Two new movies are opening nationwide this weekend:
Expected to top the weekend box office is the biographical drama Straight Outta Compton directed by F. Gary Gray and starring O’Shea Jackson Jr. as Ice Cube, Corey Hawkins as Dr. Dre, Jason Mitchell as Eazy-E, Aldis Hodge as MC Ren, Neil Brown, Jr. as DJ Yella and Paul Giamatti as N.W.A.’s manager Jerry Heller. The film’s original score is composed by Joseph Trapanese (Insurgent, Oblivion, Earth to Echo). Dr. Dre has released his first record in 16 years inspired by the movie last Friday. Visit Amazon to order the album. To learn more about the film, which chronicles the rise of the hip hop group N.W.A., check out our previous news article.
Also opening wide is the film adaptation of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, Jared Harris and Hugh Grant. Daniel Pemberton (Steve Jobs, The Counselor) has composed the film’s original music. WaterTower Music has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score, as well as the songs from the movie by artists including Roberta Flack, Nina Simone, Peppino Gagliardi, Louis Prima & more. Click here for the full album details and check out our soundtrack preview here. Also visit Film Music Magazine, Film.Music.Media, We Are Movie Geeks and Film Music Society for interviews with Pemberton and click here for a video featurette about the composer’s music.
Opening in limited release is the indie comedy Mistress America co-written and directed by Noah Baumbach and starring Greta Gerwig and Lola Kirke. The film’s original music is composed by Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips (The Squid and the Whale). Milan Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composers’ music, as well as the songs from the movie by Paul McCartney, Suicide, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark and Hot Chocolate. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details and to learn more about the Fox Searchlight release.
Also opening in limited release is the indie drama Ten Thousand Saints written and directed by Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini and starring Ethan Hawke, Asa Butterfield, Hailee Steinfeld, Emily Mortimer, Julianne Nicholson and Emile Hirsch. Garth Stevenson (Tracks) has composed the film’s original music. No word yet on a soundtrack album Ten Thousand Saints based on a novel by Eleanor Henderson is set in the New York City East Village Punk scene during the 1980s and follows a young man who is sent to live with his estranged father in Manhattan. The drama premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and is being released by Screen Media Films.
Also opening in select theaters is the indie comedy People Places Things written and directed by Jim Strouse and starring Jemaine Clement, Regina Hall, Jessica Williams, Stephanie Allynne, Michael Chernus, Aundrea Gadsby and Gia Gadsby. The film’s original music is composed by Mark Orton (Nebraska, My Old Lady, The Good Girl). ABKCO Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s music. Check out our previous news article for the full album details and for more information about the Film Arcade release.
Another limited release this week is the horror thriller Final Girl directed by Tyler Shields and starring Abigail Breslin, Alexander Ludwig, Wes Bentley, Logan Huffman, Cameron Bright, Reece Thompson and Francesca Eastwood. Marc Canham (The Disappearance of Alice Creed) has composed the film’s original music. No soundtrack album has been announced. Final Girl follows follows a group of charismatic yet sadistic boys who trick a young, blonde girl into meeting them for a date. The thriller is being released by Cinedigm Entertainment.
Also opening in select cities is the horror thriller The Boy written and directed by Craig Macneill and starring Jared Breeze, Rainn Wilson, David Morse, Mike Vogel, Zuleikha Robinson and Bill Sage. The film’s original music is composed by German modern pianist and composer Hauschka. Milan Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s music digitally and a CD version will be coming out next month. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details and to learn more about the Chiller Films/Spectre Vision release.
Opening in the U.S. following a release overseas last year is the French drama Tom at the Farm directed by Xavier Dolan who also stars in the film alongside Pierre-Yves Cardinal, Lise Roy, Evelyne Brochu, Manuel Tadros, Jacques Lavallee, Anne Caron and Olivier Morin. Gabriel Yared (The English Patient, The Talented Mr. Ripley, 1408) has composed the film’s original music. A soundtrack album featuring the composer’s music was released last spring. Check our our previous article for the full album details and to listen to audio samples.
Also opening in limited release is the thriller Return to Sender directed by Fouad Mikati and starring Rosamund Pike, Shiloh Fernandez, Nick Nolte, Camryn Manheim, Rumor Willis and Illeana Douglas. The film’s original music is composed by Daniel Hart (Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, Comet). No word yet on a soundtrack album. Return to Sender follows a nurse who is attacked by a stranger during a home invasion and later begins to visit him in jail regularly after he’s arrested. The thriller is being released by Image/RLJ Entertainment.
Also opening in select cities and on VOD is the horror thriller One & Two directed by Andrew Droz Palermo and starring Kiernan Shipka, Timothée Chalamet, Grant Bowler and Elizabeth Reaser. Nathan Halpern (Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present, Rich Hill) has composed the film’s original music. Lakeshore Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s music. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details and visit the official movie website for more information about the IFC Midnight release.
Another limited release this weekend is the thriller Amnesiac directed by Michael Polish and starring Kate Bosworth and Wes Bentley. The film’s original music is composed by Aleks de Carvalho (Loitering with Intent). No word on a soundtrack album. Amnesiac follows a man who wakes up in bed suffering from memory loss after being in an accident, only to begin to suspect that his wife may not be his real wife and soon finds himself a prisoner in the house. The thriller is being released by XLrator Media.
Also opening in select theaters is the sci-fi thriller Air co-written and directed by Christian Cantamessa and starring Norman Reedus, Djimon Hounsou and Sandrine Holt. The film’s original music is composed by Edo Van Breemen (Afflicted, The Backward Class). Nettwerk America has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s music. Check out our previous news article for the full album details and for more information about the Vertical Entertainment release.
Also opening in select theaters is the documentary Meru directed by Jimmy Chin & E. Chai Vasarhelyi. J. Ralph (Lucky Number Slevin, The Cove, Chasing Ice) has composed the film’s original music. No soundtrack album has been released. Meru follows three elite mountain climbers who sacrificed everything but their friendship as they attempt to climb the never-before-completed Shark’s Fin on Mount Meru in the Indian Himalayas in 2011. The documentary premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and was picked up by Music Box Films for domestic distribution. Visit the official movie website for more information.
