New in Theaters This Week for 02/16/18
Welcome to a recurring feature here at The Nerd Mentality. As movie lovers, we often scramble to find all the films coming out in a given week. We thought we would take some of the guesswork out of it for our readers. We’ll be showcasing both wide and limited releases. So sit back watch some trailers and you might find something new to go watch this weekend. These films are what’s New in Theaters This Week for 02/16/18, shown in totally random order, because why not? Showtimes are linked on the titles so you can see if it is playing near you.
Aiyaary (Reliance Entertainment)
Two Indian Army officers. A mentor. And his protégé. Two officers with a patriotic heart suddenly have a fallout. The mentor, Colonel Abhay Singh, intelligence par excellence has complete faith in the system of the country. While protégé Major Jai Bakshi thinks otherwise because of what he has seen and heard in his recent stint in surveillance. Jai Bakshi decides to turn rogue and this is what kicks off the story. Abhay has 36 hours to rein in Jai while Jai sits on a secret that can bring down the Government.
Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead (Well Go USA)
When a series of unusual murders occurs, Detective K (KIM Myung-min) and his partner (OH Dal-soo) are once again called upon to solve the case. Along the way, he teams up with a beautiful woman (KIM Ji-won) with amnesia and together they discover Vampire bite marks on all of the bodies. As they investigate further, they begin to realize that the woman is somehow closely connected to the deaths.
Early Man (Lionsgate)
Set at the dawn of time, when prehistoric creatures and woolly mammoths roamed the earth, EARLY MAN tells the story of how plucky caveman Dug, along with sidekick Hognob, unites his tribe against the mighty Bronze Age in a battle to beat them at their own game.
The Party (Roadside Attractions)
In Sally Potter’s new dark comedy THE PARTY, Janet (Kristin Scott Thomas) is hosting an intimate gathering of friends in her London home to celebrate her political ascension, while her husband, Bill (Timothy Spall), seems preoccupied. Janet’s acerbic best friend, April (Patricia Clarkson) arrives and others follow, some with their own dramatic news to share, but an announcement by Bill provokes a series of revelations that gradually unravel the sophisticated soiree, and a night that began with champagne may end with gunplay.
The Boy Downstairs (FilmRise)
Diana (Zosia Mamet) moves back to New York City after a few years abroad and finds the perfect Brooklyn apartment for a fresh start. Yet on the first night in her new home, she discovers that her ex-boyfriend Ben (Matthew Shear) lives in the apartment below hers. After an awkward reunion, Diana proclaims her intentions for a genuine friendship. But as old wounds are opened, both Diana and Ben are forced to confront the true nature of their feelings.
America’s Musical Journey (MacGillivray Freeman Films)
In America’s musical cities, every chord, every riff, every bang of a drum tells a story. In America’s Musical Journey these stories come together to create a soundtrack for the American experience—a soundtrack that showcases the nation’s diversity and its collision of cultures, culminating in a unique blend of sound, music and innovation unlike anywhere else in the world.
The Monkey King 3 (Well Go USA)
The third installment of the blockbuster fantasy series sees the return of the Monkey King (Aaron Kwok) in his most action-packed adventure yet! While continuing their epic journey to the West, the Monkey King and his companions are taken captive by the Queen of an all-female land, who believes them to be part of an ancient prophecy heralding the fall of her kingdom. With a lot of sorcery and a little bit of charm, the travelers devise a plan to escape. But when their trickery angers the mighty River God, they realize they might just bring about the foretold destruction – unless they can find a way to quell her wrath.
Looking Glass (Momentum Pictures)
After losing their daughter to a tragic accident, shattered couple Ray and Maggie purchase a motel in the middle of nowhere in the hopes of starting a new life. But Ray begins to notice strange goings-on, and starts to piece together the history of a bizarre murder associated with the motel. Poking around in a basement one day, Ray discovers a crawl space, which leads to a two-way mirror into one of the rooms. As he becomes obsessed with the unusual activities that happen beyond the looking glass, his marriage, sanity and his very life are threatened.
Mind Game (GKIDS)
Buckle in and prepare to surrender yourself to an exhilarating and wildly entertaining ride. Cult classic Mind Game is an explosion of unconstrained expression – gloriously colorful images ricochet in rapid-fire associations, like Masaaki Yuasa’s brain splattered onto the screen in all its goopy glory. Audiences will begin to grasp what they are in for early on as loser Nishi, too wimpy to try to save his childhood sweetheart from gangsters, is shot in the butt by a soccer-playing psychopath, projecting Nishi into the afterlife. In this limbo, God – shown as a series of rapidly changing characters – tells him to walk toward the light. But Nishi runs like hell in the other direction and returns to Earth a changed man, driven to live each moment to the fullest. This film is recommended for adult audiences, ages 17+.
