Three new movies are opening nationwide this holiday weekend:
Opening in most theaters is the action comedy Ride Along 2 directed by Tim Story and starring Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Ken Jeong, Benjamin Bratt, Olivia Munn, Bruce McGill, Tika Sumpter and Sherri Shepherd. The film’s original music is composed by Christopher Lennertz (Agent Carter, Horrible Bosses, Identity Thief, Hop) who collaborate with such musicians as drummer Sheila E. and trumpeter Arturo Sandoval on the project. Back Lot Music has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details and to learn more about the Universal Pictures release.
Also opening wide is the action drama 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of the Benghazi directed by Michael Bay and starring John Krasinski, Pablo Schreiber, Domicnic Fumusa, Max Martini, James Badge Dale, Toby Stephens, Matt Letscher and David Denman. Lorne Balfe (Terminatory Genisys, Home, Penguins of Madagascar) has composed the film’s original music. Hans Zimmer serves as the executive music producer. Paramount Pictures is releasing a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score. Click here for the full album details. Chris Cornell has recorded the original song ‘Til the Sun Comes Back Around, which is now available as a digital download. Visit our previous article for more information.
The third movie opening nationwide this week is the animated feature Norm of the North directed by Trevor Wall and featuring the voices of Rob Schneider, Heather Graham, Ken Jeong, Gabriel Iglesias, Loretta Devine, Michael McElhatton, Colm Meaney and Bill Nighy. The film’s original music is composed by Stephen McKeon (Queen and Country, The Flight Before Christmas). No soundtrack album has been announced. The animated film is being released by Lionsgate. Visit the official movie website for more information.
Opening in limited release following an awards-qualifying release at the end of 2015 is the comedy drama The Lady in the Van directed by Nicholas Hytner and starring Maggie Smith, Dominic Cooper, James Corden and Jim Broadbent. George Fenton (Dangerous Liaisons, Groundhog Day, Hitch, Anna and the King) has composed the film’s original music. Sony Classical has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score, as well as the classical pieces featured in the movie by Frederic Chopin and Franz Schubert. Check out our previous news article for the full album details and to learn more about the Sony Pictures Classics release. Also visit Film Music Magazine for a recent interview with Fenton about his work on the project.
Also opening in limited release is the indie drama The Benefactor written and directed by Andrew Renzi and starring Richard Gere, Dakota Fanning and Theo James. The film’s original music is composed by Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans (The Gift, Martha Marcy May Marlene, The One I Love). No soundtrack album has been announced. The Benefactor follows a newly married couple who are forced to navigate the all-consuming interest of a powerful, mysterious, and possessive philanthropist. The drama premiered at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival under the title Franny and is being released by Samuel Goldwyn Films.
Also opening in select markets is the drama A Perfect Day co-written and directed by Fernando León de Aranoa and starring Benicio Del Toro, Tim Robbins, Olga Kurylenko and Melanie Thierry. Arnau Bataller ([REC] 3 & 4) has composed the film’s original music. A Perfect Day follows a day in the life of a group of overseas aid workers with conflicting opinions about love and war. The drama premiered at last year’s Cannes Film Festival and is being released by IFC Films in theaters and on VOD. Visit the official movie website to learn more about the film.
Also opening in select theaters is the caper comedy Band of Robbers written and directed by Aaron & Adam Nee and starring Kyle Gallner, Matthew Gray Gubler, Melissa Benoist, Hannibal Buress, Eric Christian Olsen, Stephen Lang and Daniel Mora. The film’s original music is composed by Joel P West (Short Term 12, Grandma). A soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score has been released digitally. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details and to learn more about the Gravitas Ventures release.
Another limited release this weekend is the comedy Moonwalkers directed by Antoine Bardou-Jacquet and starring Ron Perlman, Rupert Grint, Robert Sheehan, Stephen Campbell Moore, Jeanne Abraham and Kerry Shale. Kasper Winding (The Salvation, The Riot Club) and Alex Gopher have composed the film’s original music. No soundtrack album has been announced. Moonwalkers follows an unstable CIA agent who – after failing to locate Stanley Kubrick – must instead team up with a seedy rock band manager to develop staging the moon landing. The comedy premiered at last year’s SXSW Film Festival and is being released in select theaters and on VOD by Alchemy.
