New Movies January 29: Fifty Shades of Another Color and a Panda

There's no major winter storm in the forecast for the coming weekend, so moviegoers should have an easier time checking out the week's new films. Three new wide releases are waiting in the queue to try to make sure that The Revenant only enjoys one weekend as America's top film.

The first new wide release is Fifty Shades of Black, a new parody from writer/producer/actor Marlon Wayans. Fans of Wayans' previous broad parodies will probably appreciate this slapstick- and sight-gag-loaded take on Fifty Shades of Grey. Those who have a slightly more high-brow taste in comedy will probably want to skip it.

Next up is The Finest Hours, a shipwreck adventure starring Chris Pine. Last month's In the Heart of the Sea, a shipwreck adventure starring Chris Hemsworth, was a box-office disappointment, but this new release updates the action to the 1950s and substitutes a storm for a whale as the story's villain. Critics aren't loving it, but audiences don't always agree with the critics.

The final new wide release this week is Kung Fu Panda 3, an animated sequel to, well, Kung Fu Panda and Kung Fu Panda 2. There's probably some hunger for animated family fare, especially given the flop of Norm of the North earlier this month, and this latest installment in the franchise is getting good buzz ahead of its release. Of the new films, this one looks most likely to challenge the hold-overs for the win.