There aren’t many huge releases this week, but you’re probably more interested in the development news coming out of Comic-Con, so we’ll keep this one relatively short. Darren Aronofsky’s biblical epic hits shelves this week, along with Nick Cassavetes’ scorned woman revenge comedy. Then we’ve got a handful of films that got a limited release in theaters, a Criterion edition of a celebrated Lawrence Kasdan drama, and a collection of Werner Herzog films. Read on for details:
There are a number of faith-based films to mark 2014 as their debut, but only two of them are coming from big-name directors. While we’re still waiting for Ridley Scott’s Christian Bale-powered Exodus: Gods and Kings, we’ve already gotten Darren Aronofsky’s Noah, which, incidentally, stars frequent Scott collaborator Russell Crowe as the titular ark-builder. Based loosely on the biblical tale, the story follows Noah as he receives a vision from “the Creator” and sets about crafting a giant ship to allow two of every animal to survive an impending flood. Other humans, however, aren’t thrilled with the idea of extinction, and Noah himself soon comes to realize he and his family may not be meant to survive either. Certified Fresh at 77 percent on the Tomatometer, Noah impressed critics with its epic visuals and strong acting (the supporting cast included Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Hopkins, and Ray Winstone, among others). Special features include three featurettes totaling about an hour and covering the location shoot in Iceland, the creation of the ark, and an examination of the ark’s interior.
Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann have proven their comedic chops in past films, but their talents weren’t quite enough to save Nick Cassavetes’ comedy. Diaz plays Carly, who forms an unlikely friendship with Kate (Mann), the wife of the man (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) she’s been seeing. When the two of them discover he’s been cavorting with yet another woman (Kate Upton), the three band together to exact revenge, presumably in comedic fashion. Critics thought the premise, while not entirely fresh, held some potential, but ultimately found that The Other Woman wasted its capable cast on cheap laughs and a tired script, landing it a mere 23 percent on the Tomatometer. Those who decide to give this one a whirl will find the obligatory gag reel and deleted scenes on the disc.
