In Theaters: MALEFICENT MISTRESS OF EVIL, ZOMBIELAND DOUBLE TAP, THE LIGHTHOUSE, JOJO RABBIT and JAY & SILENT BOB REBOOT

This week we have two new wide releases, both sequels, competing for the top spot at the box-office against "The Joker". The first is Disney's "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil", which is off to a decent start with $2.6 million from Thursday night previews. Althought reviews for the film have been less enthusiastic compared to the first film, the audience reception looks solid ("A" grade from CinemaScore's polls), and the film is expected to finish the weekend with as much as $35 million from 3,790 theaters (a huge step down from the first film's $69.4 million debut in 2014).

The other new arrival is the horror comedy "Zombieland: Double Tap", which raked in $2.85 million from previews. The overall reception is mixed-to-positive, both from critics and moviegoers ("B+" grade from CinemaScore). The R-rated film could open with around $25 million from 3,468 theaters, which is on par with its predecessor's $24.7 million opening weekend in 2009.

In limited release we have some interesting new films. The best of the bunch is the horror film "The Lighthouse" from acclaimed filmmaker Robert Eggers ("The Witch"), starring Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe. Of couse, it might not be everyone's cup of tea, but genre fans should definitely check it out.

Also out in select theaters are the dark satire "Jojo Rabbit" written and directed by Taika Waititi ("Thor Ragnarok"), and Kevin Smith's "Jay and Silent Bob Reboot", the seventh film in the filmmaker's View Askewniverse.

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

MALEFICENT MISTRESS OF EVIL

Official Synopsis

In Disney's "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil," a sequel to the 2014 global box office hit, Maleficent and her goddaughter Aurora begin to question the complex family ties that bind them as they are pulled in different directions by impending nuptials, unexpected allies and dark new forces at play. The years have been kind to Maleficent and Aurora. Their relationship, born of heartbreak, revenge and ultimately love, has flourished. Yet the hatred between man and the fairies still exists. Aurora's impending marriage to Prince Phillip is cause for celebration in the kingdom of Ulstead and the neighboring Moors, as the wedding serves to unite the two worlds. When an unexpected encounter introduces a powerful new alliance, Maleficent and Aurora are pulled apart to opposing sides in a Great War, testing their loyalties and causing them to question whether they can truly be family.

Film Details

• Director: Joachim Rønning
  
  
• Starring: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ed Skrein, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sam Riley, Harris Dickinson, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, Lesley Maville
  
  
• Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy
  
  
• Running Time: 1h 58min.
  
  
• Rating: PG for intense sequences of fantasy action/violence and brief scary images
  
  

Critical Reception

• Rottentomatoes: 41% (70 fresh, 102 rotten, score: 5.1/10)
  
• Metacritic: 43 out of 100 (8 positive, 21 mixed, 11 negative).

Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes: 96% (average score: 4.7/5 from 1,151 user ratings)
• Metacritic: 3.9/10 (18 positive, 2 mixed, 27 negative).
• IMDb: 7.1/10 (3,490 votes)
  

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ZOMBIELAND: DOUBLE TAP

Official Synopsis

A decade after Zombieland became a hit film and a cult classic, the lead cast (Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin, and Emma Stone) have reunited with director Ruben Fleischer (Venom) and the original writers Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick (Deadpool) for Zombieland: Double Tap. In the sequel, written by Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick and Dave Callaham, through comic mayhem that stretches from the White House and through the heartland, these four slayers must face off against the many new kinds of zombies that have evolved since the first movie, as well as some new human survivors. But most of all, they have to face the growing pains of their own snarky, makeshift family.

Film Details

• Director: Ruben Fleischer
  
  
• Starring: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Zoey Deutch, Rosario Dawson, Avan Jogia, Luke Wilson, Thomas Middleditch
  
  
• Genre: Action, Comedy, Horror
  
  
• Running Time: 99 min.
  
