‘Logan Lucky’, ‘Lemon’, ‘Patti Cake$’

Do date night right with Film Daily’s selection of the best films to catch this weekend. Unearth the mythology surrounding the classic typewriter; meet a blue-collar family down on their luck; and delve into the true story of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, as told by a director who witnessed them himself.

Logan Lucky (StudioCanal)
on wide theatrical release now

Jimmy Logan is from a blue-collar family from the hills of West Virginia. His clan has some seriously bad luck – in fact, they’re renowned for it. But after being fired from his job, and with his ex-wife threatening to leave him, Jimmy decides it’s up to him to set things right. Teaming up with his one-armed bartending brother Clyde, sister Mellie, and an incarcerated explosives expert, Joe Bang (such a fitting name), Jimmy embarks on a plan to steal $14 million from the legendary Coca-Cola 600 race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Directed by Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s Eleven). Lucky Logan stars Daniel Craig (Skyfall), Channing Tatum (22 Jump Street), Adam Driver (Silence), Riley Keough (It Comes at Night), Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby), Seth MacFarlane (Ted), Katie Holmes (Batman Begins), and Katherine Waterston (Inherent Vice).

California Typewriter (Gravitas Ventures)
on limited theatrical release now

Grammy Award-winner Doug Nichol (Sting: Ten Summoners Tales) explores the mythology attached to the classic typewriter. The documentary delves into the struggle of California Typewriter, one of the last remaining repair shops in America dedicated to keeping the aging machines in tip-top condition. Nichol is joined by cultural historians, collectors, and celebrities who remain steadfastly loyal to the typewriter as a tool and muse. In the process, the film delivers a thought-provoking meditation on the ever-changing dynamic between humans and machines, encouraging us to consider our own relationship with technology both old and new. Features Tom Hanks (Cast Away), John Mayer (The Bucket List), David McCullough (Seabiscuit), and the late actor and playwright Sam Shepard (Black Hawk Down).

Gook (Samuel Goldwyn Films)
on limited theatrical release now

Gook follows Eli and Daniel, two Korean-American brothers who own a struggling shoe store in a predominately African-American community of Los Angeles. These two brothers strike up a unique but unlikely friendship with an 11-year-old African-American girl. But as Daniel dreams of becoming a recording artist and Eli struggles to keep their late father’s store afloat, racial tensions build to a breaking point, just as the infamous 1992 Los Angeles riots break out. With the chaos moving towards them, the trio are forced to defend the store, all the while contemplating the future of their own personal dreams and the true meaning of family. Directed & written by Justin Chon (21 & Over), who stars alongside Simone Baker (No Way to Live), Curtiss Cook Jr. (Beatbox), and newcomer David So.

Lemon (Magnolia Pictures)
on limited theatrical release now

Lemon follows Isaac Lachmann, a man in freefall and immobilized by mediocrity. His career is going nowhere, he has an overbearing family, and to top it all off, his girlfriend of ten years is leaving him. His life is seemingly meaningless and he has no ambition. Lachmann questions what he did to deserve it all as he passively observes his life unravelling before him. The directorial debut from Janicza Bravo (Gregory Go Boom) stars Brett Gelman (30 Minutes or Less), Judy Greer (Jurassic World), Michael Cera (Person to Person), Shiri Appleby (Swimfan), Fred Melamed (A Serious Man), Rhea Perlman (Matilda), Gillian Jacobs (The Box), Jon Daly (Zoolander 2), Jeff Garlin (Curb Your Enthusiasm), and Nia Long (Friday). Written by Bravo as part of a collaboration with Gelman.

Marjorie Prime (FilmRise)
on limited theatrical release now

Memories are sometimes all we have to lean on, whether good or bad. But memories fade. So, what if they could be remembered for you – or forgotten for you? This is the premise of Michael Almereyda’s Marjorie Prime, as an 86-year-old woman finds a handsome new companion in the form of an artificial version of her deceased husband, who has been programmed to feed the story of her life back to her. Based on Jordan Harrison’s Pulitzer-Nominated play. Stars Jon Hamm (Baby Driver), Geena Davis (Beetlejuice), Lois Smith (Dead Man Walking), and Tim Robbins (The Shawshank Redemption).

Patti Cake$ (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
on limited theatrical release now

An unlikely rapper finds her voice as a one-of-a-kind hip-hop legend in this coming-of-age story straight out of Jersey. Set in gritty strip-mall suburbia, Patti Cake$ charts an underdog’s quest for fame and glory. Expect “humour, raw energy and some unforgettable beats” in this feature film debut from acclaimed commercial and music-video director Geremy Jasper (Outlaws). Stars Danielle Macdonald (Every Secret Thing), Bridget Everett (Lady Dynamite), McCaul Lombardi (American Honey), Wass Stevens (The Wrestler), Cathy Moriarty (Raging Bull), and hip-hop artist MC Lyte (Limitless).

The Hitman’s Bodyguard (Lionsgate)
on wide theatrical release now

The world’s top protection agent is called upon to guard the life of his mortal enemy, one of the world’s most notorious hitmen. The relentless bodyguard and manipulative assassin have been on opposite ends of the bullet for years. That is, until they’re thrown together for a wildly outrageous trip from England to The Hague. Expect high-speed car chases, outlandish boat escapades, and a merciless Eastern European doctor out for blood. Directed by Patrick Hughes (The Expendables 3) and written by Tom O’Connor (Fire with Fire), The Hitman’s Bodyguard stars Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool), Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction), Salma Hayek (Beatriz at Dinner), and Gary Oldman (Bram Stoker’s Dracula).

The Ice Cream Truck (Uncork’d Entertainment)
on limited theatrical release now

The Ice Cream Truck is pegged as a “provocative psychological” thriller. The film follows Mary, who moves back to her suburban hometown with her husband. As her family ties up loose ends back home, she takes the plunge alone. But although the move brings back fond memories of her youth, Mary begins to suspect there’s something very sinister about an ice cream van that patrols her neighborhood. A suburban nightmare from writer-director Megan Freels Johnston (Rebound). Stars Deanna Russo (Being Human), Dana Gaier (Despicable Me), John Redlinger (First Girl I Loved), Emil Johnsen (Framing Mom), Hilary Barraford (Go for Sisters), Jeff Daniel Phillips (Psychopaths), and Lisa Ann Walter (War of the Worlds).

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Looking for more films to see this weekend? Catch Dave Made a Maze, 6 Days, Shot Caller, Sidemen: Long Road to Glory, What Happened to Monday?, and The Adventurers – all out now.