Three new movies are opening nationwide this weekend:
Opening in most theaters is the sci-fi drama Arrival directed by Denis Villeneuve and starring Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker. The film’s original music is composed by Johann Johannsson (The Theory of Everything, Sicario, Prisoners). Deutsche Grammophon has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score. Check out our previous news article for the full album details. Also click here for a video featurette about the composer’s music and visit Film Music Magazine, Collider, Slashfilm and JoBlo.com for interviews with Johannsson about his work on the project.
Also opening wide is the comedy Almost Christmas directed by David E. Talbert and starring Kimberly Elise, Danny Glover, John Michael Higgins, Romany Malco, Mo’Nique, JB Smoove, Gabrielle Union, Omar Epps, Nicole Ari Parker and Jessie T. Usher. John Paesano (The Maze Runner, Daredevil, When the Game Stands Tall) has composed the film’s original score. Back Lot Music has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score, as well as the songs from the movie by Four Top, Robin Thicke, Karl Bynes, Etta James, The Commodores & more. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details.
Also opening nationwide is the thriller Shut In directed by Farren Blackburn and starring Naomi Watts, Oliver Platt, David Cubitt and Jacob Tremblay. The film’s original music is composed by Nathaniel Mechaly (Taken series, Colombiana, The Grandmaster, Taxi Brooklyn). No word on a soundtrack release. The movie follows a widowed child psychologist who lives an isolated existence in rural New England and must find a way to rescue a young boy as he she gets caught in a deadly winter storm before he disappears forever. The thriller is being released by EuropaCorp. Visit the official movie website for more information.
Opening in New York and Los Angeles this week before expanding nationwide next weekend is the drama Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk directed by Ang Lee and starring Joe Alwyn, Kristen Stewart, Chris Tucker, Garrett Hedlund, Vin Diesel and Steve Martin. Mychael Danna (Life of Pi, Moneyball, Capote, The Ice Storm) and Jeff Danna (The Boondock Saints, Fracture, Storks, The Good Dinosaur) have composed the film’s original music. No soundtrack album has been announced yet. The drama follows a 19-year-old private who, along with his fellow soldiers in Bravo Squad, becomes a hero after a harrowing Iraq battle and is brought home temporarily for a victory tour. To learn more about the Sony Pictures release, visit the official movie website.
Opening in New York before expanding to more markets over the next couple of weeks is the psychological thriller Elle directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring Isabelle Huppert, Laurent Lafitte, Anne Consigny, Charles Berling, Virgine Aefira, Judith Magre, Christian Berkel, Jonas Bloquet, Alice Isaaz and Vimila Pons. The film’s original music is composed by Anne Dudley (The Full Monty, American History X, Black Book, The Crying Game). Sony Classical has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s music. Check out our previous article for the full album details.
Also opening in limited release is the indie comedy Dreamland directed by Robert Schwartzman and starring Johnny Simmons, Amy Landecker, Jason Schwartzman, Noël Wells, Alan Ruck, Beverly D’Angelo, Talia Shire, Shay Mitchell, Frankie Shaw and Nick Thune. Schwartzman has also contributed the film’s original score. Milan Records has released a soundtrack album featuring tracks by the director, as well as his band Rooney, Coconut Records, Classixx, Cy Coleman, James McAliste & more. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details.
Also opening in select theaters is the horror thriller The Monster written and directed by Bryan Bertino and starring Zoe Kazan, Ella Ballentine, Aaron Douglas, Christine Ebadi, Marc Hickox and Scott Speedman. The film’s original music is composed by tomandandy (Arlington Road, The Mothman Prophecies, The Strangers, Rules of Attraction). No word on a soundtrack release. The Monster follows a divorced mother and her headstrong daughter who must fight for survival when a terrifying monster attacks them after their car breaks down on a deserted country road. The thriller is being released in theaters and on VOD by A24.
Another limited release this weekend is the indie drama Lazy Eye written and directed by Tim Kirkman and starring Lucas Near-Verbrugghe, Aaron Costa Ganis and Michaela Watkins. Steven Argila (The Thing About My Folks, Basmati Blues) has composed the film’s original music. SonaBLAST! Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s music, as well as songs by Builder of the House, Heidi Howe, Kiosk and Kyle James Hauser. Check out our previous news article for the full album details and to learn more about the Breaking Glass Pictures release.
Also opening in select cities is the war drama USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage directed by Mario Van Peebles and starring Nicolas Cage, Tom Sizemore, Thomas Jane, James Remar, Matt Lanter, Brian Presley, Cody Walker, Yutaka Takeuchi, Adam Scott Miller, Craig Tate and Johnny Wactor. The film’s original music is composed by Laurent Eyquem (Copperhead, Winnie Mandela, Rage, Momentum). No soundtrack album has been released yet. The movie takes place on an American navy ship that is sunk by a Japanese submarine leaving 300 crewmen stranded in shark infested waters. The drama is being released in theaters and on VOD by Lionsgate Premiere.
