Maria Millage ’17 / Emertainment Monthly writer

Captain Phillips

Starring: Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman, Faysal Ahmed
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 134 minutes
The true story of Captain Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks) and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.  Enjoying an impressive 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, this film has the potential to remind audiences and critics alike of how effective Tom Hanks can be as a leading man.  The film, based on the book A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea by Richard Phillips and directed by Academy Award nominee Paul Greengrass, is garnering excellent reviews and the possibility of several Oscar nominations.

Machete Kills

Starring: Danny Trejo, Alexa Vega, Mel Gibson, Jessica Alba
Rated: R
Running Time: 107 minutes
The United States government recruits Machete (Danny Trejo) to fight his way through Mexico to take down an arms dealer threatening to launch a weapon into space.  The second in the planned Machete trilogy, this micro-budget film could be the chance for a handful of former A-list stars to refurbish their public image.  The second installment in Richard Rodriguez’s Machete trilogy is earning mixed reviews, with some arguing its cartoony violence is excellently over-the-top while others take the stance at even at a short run time of 107 minutes, it is still too long.

Romeo and Juliet

Starring: Hailee Steinfeld, Douglas Booth, Damian Lewis, Laura Morante
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 118 minutes
Another re-telling of Shakespeare’s tale of star-crossed young lovers from two warring families and the chaos that ensues directed by Carlos Carlei (The Flight of the Innocent).  With a screenplay written by Downton Abbey writer and creator Julian Fellowes and an impressive supporting cast, this adaptation of Shakespeare’s famous play might just sway those dismissing the film as fodder for the younger generation.