Skip to main content

New movies this week: Death on the Nile, Marry Me, Blacklight

After a barren January that saw only a handful of noteworthy new releases in movie theaters, February promises to deliver a wide variety of films. This weekend offers three diverse movies to suit anyone’s mood: A classic Agatha Christie whodunit set in Egypt, a romantic comedy about a mismatched couple, and yet another Liam Neeson action picture.

It can be hard to figure out what you should spend your hard-earned dollars on, so Digital Trends will round up movie reviews from leading print and online publications to give you a comprehensive critical consensus of the films that are opening each weekend.

Death on the Nile

Official Trailer | Death on the Nile | 20th Century Studios

Most positive review: “While serviceable as a murder mystery, and surprisingly plain as a story of opulence, the film ultimately succeeds when Branagh turns the camera away from the digital settings and occasionally fake supporting performances, and points it at himself.” — Siddhant Adlakha, IGN

Average review: “Two years after the release of Orient ExpressKnives Out reinvented the all-star murder mystery in a fun and refreshing fashion, and Branagh’s latest just seems stale in comparison, with no new life in this Death.” — Brian Truitt, USA Today

Most negative review: “…It is hard to believe that the man who directed Belfast, a mildly affecting glimpse into the director’s childhood of growing up during The Troubles in Ireland, directed Death on the Nile. But it is very easy to believe that the man who directed Artemis Fowl directed this absolute misfire.” — Josh Spiegel, Slash Film

Consensus: While it has its moments, this new take on Death on the Nile ultimately fails to entertain like its much superior predecessor, Murder on the Orient Express.

Marry Me

Marry Me - Official Trailer [HD]

Most positive review: “[Marry Me] one of the most solid romantic comedy offerings in years — not just reminiscent of rom-coms of yore but actually in conversation with certain gems of the genre.” — Sydney Urbanek, Paste Magazine

Average review: “…Marry Me never lands on a consistent tone: It’s too nice to be a show-business satire and too family-friendly to be sexy, even if Jennifer Lopez has never been more radiantly gorgeous or Owen Wilson more scruffily appealing.” — Dana Stevens, Slate

Most negative review: “It’s a mercenary amalgam of product placements and clumsy attempts at melding Instagram aesthetics with old-fashioned ideas, all wrapped up in the synthetic sentimentality of a Hallmark movie.” — Diego Semerene, Slant Magazine

Consensus: Marry Me doesn’t reinvent the romantic comedy genre, but it entertains largely because of its magnetic leading stars, Owen Wilson and Jennifer Lopez.

Blacklight

Blacklight | Official Trailer | Only In Theatres February 11

Most positive review: “[…]If you approach it with sufficiently lowered expectations, and have fond memories of the ’70s paranoid dramas that obviously inspired director and co-writer Mark Williams, this might be your house-brand jam.” — Joe Leydon, Variety

Average review: “There’s less action here than you may expect, often opting for a slightly more subdued quality, which may be commendable if any of the drama or action were at all stimulating.” — Trace Sauveur, The Austin Chronicle

Most negative review: “Take it from an expert in Liam ‘Action Daddy’ Neeson thrillers: You will walk away from the actor’s new movie Blacklight with many, many, many questions. The first one being: Can I please have my money and 107 minutes back? No, probably not.” — Barry Hertz, The Globe and Mail

Consensus: Blacklight will disappoint even the most die-hard Liam Neeson fans, as it fails to deliver even the basic thrills of a formulaic action movie.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Atletico Madrid vs Valencia Live Stream: How to watch for free
A soccer field.

Later today, Atletico Madrid and Valencia CF will go head-to-head at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium in what is sure to be a great match. Atletico Madrid secure a win in its last match, as did Valencia CF so it will be interesting to see where this goes. If you're as excited as us to watch the game, you're surely looking for a way to watch the event online, maybe even for free. Well, we have some good news, as we've compiled a list of the best places to watch the action unfold live, and have even found a free Atletico Madrid vs Valencia live stream.

Watch the Atletico Madrid vs Valencia Live Stream on FuboTV

Read more
The 10 most popular movies of 2022
Puss in Boots holds his sword up in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.

The year 2022 was a pretty decent one for cinema. From small auteur-driven films like Pearl and The Fabelmans to major blockbuster events like Nope and Elvis, the film industry delivered plenty of movies that packed theaters and rocked audiences worldwide.

Now that 2022 is over, it's time to look back on the movies that, for better or worse, stuck with us. These are the most popular movies of 2022 based on their U.S. domestic box office gross as of March 18, 2023. (The * indicates that the movie is still in theaters and making money.)
Honorable mention: Black Adam ($168 million)

Read more
UFC 286 live stream: Can you watch Edwards vs Usman for free?
Promotional poster for UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards.

In a short while, Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards will step into the octagon for their trilogy bout at the O2 Arena in London, England, with Usman looking to reclaim the UFC Welterweight Championship belt from Edwards following their last face-off at UFC 278 where her suffered his first defeat in the league. If you're looking to tune in to this championship showdown, then there's only one official service, and that's ESPN+. Yes, that means there's no (legal) free UFC 286 live stream. But don't worry, there might be a way for you to save money on a virtual ticket to the event.
Watch the UFC 286 live stream on ESPN Plus

MMA fans looking to watch UFC 286: Edwards vs. Usman 3 will have to tune in to ESPN+, the exclusive broadcaster of UFC pay-per-view events in the U.S. Following a recent price increase, an ESPN+ subscription will set you back $10 per month or $100 per year, while UFC pay-per-view events come at an additional cost of $80 per year. It's sadly getting more and more expensive to be a UFC fan; however, ESPN+ always offers a one-time bundle deal ahead of UFC PPVs that gets you a one-year subscription and access to UFC 286 for $125. This sign-up offer saves you $55 on the price of  purchasing the subscription and pay-per-view separately. If you're a new subscriber planning to catch the fight, now's the time to take advantage of this discount so you can watch UFC 286 online tonight and save some cash. Existing subscribers will have to pony up the $80 to access the UFC 286 live stream, though.

Read more