TNM Notes: I debated putting this here because it’s from 2004, but figured someone might be interested. It’s getting a one night run today (16th) at a bunch of Landmark Theaters before traveling to others.
Samson (Pure Flix)
A Hebrew with an unusual gift of strength must respond properly to the call of God on his life in order to lead his people out of enslavement. After his youthful ambition leads to a tragic marriage, his acts of revenge thrust him into direct conflict with the Philistine army. As his brother mounts a tribal rebellion, only Samson’s relationship with a Philistine temptress and his final surrender both to the Philistines and to God turns imprisonment and blindness into final victory.
The Housemaid (IFC Films)
A forbidden passion awakens vengeful spirits within a haunted mansion in this bloodcurdling, erotic tour-de-force. Vietnam, 1953: Linh (Nhung Kate), a poor, orphaned young woman, finds employment as a housemaid in a crumbling rubber plantation presided over by the emotionally fragile French officer Sebastien Laurent (Jean-Michel Richaud). Soon, a torrid love affair develops between the two – a taboo romance that rouses the ghost of Laurent’s dead wife, who won’t rest until blood flows. Submerged in moody Gothic atmosphere, this stylish supernatural saga confronts the dark shadows of Vietnam’s colonial past while delivering heart-stopping scares.
Black Panther (Disney)
After the death of his father, T’Challa returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. When a powerful enemy suddenly reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king — and as Black Panther — gets tested when he’s drawn into a conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people.
Monster Hunt 2 (Lionsgate)
The story continues with Wuba after he parts way with his human parents Tian and Lan for his own journey. Peace has not been restored in the monster world after the death of the evil monster king as a sinister lord has ascended and seized the throne. A heavy bounty is placed on Wuba dead or alive, forcing him to go into hiding again. He encounters an ill-famed gambler Tu (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) who’s deep in debt and seemingly up to no good. Together, they form a reluctant alliance in order to escape from their predicament.
Loveless (SONY Pictures Classics)
Zhenya and Boris are going through a vicious divorce marked by resentment, frustration and recriminations. Already embarking on new lives, each with a new partner, they are impatient to start again, to turn the page – even if it means threatening to abandon their 12-year-old son Alexey. Until, after witnessing one of their fights, Alexey disappears…
Nostalgia (Bleecker Street)
A mosaic of stories about love and loss, Nostalgia explores our relationships to the objects, artifacts, and memories that shape our lives.
Detective Chinatown 2 (Warner Bros.)
A follow up to the Chinese hit “Detective Chinatown,” the new film reunites writer/director Chen Sicheng and stars Wang Baoqiang and Liu Haoran, who reprise their roles as detectives Tang Ren and Qin Feng, respectively. When the case of New York Chinatown godfather Uncle Qi’s missing son turns into a murder investigation, the detective duo Tang and Qin team up again to hunt down the killer—this time with some help from the International Detective Alliance.
The Scent of Rain & Lightning (SP Releasing)
When a young woman learns her parents’ killer has been released from jail, she is forced to revisit old wounds while discovering the destructive power of hate and the true cost of family secrets fully revealing themselves.
Honor Up (Lionsgate)
A drug lord’s lieutenant struggles to maintain his code of honor after a deadly shootout in Harlem, N.Y.
Western (Cinema Guild)
When some German construction workers begin a challenging new job in the Bulgarian countryside, their sense of adventure is awakened, but so, too, are their prejudices.
Poop Talk (Comedy Dynamics)
Poop Talk is an open and honest look at a taboo topic in today’s society. The docu-comedy gives an inside look at all things poop — from uncensored, embarrassing moments to scientific explanations recounted by 50 experts and comedians including Kumail Nanjiani, Nicole Byer, Adam Carolla, Rob Corddry, Nikki Glaser, Pete Holmes, Eric Stonestreet, Randy and Jason Sklar, Nick Swardson, Dr. Drew Pinsky and many others.
TNM Notes: For a probably NSFW review of the film, our own Seth Manhammer got an early look last month.
Hopefully, you found some interesting trailers and maybe plan to see a film you normally wouldn’t have. New in Theaters This Week for 02/16/18 brought to you by The Nerd Mentality! Check back each week by bookmarking our Now Playing tag.