Welcome to Reel News, our weekly segment on what’s coming out at the box office, and what’s worth your money, this weekend. Join Erin Keeney and Riley Winn as they take a look at Sonic The Hedgehog, Fantasy Island, and The Photograph.
First up is the much-anticipated release of Sonic The Hedgehog, based on the iconic Sega video game. The movie finds Sonic being hunted by evil scientist Doctor Robotnik (Jim Carrey), who wants to use Sonic’s extraordinary powers for world domination. “I’m excited to see Jim Carrey do what he does best. He was born to play this role,” says Keeney. The final Sonic design stays true to the video game, after a much-decried early design created a social media uproar, causing the studio to push back the release date in order to redesign the character. Sonic The Hedgehog speeds into theaters February 14.
Next up is Fantasy Island, a horror movie take on the classic TV show. It takes place at a luxurious and remote tropical resort, where guests come to have their dreams come true. “But these wishes come at a huge price,” notes Winn. The movie is partially produced by Blumhouse Productions, which is famed for low-budget horror films like Paranormal Activity, Get Out, The Purge, and more. “The movie looks super-freaky,” continues Winn. Fantasy Island opens in theaters February 14.
Finally, we turn to some romance for Valentine’s Day weekend with The Photograph. The movie follows the story of Mae, a woman whose famous photographer mother has just died unexpectedly. After Mae finds a photograph tucked away in a safe deposit box, she sets out to find out more about her mother, leading her to a romance with a rising journalist. Winn says: “We are watching two love stories here: The mom’s past in 1980s New Orleans, and Mae’s story in the present day.” Keeney says, “Canadian director Stella Meghie is at the helm, and she also wrote the screenplay. She said she was drawn to the film because stories about black love started to disappear.” The Photograph is in theaters February 14.
