There really isn’t a lot to talk about this week, as far as home releases are concerned. There is the big, explodey blockbuster franchise sequel, of course, and an indie thriller, plus a few very small films and a handful of reissues, but not a whole lot to get excited about (unless you’re a Guillermo del Toro fan). See below for the full list:
Originally slated to open last June, Paramount delayed the release of G.I.Joe: Retaliation until this March, converting the film to 3D and hoping to drum up some buzz in the meantime; while Retaliation was about as poorly reviewed as its predecessor, it actually made a little more money. The film stars Dwayne Johnson as Roadblock, who, after a successful mission by the Joes, is ambushed with his team (including a returning — but short-lived — Channing Tatum) on direct orders from the president. Of course, this president is actually the Cobra master of disguise Zartan, and the handful of surviving Joes know this, so they go after Cobra Commander, the faux POTUS, and their cohorts in order to save the world from domination by terrorist forces. Like the first film, Retaliation is packed with balls-to-the-wall action, and some of it is downright silly, but you sort of know what you’re getting into when you watch it. At 28%, this is an over-the-top actioner with a nonsensical story, but at least it doesn’t pretend to be anything else, if that means anything.
Katie Aselton and Mark Duplass co-star together on the FX comedy series The League, but they’ve both done significant work on the big screen as well. Most recently, the husband and wife team collaborated (with Aselton directing a script written by Duplass) on Black Rock, a psychological thriller about three women on the run in the wild from dangerous men. Abby (Aselton), Sarah (Kate Bosworth), and Lou (Lake Bell) are three childhood friends who decide to reunite for a weekend at an island they used to visit in their youth. They meet a trio of former soldiers who seem friendly at first, but when one of them tries to force himself on Abby, she panics and fights to escape, accidentally killing him and setting into motion a deadly pursuit by his two partners. While the film initially makes use of a few smart ideas, it ultimately lapses into familiar chase thriller territory. At 49% on the Tomatometer, Black Rock features some decent performances and interestingly written moments, but it probably won’t blow you away.
