New in Theaters: “Venom” and “A Star Is Born”
1. “A Star Is Born“ (R) Trailer
Lady Gaga is an unknown songwriter who falls in love with Bradley Cooper. He’s an aging rocker who mentors her, but then struggles with his anger and his drinking after her career outshines his own. Bradley directed it and also did his own singing.
The rest of the cast includes Andrew Dice Clay as Gaga’s dad, Sam Elliott as Bradley’s older brother and manager, and Dave Chappelle as his trusted friend. Cooper also co-write the screenplay, which is actually the third remake of “A Star Is Born”.
The original was made in 1937. It didn’t star anyone you’re likely to know, but it took home the Best Writing Oscar. It was remade in 1954 with Judy Garland and James Mason, and again in 1976 with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson.
The Streisand version won an Oscar for Best Original Song for “Evergreen“.
The breakout song from this year’s Lady Gaga remake is called “Shallow“.
2. “Venom“ (PG-13) Trailer 1 and Trailer 2
Tom Hardy is Eddie Brock, a reporter investigating a billionaire whose company is killing homeless people while conducting illegal tests on alien parasites called symbiotes. And when Brock bonds with one, he becomes the Marvel anti-hero Venom.
Michelle Williams plays his fiancé, Riz Ahmed is the billionaire villain, and Jenny Slate is the scientist who blows the whistle on Ahmed’s lethal human experiments.
(Spoiler Alert) Woody Harrelson has a cameo in a mid-credits scene as serial killer Cletus Kasady, who “Venom” fans know as the guy who becomes Carnage, Venom’s nemesis.
3. And now, some limited releases you may or may not care about:
. . . “The Hate U Give“ stars Amandla Stenberg from “The Hunger Games” as a teenager dealing with the aftermath of a shooting where a white cop killed her best friend in front of her after mistaking his hairbrush for a gun. (Trailer)
The rest of the cast includes Anthony Mackie, Regina Hall, Issa Rae, and Common. (Trailer)
“The Hate U Give” is playing at 34 theaters this weekend and opens nationwide on October 19th. AMC is also offering free screenings to kids tomorrow morning at 11:00 a.m. in Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C.
. . . “Loving Pablo“ stars Javier Bardem as Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, Penelope Cruz as his lover, anchorwoman Virginia Vallejo, and Peter Sarsgaard as a DEA agent trying to take Escobar down. It’s rated R. (Trailer)
Penelope and Javier have been married since 2010.
. . . “Studio 54“ is a compelling documentary where Ian Schrager talks on camera for the first time about partnering with Steve Rubell to open the club in 1977, describes its rise and fall, and how Ian was sentenced to prison for tax evasion in 1980. (Trailer)
