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  1. Entertainment
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Movies to watch this week at the cinema: Why Him?, Collateral Beauty, Operation Chromite, more...

Features
By Total Film Staff published 26 December 2016

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Out on Friday 30 December

Out on Friday 30 December

James Franco meets the parents. Will Smith turns to Love, Time and Death (for pen pals, of course). A Korean war drama with – yes, you didn’t guess it – Liam Neeson.

Yes, here's this week's new releases. Click on for our reviews of Why Him?, Collateral Beauty, Operation Chromite, Monster Trucks, Crash & Burn, and Reset.

For the best movie reviews, subscribe to Total Film.

Page 1 of 7
Page 1 of 7
Why Him?

Why Him?

Bryan Cranston and Megan Mullally are the straight-laced parents introduced to their daughter’s (Zoey Deutch) new beau – sweary tech millionaire Laird (James Franco). Uh-oh…

Written/directed by Meet the Parents scripter John Hamburg, Why Him? may get defined by its gross-out moments (a tea-bagging by a moose – don’t ask) but it’s a smart gen-gap tale with loveable characters.

Director: John Hamburg; Starring: Bryan Cranston, Zoey Deutch, James Franco, Tangie Ambrose; Theatrical release: December 26, 2016

James Mottram

Page 2 of 7
Page 2 of 7
Collateral Beauty

Collateral Beauty

For a wrenching portrait of grief, see Manchester by the Sea. For a facile, glossily uninvolving treatment, witness this mawkish stab at magical realism from David Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada). Will Smith plays an advertising exec who, devastated by his daughter’s passing, pens letters to Love, Time and Death.

This prompts his colleagues to hire actors – among them Helen Mirren and Keira Knightley – to embody these abstractions in a bid to help him heal. A-list sad-faces abound in a film where absurd concept is rivalled only by banal execution.

Director: David Frankel; Starring: Will Smith, Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet, Naomie Harris, Keira Knightley; Theatrical release: December 26, 2016

Neil Smith

Page 3 of 7
Page 3 of 7
Operation Chromite

Operation Chromite

Before the US invasion of Inchon, the turning point of the Korean War, General MacArthur sent in South Korean spies to lay the groundwork. This fictionalised account features Liam Neeson as a cartoonish MacArthur.

The rest of the film is equally hammy, from melodramatic score to cheesy slo-mo deaths. Entertaining in its own way, though probably not in the way intended.

Director: John H. Lee; Starring: Liam Neeson, Jung-jae Lee, Beom-su Lee; Theatrical release: December 26, 2016

Stephen Kelly

Page 4 of 7
Page 4 of 7
Monster Trucks

Monster Trucks

Ice Age’s Chris Wedge swaps animation for live action with  this fun creature feature, in which a squid monster at risk from an  oil concern takes refuge inside teenager Tripp’s (Lucas Till) SUV.

Rob Lowe provides colour as a Southern-accented sleazeball, while the Free Willy finale has enough vehicular mayhem to excuse its dodgy FX. Transformers-lite for Finding Dory fans who can’t wait to drive.

Director: Chris Wedge; Starring: Jane Levy, Lucas Till, Rob Lowe; Theatrical release: December 26, 2016

Neil Smith

Page 5 of 7
Page 5 of 7
Crash & Burn

Crash & Burn

A doc about Irishman Tommy Byrne, “the greatest racing driver you’ve never heard of”. Byrne reflects on his career as a cocky, super-talented driver who missed out on bigger success due, he claims, to underhand Formula 1 politics.

Detailing his flair on the track and partying off it, this compellingly explores the question: did he ruin his own chance of greatness, or did others deliberately stall him?

Director: Sean O'Cualain; Theatrical release: December 30, 2016

Matt Looker

Page 6 of 7
Page 6 of 7
Reset

Reset

This beautiful-looking doc follows Black Swan choreographer Benjamin Millepied’s 2015 quest to stage his first show as the Paris Opera Ballet’s new dance director (a post he recently quit). There’s plenty of style and grace on offer, but not much drama – even a crew strike fizzles into nothing.

Still, for dance fans this is a fascinating study of the time, effort and logistics that go into a big production.

Directors: Thierry Demaizière, Alban Teurlai; Starring: Benjamin Millepied; December 26, 2016

Stephen Kelly

Page 7 of 7
Page 7 of 7
Total Film Staff

The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine. 

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