In Theaters: THE MEG, SLENDER MAN, BLACKKKLANSMAN and DOG DAYS

Shark enthusiasts are getting the royal treatment this week as "The Meg" chomps its way into theaters. The Jason Statham starrer received mixed reviews from critics but a decent audience reception, and has already grossed $4 million from Thursday night previews, outperforming films like "47 Meters Down" and "The Shallows".

If sharks aren't your thing, but do enjoy a scary movie, "Slender Man" might be right up your alley. Beware, though, as the film has been receiving a harsh reception from both critics and moviegoers.

A worthwhile new release is Spike Lee' racially charged fact-based dramedy "BlacKkKlansman" which has been receiving stellar reviews. Another film worth checking out is the ensemble romantic comedy "Dog Days", which stars Nina Dobrev, Vanessa Hudgens, Finn Wolfhard and Eva Longoria, among others.

Synopses, details, critical/audience reception, trailers, clips and more after the jump.

THE MEG

Official Synopsis

A deep-sea submersible--part of an international undersea observation program--has been attacked by a massive creature, previously thought to be extinct, and now lies disabled at the bottom of the deepest trench in the Pacific... with its crew trapped inside. With time running out, expert deep sea rescue diver Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) is recruited by a visionary Chinese oceanographer (Winston Chao), against the wishes of his daughter Suyin (Li Bingbing), to save the crew--and the ocean itself--from this unstoppable threat: a pre-historic 75-foot-long shark known as the Megalodon. What no one could have imagined is that, years before, Taylor had encountered this same terrifying creature. Now, teamed with Suyin, he must confront his fears and risk his own life to save everyone trapped below.

Film Details

• Director: Jon Turteltaub
  
  
• Starring: Jason Statham, Bingbing Li, Rainn Wilson, Cliff Curtis, Winston Chao, Ruby Rose, Page Kennedy, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson
  
  
• Genre: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
  
  
• Running Time: 113 min.
  
  
• Rating: PG-13 for action/peril, bloody images and some language
  
  

Critical Reception

• Rottentomatoes: 50% (54 fresh, 55 rotten, score: 5.6/10)
  
• Metacritic: 45 out of 100 (11 positive, 23 mixed, 7 negative).

Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes: 61% (3.5/5 rating from 1,315 users)
  
• Metacritic: 6.0/10 (9 positive, 5 mixed, 4 negative).
• IMDb: 6.3/10 (3,708 votes)
  

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SLENDER MAN

Official Synopsis

In a small town in Massachusetts, a group of friends, fascinated by the internet lore of the Slender Man, attempt to prove that he doesn't actually exist... until one of them mysteriously goes missing.

Film Details

• Director: Sylvain White
  
  
• Starring: Joey King, Julia Goldani Telles, Jaz Sinclair, Annalise Basso, Taylor Richardson, Alex Fitzalan
  
  
• Genre: Horror
  
  
• Running Time: 93 min.
  
  
• Rating: PG-13 for disturbing images, sequences of terror, thematic elements and language including some crude sexual references
  
  

Critical Reception

• Rottentomatoes: 13% (2 fresh, 13 rotten, score: 4.1/10)
  
• Metacritic: 28 out of 100 (1 positive, 3 mixed, 8 negative).

Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes: 42% (2.5/5 rating from 652 users)
  
• Metacritic: 2.7/10 (3 positive, 0 mixed, 11 negative).
• IMDb: 3.3/10 (563 votes)
  

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BLACKKKLANSMAN

Official Synopsis

From visionary filmmaker Spike Lee comes the incredible true story of an American hero. It's the early 1970s, and Ron Stallworth (John David Washington) is the first African-American detective to serve in the Colorado Springs Police Department. Determined to make a name for himself, Stallworth bravely sets out on a dangerous mission: infiltrate and expose the Ku Klux Klan. The young detective soon recruits a more seasoned colleague, Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver), into the undercover investigation of a lifetime. Together, they team up to take down the extremist hate group as the organization aims to sanitize its violent rhetoric to appeal to the mainstream. Produced by the team behind the Academy-Award (R) winning Get Out.

Film Details

• Director: Spike Lee
  
  
• Starring: John David Washington, Adam Driver, Laura Harrier, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Robert John Burke, Corey Hawkins
  
  
• Genre: Biography, Comedy, Crime
  
  
• Running Time: 135 min.
  
  
• Rating: R for language throughout, including racial epithets, and for disturbing/violent material and some sexual references
  
  

Critical Reception

• Rottentomatoes: 98% (134 fresh, 3 rotten, score: 8.1/10)
  
• Metacritic: 83 out of 100 (48 positive, 1 mixed, 1 negative).

Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes: 86% (4.1/5 rating from 1,171 users)
  
• Metacritic: 7.4/10 (11 positive, 0 mixed, 3 negative).
• IMDb: 7.1/10 (2,728 votes)
  

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DOG DAYS

Official Synopsis

From acclaimed production company LD Entertainment (The Zookeeper's Wife, Jackie, and Megan Leavey) and Director Ken Marino comes Dog Days. Dog Days is a hilarious and heartfelt ensemble comedy that follows the lives of multiple dog owners and their beloved fluffy pals around sunny Los Angeles. When these human and canine's paths start to intertwine, their lives begin changing in ways they never expected.

Film Details

• Director: Ken Marino
  
  
• Starring: Nina Dobrev, Vanessa Hudgens, Finn Wolfhard, Thomas Lennon, Lauren Lapkus, Eva Longoria, Jessica Lowe, Adam Pally, Tig Notaro
  
  
• Genre: Comedy, Drama
  
  
• Running Time: 112 min.
  
  
• Rating: PG for rude and suggestive content, and for language
  
  

Critical Reception

• Rottentomatoes: 60% (21 fresh, 14 rotten, score: 5.1/10)
  
• Metacritic: 48 out of 100 (5 positive, 11 mixed, 2 negative).

Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes: 90% (4.6/5 rating from 202 users)
  
• Metacritic: N/A
• IMDb: 5.2/10 (182 votes)
  

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