Annie:

Release Date: December 29^th

This modern adaptation of the Broadway classic still has Annie living the hard knock life with Miss Hannigan (Cameron Diaz) in New York, except this time, she’s doing it in 2014. It seems to tell the same tale of a cheerful, independent orphan who catches her lucky break, getting a glimpse of what a real family feels like. In this film, New York mayoral candidate Will Stacks (Jamie Foxx) devises a genius campaign move, taking little orphan Annie under his wing to make himself appeal to voters. (No more Daddy Warbucks?) Along with his staff of Grace (Rose Byrne) and Guy (Bobby Cannavale), this dissembling scheme soon turns into an unanticipated miracle. Optimistic Annie, played by Oscar nominee, Quvenzhané Wallis, can brighten everyone’s day with her songs and smile, which hopefully, are enough to even melt the heart of a self-absorbed businessman. This Annie update keeps with the times in the 21^st century by employing African American actors in the lead roles, and making the storyline more contemporary and lively.

Dumb and Dumber To:

Release Date: November 14^th

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMxwcRck9TI

When seeing Lloyd Christmas display his goofy charisma in this absurd sequel, the first thing you notice is no longer his chipped front tooth and bowl hair cut…it’s the wrinkles under his eyes.  Best buddies Lloyd (Jim Carrey) and Harry (Jeff Daniels) already lived out their adventure when they scootered over to Aspen. If you thought this dumb duo had exhausted all their silliness, you were wrong! Dumb and Dumber To is a humorous recurrence of one-liners, ridiculous encounters with strangers, and the dog-mobile. This time though, they venture out in search of Harry’s estranged daughter, whom Lloyd just happens to be in infatuated with. The antecedent was a classic plethora of outlandish and witty knee-slappers, but these two protagonists probably should have put their masterpiece to bed in 1994. Is this movie unnecessary? Yes, but for people like myself, who have seen and loved the first movie, this follow-up has nostalgia written all over it, and will undoubtedly have us doubled over from laughing so hard. No matter how many dim-witted sequels Jim Carrey stars in, it’s always a guaranteed comedy.

Ouija:

Release Date: October 24^th

When the trailer starts off with an ominous casualness, featuring flickering lights and indecisive friends, it’s a generic horror cliché. The basic plot is a group of friends who use a Ouija Board that is supposed to connect you with dead people. After attempting to contact their recently deceased friend, something awakens these dark forces within the spooky board and the group must confront the dreadful, unleashed consequences. Though lacking creativity in the plot, the strategic date of release will guarantee countless thrills for those seeking entertainment on Halloween night. The cast comprises a variety of young adults, such as Daren Kagasoff (The Secret Life of the American Teenager), Olivia Cooke (Bates Motel), Bianca A. Santos (The Fosters), Douglas Smith (Big Love), Matthew Settle (Gossip Girl), and Ana Coto (DisCONNECTED). This film cannot escape the category of a typical scary movie, as it contains evil spirits, ancient photographs, and plenty of high-pitched screams. Boo!