Steve Jobs Comes to the Theater - What to See This Weekend

by TJ Draper
Steve Jobs Comes to the Theater - What to See This Weekend

This weekend, we get to see if Ashton Kutcher playing Steve Jobs is any good. I have a slight general dread of the film because I fear, as an Apple Gadget lover and follower of all things Apple that I’m going to hate the film.

There are other things to see this weekend too, though, but I’m thinking JOBS will most certainly be the best one of the lot of new films.

New Films

JOBS — PG-13

There is no doubt that Ashton Kutcher looks like Steve Jobs. In fact, so much so, that in many of these pictures, you could be forgiven for thinking that it was a picture of Jobs himself. From what I’ve seen in the trailers, the likeness works less well for the older Steve Jobs.

I also have a lot of interest in this film simply as a lover of Apple products, and indeed, the company. I fully acknowledge and understand that Jobs had some pretty fatal flaws and it wasn’t necessary for him to be such a jerk all the time. At the same time, he’s a very iconic figure and I look forward to the opportunity to see this film about him.

I do hope this film is not bad.

Directed by Joshua Michael Stern, written by Matthew Whiteley, shot by Oscar-winning cinematographer Russell Carpenter and produced by Mark Hulme, JOBS details the major moments and defining characters that influenced Steve Jobs on a daily basis from 1971 through 2001. JOBS plunges into the depths of his character, creating an intense dialogue-driven story that is as much a sweeping epic as it is an immensely personal portrait of Steve Jobs’ life.

2 hr 5 min
PG-13 | Some Drug Content and Brief Strong Language
Cast: Ashton Kutcher, Dermot Mulroney, Josh Gad, Lukas Haas, Matthew Modine
Director: Joshua Michael Stern
Genres: Drama

See or not: See

Kick-Ass 2 — R

This really looks quite terrible actually. All the humor looks to be very crass, stupid, and off color. There’s going to be LOTS of F-bombs, gratuitous violence and such. I’m not sure why on earth I would want to see this film.

Dave (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), aka Kick-Ass, and Mindy (Chloë Grace Moretz), aka Hit Girl, are trying to live as normal teenagers and briefly form a crimefighting team. After Mindy is busted and forced to retire as Hit Girl, Dave joins a group of amateur superheroes led by Col. Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey), a reformed mobster. Just as Dave and company start to make a real difference on the streets, the villain formerly known as Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) rears his head yet again.

1 hr 47 min
R | Strong violence, pervasive language, crude and sexual content, and brief nudity
Cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloë Grace Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jim Carrey, John Leguizamo, Donald Faison
Director: Jeff Wadlow
Genres: Action/Adventure, Comedy

See or not: Not

Elysium — R

I was so very, VERY disapointed by this film. For starters it felt very game-like — powerups like suites that make you stronger, code that gets downloaded into your brain that you have to take to the final boss level to defeat the bad guys and push the win button. Then there’s the magic healing box that cures all (except that one time when that didn’t work well for the plot). I’ve gotta tell you, I think Neill Blomkamp has a lot of potential, but he needs some serious writing help. The poor guy can’t write himself out of a wet paper bag.

And what was with Jodie Foster? Bad acting, bad dialog, and she had almost nothing to do in this film. I could go on and on about the things I hated about this film, but you should really just go listen to The MovieByte Podcast, Episode 56 where I talked about it with Mike Fissel. There you can hear the full scoop on why I think this film is so bad. Corey also wrote a review of the film for us here on MovieByte, so be sure to check that out.

In the year 2159, humanity is sharply divided between two classes of people: The ultrarich live aboard a luxurious space station called Elysium, and the rest live a hardscrabble existence in Earth’s ruins. His life hanging in the balance, a man named Max (Matt Damon) agrees to undertake a dangerous mission that could bring equality to the population, but Secretary Delacourt (Jodie Foster) vows to preserve the pampered lifestyle of Elysium’s citizens, no matter what the cost.

1 hr 49 min
R | Strong bloody violence and language throughout
Cast: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama

See or not: See

We’re the Millers — R

I can’t wait to not see this film. It looks unbearably disgusting and stupid. If you go see this, I will deny any knowledge of you.

Small-time pot dealer David (Jason Sudeikis) learns the hard way that no good deed goes unpunished; trying to help some teens, he is jumped by thugs and loses his cash and stash. Now, David’s in big debt to his supplier and – to wipe the slate clean – he must go to Mexico to pick up the guy’s latest shipment. To accomplish his mission, Dave devises a foolproof plan: He packs a fake family into a huge RV and heads south of the border for a wild weekend that is sure to end with a bang.

