From Sam Neill and Laura Dern fighting off a T. rex in Jurassic Park 3D to Jane Levy and Shiloh Fernandez battling demonic possession in Evil Dead, here are the movies to check out this weekend. Plus, don't miss the films that have already hit theaters! Will you be grabbing your popcorn and catching one of them this weekend?
Jurassic Park 3D (April 5)
AMBLIN/UNIVERSAL / THE KOBAL COLLECTION
Short Story: The film might be 20 years old, but the story is a classic! When Dr. John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) creates a nature preserve where dinosaurs can roam the earth, he invites four doctors and his two grandchildren to visit the park. Naturally, though, a dinosaur versus human battle quickly ensues, giving the park’s visitors an up-close-and-personal look at prehistoric ages.
Click here for the official movie site!
What They’re Saying: “The decision to tart the film up in 3-D is essentially a marketing gimmick -- a claxon-blaring come-on for folks who think that every spectacle has to come with a pair of tinted glasses. And yet, it's still Jurassic freakin' Park.” -- Entertainment Weekly
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 89%
Good for Kids? Although this PG-13 sci-fi flick is bound to be scarier in 3-D, Common Sense Media says “kids as young as 9 may be able to handle the fright factor with an adult at hand.”
Click here for the full Common Sense review!
Evil Dead (April 5)
TriStar Pictures
Short Story: In this remake of Sam Raimi’s 1981 cult classic, Evil Dead follows five friends in the woods, who find a Book of the Dead in their cabin and unleash demons that quickly possess almost everyone on the trip. We won’t be vacationing there anytime soon! This horror flick reboot stars Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez and Elizabeth Blackmore.
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What They’re Saying: “The high production values and nonstop action offered here should also please younger genre fans who've never bothered to rent [the 1981 original].” -- The Hollywood Reporter
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 79%
Good for Kids? Definitely not! Rated R for strong bloody violence, gore, sexual content and language, this graphic film is one best suited for adults. According to Common Sense Media, Evil Dead is “very scary… with unsettling imagery.”
Click here for the full Common Sense review!
G.I. Joe: Retaliation (March 28)
Paramount Pictures
Short Story: At its core, G.I. Joe: Retaliation is a battle between good and evil. The good guys are the Joes, fronted by Captain Duke Hauser (Channing Tatum) and Roadblock (Dwayne Johnson), who have more than enough testosterone to go around. But when the safety of the world is suddenly threatened, original G.I. Joe General Joseph Colton (Bruce Willis) steps in to help take down the baddies: terrorist organization Cobra and all its scheming allies.
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What They’re Saying: “I submit that playing with G.I. Joe action figures… is not the same experience as a preteen soaking up this amount of PG-13-rated slaughter. That's what the Xbox is for, after all.” -- Chicago Tribune
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 29%
Good for Kids? With a PG-13 rating for violence throughout (as well as brief sensuality and language), this G.I. Joe sequel is as unsuitable for kids as its predecessor, The Rise of Cobra. According to Common Sense Media, the action flick is “relentlessly loud and explosive” and likely “too mature for kids who are interested in playing with G.I. Joe toys.”
Click here for the full Common Sense review!
The Place Beyond the Pines (March 29)
Focus Features
Short Story: When stunt biker Luke (Ryan Gosling) returns home to be with his former love (Eva Mendes), he gets a little more than he bargained for: a newborn son. Forced to turn to a life of crime to provide for the child, Luke finds himself pursued by Avery Cross (Bradley Cooper), a lawyer-turned-cop who is fighting his own battle against corruption in the police department.
Click here for the official movie site!
What They’re Saying: “I’m all in favor of experimental narrative forms and deep thematic undercurrents, but this movie feels patchy and underdone.” -- The New Yorker
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 75%
Good for Kids? We know it’s hard to stay away from the theater when Ryan Gosling’s abs are on the screen, but those under 18 will have to resist: The Place Beyond the Pines is rated R for language, some violence and teen drug and alcohol use.
The Host (March 29)
Open Road Films
Short Story: Based on the YA novel by Stephenie Meyer, The Host takes place on a future Earth where a parasitic alien species has overtaken humans, gaining total control of their bodies and minds. Except for Melanie (Saoirse Ronan). When an alien invades her body, it must find a way to co-exist with Melanie’s human emotions, which it finds too overwhelming to control. Oh, and there’s also a love story.
Click here for the official movie site!
What They're Saying: "This sci-fi love story has way more Harlequin Romance in its DNA than Harlan Ellison. It's a mushy and unsuspenseful melodrama." -- The Washington Post
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 11%
Good for Kids? Although The Host is rated PG-13 for some sensuality and violence, Common Sense Media says “the movie's Twilight association and romantic plot will probably make The Host a hit with teens.”
Click here for the full Common Sense review!
