What To Watch This Weekend: 'Miss Bala' And 'Arctic'

This weekend, themes of survival and determination are at the heart of the two new releases headed to theaters.

In action-thriller "Miss Bala," Gina Rodriguez plays a young woman entangled in drug wars while searching for her missing best friend. Meanwhile, in the drama adventure "Arctic," Mads Mikkelsen portrays a man of resourcefulness and strength while stranded in the middle of the snow-covered wilderness.

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

Movies Out This Weekend

“Miss Bala”— Gina Rodriguez, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Anthony Mackie; directed by Catherine Hardwicke

Based on the critically acclaimed Mexican film of the same name, Catherine Hardwicke’s action-thriller is centered around themes of identity, empowerment and survival.

The remake follows the story of Gloria (Gina Rodriguez), a young woman who must learn how to navigate a web of deception and betrayal in order to survive. Her odyssey begins when she visits her best friend, Suzu, in Tijuana, Mexico to help her win a local beauty contest. Soon after her arrival, her childhood friend disappears in the aftermath of a gunfire at a local nightclub.

Determined and undeterred, Gloria sets off to find Suzu. But as she encounters a crime-infested world along the way, will she ever find her closest friend?

See it. Gina Rodriguez is explosive. But the original movie, overall, is more engaging.

Watch the trailer:

“Arctic” — Mads Mikkelsen, Maria Thelma Smaradottir; directed by Joe Penna

Writer-director Joe Penna’s feature film debut, “Arctic” is a story about self-preservation and minimalism.

The film, which was shot in the intimidating highlands of Iceland, opens with our protagonist Overgard (Mads Mikkelsen) digging and scraping a trench beside a huge SOS sign. As the story reveals, the small plane he was piloting has crashed in the middle of snow-laden arctic land. The length of time he’s been waiting for a rescue team to arrive is unclear.

One day his luck seems to be changing when a rescue helicopter suddenly appears. Sadly, it crashes and the pilot dies, but the critically injured female co-pilot (Maria Thelma Smaradottir) survives. Can they ever make it out alive?

See it. Mikkelsen wins the man vs. nature feat hands down with his outstanding performance, anchored by Penna's skillful direction, and Tomas Orn Tomasson's beautiful cinematography.

Watch the trailer:

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Main Photo: "Miss Bala"/Sony Pictures; "Arctic"/Bleecker Street