Major Theatrical Releases April 2016

Major Theatrical Releases April 2016

April is the month before the big summer blockbusters hit, and typically it's a very low-key month with the arrival of usually one big hit (last year it was "Furious 7," and this year it was "Batman v Superman" at the end of March) that holds the #1 spot for the entire month.  I don't see any of these releases dethroning "BvS" this month, gearing up for a huge "Civil War" opening the beginning of May.

That being said, here is the list of films being released nationally for the month of April, 2016.

April 1

God's Not Dead 2

Starring Melissa Joan Hart, Jesse Metcalfe, Robin Givens, Ray Wise

Directed by Harold Cronk

Synopsis (imdb.com):
When a high school teacher is asked a question in class about Jesus, her reasoned response lands her in deep trouble and could expel God from the public square once and for all.

Thoughts:
After the surprise hit that was "God's Not Dead," it's no surprise they'd release a sequel featuring a vendible who's who for the next "Dancing With the Stars" cast (with the exception of Melissa Joan Hart, who already appeared on the show).  This time, instead of a know-it-all student debating his professor, this one centers around a teacher who could get fired for talking about Jesus.  You can never count out the Christian audience, as previous movies "War Room" and "Heaven is For Real" can attest.  Still, it would've been better if the film was titled "God's Not Dead 2: God's Not Deader."

April 8

Hardcore Henry

Starring Sharlto Copley, Haley Bennett, Tim Roth, Will Stewart

Directed by Ilya Naishuller

Synopsis (imdb.com):
A first-person action film from the eyes of Henry, who's resurrected from death with no memory. He must discover his identity and save his wife from a warlord with a plan to bio-engineer soldiers.

Thoughts:
There is only one way to watch this movie: bring your Xbox or PS4 controller and pretend you're playing a videogame on a huge screen.  That's pretty much the gimmick in this tale, which will also certainly cause some moviegoers severe gastric distress and extreme dizziness.

The Boss

Starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristin Bell, Peter Dinklage, Kristen Schaal

Directed by Ben Falcone

Synopsis (imdb.com):
A titan of industry is sent to prison after she's caught for insider trading. When she emerges ready to rebrand herself as America's latest sweetheart, not everyone she screwed over is so quick to forgive and forget.

Thoughts:
This is basically Melissa McCarthy playing...Melissa McCarthy.  She is the darling of the R-rated female comedy, and pretty much performs with a one-note key.  Fortunately for her, that key is often the sound of success such as "Spy," but then sometimes the note does hit sour (like "Tammy").  Still, it looks funny enough and she's a terrific comedianne, and can pull it off.

Before I Wake

Starring Jacob Tremblay, Thomas Jane, Kate Bosworth, Annabeth Gish

Directed by Mike Flanagan

Synopsis (imdb.com):
A young couple adopt an orphaned child whose dreams - and nightmares - manifest physically as he sleeps.

Thoughts:
There's not too many horror movies being released (the next big one will be "The Conjuring 2" in June), so the horror fanatics are eagerly waiting for something.  Plus it stars Jacob Tremblay, who gave a powerful performance in "Room" and stole the hearts of Americans during his many awards speeches.  Still, I'm waiting for Freddy Krueger to make a guest appearance. 

April 15

The Jungle Book

Starring Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, Lupita Nyong'o, Bill Murray

Directed by Jon Favreau

Synopsis (imdb.com):
An orphan boy is raised in the jungle with the help of a pack of wolves, a bear, and a black panther.

Thoughts:
If there was a film this April that could topple "BvS," it's this one.  Disney has been adapting their beloved classic animated films into live-action spectacles, and having Jon "Iron Man" Favreau in the director's chair, plus a top-notch A-list voice cast, and you've got a possible surprise hit.

Everybody Wants Some

Starring Zoey Deutch, Austin Amelio, Tyler Hoechlin, Blake Jenner

Directed by Richard Linklater

Synopsis (imdb.com):
A group of college baseball players navigate their way through the freedoms and responsibilities of unsupervised adulthood.

Thoughts:
Richard Linklater earned some cred recently with his ambitious "Boyhood" film, but with "Everybody Wants Some," he's downgraded himself yet again to a forgettable rom-com set in the 80s because, as we all know, the 80s was such an amazing decade...

Criminal

Starring Kevin Costner, Gal Gadot, Ryan Reynolds, Gary Oldman

Directed by Aril Vromen

Synopsis (imdb.com):
The memories & skills of a deceased CIA agent are implanted into an unpredictable and dangerous convict.

