A song to remember (Out this week - 11/03/11)

I probably won't go to the cinema this weekend. It's a oddly downbeat selection, none of which are really drawing me in spite of the far reviews and interesting subject matter involved in some of them. Oddly the film with the best looking trailers has had the worst reviews so I won't be seeing that. Film of the week is Norwegian Wood.



Norwegian Wood

Period Japanese movie about a student (Kenichi Matsuyama) establishing his identity in a cold but rapidly changing culture whilst falling for the ex-girlfriend (Rinku Kikuchi) of his best friend who recentl commited suicide. Gorgeously filmed adaptation of Haruki Murakami's seminal novel.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○



Company Men

Ben Affleck (continuing to shakeup his filmstar persona) leads an all-star cast in this unemployment drama focusing on white collar workers with nowhere to go in the recent financial meltdown. Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper and Kevin Costner are all feeling the pinch.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○

Fair Game

The Valerie Plame story, as interpreted by Bourne director Doug Liman. Naomi Watts plays the CIA agent suddenly left out in the cold with Sean Penn as her noble husband standing by her in the wake of dodgy dossiers and the Iraq invasion.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○

Hall Pass

The Farrelly brothers used to be box office gold, their gross-out comedy of the Nineties was able to attract top performers as well as audiences. This latest, about two marrieds getting a week off, barely hit the box office champ against Gnomeo and Juliet's third week of release. Richard Jenkins has a small role, so there must be something worthwhile about it.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○

Heartbeats

Canadian sexual drama about two friends (one male, one female) falling for the same stranger, competing for his desire and the knock on effect on their friendship. Feted on the estival circuit for it's crisp design and urgency.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○

Life Goes On

British Hindi film about a widow coming to terms with losing the love of his life. Looks a bit cloying and over-emotional.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○

The Resident

The resurrected Hammer studios are going back to their roots with this horror with Christopher Lee in a supporting role. Hilary Swank rents a surprisingly cheap apartment only to find all is not right with her neighbours.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○

All American Orgy

The clue's in the title. Three couples go on a sex retreat to reinvigorate their relationships in the sub-American Pie farce.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○

Battle: Los Angeles

Disappointing reviews for ths Alien invasion pic have destroyed allthe good will the thumping trailershad built up. I hear it's like World of the Worlds meets Saving Private Ryan, only nowhere near as good as that sounds.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○

Legacy: Black Ops

I don't care if Idris Alba was brilliant in "The Wire" he's going to need to pick his game up if he wants to break into movies, and avoid this part-Nigerian-funded psychbabble about hallucinating soldiers.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○

Last week I actually missed five new releases, but given that four were limited release low-budget interchangable American horror movies I'm not going to give individual summaries of those. Suffice to say, having watched the trailers, that Prowl, Scream of the Banshee, Seconds Apart and The Task all deserve a Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○.

Lion of the Punjab

Faring slightly better, but only because I'm generous to non-English movies is this Bollywood enigma with plenty of action in the short trailer, but not much to indicate a plot.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○