This Week In Movies: ‘Southpaw,’ ‘Paper Towns,’ ‘Pixels’

The middle of July means three things: It’s time to head to the beach; it’s time to relax and its time to check out some movies. For that last summer fact, we are here to help. There are eight films being released and there is a little something for everyone. Mexican American actor Michael Peña is starring in The Vatican Tapes, a film that one wouldn’t expect at this time of the year. The lovely Cobie Smulders, with whom we had a chance to chat with, is starring in Unexpected, a peculiar comedic drama about a teacher and a student who become pregnant in the same time frame. If you are into foreign films, you will not be disappointed with Samba or Phoenix.

Finally on the world releases, Southpaw, with Jake Gyllenhaal will have you in the edge of your seat as you watch a boxer turn his life around after the occurrence of a tragedy in his family. As you all know, summer is for the family, the films Pixels and Paper Towns will take you and your family through a journey of adventure and self-discovery. So, get some popcorn, bring the family and remember, every week is movie week!

INDIE & LIMITED RELEASES

The Vatican Tapes (PG-13, 1hr 28m, Horror)
Director: Mark Neveldine
Cast: Michael Pena, Olivia Taylor Dudley, Djimon Hounsou
Synopsis: Angela (Olivia Taylor Dudley), a beautiful but ordinary young woman, begins to exhibit strange behaviors that seem to coincide with terrible trageties involving anyone close to her. When demonic possession is suspected the Vatican is called upon to perform an exorcism that quickly proves to be no match for the ancient satanic force inhabiting Angela’s body. Realizing the entire world is in jeopardy, Father Lozano (Michael Pena) is brought in to wage war for Angela’s soul and for life, as we know it.

Unexpected (R, 1hr 25m, Drama/Comedy)
Director: Kris Swanberg
Cast: Cobie Smulders, Anders Holm, Gail Bean
Synopsis: Samantha (Cobie Smulders), is a dedicated and passionate teacher at an inner city Chicago high school. Just as she is coming to terms with her school closing, Samantha faces some life-changing and unexpected news: she is pregnant. At the same time she discovers one of her best students is pregnant as well and the circumstances bond them together.

Samba (R, 1hr 58m, Drama/Comedy)
Directors: Oliver Nakache & Eric Toledano
Cast: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Omar Sy, Tahar Rahim, Helene Vincent, Christiane Millet
Synopsis: Inspiring comedy-drama about Samba Cisse (Omar Sy), a hardworking young man who moves to Paris from Africa in order to send money back to his family after the death of his father. Refused permanent status and under constant threat of deportation, Samba is on the verge of giving up when a group from the local immigration advocacy center takes up his cause, changing all of their lives in the process.

Phoenix (PG-13, 1hr 38m, Drama)
Director: Christian Petzold
Cast: Nina Hoss, Ronald Zehrfeld, Nina Kunzendorf
Synopsis: Nina Hoss plays Nelly, a German woman who survived the horrors of a WWII Concentration camp but is left disfigured. She sets out amidst the aftermath of postwar Berlin to see of she can locate her husband, Johnny, and finds him working at a cabaret club called Phoenix. Her friend Lene urgers Nelly to leave Johnny and start a new life with her in Palestine but Nelly stays with Johnny and as their relationship unfolds she learns that he may have betrayed her to the Nazis.

Big Significant Things (Unrated, 1hr 26m, Drama/Comedy)
Director: Bryan Reisberg
Cast: Harry Lloyd, Krista Kosonen
Synopsis: Craig ad his girlfriend have a week before they move across the country, and he decides to go on his first road trip to the South alone.

WIDE RELEASE

Southpaw (R, 2hr 03m, Action/Adventure & Drama)
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Forest Whitaker, Rachel McAdams, Curtis Jackson, Rita Ora
Synopsis: Jake Gyllenhaal stars as a troubled boxer Billy Hope. At the height of his fame and success, Hope is convinced by his loving wife Maureen (Rachel McAdams) to retire from the sport in order to spend more time with the couple’s daughter Leila. On the night of his retirement announcement, a rival boxer calls out Hope and an altercation breaks out, killing Maureen. Hope’s self destructive behavior worsens, and Leila is taken away by child services. In order to redeem his life and get his daughter back, Hope must return to boxing under the tutelage of hardened trainer Titus “Tick” Willis (Forest Whitaker).

Paper Towns (PG-13, 1hr 49m, Family Drama)
Director: Jake Schreier
Cast: Nat Wolff, Cara Delevingne, Austin Abrams
Synopsis: After stumbling across the body of a suicide victim, two young neighbors gradually begin to drift apart. Years later, the girl appears at the boy’s window in a ninja costume, and requests his help in punishing those who were cruel to her. The following day she disappears without a trace, leaving him in a state of emotional flux as he follows a bizarre trail of clues in hopes of tracking her down.

Pixels (PG-13, 1hr 45m, Family Comedy)
Director: Chris Columbus
Cast: Adam Sandler, Peter Dinklage, Josh Gad, Kevin James, Brian Cox
Synopsis: When aliens mistake images of 1980’s arcade games as a sign of aggression, they attack Earth with evil versions of Pac-Man, Donkey Kong and other video game characters. In response, the US President (Kevin James) asks his old games pals to battle the invaders.