I equally could've have titled this post as "It's all so quiet" due to the amazing lack of films being released. With just five features, excluding docs, you would've though the choice of what to watch would be relatively easy, however low volumes also means the probability of a high scoring (on the runs like a gay excitometer) release is lower and this week we see three films battling for the top spot. In the end though it go to 80's throwback Super 8.
Super 8
J.J. Abrams channels his inner Spielberg with this paean to a bygone age of teens messing around with film equipment and bumping into monsters. US reviews and box office performance was solid rather than spectacular, however this should rekindle buried memories and provide a bit of harmless nostalgia as well as the obligatory summer action highs.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Sarah's Key
French hangwringing about collaboration with the Nazis is de rigeur these days with the second film to confront the deportation of Jews from Paris this year (after Round Up). Kristin Scott Thomas is the familiar face this time, and the plotting, which alternates between wartime and now seems unusual at least.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
The Tree
More oscar bait weepiness with Charlotte Gainsbourg as a grieving widow, her daughter who's convinced her Father's soul is protecting her from within a nearby tree and the plummer that enters their life. Elegant but probably missable.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Mr. Popper's Penguins
Jim Carrey continues his long long walk to the loneliness of direct to DVD movies with this inoffensive but dull looking adaptation of the well known children's book. You wouldn't know it from the trailer but Angela Lansbury co-stars.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Do Aur Do Paanch
Bollywood action comedy about two rival kidnappers who select the same target and ends up spoiling both their plans. Oddly they choose to kidnap a young girl from school which does give this a fairly unpleasant whiff about it.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
The First Oscar Eligibility Lists are Here!
3 hours ago
5 comments:
I was pretty hyped up about "Super-8", having been a young filmmaker in that format eons ago. Check out my essays in June. The movie was better than average, for its kind.
I'm curious to see what you think of SUPER 8. I wish I liked it as much as Tom.
Tom,
That doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement, and I can't even claim a connection to the films it's paying homage to let alone the desire to make movies at that age.
Andrew,
With that in mind I probably won't be going to see it. In fact I'm taking a few weeks off cinema. Unless I can too tempted by Rise of the Planet of the Apes it'll probably be Almodovar who entices me back at the end of the month.
I should have said "merely better than average"... I didn't loathe it but I wanted it to be so much better...in fact, I liked it only slightly better than Andrew, I think...
I didn't see it in the end, and it's box office performance here was slightly muted. Of course everything's being crushed by Potter right now.
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