7 films in UAE cinemas this week

The Boss (PG15)
Fronting the likes of Bridesmaids, Tammy and the upcoming Ghostbusters reboot, Melissa McCarthy has definitely accrued the status as Hollywood’s go-to girl when a female comedic lead is required. Like a gender-flipped Will Ferrell, she has mastered the ability to add just the right amount of absurdity and bombast to otherwise entirely recognisable, everywoman characters. Whatever self-created dilemma she finds herself in, you end up rooting for her – even if you want to strangle her repeatedly in the process. Such is the case with The Boss, where she plays industry titan and “the richest woman in America”, Michelle Darnell. However, she is sent to prison for insider training, and upon her release teams up with old assistant Kristin Bell (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, You Again), to forge a new business empire centered around the Brownies. Her quest to again be a business success, though, founder on some people’s inability to forgive or forget her earlier misdemeanours. While the somewhat patchy plot needs to be overlooked for the sake of your continued enjoyment, The Boss sees McCarthy – complete with Reba McEntire wig – bring her characteristic brand of direct, squirm-in-your-seat gags, which is enough to make this an enjoyable romp. Directed by her husband Ben Falcone, it certainly won’t linger long in the memory, but sometimes that’s absolutely fine.
In cinemas April 7

Before I Wake (18)
Another domestic horror tale that explores the unintended consequences of the most benign of acts. Before I Wake follows two parents who, after the death of their child, attempt to fill the void in their house by adopting a young orphaned boy, Cody – only for his presence to act as a catalyst for a series of strange, unexplained happenings. The parents begin to piece the mystery together when they discover that their new son has an abnormal aversion to sleep. Not strange for young kids, you say, but it becomes a cause for concern when it transpires that little Cody’s nightmares have a tendency to come true…
In cinemas from April 7

Video of Before I Wake Official Trailer #1 (2015) – Kate Bosworth, Thomas Jane Horror Movie HD

Misconduct (18)
One of those films that has all the right ingredients but seems destined to become nothing more than long-flight fodder, Misconduct is no more than a passable thriller. Josh Duhamel is the straight-laced lawyer determined to bring down a corrupt pharmaceutical billionaire, only to find himself in all kinds of trouble when he is accused of the murder of a young woman connected to the man he’s trying to expose – think Basic Instinct meets The Fugitive. Anthony Hopkins and Al Pacino add some heavyweight appeal.
In cinemas now

Video of Misconduct Official Trailer #1 (2016) – Anthony Hopkins, Al Pacino Movie HD

Demolition (15)
A muddled, often bleak offering from the director of Dallas Buyer’s Club sees Jake Gyllenhaal as a widower struggling to process the sudden death of his wife. While channelling his emotional numbness through complaint letters to a vending machine company (having been stung out of a packet M&Ms), he meets Naomi Watts (the good natured employee who answers the letters) who then attempts to shake Gyllenhaal out of his inertia and reconnect him to the world.
In cinemas April 7

Video of DEMOLITION: Official HD Teaser Trailer