Hollywood Popular Artists

Jul 27th 2012, 20:30

This week in theaters, there are aliens in the neighborhood, an imaginary girl in real life, and something wrong with the fried chicken.

Check out all of this week's pairings in Double Feature Friday!

"The Watch" & "Attack the Block"
Some of the television ads for "The Watch" have downplayed the science fiction elements of the comedy, but one look at the full synopsis for this alien invasion flick and memories of last year's instant cult classic "Attack the Block" should come rushing back. Joe Cornish's original "aliens in the neighborhood" film boasts genuine laughs, scares and enough gore to satiate the more hardcore horror fans. It was the kind of the movie that was so original and so clearly well-made that it compelled you to anticipate whatever comes next from the filmmaker. Definitely check it out instead.

"Step Up Revolution" & "Scarface"
Listen, I understand that using dance as a way to call attention to the gaps between the classes and bring about permanent social change in Miami might be the P.C. way to address the climate of today, but back in the 80s, all you needed was a lot of cocaine and some balls. The release of the fourth "Step Up" movie calls for a look back on the real Miami revolution, which occurred back in 1983, was directed by Brian De Palma, and starred Al Pacino.

"Ruby Sparks" & "Little Miss Sunshine"
After six years away, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris are back in the director's chair with their latest heart-warming offering "Ruby Sparks." Their first feature film, "Little Miss Sunshine," earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture, won for Best Original Screenplay, and started the trend of calling every year's indie-Academy crossover "This year's 'Little Miss Sunshine.'" It's likely that you haven't gone back to this film in a while, but it holds up and is worth the revisit.

"Killer Joe" & "The French Connection"
William Friedkin makes hard movies. This is the guy behind "The Exorcist" and "The French Connection." His latest film, "Killer Joe" continues that tradition with some serious gross-outs, so why not go back and see where he came from with the movie that won him an Academy Award for Best Director. Gene Hackman is in rare form in this hard-nosed 1971 crime drama about drug smuggling in New York City. Hackman plays Popeye Doyle, and once you see "The French Connection," you won't forget it.

What are you watching this weekend? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

If one movie is never enough for you and you're looking for a flick to get you in the mood for this week's new release, Double Feature Friday is here to help. Every week we break down the new releases and pair them with older movies that you should catch before heading out to the theater. Or just skip the new movie and check out the classic we recommend.

Media files:
Attack-the-Watch.jpg (image/jpeg)
Attack-the-Watch-70x53.jpg (image/jpeg)