Movies Out This Weekend: 'Gifted,' 'Going in Style,' 'Smurfs' and More

Get the verdict on "Gifted," "Going in Style," "Smurfs: The Lost Village" and "Their Finest."

Opening This Weekend

"Gifted" — Chris Evans, Mckenna Grace, Lindsay Duncan, directed by Marc Webb

Remember "Good Will Hunting"? Well, "Gifted" certainly resonates in similar smarty-pants spirit. In this case, the math genius is 7-year-old Mary (Mckenna Grace), who is stuck in a custody battle between her uncle (Chris Evans) and his mother (Lindsay Duncan). Uncle Frank wants a normal childhood for Mary, but grandmother Evelyn thinks the little girl’s mission is to embrace and expand her natural gift.

See it. The screenplay is well-balanced, presenting both sides of the equation with utmost emotional integrity. Plus, Evans, famous for playing Captain America, gets to show his versatility as an actor.

"Going in Style" — Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Alan Arkin, directed by Zach Braff

A remake of the 1979 movie of the same name, this heist dramedy follows the story of three retirees (Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Alan Arkin) who decide to rob a bank to fight back at the financial institutions that dissolved their pensions. The leads undoubtedly deliver delightful performances. However, the script fails to make the most of the trio's star power.

Skip it. Although the 2017 version could be a crowd pleaser, it loses steam rather quickly. I'd recommend watching the original version instead.

"Smurfs: The Lost Village" — Demi Lovato, Ariel Winter, Joe Manganiello, directed by Kelly Asbury

This reboot of the Smurfs' franchise is the first fully animated CGI effort and a massive improvement from the live-action and animation settings of the previous two outings. Visually, Kelly Asbury's "The Lost Village" is much closer to Smurf creator Peyo's original 1958 cartoon designs. The story centers on Smurfette (Demi Lovato), the only female of her species, as she sets off on a quest to discover her true identity with her pals Brainy (Danny Pudi), Clumsy (Jack McBrayer) and Hefty (Joe Manganiello). Together they discover "The Lost Village," whose denizens are all women.

Skip it. This "Smurfs" is predictable and flat. Watch "Trolls" or "Moana" instead.

"Their Finest" — Gemma Arterton, Sam Claflin, Bill Nighy, directed by Lone Scherfig

"Finest" tells the story of movie making, particularly the making of a propaganda film meant to bolster the morale in Britain in the early days of World War II. At the center are copywriter-turned-screenwriter Catrin (Gemma Arterton) and her colleague, lead writer Tom Buckley (Sam Claflin). Before long, they end up with a compelling movie script. "Finest" brings forth a very refreshing take on the creative process — insightful, witty and comedic.

See it. Despite its predictability, "Their Finest" is uproariously inspiring!

Watch Patch's Movie Trailer Mash-Up

More movie news:

• Reviews of 'Ghost in the Shell,'The Boss Baby,'And 'The Zookeeper's Wife'
• Reviews of 'Life,' 'CHIPS,' 'Power Rangers,' And More
• Reviews of 'Beauty And The Beast,' 'T2 Trainspotting' And More

Top photo credit: Jenny Slate, Chris Evans, Mckenna Grace, Octavia Spencer and Jona Xiao at the premiere of "Gifted." (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)