Weekend Movie Trailers & Reviews: 'Expendables 2' vs. 'Cosmopolis'
by Andy NeuenschwanderThere's something for just about everyone's taste in theaters this weekend. If you're looking for more family-friendly fare, there's the delightful stop-motion "ParaNorman" (83% on Rotten Tomatoes), the tearjerking "The Odd Life of Timothy Green" (40%), and even the musical "Sparkle" (60%), featuring Jordin Sparks and the final performance of Whitney Houston.
But if you want something a little more violent and adult, there are a couple of options for you too.
"The Expendables 2"
Rated R, 1 hr 43 mins
It seems like only yesterday we were watching Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li and a host of others blow stuff up and shoot people in the name of mindless cinematic fun. And yet here we are, with the release of "The Expendables 2" upon us.
The plot this time centers on... oh, who am I kidding? You don't care about the plot, do you? There's some kind of job that requires the gang to cause a bunch of havoc and generally be badass. That's really all there is to it, and "The Expendables 2" manages to carry over the self-aware, self-depricating humor that helped color the first one, too. New additions to the cast include Liam Hemsworth, Nan Yu and Chuck Norris, among others.
Critics have enjoyed "Expendables 2" for what it is, but not everyone is appreciative of the mindless fun: the movie is currently at 64% on Rotten Tomatoes. Of course, you can bet that the Cinemascore rating from the audience will be much higher than that.
See it if: BOOM! RATATATATAT! EXPLOSION! CATCHPHRASE!
"Cosmopolis"
Rated R, 1 hr 48 mins
Robert Pattinson stars in this David Cronenberg film that probably could not be any more different from "Twilight." To sum up the concept of the film is difficult, but on its surface it's about a very young Wall Street hotshot (Pattinson) who finds his vast wealth disappearing from him at an alarming pace over the course of an increasingly puzzling night.
The themes here are deep and not always conveyed that well, but there are payoffs to struggling through the material, just as there was with Don DeLillo's book on which the movie is based. For that reason, reviews have been very mixed: some critics applaud the complexity of "Cosmopolis," which others have found it to be nigh unbearable. The current rating on Rotten Tomatoes stands at 65%, however the audience reaction is noticeably worse. Could that be due to "Twilight" fans going to see the movie and walking out tremendously confused or emotionally scarred?
See it if: Hey, if you like Cronenberg, it's right up your alley.