Weekend Movie Review: 'Doctor Sleep,' 'Last Christmas' And More

This weekend, "Doctor Sleep," the sequel to the psychological horror classic, "The Shining," comes to life on the big screen, starring Ewan McGregor as a troubled middle-aged psychic who makes an alliance with a young telepathic girl (Kyliegh Curran) to battle an evil enigmatic woman (Rebecca Ferguson).

In the mood for a romantic comedy? "Last Christmas" makes a big splash, starring Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding as star-crossed lovers.

Also making a theatrical debut is the war film, "Midway," in which Ed Skrein, Woody Harrelson and Patrick Wilson play World War II heroes.

Meanwhile, families can check out the kid-friendly flick "Playing With Fire." It stars John Cena, Keegan Michael-Key and John Leguizamo as a crew of firefighters suddenly tasked to look after three wildly-imaginative kids (Brianna Hildebrand, Christian Convery and Finley Rose).

Here's what to see and what to skip this weekend:

Movies Out This Weekend

“Doctor Sleep” — Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson; directed by Mike Flanagan

Writer-director Mike Flanagan’s latest horror film about telepathy, supernatural forces and psychic phenomenon is an artful concoction of Stephen King’s published words and Stanley Kubrick’s cinematic legacy. It serves as both a film adaptation of King’s 2013 novel, “Doctor Sleep,” and as a direct sequel to Kubrick’s 1980 horror classic, “The Shining.”

At the center of the continuing saga is psychic Danny Torrance (Ewan McGregor), who, as a youngster, escaped the hands of his murderous dad at the snowy maze of the Overlook Hotel nearly four decades ago. Over the years, he has become an alcoholic drifter traumatized by painful memories of the past.

As he wanders from place to place, Danny eventually winds up in a New Hampshire suburb, where the haunted man soon recovers from booze addiction and lands a job as a hospice orderly. In due time, his “shining” or extrasensory powers will come in handy as he tries to comfort the patients in their final moments. As a result, he will earn the nickname “Doctor Sleep.”

Meanwhile, the beguiling Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson) and her shady band of followers called the True Knot will continue their quest for immortality by murdering children with “shining” abilities. Next on their target list is 12-year-old Abra (Kyliegh Curran), who sends Danny a telepathic message asking for his help against the merciless cult.

Ultimately, Danny and the young girl will join forces against the mystical villains. In the end, the final showdown takes place at the Overlook Hotel, where Danny will need to summon the evil spirits from his childhood in order to win the battle.

See it. Flanagan’s effort delivers a body of work that truly honors both King and Kubrick in every sense of the word— though, at times, the film feels slow.

Watch the trailer:

“Midway” — Ed Skrein, Woody Harrelson, Patrick Wilson; directed by Roland Emmerich

Roland Emmerich’s passion project is a reconstruction of the four-day 1942 naval battle that became the decisive turning point of the Asia-Pacific War during World War II.

The film opens with a dramatization of the Pearl Harbor attack followed by the Battle of Midway six months later, during which the Japanese wage another surprise attack in the Pacific. This time around, Japan targets the three remaining American aircraft carriers, as a tactical move to give Japan a direct access to Hawaii and the west coast of the United States.

Unbeknownst to the Japanese, the Americans have the element of surprise on their side, as they have been able to decode their enemy’s cryptic messages as to when and how Japan will execute their planned attack.

“Midway” is told through the perspectives of three main characters. One of them is Lieutenant Dick Best (Ed Skrein), a no-nonsense aviator whose air squadron takes the lead in decimating Japanese aircraft carriers. There’s also Naval Intelligence Officer Edwin Layton (Patrick Wilson), a code breaker whose work is critical to the mission. And then, there's Admiral Yamamoto (Etsushi Toyokawa) who represents the Japanese perspective of the story.

Skip it. The sheer number of firefights muddles up the narrative more often than not. By the end, the movie just feels bland altogether.

Watch the trailer:

“Last Christmas” — Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding; directed by Paul Feig

Paul Feig’s romantic comedy (which was co-written by Emma Thompson) is, in part, a love letter to London, as well as a moving tribute to George Michael’s music legacy.

Set in 2017 London, the Christmas movie follows the story of Kate (Emilia Clarke), an aspiring singer with a penchant for George Michael’s music. As it turns out, Kate has just lost her apartment and can’t seem to stop drinking or having one-night stands.

Her relationship with her mother (Thompson) is also strained and to make matter worse, she also spends her days stuck in a dead-end job at a Yuletide boutique store where her boss (Michelle Yeoh) makes her dress up as an elf.

One day, a mysterious bike courier named Tom (Henry Golding) enters Kate's life and shows her all the hidden-gem places around London. Soon, the young man becomes a breath of fresh air for Kate while giving the young woman a new hope in life with his favorite catchphrase: “Just look up.”

But who is Tom exactly? Does it seem he wears the same coat every single time?

Skip it. The chemistry between Clarke and Golding feels like a misfire, lacking the magic to keep viewers engaged throughout the film.

Watch the trailer:

“Playing With Fire” — John Cena, Judy Greer; directed by Andy Fickman

The family comedy stars John Cena as fire station superintendent Jake Carson. His career is his entire life, and the strait-laced, middle-aged man has no time for shenanigans.

But Carson is forced to change his tune after he and his crew of firefighters (Keegan Michael-Key, John Leguizamo and Tyler Mane) successfully airlift three kids (Brianna Hildebrand, Christian Convery and Finley Rose) out of a blazing cabin. The men have a rude awakening when they are forced to babysit the kids over the weekend, since none of their relatives can come pick them up at the firehouse until the following Monday.

Skip it. Simply put, the jokes are too predictable!

Watch the trailer:

Other Entertainment News:

• What's New On Netflix: November 2019
• 'Harriet': An Exclusive Look Into The Film
• Alfonso Gomez-Rejon's 'The Current War': An Exclusive Look
• Reviews of 'Terminator: Dark Fate,' 'Harriet' And 'Motherless Brooklyn'
• Reviews of 'The Current War: Director's Cut,' And 'Black And Blue'
• Reviews of 'Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil' And 'Zombieland: Double Tap'