Major Theatrical Releases April 2017

Major Theatrical Releases April 2017

March was an amazing time in the theaters.  "Logan," "Kong: Skull Island," "Ghost in the Shell," "Life," "Power Rangers" and especially "Beauty and the Beast" made the month seem almost like a summer month of blockbusters.  Unfortunately, it's looking like April will be a bit thin when it comes to highly anticipated movies, with only one in particular coming to mind.

Here are the major theatrical releases for April 2017 (dates subject to change).

April 7

Going in Style

"Desperate to pay the bills and come through for their loved ones, three lifelong pals risk it all by embarking on a daring bid to knock off the very bank that absconded with their money." - imdb.com.
Basically "Going in Style" seems to be "Hell or High Water" but only more lighthearted.  A group of geriatric Robin Hoods plan the ultimate heist in order to provide for their loved ones after the bank looses their money.  The film looks promising because it features the ever amazing Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and
Alan Arkin, and is directed by "Scrubs" star Zach Braff, so the comedy will easily abound in this comic caper.

The Case for Christ

 "An investigative journalist and self-proclaimed atheist sets out to disprove the existence of God after his wife becomes a Christian." - imdb.com.
Based on the true life story of Lee Strobel, an atheist who set out to disprove the existence of God but ends up becoming a believer, this is perfect for the Easter season, but unlike the other religious films such as "God's Not Dead" or "War Room," this doesn't seem to be appealing for anyone who's not a Christian already.  The film features famed actors Mike Vogel, Erika Christensen and Faye Dunaway.

Smurfs: The Lost Village

 "In this fully animated, all-new take on the Smurfs, a mysterious map sets Smurfette and her friends Brainy, Clumsy and Hefty on an exciting race through the Forbidden Forest leading to the discovery of the biggest secret in Smurf history." - imdb.com.
The first "Smurfs" movie was a surprise hit, earning over $140 million dollars in the U.S.  The second movie didn't fare as well, earning a little shy of over $70 million.  Now the Smurfs return, but this time it's not blending live-action with animation, and it's a completely new story.  Looks like the studio is dumping all their crappy kids films before the big summer months, and this film looks like it's going to be as terrible as I expect it to be, with terrible animation and a lackluster plot.

April 14

The Fate of the Furious

"When a mysterious woman seduces Dom into the world of crime and a betrayal of those closest to him, the crew face trials that will test them as never before." - imdb.com.
"The Fast & the Furious" franchise is an anomaly when it comes to franchise films.  Typically as the sequels get churned out, the quality diminishes.  However, with "The Fast & the Furious," each movie somehow either gets better or stays on its elevated plateau, leading to a fun-filled time at the theater for each round.  With its eighth installment, it appears that Dom has turned his back on his "family" - something he stresses is the most important to him - and the family works on getting him back.  As with the other films there's going to be over-the-top antics (driving away from a submarine seems pretty OTT), fast cars, a stellar cast (including the addition of Charlize Theron), and a mystery that needs solved.  This will be the film to watch out for, as it's the first in the franchise filmed completely after Paul Walker's death, and it'll be interesting to see how they write him out of it.

Spark

"Spark, a teenage monkey and his friends, Chunk and Vix, are on a mission to regain Planet Bana - a kingdom overtaken by the evil overlord Zhong." - imdb.com.
*Cough*...um...yeah...see my thoughts on the new "Smurfs" movie and add in 60% more sadness and that's how I feel about this drivel.

April 21

Unforgettable

"A woman sets out to make life hell for her ex-husband's new wife." - imdb.com.
Not to be confused with "Fatal Attraction."  Or "When the Bough Breaks."  Or "Obsessed."  Or...well...name the million other movies with the exact same premise.  I'll save you the trouble of seeing this lackluster go-around with the ever-hated Katherine Heigl and Rosario Dawson (at least she's trying) and tell you the ending...notice I've never seen this movie, have no idea how it really WILL end, or anything...the two girls end up in a final fight, after a lot of beatdowns on both ends Dawson's character will kill Heigl's character in self-defense.  There, I saved you nearly two hours of boring filler.

The Promise

"Set during the last days of the Ottoman Empire, The Promise follows a love triangle between Michael, a brilliant medical student, the beautiful and sophisticated Ana, and Chris - a renowned American journalist based in Paris." - imdb.com.
When there's a film featuring one of today's biggest up-and-coming actors and an established, Oscar-winning actor, you'd expect to hear about it.  Oddly enough I've never even heard of this film until I started this article, and I must say I wasn't impressed with the trailer or the story.  For sure it's set to release in the middle of a dead month for a reason.

Born in China

"Venturing into the wilds of China, "Born in China" captures intimate moments with a panda bear and her growing cub, a young golden monkey who feels displaced by his baby sister, and a mother snow leopard struggling to raise her two cubs." - imdb.com.
Disney Nature always puts out a tremendous animal-centric film for Earth Day, and "Born in China" looks to be their most amazing yet.  With the huge success of "Planet Earth" and "Planet Earth II," films like these are groundbreaking, revolutionary and utterly magical, because they focus on nature and the beauty of it that doesn't require green screens, CGI or big name actors.  Plus I WANT A BABY PANDA HE IS SO CUTE!

Free Fire

"Set in Boston in 1978, a meeting in a deserted warehouse between two gangs turns into a shootout and a game of survival." - imdb.com.
Produced by Martin Scorsese, starring Brie Larson, Sharlto Copley and Cillian Murphy, and I've never heard of this?  Doesn't really bode well, although the trailer looks hilarious.

April 28

The Circle

"A woman lands a dream job at a powerful tech company called the Circle, only to uncover a nefarious agenda that will affect the lives of her friends, family and that of humanity." - imdb.com.
Emma Watson is the hottest commodity right now in Hollywood, and when you pair her up with Oscar winner Tom Hanks and another hot up-and-coming star in "Star Wars" John Boyega, plus centering around a story about privacy that's all the rage today, and you've got a surefire thriller that'll be intelligent and razor-sharp.  I'm very excited to see this film, and this (along with "The Fate of the Furious") will save April at the box office.

Sleight

"A young street magician is left to care for his little sister after their parents passing and turns to illegal activities to keep a roof over their heads. When he gets in too deep, his sister is kidnapped and he is forced to use his magic and brilliant mind to save her." - imdb.com.
Hailing itself as a mix of "Chronicle" and "Iron Man," "Sleight" looks to be a promising action-thriller that will be exciting and unique, as the hero is someone who uses magic to battle a gang of criminals.  Another film I'm excited to see, as it looks like it's got some serious promise to be a highly cerebral tale.

How to be a Latin Lover

"Finding himself dumped after 25 years of marriage, a man who made a career of seducing rich older women must move in with his estranged sister, where he begins to learn the value of family." - imdb.com.
I...really don't know what to say.  This looks absolutely, utterly, undeniably, unequivocally...awful.  And that's from the trailer, which is supposed to highlight the BEST parts of a movie.

So there are the films being released in April 2017.

Here is how excited I am to see them, from most excited to least:

The Fate of the Furious
The Circle
Going in Style
Sleight
Born in China
Free Fire
The Case for Christ
Unforgettable
The Promise
Smurfs: The Lost Village
How to be a Latin Lover
Spark