Thoughts:
Even though it stars Gal Gadot (she's so hot right now), "Criminal" seems like another cut-and-paste action thriller that will be forgotten hours after it's released.  Funny how it features Ryan Reynolds who seems to have lost his body to Kevin Coster, after he took Ben Kingsley's body in "Self/Less," or something like that.

Barbershop: The Next Cut

Starring Ice Cube, Regina Hall, Nicki Minaj, Common

Directed by Malcolm D. Lee

Synopsis (imdb.com):
It's been more than 10 years since our last appointment at Calvin's Barbershop. Calvin and his longtime crew are still there, but the shop has undergone some major changes. Most noticeably, our once male-dominated sanctuary is now co-ed. The ladies bring their own flavor, drama and gossip to the shop challenging the fellas at every turn. Despite the good times and camaraderie within the shop, the surrounding community has taken a turn for the worse, forcing Calvin and our crew to come together to not only save the shop, but their neighborhood.

Thoughts:
"Barbershop 2" was released in 2004.  Twelve years later, the sequel no one asked for finally comes out, and since this year bringing back dead franchises (see "Zoolander 2" and "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2") are all the rage, why not do it with "Barbershop?"  It's not like those other two films flopped majorly...

April 22

The Huntsman: Winter's War

Starring Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Emily Blunt, Jessica Chastain

Directed by Cedric Nicolas-Troyan

Synopsis (imdb.com):
As two evil sisters prepare to conquer the land; two renegades - Eric the Huntsman - who previously aided Snow White in defeating Ravenna, and his forbidden lover, Sara set out to stop them.

Thoughts:
"The Huntman" is a prequel to the surprise hit "Snow White and the Huntsman," and you'd typically expect when the main actor doesn't return, it would bomb.  However, since the main actor for "Snow White" was Kristen Stewart, I have no doubt this will be a hit.  Plus it features some of today's hottest stars.

April 29

Keanu

Starring Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Will Forte, Nia Long

Directed by Peter Atencio

Synopsis (imdb.com):
Friends hatch a plot to retrieve a stolen kitten by posing as drug dealers for a street gang.

Thoughts:
If you're a Key & Peele fan, you'll probably enjoy this movie.  I never found them to be really funny, so I probably won't.

Ratchet & Clank

Starring James Arnold Taylor, David Kaye, John Goodman, Sylvester Stallone

Directed by Kevin Munroe, Jericca Cleland

Synopsis (imdb.com):
Ratchet and Clank tells the story of two unlikely heroes as they struggle to stop a vile alien named Chairman Drek from destroying every planet in the Solana Galaxy. When the two stumble upon a dangerous weapon capable of destroying entire planets, they must join forces with a team of colorful heroes called The Galactic Rangers in order to save the galaxy. Along the way they'll learn about heroism, friendship, and the importance of discovering one's own identity. 

Thoughts:
With this being the only children's animated film this month, I'd expect it to do well, but since it's also based on a video game - and video game movie adaptations hardly do well - I expect kids to keep seeing "Zootopia" over this.

Green Room

Starring Anton Yelchin, Alia Shawkat, Imogen Poots, Patrick Stewart

Directed by Jeremy Sauliner

Synopsis (imdb.com):
After witnessing a murder, a punk rock band is forced into a vicious fight for survival against a group of maniacal skinheads.

Thoughts:
This is a unique, original script that features the amazing Patrick Stewart, and serves as a tense, edge-of-your-seat thriller, but there's not a lot of buzz about it, so I expect it to not do particularly well.

Mother's Day

Starring Britt Robertson, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson

Directed by Garry Marshall

Synopsis (imdb.com):
Intersecting stories with different moms collide on Mother's Day.

Thoughts:
Garry Marshall returns with his intersecting story movie after "Valentine's Day" and "New Year's Eve," once again featuring a huge cast and an even bigger undertaking.  I'll wait for his "Arbor Day" film where Miley Cyrus hugs a tree.

So there are the major releases for April, 2016.  Here is a list in order from what I think will be the best, to the worst.

The Jungle Book

The Huntsman: Winter's War

The Boss

Hardcore Henry

Green Room

Criminal

Barbershop: The Next Cut

God's Not Dead 2

Before I Wake

Keanu

Everybody Wants Some

Mother's Day

Ratchet & Clank