There are four major releases this weekend and by the looks of it there’s a little bit for everyone.  There are two action movies with law enforcement elements, albeit one is set in the future with one hero (Dredd) and the other about two police officers who take the law into their own hands (End of Watch).  House at the end of the Street sets to follow The Possession in a series of thriller and horror movies coming out this fall.  Trouble with the Curve appears to be the most family friendly, but touches heavily on the aftermath of career Baseball scouts who have become obsolete (if you don’t know why, watch Moneyball).

I don’t remember the original being great, but this looks to be what the first one should have been.  The men and women of the Hall of Justice are trying to bring down a drugpin who deals Slowmo, a drug that tricks the brain into believing time is going at 1% speed. Just the thought of what one can do while high on that substance makes this movie intriguing. The trailer is colorful and action packed, promising one hell of a ride in what appears to be a pretty bleak future.  Might it be overselling it?  That’s the objective of most trailers (Sucker Punch tricked me before). The film shows elements of predictability, such as a rookie who looks suspiciously like the main antagonist. Also, Dredd looks retarded, albeit in a fun way. Three beers. (Learn more)

Could this be a winner? From the writer of Training Day comes End of Watch, which focuses on two LAPD patrol officers who power trip themselves into being green-lit by a dangerous Mexican Drug Cartel. Gyllenhaal’s turn as a cocky police officer isn’t convincing me that he tried his best though Michael Peña, who blew me away in Crash, looks to be a saving grace for this film.  The word “Chonies” for underwear is so Southern California that it made me chuckle.  The trailer promises gangs, corruption, and action. What will hurt this movie are the eye-rolling decisions made by the protagonist to get themselves in more shit and the overwhelming exaggeration of police versus cartels. Four Beers. (Learn more)

Stalker movie? It’s that time of the year when scary movies come out and here’s House at the End of the Street.  The title alone bores me. A young woman moves into a new neighborhood and everything seems pretty normal – until she meets Brian Jacobson her cute neighbor with a dark past.  Apparently his parents were murdered in the house next door and his sister went missing.  But that doesn’t stop Jennifer Lawrence from believing he’s a good guy.  Your eyes may hurt from all the rolling they’ll do in this trailer.  Can you imagine a movie like this going more than 90 minutes!?  It looks very predictable.  If I had to guess, the guy is wrongly portrayed and his sister (who is said to be missing in this trailer) is the bad guy. The fuck… it even has the cliche white girl calling and walking into the dark scene. Six-Pack. (Learn more)

The encore to Clint Eastwood’s RNC performance? Nope. Trouble with the Curve, a great double meaning title, is about an aging baseball scout who’s coping with the loss of his vision and quickly fading career (Thanks, Moneyball!). Amy Adams plays Eastwood’s estranged daughter who feels she needs to take care of him even though he never took care of her. Their relationship is complex but all woven together by the sport of baseball. What could be a great family film might be overshadowed by the still fresh in our minds Republican National Convention snafu. Part of the movie appears to take place in a bar, which isn’t such a bad place to be. Three beers. (Learn more)