  
• Rating: R for bloody violence, language throughout, some drug and sexual content
  
  

Critical Reception

• Rottentomatoes: 66% (95 fresh, 48 rotten, score: 6.1/10)
  
• Metacritic: 56 out of 100 (15 positive, 18 mixed, 3 negative).

Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes: 92% (average score: 4.4/5 from 1,125 user ratings)
• Metacritic: 3.0/10 (11 positive, 7 mixed, 26 negative).
• IMDb: 7.4/10 (4,414 votes)
  

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THE LIGHTHOUSE

Official Synopsis

From Robert Eggers, the visionary filmmaker behind modern horror masterpiece The Witch, comes this hypnotic and hallucinatory tale of two lighthouse keepers on a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890s.

Film Details

• Director: Robert Eggers
  
  
• Starring: Willem Dafoe, Robert Pattinson, Valeriia Karaman
  
  
• Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Horror
  
  
• Running Time: 109 min.
  
  
• Rating: R for sexual content, nudity, violence, disturbing images, and some language
  
  

Critical Reception

• Rottentomatoes: 93% (140 fresh, 11 rotten, score: 8.4/10)
  
• Metacritic: 82 out of 100 (32 positive, 1 mixed, 2 negative).

Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes: 95% (average score: 4.7/5 from 22 user ratings)
• Metacritic: 9.4/10 (10 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative).
• IMDb: 8.1/10 (2,308 votes)
  

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JOJO RABBIT

Official Synopsis

Writer director Taika Waititi (THOR: RAGNAROK, HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE), brings his signature style of humor and pathos to his latest film, JOJO RABBIT, a World War II satire that follows a lonely German boy (Roman Griffin Davis as JoJo) whose world view is turned upside down when he discovers his single mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a young Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their attic. Aided only by his idiotic imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi), Jojo must confront his blind nationalism.

Film Details

• Director: Taika Waititi
  
  
• Starring: Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Rebel Wilson, Alfie Allen, Stephen Merchant
  
  
• Genre: Comedy, Drama, War
  
  
• Running Time: 108 min.
  
  
• Rating: PG-13 for mature thematic content, some disturbing images, violence, and language
  
  

Critical Reception

• Rottentomatoes: 77% (111 fresh, 33 rotten, score: 7.4/10)
  
• Metacritic: 54 out of 100 (17 positive, 15 mixed, 5 negative).

Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes: 100% (average score: 4.7/5 from 12 user ratings)
• Metacritic: 2.2/10 (3 positive, 3 mixed, 24 negative).
• IMDb: 7.1/10 (1,384 votes)
  

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JAY & SILENT BOB REBOOT

Official Synopsis

The stoner icons who first hit the screen 25 years ago in CLERKS are back! When Jay and Silent Bob discover that Hollywood is rebooting an old movie based on them, the clueless duo embark on another cross-country mission to stop it all over again!

Film Details

• Director: Kevin Smith
  
  
• Starring: Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes, Ben Affleck, Chris Hemsworth, David Dastmalchian, Grant Gustin, Harley Quinn Smith, James Van Der Beek, Jason Lee, Joe Manganiello, Joey Lauren Adams, Justin Long, Kate Micucci, Matt Damon, Melissa Benoist, Rosario Dawson, Shannon Elizabeth, Val Kilmer
  
  
• Genre: Comedy
  
  
• Running Time: 95 min.
  
  
• Rating: R for pervasive strong crude sexual content, language throughout, drug use and some nudity
  
  

Critical Reception

• Rottentomatoes: 69% (11 fresh, 5 rotten, score: 5.9/10)
  
• Metacritic: 46 out of 100 (1 positive, 4 mixed, 2 negative).

Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes: 95% (average score: 4.5/5 from 411 user ratings)
• Metacritic: 5.5/10 (7 positive, 2 mixed, 5 negative).
• IMDb: 7.7/10 (729 votes)
  

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