Saturday Night Movie Recommendations with Abe

Welcome back to a weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. I'm going to be providing a handy guide to a few choice movies currently playing in theatres as well as several films newly released on DVD. I’ll also aim to comment on those films I have not yet had the chance to see, and I invite you to add in your thoughts on any films I haven’t seen in the comments below. Understandably, some weeks will have considerably fewer releases to address than others.

Now Playing

Wish You Were Here (recommended): This affecting Australian drama, which follows a wife, her husband, and her sister struggling to cope after the disappearance of their friend during a vacation in Cambodia, features strong performances from actors usually seen sporting American accents – Joel Edgerton, Teresa Palmer, and Antony Starr, as well as co-writer Felicity Price. Now playing at the Village East Cinema. Read my review from yesterday.


New to DVD

Warm Bodies (highly recommended): This hilarious comedy is a fantastic zombie movie parody that doubles as a zombie movie itself, featuring a top-notch lead performance from Nicholas Hoult and an excellent, extremely original script. Highly recommended for all audiences.


New on Netflix Instant Streaming

Backwards (recommended): This mediocre, harmless, family-friendly drama is light entertainment that’s actually much better than it should be, hardly complex or groundbreaking, featuring decent performances from stars Sarah Megan Thomas and James Van Deer Beek.

The Deep End (highly recommended): This 2001 drama, described by Entertainment Weekly as “soccer mom noir,” is one of my favorite lesser-known films, with a tour-de-force lead performance from Tilda Swinton as a mother who will do anything to protect her son. The film’s score and visuals help immensely, and this is one excellent, underrated thriller.

Last Night (mixed bag): This moody drama from the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival selection features Keira Knightley and action star Sam Worthington as partners both contemplating affairs. It’s a slow-paced, directionless film that isn’t necessarily bad but also doesn’t evoke the proper emotion and empathy for the characters that it should.