Kam Williams Reviews Movies Opening March 4, 2016

BIG BUDGET FILMS

Desierto (R for profanity and graphic violence) Suspense thriller set along the Rio Grande and revolving around a rifle-toting vigilante's (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) hunt for undocumented alliens attempting to enter the U.S. illegally. With Gael Garcia Bernal, Marco Perez and Diego Catano. (In English and Spanish with subtitles)

London Has Fallen (Unrated) Adrenaline-fueled sequel, set in England, finds Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) joining forces with an MI6 Agent (Charlotte Riley) to foil a plot to assassinate the the President of the U.S. (Aaron Eckhart) and other leaders of the Free World attending the funeral of the British Prime Minister. Ensemble includes Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett, Radha Mitchell, Melissa Leo, Jackie Earle Haley and Robert Forster.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (Unrated) Adaptation of "The Taliban Shuffle," war correspondent Kim Barker's (Tina Fey) memoir about her relationship with a fellow journalist (Martin Freeman) while covering Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. With Margot Robbie, Billy Bob Thornton and Alfred Molina.

Zootopia (PG for action, rude humor and mature themes) Animated adventure about a rookie bunny cop (Ginnifer Goodwin) who grudgingly partners with a fast-talking fox (Jason Bateman) to solve a series of mysterious disappearances in a city populated by anthropomorphic animals. Voice cast includes Idris Elba, J.K. Simmons, Shakira, Octavia Spencer and Tommy Chong.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

Ava's Possessions (R for profanity, sexuality and graphic images) Louisa Krause plays the title character in this horror flick as a woman who has her demons exorcised by a priest (John Ventimiglia) only to have them try to reenter her body. With Carol Kane, Wiliam Sadler and Jemima Kirke.

Camino (Unrated) Action adventure, set in the jungles of Colombia in 1985, about a war photographer (Zoe Bell) who embeds with a group of missionaries under the thumb of a charismatic guerilla leader (Nacho Vigalondo). Cast includes Francisco Barreiro, Sheila Vand and Tenoch Huerta. (In English and Spanish with subtitles)

Colliding Dreams (Unrated) Middle East documentary examining the competing interests of the Israelis and Palestinians in the decades-long struggle over the tiny territory they continue to cohabit.

Emelie (Unrated) Psychological thriller about an unsuspecting couple (Chris Beetem and Susan Pourfar) that comes to regret leaving their kids with a new babysitter (Randi Langdon) before going out to dinner to celebrate their wedding anniversary. With Joshua Rush, Carly Adams and Sarah Bolger.

The Final Project (Unrated) Found-footage horror flick about a half-dozen college students who find more than they bargained for while exploring an abandoned mansion on a Louisiana plantation. Co-starring Arin Jones, Amber Erwin,Teal Haddock, Charles Orr, Jejuan Walker and Evan McLean.

Knight of Cups (R for sexuality, nudity and profanity) Terrence Malick directed this surrealistic character study revolving around an introspective writer's (Christian Bale) odyssey of self-exploration. Cast includes Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman, Brian Dennehy, Antonio Banderas and Freida Pinto.

Road Games (Unrated) Cat-and-mouse thriller about two strangers (Andrew Simpson and Josephine de La Baume) who meet on the street in Calais before accepting a ride hitchhiking from a mysterious married couple (Frederic Pierrot and Barbara Crampton). With Feodor Atkine, Pierre Boulanger and Edward Hogg. (In English and French with subtitles)

They Will Have to Kill Us First (Unrated) Freedom of expression documentary chronicling the clash of civilizations between defiant, Malian musical artists determined to preserve their country's rich cultural heritage and Islamic jihadist invaders inclined to behead anyone who doesn't submit to their interpretation of Islam. (In French, Songhay, English, Bambara and Tamashek with subtitles)

The Wave (R for profanity and shocking images) Disaster flick, set in the fjords of Norway, about a geologist's (Kristoffer Joner) race to save a tourist retreat nestled in a narrow valley from a giant tsunami about to crush everything in its path. featuring Thomas Bo Larsen, Ane Dahl Torp and Laila Goody. (In Norwegian with subtitles)