This week’s batch of new releases is slightly bittersweet - we’ve got the final installments of two beloved major series, Mad Men and Fast & Furious. They’ll be hard to watch (Furious 7 in particular, as it’s Paul Walker’s last film), so grab a box of tissues and queue up Cinderella as a magically sweet chaser.
Furious 7 begins with the newly pardoned Fast & Furious crew returning to the United States. Adrenaline-loving Brian tries to adjust to fatherhood in the suburbs with Mia and their son. Meanwhile, Letty still cannot remember her past life, despite Dom’s constant efforts to spark her memories, especially regarding their marriage. Of course, the past can’t allow them to peacefully settle into their American lives. Shaw, a ruthless special forces assassin, is on a mission to hunt down and kill the crew as vengeance for his comatose younger brother, whom the squad defeated during their last mission. After Shaw kills a member and bombs the Toretto house, Dom joins forces with a covert ops team. In exchange for helping them obtain a valuable digital tracking program, the covert ops team will help them find Shaw.
The end of an era comes with Part Two of the final season of Mad Men. Many of us have faithfully watched this series about a glamorous 1960s New York ad agency. We experienced virtual secondhand smoke as Don Draper and his colleagues swam in scotch, clinched major deals over expensive meals, and wove a tangled web of beautiful women. Naturally, there’s no shortage of conflict and drama in the final stretch. Joan and Peggy deal with misogyny, marriages end and marriages begin, Betty and the children face a new upheaval in family dynamics, and Don continues his wayward search for meaning. It’s been a long, complicated journey through the 1960s, and the series fittingly ends at the cusp of the 70s.
After getting those heavy goodbyes and ends of eras out of the way, rejuvenate with a fresh take on the classic tale of Cinderella. Feast your eyes on the fantastically gorgeous costumes, the lush scenery, and the thousands of Swarovski crystals that sparkle in Cinderella’s hair and extravagant dress. Cate Blanchett rocks her role (and possibly steals the show) as the Cruella de Vil-inspired, over-the-top, outrageous evil stepmother. You might recognize Robb from Game of Thrones as Prince Charming, and Helena Bonham Carter as a slightly sassier Fairy Godmother. It’s the classic Disney tale that you know and love come to life, each detail polished and presented in a tremendously dazzling visual experience.