FREEZE FRAME: “Going in Style,” “The Void”

There are three Oscar winners in the buddy comedy, “Going in Style” and their presence gives this broad, shopworn farce a very big boost. A loose remake of the 1979 George Burns movie of the same name, “Going in Style” stars Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Alan Arkin as three retirees who, faced with financial difficulties, decide to rob a bank. Director Zach Braff takes a very lighthearted approach to the material and, as a result, it’s less credible than the thoughtful original. But, thankfully, the three stars bring innate likeability and class to their roles. “Going in Style” may lack style, but it’s a crowd-pleaser.

It’s clear that the grisly horror flick “The Void” was inspired by the work of H. P. Lovecraft and John Carpenter. But this derivative gore-fest was clearly written as an excuse for its filmmakers to showcase their skills in over-the-top makeup effects. In a small, isolated town, members of a murderous cult surround a hospital where an evil entity has taken over the bodies of innocent folks, transforming them into hideous beasts. This deadly serious ode to 80s horror movies could have used a dose of humor, but it delivers the shudders for fans of the genre. The real void is in the script.

Also opening this week, “Smurfs: The Lost Village” is the latest from the little blue elves, featuring the voices of Demi Lovato and Julia Roberts. “The Case for Christ” is a faith-based movie adapted from Lee Strobel’s bestseller. “Your Name” is a Japanese anime offering about a boy and girl who suddenly switch bodies. “Frantz” is a post WWII drama about the relationship between a German woman and a Frenchman. “Donald Cried” is an unrated comic drama about a man-child who reconnects with a childhood friend.

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