You'd be forgiven for thinking there's nothing new coming out this weekend, even though that is patently ludicrous as there are 8 new films hitting some cinemas. However on Friday 454 cinemas are showing Prometheus - the most prolific at cinemas - Men In Black III is at 431 cinemas, Snow White and the Huntsman at 416, followed by Top Cat and Avengers Assemble. Only then, the sixth biggest release in just 270 cinemas do we reach this weekends biggest opening. And whilst I'm not slavishly devoted to the big ticket movies it's hard to get excited about anything when no-one's trying hard to sell you anything. It's the first (only) week this year where the film of the week needed 4 blobs to get the accolade, and it's a rare foray into pure horror, so if you see anything go see The Innkeepers.
Prometheus did indeed own the box office charts last weekends, but it was generally a fantastic few days - thank you Your Majesty - which meant none of the bigger releases disappointed. It goes without saying that nothing out this week is going to threaten the Space Jockey's grip on audiences. That said it's a big scrap for the films that are coming out. I'm going to predict Plan B's eviscerating dissection of modern life on the working class estates iLL Manors, not least because it has the advantage of a parallel album release.
Innkeepers
Ti West's House of the Devil shocked both seasoned horror fans and sniffy critics when it shocked the bejesus out of everyone in 2009 so its' great to see him back in this creepy lo-fi horror set in the closing weekend of a haunted hotel, with two ambivalent employees more concerned with ghost-hunting (probably a mistake).
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Read on for hero flyboys, autobiographical flights of fantasy and a rapper shouting "Oi", as well as all of this weeks trailers.
I had forgotten Kelly McGillis was in this until I rewatched the trailer - I don't believe she communes with the dead, though.
Arirang
In 2008, after a near fatal accident on one of his movies, South Korean auteur Kim Ki-duk suffered from a nervous breakdown. This return is either a re-enactment of his emotional state at the time or a documentary on his therapy helping him come to terms with it depending on your point of view, either way it seems utterly compelling.
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Red Tails
George Lucas has promised his take on the pioneer African-American squadron of World War II pilots - The Tuskagee Airmen - for over 20 years and it's a shame that he eventually farmed it out to renowned TV director Anthony Hemingway to take the helm. Guaranteed to have superb, relalistic dogfights, the worry has always been that the subtlety of the racial discrimination they faced would be watered down or overdone, and the early buzz pretty much substantiates that possibility. The cast includes Cuba Gooding Jnr and Terrence Howard.
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Casa de mi Padre
I know that all the good jokes are probably in the trailer but there is something oddly endearing about Will Ferrell's willingness to try new things, and to make a spoof of Mexican soap operas with two of the worlds most famous latino actors completely in Spanish. Is hope it's a success here, but even if not props to Will for trying.
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Fantastic Fear of Everything
Inspired by a short story from Withnail & I creator Bruce Robinson it's inevitable that Chrispian "Kula Shaker" Mills' directorial debut would be heavy on the weird and grotesque. Grubby underpants and terrifying hedgehogs abound in this tale of one paranoiac's attempt to visit to laundrette. Features a tour de force performance from Simon Pegg.
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Harsh Light of Day
It's difficult to know, but I think the trailer for this British horror gives more away than it probably should. We know that our wheelchair bound hero's wife is brutally murdered and we know he contracts someone to dispose of the killers. Or is that some thing?
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Ill Manors
I could just have easily posted the latest music video from Plan B (otherwise known as Ben Drew) as the entire movie is the closest Hip hop has come to a concept album in years with each track, performed by Plan B as narration, provides a succinct personal history of each of the story strands. This makes the film come across as a angry mix of Loachian miserablism and musical fantasy. It's worried the right wing press with it's bleak picture of society deserving the underclass established in the UK and sets out Drew as a talent to watch in cinema too.
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The Pact
The last of this weeks releases is the one that's showing in most cinemas, but short of a few TV spots and a half-hearted bus campaign there's not been too much fuss about this so-so looking cut and paste horror. Lots of pasty looking people getting dragged about the house by unseen forces. Well if that's your sort of thing, it's probably your sort of thing.
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Saturday, 9 June 2012
Spooky Hotel, again (Out this week - 08/06/12)
Friday, 5 February 2010
Out this week (05/02/10)
Just three days after the Oscar nominations it's no surprise that this weeks top film managed to pick up some attention, even if it missed out on the big prize. More complex is the battle for audiences with 2 animated features both opening this week - I suspect Disney to take the box office crown. We also have a bit of a cathch up session as 4 films were quietly released last week without me spotting them - so if you're interested in Turkish cinema then skip to the end. Nevertheless ehe film of the week is still Invictus.