1 hr 50 min
R | Crude sexual content, pervasive language, drug material and brief graphic nudity.
Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis, Ed Helms, Emma Roberts, Will Poulter
Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Genres: Action/Adventure, Comedy

See or not: NOT!

Planes — PG

It is very difficult to come up with words for just how uninterested I am in this film. It may not be from Pixar exactly, but it’s in the world of Cars, and while I loved the first one, the second Cars film was a wee bit lacking, and this looks completely devoid of anything that mad Cars good, ever.

From above the world of “Cars” comes “Disney’s Planes,” an action-packed 3D animated comedy adventure featuring Dusty (Dane Cook), a plane with dreams of competing as a high-flying air racer. But Dusty’s not exactly built for racing—and he happens to be afraid of heights. So he turns to a seasoned naval aviator who helps Dusty qualify to take on the defending champ of the race circuit. Dusty’s courage is put to the ultimate test as he aims to reach heights he never dreamed possible, giving a spellbound world the inspiration to soar.

1 hr 32 min
PG | Some Mild Action and Rude Humor
Cast: Dane Cook, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Brad Garrett, Stacy Keach, Teri Hatcher, John Cleese, Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards
Director: Klay Hall
Genres: Animated, Comedy

See or not: I’m thinking, probably not.

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters — PG

I saw the first film and it was decent. I love a good fantasy film or book, and this one is not too bad. My wife, who has read the books, did have to fill in a few details here and there that I was confused about because the film seemed to skim over some stuff. But it was not a bad film.

So, I am interested in this film and I do intend to see it this weekend.

Though Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman), the half-human son of Greek god Poseidon, once saved the world, lately he’s been feeling less than heroic. However, he doesn’t have much time to brood – the magical borders that protect Camp Half-Blood are dissolving, and a horde of mythical beasts threatens the demigods’ sanctuary. In order to save Camp Half-Blood, Percy and his friends embark on a journey to the Sea of Monsters – aka the Bermuda Triangle – to find the magical Golden Fleece.

1 hr 46 min
PG | Fantasy action violence, some scary images and mild language.
Cast: Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, Brandon T. Jackson, Nathan Fillion, Jake Abel
Director: Thor Freudenthal
Genres: Action/Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

See or not: Maybe.

2 Guns — R

This film could have been decent, I liked the story okay, and the chemistry between Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg was great. Unfortunately, they threw in a nudey scene with Paula Patton. There a lot of things I don’t mind that can make a film R-rated, and this is not one of them. It’s a big no-no in my book and instantly drops my star rating of the film by one whole star. Consequently, I cannot recommend the film and give it only 2 out of 5 stars. Catch my review here, and here me talk about it with Chad on Episode 55 of The MovieByte Podcast.

For the past year, DEA agent Bobby Trench (Denzel Washington) and U.S. Navy intelligence officer Marcus Stigman (Mark Wahlberg) have been working under cover as members of a narcotics syndicate. The twist: Neither man knows that the other is an undercover agent. When their attempt to infiltrate a Mexican drug cartel and recover millions goes haywire, the men are disavowed by their superiors. Trench and Stigman must go on the run lest they wind up in jail or in a grave.

1 hr 49 min
R | Violence throughout, language and brief nudity.
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Denzel Washington, Paula Patton, Bill Paxton, Fred Ward
Director: Baltasar Kormákur
Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller

See or not: Maybe…

The Smurfs 2 — PG

I have no intention of seeing this film. It looks terrible. I do remember that my parents weren’t too keen on my watching it as a kid, and from watching the trailers and stuff I can kind of see why. Some of the mildly crude humor is very much of the sort that the kids would pick up on and repeat all the time.

In any event, the film looks really stupid and I’ll be skipping this film.

In this sequel to Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Animation’s hybrid live action/animated family blockbuster comedy The Smurfs™, the evil wizard Gargamel creates a couple of mischievous Smurf-like creatures called the Naughties that he hopes will let him harness the all-powerful, magical Smurf-essence. But when he discovers that only a real Smurf can give him what he wants, and only a secret spell that Smurfette knows can turn the Naughties into real Smurfs, Gargamel kidnaps Smurfette and brings her to Paris, where he has been winning the adoration of millions as the world¹s greatest sorcerer. It’s up to Papa, Clumsy, Grouchy, and Vanity to return to our time, reunite with their human friends Patrick and Grace Winslow, and rescue her! Will Smurfette, who has always felt different from the other Smurfs, find a new connection with the Naughties Vexy and Hackus – or will the Smurfs convince her that their love for her is True Blue?

