By Peter Martin
Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly star in Holmes & Watson as the legendary detectives in a funny and surprising take on the team’s pairing. Really, though, it’s more about the chemistry between the actors, who previously starred together in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and Step Brothers, as it is about any sort of mystery. (By the way, Reilly also appeared in a cameo role in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, which featured Ferrell in the starring role.)
Two upcoming comedies offer new different, surprising takes on material that has been previously told. The third is a sequel that may be the final installment in a long-running series and may offer a big surprise in its resolution. Here’s what we know about three movies that we hope will amuse us all.
The Upside
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Bryan Cranston stars as a disabled man who is wealthy, yet unhappy. Kevin Hart stars as a poor man on parole who desperately needs a job, yet displays a great sense of humor. The two wind up together and soon embrace the idea that they each have something to offer the other.
Nicole Kidman also stars. Look for The Upside in theaters on January 11, 2019.
What Men Want
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Note: the red-band trailer above is not safe for work.
Taraji P. Henson stars as a talented executive whose rise to the top is stymied by the men around her. Then, after a wild night, she wakes up with the ability to read minds — but only the inner thoughts of men. Will the unexpected gift be a blessing or a curse?
The raucous comedy also stars Aldis Hodge, Richard Roundtree, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Tracy Morgan. What Men Want will open in wide release on February 8, 2019.
Tyler Perry’s A Madea Family Funeral
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A family gathering in rural Georgia edges from comedy into drama when an expected death means that a funeral must be planned. Filmmaker Tyler Perry, who created the character of Madea in 1999 and has played her ever since in stage plays, on television, and on the big screen, says that this will be her final appearance.
Still, we expect that Perry will freely mix both comic and dramatic elements throughout his film, similar to what’s he’s done in the past. Tyler Perry’s A Madea Family Funeral will open in theaters everywhere on March 1, 2019.
