Movies Out This Weekend: 'Colette,' 'Life Itself' And More

Moviegoers, brace yourselves! This weekend, the cinema is offering a plethora of entertainment options in genres that range from comedic fantasies to western crime stories.

First up is "The House With A Clock In Its Walls," starring Cate Blanchett and Jack Black as two masters of magic attempting to hunt down a ticking clock in the midst of a supernatural menace.

Also headed to theaters is "Life Itself," a multi-generational saga in which Olivia Wilde and Oscar Isaac play two college sweethearts.

Those seeking period pieces are in for a treat. The biopic "Colette" tells the story of French writer Sidone-Gabrielle Colette's rise to fame in Belle Époque Paris, starring Keira Knightley in the titular role.

The western film "The Sisters Brothers" also debuts this weekend and follows the adventures of two notorious brothers and assassins during the frontier era.

Here's what to see and what to skip this weekend:

Movies Out This Weekend

“The House with a Clock in Its Walls” — Cate Blanchett, Jack Black, Owen Vaccaro, directed by Eli Roth

Secrets and mysteries dazzle in Eli Roth’s latest movie, a family-friendly comedic fantasy based on John Bellair’s gothic novel of the same name.

Set in 1950s America, the film centers around Lewis (Owen Vaccaro), a 10-year-old boy who is sent to stay with his eccentric Uncle Jonathan (Jack Black) after the sudden death of his parents. As he settles into his new home, the orphan soon learns that Jonathan is a warlock and his neighbor Florence Zimmerman (Cate Blanchett) is a witch.

Suddenly, the young boy is propelled into a whimsical world of magic and wizardry. But this adventure of a lifetime is about to turn upside down when evil warlock Isaac (Kyle MacLachlan) rises from the grave.

See it. While you may know the plot from the book, the film is nonetheless spellbinding and entertaining.

Watch the trailer:

“Life Itself” — Olivia Wilde, Oscar Isaac, Olivia Cooke, directed by Dan Fogelman

Writer-director Dan Fogelman’s emotional drama takes audiences on a multi-generational journey that interweaves narratives of love, family, tragedy and fate across two continents.

In the film, Olivia Wilde and Oscar Isaac play New Yorkers Abby and Will, a couple of college sweethearts who eventually get married and welcome their first child into the world. As their story unfolds, we meet their circle of family and friends, all connected through fate and destiny.

One of them is Dylan (Olivia Cooke), a troubled young woman beset with emotional pain. Then, there’s Irwin (Mandy Patinkin), a grandfather who tells the tale of bringing up his son's daughter in a hostile world. Before long, the storyline moves over to Spain, where we meet a wealthy landowner, Mr. Saccione (Antonio Banderas), his plantation manager Javier (Sergio Peris-Mencheta), Javier’s wife Isabelle (Laia Costa) and their son Rodrigo (Alex Monner).

Skip it. The storyline is too convoluted with subplots over subplots.

Watch the trailer:

“Colette” — Keira Knightley, Dominic West, directed by Wash Westmoreland

Keira Knightley stars as the eponymous French novelist Colette in Wash Westmoreland’s period drama about self-identity at the dawn of the feminist age.

In 1893, Sidone-Gabrielle Colette (Knightley) marries Willy (Dominic West), an affluent Parisian publisher who whisks the young woman away from the provinces to Belle Époque Paris.

Fearless and uninhibited, Colette challenges the status quo relating to social conventions, gender roles and sexual taboos. With her husband’s support and encouragement, she pens “Claudine at School,” a novel about a feisty schoolgirl named Claudine. Willy gets it published — but under his name.

The book practically becomes a literary sensation overnight, prompting Willy to start a Claudine line of merchandise. Soon, the couple becomes the toast of the town, but marital problems start to bubble beneath the surface.

See it. Knightley, once again, clinches an award-winning performance.

Watch the trailer:

“The Sisters Brothers” — Joaquin Phoenix, Jake Gyllenhaal, John C. Reilly, directed by Jacques Audiard

Jacques Audiard’s western-crime is based on Patrick deWitt’s award-winning novel about the adventures of two ruthless killers

Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly portray Charlie and Eli Sisters, brothers who grew up in an unforgiving world, fending for themselves as gunmen. Eli is the older-but-not-necessarily-wiser of the two siblings, so his younger brother Charlie takes the helm in the duo’s assignments.

Contracted by Oregon City crime boss The Commodore (Rutger Hauer) to kill accused thief Hermann Kermit Warm (Riz Ahmed), the Sisters brothers embark on a journey that leads them to San Francisco at the height of the Gold Rush in 1851.

But, of course, they are faced with a myriad of complications along the way, including a murderous army of fur trappers and a very inquisitive detective (Jake Gyllenhaal). Will their sense of brotherhood and loyalty prevail?

See it. The road-trip film is darkly humorous, bolstered by the leads’ commanding screen presence and chemistry, and illuminated by Audiard’s ethereal direction.

Watch the trailer:

Other entertainment news:

• Patch Living: Your September Entertainment Guide
• Emmys Winners 2018: The Complete List
• Reviews of 'A Simple Favor,' 'White Boy Rick,' 'The Predator,' And 'Unbroken: Path To Redemption'
• Reviews of 'Peppermint, 'The Nun,' And 'God Bless the Broken Road'
• What's New On Netflix: September 2018

Top Photo: Keira Knightley attends the premiere of “Colette” on September 14, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/ Bleecker Street Media)