This Week In Movies: ‘The Huntsman,’ ‘Elvis & Nixon,’ ‘A Hologram for the King’

We’re in the middle of April and this week in movies offers us some bizarre movie releases. First, we need to talk about this new Tom Hanks movie, A Hologram for the King, which isn’t getting any buzz, no coverage, no interviews with Hanks and no marketing or promotion whatsoever. What Twilight Zone reality are we living in? Never have we ever been privy to a Tom Hanks film that isn’t some event. Just bizarre all around.

Oscar nominee Salma Hayek has been steadily working for the last year and no one seems to care. She has a new fantasy/horror film out called Tale of Tales and it seems trippy. The cast is bliss and just what Europe moviegoers should love. The Meddler is another film with a solid cast, but no major buzz. It stars Susan Sarandon, Rose Byrne and J.K. Simmons. Apart from the supposed anime film on our list everything seems mediocre to bland. Here’s the list below…

INDIE & LIMITED RELEASES

A Hologram for the King (R, 1hr 37m, Drama)
Directors: Tom Tykwer
Cast: Tom Hanks, Alexander Black, Sarita Choudhury, Ben Whishaw
Synopsis: A failed American businessman looks to recoup his losses by traveling to Saudi Arabia and selling his idea to a wealthy monarch.

Tale of Tales (2hrs 13min, Fantasy, Horror, Romance)
Director: Matteo Garrone
Cast: Salma Hayek, Vincent Cassel, Toby Jones, John C. Reilly
Synopsis: From the bitter quest of the Queen of Longtrellis, to two mysterious sisters who provoke the passion of a king, to the King of Highhills obsessed with a giant Flea, these tales are inspired by the fairytales by Giambattista Basile.

The Meddler (PG-13, 1hr 40m, Comedy, Drama)
Director: Lorene Scafaria
Cast: Susan Sarandon, Rose Byrne, J.K. Simmons, Jerrod Carmichael
Synopsis: An aging widow from New York City follows her daughter to Los Angeles in hopes of starting a new life after her husband passes away.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYVlN5hTP0M

Men & Chicken (1hr 44m, Comedy, Drama)
Directors: Anders Thomas Jensen
Cast: David Dencik, Mads Mikkelsen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas
Synopsis: Men & Chicken is a darkly hilarious slapstick comedy starring Mads Mikkelsen (“Hannibal,” ingeniously cast against type) about a pair of socially-challenged siblings who discover they are adopted half-brothers in their late father’s videotaped will.

Holidays (1hr 45m, Horror)
Directors: Anthony Scott Burns, Kevin Kolsch, Nicholas McCarthy, Adam Egypt Mortimer, Gary Shore, Kevin Smith, Sarah Adina Smith, Scott Stewart, Dennis Widmyer, Ellen Reid
Cast: Lorenza Izzo, Kevin Smith, Seth Green
Synopsis: HOLIDAYS is an anthology feature film that puts a uniquely dark and original spin on some of the most iconic and beloved holidays of all time by challenging our folklore, traditions and assumptions.

How to Let Go of the World: and Love All the Things Climate Can’t Change (2hrs 5m, Documentary)
Director: Josh Fox
Synopsis: Documentarian Josh Fox (“Gasland”) travels the globe to meet with global climate change “warriors” who are committed to reversing the tide of global warming. Funny and tragic, inspiring and enlightening, the film examines the intricately woven forces that threaten the stability of the planet and the lives of its inhabitants.

Project Itoh – The Empire of Corpses (2hrs, Animated, Sci-Fi/Fantasy)
Directors: Ryôtarô Makihara
Cast: Kana Hanazawa, Yoshimasa Hosoya, Taiten Kusunoki
Synopsis: One of the top anime films is on its way to the big screen. Possesing an animation produced by the studio behind Attack on Titan, The Empire of Corpses will impress movie-goers with its globetrotting adventure in a zombie-powered steampunk world.

Compadres (1hr 41m, Action, Comedy)
Director: Enrique Begne
Cast: Omar Chaparro, Joey Morgan, Eric Roberts, Kevin Pollak
Synopsis: As former cop Garza seeks revenge on Santos, the crime lord who framed him, he forms an unlikely team with a young hacker who successfully stole $10 million from Santos.

WIDE RELEASE

Elvis & Nixon (R, 1hr 26min, Comedy)
Directors: Liza Johnson
Cast: Michael Shannon, Kevin Spacey, Alex Pettyfer, Johnny Knoxville
Synopsis: On a December morning in 1970, the King of Rock ’n Roll showed up on the lawn of the White House to request a meeting with the most powerful man in the world, President Nixon.

The Huntsman: Winter’s War (PG-13, 1hr 54m, Action/Adventure, Drama)
Director: Cedric Nicolas-Troyan
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Jessica Chastain, Charlize Theron
Synopsis: As a war between rival queen sisters Ravenna and Freya escalates, Eric and fellow warrior Sara, members of the Huntsmen army raised to protect Freya, try to conceal their forbidden love as they combat Ravenna’s wicked intentions.