At the movies: Female led all-star cast celebrated in latest Disney film
Walt Disney Pictures has assembled an all-star cast for its latest film, “A Wrinkle In Time.”
Based on a science fiction novel by Madeleine L’Engle of the same name, “A Wrinkle In Time” is directed by Ava DuVernay, also known for her directorial work on “Selma” and “Middle of Nowhere.”
Audiences meet middle-schooler Meg Murry (Storm Reid, “12 Years a Slave” and “Sleight”), who’s not only struggling with her self-confidence, but finds herself upset over the disappearance of her father Mr. Murry (Chris Pine, “Wonder Woman” and “Star Trek”).
Meg, her friend Calvin (Levi Miller, “Pan” and “Jasper Jones”) and Meg’s brother Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe, “Stephanie” and “Hold On”) seek the guidance of three celestial beings — Mrs. Which (Oprah Winfrey, “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” and “The Color Purple”), Mrs. Who (Mindy Kaling, “The Office” and “No Strings Attached”) and Mrs. Whatsit (Reese Witherspoon, “Legally Blonde” and “Walk the Line”) to travel through a space/time wrinkling to find Mr. Murry.
When faced with darkness and uncertainty, the trio team up and make it back home, all the while encountering Red (Michael Pena, “American Hustle” and “Crash”), Dr. Kate Murry (Gugu Mbatha-Raw, “Belle” and “Beyond the Lights”), The Happy Medium (Zach Galifianakis, “The Hangover” and “Due Date”) and Veronica (Rowan Blanchard, “A World Away” and “Girl Meets World”).
According to the media review website, RottenTomatoes.com, 96 percent of users want to see “A Wrinkle In Time.”
Eliza Berman wrote for TIME that the film and book are about “what it means to be a source of light in a world in which darkness seems only to proliferate.”
She also indicated that the film could make history, as DuVernay is the fourth woman to solo-direct a movie with a budget of more than $100 million, and is the first African-American woman ever to do so.
And in the same review, when asked about how she complete such a feat, DuVernay said “same way he did it!”
The film is not rated, and contains thematic elements and some peril.
Other movies that are arriving in theaters this weekend include:
n “The Strangers: Prey at Night” featuring Christina Hendricks, Bailee Madison, Martin Henderson and Lewis Pullman, directed by Johannes Roberts, is a horror film about three masked madmen.
The film is rated R.
n “Gringo” featuring David Oyelowo, Charlize Theron, Joel Edgerton and Amanda Seyfried, directed by Nash Edgerton, is about a business man who finds himself having to make difficult decisions.
The film is rated R.
n “The Leisure Seeker” directed by Paolo Virzi, starring Helen Mirren, Donald Sutherland, Janel Moloney and Kristy Mitchell, is about a couple on an RV trip.
The film is rated R.