Theron. Huston. Faris. Bader Ginsburg! This weekend at the box office is all about powerhouse women in all flavors of entertainment, from nuanced drama to darkly humorous body horror and lighthearted romantic comedy to biographical documentary. It’s going to be a busy weekend! Here’s what’s coming to a screen near you:
Tully
Wow, millennial pink much? Let’s hope Tully embodies all of the qualities of that trendy color: Cute, cool, femme, sophisticated, and a little bit magical. Ever since the first trailer was released, we’ve been waiting to see Mackenzie Davis, also known as the shy babe from Black Mirror’s infamous “San Junipero,” go toe-to-toe with Theron, tackling the tricky territory of motherhood and mental health. It’s been eleven years since the release of Juno, Jason Reitman, and Diablo Cody’s first on-screen collaboration, and looking back, it’s clear that the experience of motherhood has always been a powerful theme in their work together (though it’s expressed a little differently in 2011s Young Adult, also starring Theron).
Overboard
In some ways, the cute but fearless Anna Faris is a spiritual descendant of Goldie Hawn, who starred in the original 1987 movie (that one had Hawn as the rich and arrogant heiress tricked by Kurt Russell as a blue-collar widower). The reboot flips the gender script and adds some foreign money to the mix, and while nothing tops the pointed, often politically incorrect, and always straight-to-the-quick humor of 80s movies, this new twist will put a fresh spin on the love-hate dynamics between the characters…and indeed, the 99% vs. the 1%.
RGB
Get to know the passionate, steadfast, and, frankly, iconic woman behind the initials: a lawmaker and policy expert who has become both an unlikely political hero and something like America’s radical, no-nonsense Aunt! We’ve had our eye on this doc since the trailer dropped, and yes, one of us was one of the first audiences to see it ahead of this initial release. If you like reading reviews before you see a movie, you’ll want to check this one out! RGB is only playing in certain theaters nationwide until next weekend, so make sure you check your local screening schedules before you make plans. Warning: Viewings may cause overwhelming inspiration, powerful motivation, and a renewed passion for justice. Like Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, this movie is rated WRM for its portrayal of Wholesome Role Models.
The Cleanse
Admit it, this looks like something you’ve been served as a sponsored ad on Instagram, doesn’t it? We’re all just a few swipes away from facing our own demons through a series of abject purges at a “spiritual” retreat. As we noted in our column on the trailer for The Cleanse, cults are, like, so hot right now, as is the whole idea of the “detox,” both for the body and the soul. It’s funny to think about Johnny Galecki’s character from The Big Bang Theory buying into all of this—maybe that’s an indicator of how desperate he’s become, and the lengths he’s willing to go to reset his life. Aren’t we all looking for a quick fix, in one way or another? Just something to chew on. Oh, and if you’re worn out from all of this weekend watching or just can’t muster the strength to leave your house because you’ve been subsisting on a liquid diet of distilled water, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup, The Cleanse will also be available via VOD.
