In Theaters: VENOM, A STAR IS BORN, THE HATE U GIVE and LOVING PABLO

The Spider-Man spinoff "Venom" starring Tom Hardy is now in theaters, and it seems to be one of those divisive blockbusters. Critics savagely mauled it, but moviegoers seem a bit more forgiving. For example, Rotten Tomatoes has a 28% Critical Score, while the Audience Score is an impressive 89%. It's like "The Last Jedi" in reverse. Regardless, the movie is poised to be a huge hit at the box-office after scoring a record-breaking $10 million from Thursday night previews.

Another new releases is the musical romantic drama "A Star is Born", starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. Cooper also directed and co-wrote the script. The film is the third remake of the 1937 film of the same name which starred Janet Gaynor and Frederic March. The other remakes were a 1954 musical starring Judy Garland and James Mason, which was nominated for 6 Oscars, and the 1976 film starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, which is probably more famous for Streisand's Oscar-winning song "Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)".

Also out in theaters today is the young adult adaptation "The Hate U Give", based on the novel of the same name by Angie Thomas. The film stars Amandla Stenberg, Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby and K.J. Apa.

In limited release you can scratch that "Narcos" itch with the crime biopic "Loving Pablo", which chronicles the volatile love affair between Pablo Escobar (Javier Bardem) and journalist Virginia Vallejo (Penelope Cruz). It didn't receive much love from critics, but if you can't get enough of stories about Escobar, I suppose this will do the trick.

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

VENOM

Official Synopsis

Investigative journalist Eddie Brock attempts a comeback following a scandal, but accidentally becomes the host of an alien symbiote that gives him a violent super alter-ego: Venom. Soon, he must rely on his newfound powers to protect the world from a shadowy organisation looking for a symbiote of their own.

Film Details

• Director: Ruben Fleischer
  
  
• Starring: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed, Jenny Slate, Reid Scott, Michelle Lee
  
  
• Genre: Action , Horror , Sci-Fi
  
  
• Running Time: 112 min.
  
  
• Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for language
  
  

Critical Reception

• Rottentomatoes: 28% (35 fresh, 89 rotten, score: 4.3/10)
  
• Metacritic: 35 out of 100 (4 positive, 26 mixed, 14 negative).

Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes: 89% (4.3/5 rating from 7,487 users)
  
• Metacritic: 5.8/10 (79 positive, 9 mixed, 40 negative).
• IMDb: 7.1/10 (15,026 votes)
  

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A STAR IS BORN

Official Synopsis

In this new take on the tragic love story, Bradley Cooper plays seasoned musician Jackson Maine, who discovers--and falls in love with--struggling artist Ally (Gaga). She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer... until Jack coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally's career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jack fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons.

Film Details

• Director: Bradley Cooper
  
  
• Starring: Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper, Sam Elliott, Andrew Dice Clay, Alec Baldwin, Dave Chappelle
  
  
• Genre: Drama , Music , Romance
  
  
• Running Time: 135 min.
  
  
• Rating: R for language throughout, some sexuality/nudity and substance abuse
  
  

Critical Reception

• Rottentomatoes: 93% (185 fresh, 14 rotten, score: 8.0/10)
  
• Metacritic: 88 out of 100 (56 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative).

Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes: 84% (4.2/5 rating from 3,635 users)
  
• Metacritic: 9.2/10 (130 positive, 2 mixed, 8 negative).
• IMDb: 8.6/10 (12,113 votes)
  

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THE HATE U GIVE

Official Synopsis

Starr Carter is constantly switching between two worlds: the poor, mostly black, neighborhood where she lives and the rich, mostly white, prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Now, facing pressures from all sides of the community, Starr must find her voice and stand up for what's right. THE HATE U GIVE is based on the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller by Angie Thomas and stars Amandla Stenberg as Starr, with Russell Hornsby, Regina Hall, Common, Anthony Mackie and Issa Rae.

Film Details

• Director: George Tillman Jr.
  
  
• Starring: Amandla Stenberg, Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby, Anthony Mackie, Issa Rae, Common, K.J. Apa
  
  
• Genre: Crime , Drama
  
  
• Running Time: 132 min.
  
  
• Rating: PG-13 for mature thematic elements, some violent content, drug material and language
  
  

Critical Reception

• Rottentomatoes: 96% (46 fresh, 2 rotten, score: 8.2/10)
  
• Metacritic: 83 out of 100 (23 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative).

Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes: 60% (3.0/5 rating from 461 users)
  
• Metacritic:N/A
• IMDb: 4.8/10 (524 votes)
  

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LOVING PABLO

Official Synopsis

Loving Pablo chronicles the rise and fall of the world's most feared drug lord Pablo Escobar (Javier Bardem) and his volatile love affair with Colombia's most famous journalist Virginia Vallejo (Penélope Cruz) throughout a reign of terror that tore a country apart.

Film Details

• Director: Fernando León de Aranoa
  
  
• Starring: Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Peter Sarsgaard, Julieth Restrepo
  
  
• Genre: Biography , Crime , Drama
  
  
• Running Time: 123 min.
  
  
• Rating: R for strong violent content, some sexuality, language and drug use
  
  

Critical Reception

• Rottentomatoes: 24% (8 fresh, 25 rotten, score: 4.8/10)
  
• Metacritic: 42 out of 100 (2 positive, 12 mixed, 2 negative).

Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes: 38% (3.1/5 rating from 383 users)
  
• Metacritic: N/A
• IMDb: 6.3/10 (8,384 votes)
  

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