Here's a quick look at what's coming out in theaters this weekend.
"Mr. Peabody & Sherman"
What's it about? Sherman, the adopted son of the brilliant (and anthropomorphic) dog Mr. Peabody, creates a rift in time after playing around with the Way Back time machine. It's up to the dog and his boy to set things temporally right.
Will it be good? I'm sure there are some people out there with lingering nostalgia for these characters that first appeared alongside Rocky and Bullwinkle back in the '50s and '60s, but I seriously doubt any of them were clamoring for a modern, animated feature film starring said characters. It looks innocuous enough as far as kid's films go, though I'd much rather just go see the brilliant "The LEGO Movie" again.
Rated PG for some mild action and brief rude humor.
"300: Rise of an Empire"
What's it about? I don't know. I've watched the trailer for this thing a dozen times in the theater (including an extended, five minute sneak peek) and I still couldn't tell you what the story is intended to be about. There's stuff about the origin of Xerxes, the godking villain from the first "300," stuff about the army that fought before Leonidas' 300 went to battle and I guess stuff that's happening in the wake of Leonidas' defeat? So it's a prequel, sequel and sidequel. Or something. Who knows?
Will it be good? If the trailers are any indication this is going to be one barely intelligible film, story-wise. But I guess story isn't really why one pays attention to films like "300." This is all about the action, and on that front it looks as though newcomer director Noam Murro's time behind the lens has produced a film that near-perfectly replicates the stylish work of his predecessor Zack Snyder (who stayed on as producer). A film not for the squeamish or those who like to watch movies where Greek and/or Persian soldiers keep all their limbs.
Rated R for strong sustained sequences of stylized bloody violence throughout, a sex scene, nudity and some language.
