a peaceful solution. But once outside, they learn shocking new truths that render old discoveries meaningless. As the ruthless battle threatens humanity, Tris and Four must quickly decide who to trust to survive. Ansel Elgort, Naomi Watts, Miles Teller, Octavia Spencer, and Jeff Daniels co-star.
Though critics have called the film “clunky-looking” and “monotonous,” Woodley and Watts have earned high praise for their strong performances. Regardless of the mixed reviews, fans of the Divergent books or of dystopian flicks in general won’t want to miss this adaptation.
