In Theaters: FROZEN 2, 21 BRIDGES, A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD and DARK WATERS

Disney is ready to take over once again at the box-office with the release of the highly anticipated sequel "Frozen 2". The film has already raked in $8.5 million from Thursday evening previews and there are expecations for a $100 million debut from 4,440 theaters. Reviews from the critics have been mixed-to-positive and CinemaScore gave the film an "A-", which is a step down from the original film's "A+".

The R-rated action thriller "21 Bridges" starring Chadwick Boseman" ("Black Panther") serves as an attempt at counterprogramming, but it's not expected to attract a very large audience. It only managed to deliver $700,000 from previews and it's possible it will finish the weekend with around $9 million from 2,665 theaters. The film has received a mixed reception from critics and moviegoers, with a "B+" from CinemaScore.

The Mister Rogers biopic "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" starring Tom Hanks also opened this week to rave reviews from critics. The film brought in only $900,000 from previews, but pacing so far suggests that it might end up with as much as $17 million from 3,235 theaters, which is a solid start.

Also in limited release, Focus has launched the fact-based drama "Dark Waters" in two locations in New York and Los Angeles. The film is directed by Todd Haynes ("Carol", "Far From Heaven") and it stars Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, Tim Robbins, Victor Garber, Mare Winningham and Bill Pullman.

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

FROZEN 2

Official Synopsis

Why was Elsa born with magical powers? The answer is calling her and threatening her kingdom. Together with Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven, she'll set out on a dangerous but remarkable journey. In "Frozen," Elsa feared her powers were too much for the world. In "Frozen 2," she must hope they are enough.

Film Details

• Director: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
  
  
• Starring: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Josh Gad, Jonathan Groff, Sterling K. Brown, Alfred Molina
  
  
• Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
  
  
• Running Time: 103 min.
  
  
• Rating: PG for action/peril and some thematic elements
  
  

Critical Reception

• Rottentomatoes: 77% (127 fresh, 37 rotten, score: 6.7/10)
  
• Metacritic: 64 out of 100 (27 positive, 16 mixed, 1 negative).

Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes: 94% (average score: 4.6/5 from 898 user ratings)
• Metacritic: 7.1/10 (29 positive, 1 mixed, 8 negative).
• IMDb: 7.3/10 (5,650 votes)
  

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21 BRIDGES

Official Synopsis

21 BRIDGES follows an embattled NYPD detective (Chadwick Boseman), who is thrust into a citywide manhunt for a pair of cop killers after uncovering a massive and unexpected conspiracy. As the night unfolds, lines become blurred on who he is pursuing, and who is in pursuit of him. When the search intensifies, extreme measures are taken to prevent the killers from escaping Manhattan as the authorities close all 21 BRIDGES to prevent any entry or exit from the iconic island.

Film Details

• Director: Brian Kirk
  
  
• Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Sienna Miller, J.K. Simmons, Sienna Miller, Stephan James, Taylor Kitsch, Keith David, Alexander Siddig
  
  
• Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
  
  
• Running Time: 99 min.
  
  
• Rating: R for violence and language throughout
  
  

Critical Reception

• Rottentomatoes: 46% (37 fresh, 44 rotten, score: 5.3/10)
  
• Metacritic: 50 out of 100 (9 positive, 17 mixed, 4 negative).

Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes: 88% (average score: 4.4/5 from 463 user ratings)
• Metacritic: 5.7/10 (6 positive, 0 mixed, 4 negative).
• IMDb: 6.2/10 (1,002 votes)
  

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A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Official Synopsis

Tom Hanks portrays Mister Rogers in A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, a timely story of kindness triumphing over cynicism, based on the true story of a real-life friendship between Fred Rogers and journalist Tom Junod. After a jaded magazine writer (Emmy winner Matthew Rhys) is assigned a profile of Fred Rogers, he overcomes his skepticism, learning about empathy, kindness, and decency from America's most beloved neighbor.

Film Details

• Director: Marielle Heller
  
  
• Starring: Tom Hanks, Matthew Rhys, Chris Cooper, Tammy Blanchard, Christine Lahti
  
  
• Genre: Biography, Drama
  
  
• Running Time: 108 min.
  
  
• Rating: PG for some strong thematic material, a brief fight, and some mild language
  
  

Critical Reception

• Rottentomatoes: 96% (189 fresh, 7 rotten, score: 8.1/10)
  
• Metacritic: 80 out of 100 (43 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative).

Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes: 94% (average score: 4.5/5 from 326 user ratings)
• Metacritic: 6.3/10 (9 positive, 3 mixed, 4 negative).
• IMDb: 7.5/10 (1,618 votes)
  

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DARK WATERS

Official Synopsis

Inspired by a shocking true story, a tenacious attorney (Mark Ruffalo) uncovers a dark secret that connects a growing number of unexplained deaths due to one of the world's largest corporations. In the process, he risks everything -- his future, his family, and his own life -- to expose the truth.

Film Details

• Director: Todd Haynes
  
  
• Starring: Anne Hathaway, Mark Ruffalo, Tim Robbins, Bill Pullman, Mare Winningham, Bill Camp, Victor Garber, Louisa Krause
  
  
• Genre: Biography, Drama, History
  
  
• Running Time: 126 min.
  
  
• Rating: PG-13 for thematic content, some disturbing images and strong language
  
  

Critical Reception

• Rottentomatoes: 91% (40 fresh, 4 rotten, score: 6.9/10)
  
• Metacritic: 72 out of 100 (20 positive, 3 mixed, 0 negative).

Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes: N/A
• Metacritic: N/A
• IMDb: 7.2/10 (53 votes)
  

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