Asal
Effectively looking Bollywood actioner with Ajith Kumar as a one man army fighting to get to Sameera Reddy. Some nice stuntwork in the trailer but it may be one for the fans.
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Astro Boy
Middling animated fabtasy about aelectronic boy with exception firepower created in the image of a scientist's lost son. A tiny bit like Pinnochio then. Personally I'm not sure why you'd give a replacement for your son laser vision and rocket launchers, but there you go. Starry voice cast (including Nic Cage, Charlize Theron and Samuel L. Jackson) is all it has to recommend it.
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Holy Water
Irish comedy about a skiffle band who steal a bus load of viagra's. Much hilarity then ensues - not that you'd guess from the trailer which has it's fair share of silly car chases and jokes about middle aged couples refinding their sex drive.
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Invictus
It may have missed out on a best picture nomination this week, to Sandra Bullock vehicle The Blind Side, but Clint Eastwood's recreation of the infamous Sprinbok Rugby World Cup win and it's South African political ramifications still look like a worthy film to view.
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The Island
Set within a remote monastic community Pavel Lounguine's sophomore picture shines a light on a dying religion (in this case the Russian Othodox Church) and how this can be shaken as one priest offers a faith-healing. It comes with fine pedigree 6 wins at the 2007 Nika Awards.
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Malice in Wonderland
It's our first Danny Dyer movie of 2010 - there will be a few, don't worry. In this twisted version of Lewis Carroll's famous story he plays a Whitey, a taxi driver obsessed with being late. There are some nice touches - Tweedledum and Tweedledee are doormen and Wonderland is a big nightclub, but I'm personally waiting for Burton's take on it.
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The Princess and The Frog
Disney return to hand-drawn animation with this 20th century fairytale, set during the Jazz age in Louisiana. It's not as starry as this week Astro Boy - Anika Noni-Rose is the lead with Terrence Howard and Oprah Winfrey the only other names I really recognise - but the songs are great and the trailer mixes a family comic feel with suitably scary villians.
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Psych 9
Cliche filled thriller about a girl who (trailer voice) must confront her past to prevent a murder... Set in an abandoned insane Asylum with Cary Elwes as her shrink (so clearly he's also the killer). Avoid.
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Tony
Tony (Frank Boyce) is a lonely mild mannered guy you could easier miss as you walk past him in central London. Unemployed, and largely unemployable he spends his days wanering through the markets and chatting to hookers. Until he flips and becomes a serial killer. Darkly comic this British film may be worth making the effort.
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Youth in Revolt
It's box office performance in the States may have been abysmal but I really enjoyed the trailer for this Michael Cera vehicle. He stars as a late teen inventing a new persona in order to sleep with the girl of his dreams. Unfortunatly his imaginery doppelganger is both more irresistible and irresponsible than he is.
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And missed off from last week (29 January 2010):
A Bit of Tom Jones
Star-free Welsh comedy which seems to be developing as a cult hit according to imdb.com. The plot, such as it is, revolves around Tom Jones' stolen member and the apparent market for celebrity willies. So bizarre it might be worth a look.
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Edjer Kapani
Turkish suspense thriller about a serial killer targeting peadophiles and the police who must stop him. The trailer looks more like a extended episode of CSI: Ankara but with an interesting plot and a couple of car chases.
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Kutsal Damacana 2
Did anyone see Kutsal Damacana 1? I didn't think so... It's a comedy along the lines of a parody of Buffy the Vampire slayer with a highly trained group of priests (and nuns) fighting demons.
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Yahsi Bati
And our final Turkish film - was there a festival or something?- is a comic western examining the culture clashes betwen to Turkish embassy officials towards the end of the last century and the wild west communities they encounter as they cross the states.
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Oh, and to celebrate another Danny Dyer release here's my traditional semi naked picture of him:
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
Terrence Howard
Happy Birthday to
Terrence Howard
40 today
It is, apparently, hard out there as a pimp. That may be the case but Howard's finding it just as hard as an actor - with the big money cheque for Iron Man (Yes, he really was the highest paid actor in that) cancelled for the sequel his slate is looking abit empty. Maybe a cut in salary demands and a return to indie fare may be the best thing.
