Looking at the Weekend: Aug. 24-26, 2018

There isn’t a lot coming out this final full weekend of August, so the biggest hopes will hang on the R-rated puppet movie The Happytime Murders, which wants to be the breakout hit of the summer. Starring Melissa McCarthy in a world of Muppets beyond the happy-go-lucky word of Kermit and Company, this film hopes to pull back the seedy curtain and show the audience something they never thought they’d see: a raunchy Muppet movie. Of course, these aren’t officially “The Muppets,” but the implication is there and that may just be enough to draw a wide swath of curious audiences.

Our Highest Rated Films: The Bookshop, Papillon, Support the Girls
Our Best Awards Ratings: No consensus

OTHER LIMITED RELEASES

Beautifully Broken

Aug. 24-26, 2018
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
A.X.L. (Wide Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	2.5 Wesley Lovell: (2) Peter J. Patrick: (4) Tripp Burton: (2) Thomas LaTourrette: (2)	Nil Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (Nil) Tripp Burton: (Nil) Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)	Categories: None
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): There’s nothing about this mechanical dog film that piques my interests. Peter J. Patrick (PP): A.I. goes to the dogs – looks extremely silly. Tripp Burton (TB): This trailer is lackluster, and the film looks about the same. Thomas LaTourette (TL): Think Transformers but with a dog rather than a car and also with worse acting and script. It does not look like a good movie.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
The Happytime Murders (Wide Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	3.8 Wesley Lovell: (8) Peter J. Patrick: (2) Tripp Burton: (3) Thomas LaTourrette: (2)	Nil Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (Nil) Tripp Burton: (Nil) Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)	Categories: None
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): I love a good bit of raunchy humor and the trailer amuses me, so this is on my to-see list. Peter J. Patrick (PP): Trashy mix of genres looks insultingly bad. Tripp Burton (TB): This looks raunchy purely for raunch sake, and not very funny. Thomas LaTourette (TL): This took what could have been an okay premise, look at what Avenue Q did, but makes the interactions of people and puppets inane and distasteful. It looks bad.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
Blue Iguana (Limited Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	3.3 Wesley Lovell: (4) Peter J. Patrick: (2) Tripp Burton: (4) Thomas LaTourrette: (3)	Nil Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (Nil) Tripp Burton: (Nil) Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)	Categories: None
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): Another cheap-looking heist film that isn’t for me. Peter J. Patrick (PP): Oh, Sam, is this what Oscar gets you these days? Tripp Burton (TB): This looks like a run of the mill crime comedy. Thomas LaTourette (TL): Sam Rockwell is a good actor, but this looks to be less than a mediocre heist film.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
The Bookshop (Limited Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	5.0 Wesley Lovell: (5) Peter J. Patrick: (5) Tripp Burton: (5) Thomas LaTourrette: (5)	1.3 Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (5,Critics) Tripp Burton: (Nil) Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)	Categories: Actress (PP) Supporting Actress (PP)
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): It might be charming, it might be excruciating. I normally love Patricia Clarkson, but her accent here bugs me. Peter J. Patrick (PP): Genteel British drama looks charming but quaint. Tripp Burton (TB): I wish Emily Mortimer would get better looking vehicles than this. Thomas LaTourette (TL): Solid performances by decent actors can’t raise the interest level to where it needs to be. It will probably be charming and slight.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
An L.A. Minute (Limited Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	3.0 Wesley Lovell: (1) Peter J. Patrick: (5) Tripp Burton: (4) Thomas LaTourrette: (2)	Nil Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (Nil) Tripp Burton: (Nil) Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)	Categories: None
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): Aging male fantasy film that doesn’t look very promising. Peter J. Patrick (PP): Looks like an interesting if minor comedy. Tripp Burton (TB): This looks like a waste of a good cast. Thomas LaTourette (TL): I am not sure what this film is trying to be, as the trailer really gives no idea. Since the people do not look likable, I think I will pass.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
Papillon (Limited Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	5.0 Wesley Lovell: (6) Peter J. Patrick: (5) Tripp Burton: (4) Thomas LaTourrette: (5)	Nil Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (Nil) Tripp Burton: (Nil) Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)	Categories: None
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): The cast is the only thing giving me hope about the film and that’s not saying a lot. Peter J. Patrick (PP): Unnecessary remake of a once popular but now largely forgotten film. Tripp Burton (TB): Did we really need this remake? Thomas LaTourette (TL): This might be an interesting remake, but I am just not that motivated to see it.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
Searching (Limited Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	4.5 Wesley Lovell: (3) Peter J. Patrick: (5) Tripp Burton: (4) Thomas LaTourrette: (6)	Nil Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (Nil) Tripp Burton: (Nil) Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)	Categories: None
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): Looks like a gimmicky thriller that doesn’t look as compelling as it should. Peter J. Patrick (PP): Interesting premise, awkward presentation. Tripp Burton (TB): This looks like a fine late-night watch. Thomas LaTourette (TL): The reviews are decent, but the trailer lacks the excitement or dread that it needs to pique the interest of the viewer.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
Support the Girls (Limited Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	5.0 Wesley Lovell: (4) Peter J. Patrick: (4) Tripp Burton: (7) Thomas LaTourrette: (5)	Nil Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (Nil) Tripp Burton: (Nil) Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)	Categories: None
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): This looks like a waste of multiple talents. Peter J. Patrick (PP): Talented cast wasted in throw-away comedy. Tripp Burton (TB): This looks like fun, and it is nice to see Regina Hall getting a central role. Thomas LaTourette (TL): Reasonable reviews but a lackluster trailer do not make we want to see this film. It just does not look that interesting.