1 hr 42 min
PG
Cast: Hank Azaria, Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays
Director: Raja Gosnell
Genres: 3D, Action/Adventure, Animated

See or not: Not

The Wolverine — PG-13

This film is pretty fantastic and it definitely feels like the X-Men franchise may be getting back on track. This film does well in focusing on Logan and his character, and the personal turmoil he would be in after the events of X-Men: The Last Stand.

I wrote a review which you may want to read, and Chad and I talked about it on The MovieByte Podcast.

Lured to a Japan he hasn’t seen since World War II, century-old mutant Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) finds himself in a shadowy realm of yakuza and samurai. Wolverine is pushed to his physical and emotional brink when he is forced to go on the run with a powerful industrialist’s daughter (Tao Okamoto) and is confronted – for the first time – with the prospect of death. As he struggles to rediscover the hero within himself, he must grapple with powerful foes and the ghosts of his own haunted past.

2 hr 6 min
PG-13 | Language, Intense Sci-Fi Action, Some Sexuality and Violence
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Will Yun Lee, Hiroyuki Sanada, Hal Yamanouchi, Tao Okamoto
Director: James Mangold
Genres: Action/Adventure

See or not: See

Despicable Me 2 — PG

A little better than I thought, and certainly a lot better than the first installment in the Despicable Me franchise. Yeah, it’s a little bit slapstick and times, and the humor is not always of the highest form, but it is pretty fun. We talked about it on The MovieByte Podcast episode 51, you’ll want to check that out. I rated it 3 of 5 stars. It’s sort of worth seeing.

Now that Gru (Steve Carell) has forsaken a life of crime to raise Margo, Agnes and Edith, he’s trying to figure out how to provide for his new family. As he struggles with his responsibilities as a father, the Anti-Villain League – an organization dedicated to fighting evil – comes calling. The AVL sends Gru on a mission to capture the perpetrator of a spectacular heist, for who would be better than the world’s greatest ex-villain to capture the individual who seeks to usurp his power.

1 hr 38 min
PG | Rude humor and mild action
Cast: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt, Miranda Cosgrove, Russell Brand, Ken Jeong, Steve Coogan
Director: Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin
Genres: Animated, Comedy, Family

See or not: Meh.

Turbo — PG

To be honest, this film doesn’t look great to me. Dreamworks has always been a bit hit or miss for me, and especially in the the past they’ve tended to be a bit copy cat like with some of their films.

But, I do have it on good authority that this film is better than one might expect so I’ll have to see it and form my own opinion.

Turbo (Ryan Reynolds) is a speed-obsessed snail with an unusual dream: to become the world’s greatest racer. This odd snail gets a chance to leave his slow-paced life behind when a freak accident gives him the power of superspeed. Newly revved-up, Turbo embarks on an extraordinary quest to enter and win the Indianapolis 500. Accompanied by a dedicated pit crew of trash-talking adrenaline junkies, Turbo becomes the ultimate underdog by refusing to let his limitations get in the way of his dreams.

1 hr 36 min
PG | some mild action and thematic elements
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamatti, Michael Peña, Samuel L. Jackson, Luis Guzman, Bill Hader Director: David Soren
Genres: Animated, Family

See or not: Maybe…

RED 2 — PG-13

I enjoyed the first film in this franchise so much that I was greatly looking forward to this second installment. And having now seen it, let me just tell you that it lives up. Don’t listen to the critics needlessly beating it down (critics tend to suck all the joy out of life anyway). This film is fun, with a fun, and funny plot, engaging characters, and a supremely well acted, and surprise villain. Definitely go see this one folks!

Chad and I had the chance to talk about it on The MovieByte Podcast Episode 53, and though he liked it a little less, he generally agrees with me. Be sure to see this film, folks!

In RED 2, the high-octane action-comedy sequel to the worldwide sleeper hit, retired black-ops CIA agent Frank Moses reunites his unlikely team of elite operatives for a global quest to track down a missing portable nuclear device. To succeed, they’ll need to survive an army of relentless assassins, ruthless terrorists and power-crazed government officials, all eager to get their hands on the next-generation weapon. The mission takes Frank and his motley crew to Paris, London and Moscow. Outgunned and outmanned, they have only their cunning wits, their old-school skills, and each other to rely on as they try to save the world—and stay alive in the process.

1 hr 56 min
PG-13 | Pervasive action and violence including frenetic gunplay, and for some language and drug material.
Cast: Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker, Helen Mirren, Anthony Hopkins, Lee Byung-hun
Director: Dean Parisot
Genres: Action/Adventure, Comedy

See or not: See!