It’s the weekend again, and that means Film Focus. Here’s Mike Laidman with what’s new in local theaters.

My, how time flies. It’s easy to see how quickly time passes if you chart the flow with movie releases. Before you know it, you’re in December with one of the largest films bearing down on you.

But before then, there’s still lots of action to be had. Two new releases are here to vie for you attention, both worthy of a night out at the movies.

Here are a look at In the Heart of the Sea and Southpaw.

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Mike Laidman

Welcome to another edition of Film Focus. I’m Mike Laidman.

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In the Heart of the Sea (2015, Ron Howard)
A whaling ship is preyed upon by a sperm whale in 1820.

From director Ron Howard comes an ocean epic.

In the winter of 1820, the New England whaling ship Essex was assaulted by something no one could believe: a whale of mammoth size and will, and an almost human sense of vengeance. "In the Heart of the Sea" reveals the encounter's aftermath, as the ship's surviving crew is pushed to their limits and forced to do the unthinkable to stay alive.

The strong cast is let down but a less-than-stellar script, disappointing since the story draws heavily from Moby Dick. There’s no denying that this is a thrill ride, though, and may just satisfy those who go to see it for the action and adventure.

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Southpaw (2015, Antoine Fuqua)
A boxer loses his wife and fights to get his daughter back.

Southpaw was a movie that had a lot of Oscar buzz behind it when it opened a few months ago overseas. Let’s take a closer look at what makes it tick.

Boxer Billy Hope loses his wife in a tragic accident, and then his daughter to child protection services. He turns to trainer Tick Wills to help him get his life back on track. Now, relying on Tick’s guidance and tenacity, Billy enters the hardest battle of his life as he struggles with redemption and to win back the trust of those he loves.

Jake Gyllenhaal delivers an impressively committed performance in what is an otherwise completely unremarkable boxing drama. It hits all the beats, gets all the cliches rights, and pretty much follows a predetermined track the entire way. Despite this, the character interactions are great, and worth the price of admission.