I suppose the above graphic would have been a better inclusion when discussing One for the Money last week. (It’s currently coasting at a steady 3% on Rottentomatoes, which, admittedly, isn’t as bad as Bucky Larson, but certainly just as good as Abduction.) As February begins, we are greeted by a sentimental fight against the Soviets — sort of — a new origin of superheroes, only this time shot in a documentary style (let’s hope it doesn’t degenerate to another I Am Number 4, or worse, The Fantastic Four), Harry Potter’s transition out of Hogwarts and into a PG-13 version of Paranormal Activity, and a new documentary that characterizes wind turbines as similar a danger as hydraulic fracturing, providing that you equate cancer with noise pollution and gigantic, phallic shadows.
Big Miracle: In the latest, but not last, addition to the “inspired by a true story” trove, Big Miracle offers a reporter in Chilly Bear, Alaska (John Krasinski) whose “material is running a little thin,” an ex-girlfriend Greenpeace volunteer (Drew Barrymore), three whales trapped beneath rapidly forming ice in the Arctic Circle (Fred, Wilma, and Bam Bam), and a recalcitrant Governor (Stephen Root) “who’s turned his back on the whales.” Amidst the ex-lovers quarrel and the pedestrian political allegory that also introduces American trepidation to let the “Reds in to save the day” Big Miracle provides a life-affirming insistence that “there’s always something you can do.” Have kids? Need to remind yourself that, sometimes, people’s actions are determined by a carrot of recognition? Check it out. Want to save $13 for a rainy day? Rent Out of Africa.
Chronicle: Three high-school students develop uncanny powers in a documentary-style film that examines the perils of teenage angst and self-discovery when coupled with telepathic powers and invincibility. The “found footage” motif might draw enough interest to prevent this from being exactly like any other origin film that exposits the “with great power comes great responsibility” axiom of superhero mythology, but it could also be a surprisingly interesting film that challenges the limitations of friendship. Since I’m in a Superbowl mindset this week, I’m going to call this one a “pick ‘em.”
The Woman in Black: The biggest question mark with this film is whether or not the audience will be able to differentiate that they are watching Daniel Radcliffe, and not Harry Potter. There’s a reason why it took years for anyone from Seinfeld – aside from Larry David — to forge a new screen career, and thus far, there’s only one. With the global, uber-success of Rowling’s seven-installment tale, it’s going to be a while before people attending a PG-13 movie remember that the protagonist won’t be able to vanquish any lingering wraiths with the coveted Patronus charm.
Windfall: This documentary focuses on the small town of Merideth, New York, where a number of landowners have agreed to the installation of windmills, seemingly innocuous turbines that are generating electricity from natural breezes and gusts of wind. At the heart of the documentary are, seemingly in the same vein as Gasland, the predatory companies chasing down those who “did it for the same reason as anyone else, money.” At the same time, the deviation from Gasland seems to be that the bulk of the complaints are less about flammable water and death-inducing chemicals involved in fracking, and more about the perpetual cacophony and gigantic eye sores that have disrupted the aesthetic beauty of rolling green hills and mountain crests. This is not to say that Windfall won’t tackle any turbine-inflicted health hazards, but the trailer suggests it’s more about personal regret than the destruction of life.
