We're still in double figures of new releases with 13 distinct features slipping into your local multiplex, although saying that I expect there are many of these films that won't be seen in any multiplexes as many of them will fit closer to the arthouse circuit fans. On the other hand there are no essential viewing experiences this weekend with a unlikely - for me anyway - competition for my recommendation between a Jason Statham crime thriller and an European adolescent romance. Of course you know me well enough to guess that I'll usually choose the more obscure film if it's a close run thing, so no prizes for guessing the runs like a gay film of the week is Goodbye First Love.
Last weekend Avengers Assemble was the unsurprising box office champion taking an impressive £15.8m, easily outperforming last weeks competition, every other comic book opening in UK history and the entire cinematic run of any of the "sort of" prequels that introduce it's major characters. Incidently out of every three people going to UK cinemas last weekend two of them went to see Avengers Assemble which is an extraordinary statistic any way you look at it. This weekend Iron Man et al will almost certainly retain the lead, not least because there's no "must see" release, but there could be a bit of a bun fight for second place. I'm tempted to predict Statham as an apology for not picking him for film of the week, but in all honesty I think American Pie: Reunion will just about sneak ahead of the other new releases.
Goodbye First Love
Exquisite study of teenage romances over ten years, with the feel of classic Truffant, from sophomore director Mia Hansen-Løve. The picture above shows our heroines very first love, and it's no spoiler to say it probably won't last until the end credits.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Read on for a kidnapped mathematical prodigy, an oscar nominee and incest as a plot device as well as the low-down and trailers for all of this weeks releases.
I should warn you this trailer involves quite a bit of nudity fairly early on. I'm not a prude, I don't mind, but I think you should be aware of it.
Safe
Sometimes you're just in the mood for all out action extravaganza's and honestly Statham seems to to be the most consistent beat 'em up star working today. This looks like it might be a good call with it's mathematical prodigy and all out gang war, even if it's US performance was slightly under par. Chris Sarandon pops up as the maybe dodgy mayor of New York.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Angel and Tony
It's good times for fans of French romances this week, with the film of the week and this slightly more mature offering about an ordinary looking fisherman finding an an enigmatic, sexually voracious woman through a personal ad. Probably Not as raunchy as that sounds.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Clone
Barely getting any notices in spite of it's tricksy content and starry cast - Eva Green and current Doctor Who Matt Smith - this sci-fi tinted drama about a widow who gives birth to and raises a clone of her dead husband and the mixed romantic/maternal relationship that develops had some buzz critical buzz during it's production but that seems to have fizzled away with this fumbled release strategy. Shame.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Hara-Kir Death of a Samurai
We don't get every Takashi Miike movie released in the UK, given his vast and diverse output that's probably not a huge surprise. So when we are lucky enough to see one in this country we should probably make the best of it. Here we have a revenge against corrupt feudal lords plot that allows Miike to indulge in all his fight choreography pursuits.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Juan of the Dead
Curious looking Cuban zombie movie that clearly shares a love of slapstick as it's major influence Shaun of the Dead but with added socio-political jibes at the communist propanga machine in Cuba. And the joke about killing your loved ones is priceless.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Monsieur Lazhar
Of course Philippe Falardeau's stage adaptation was never going to win the best foreign language movie oscar this year against the superb A Separation it still had plenty of fans in the Academy and among critics being considered as the biggest competition. It's essentially a look into the French Canadian education system and how an Algerian ex-pat changes the kids lives.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Dhammu
Very violent looking Teluga movie with plenty of claret and over the top musical cues, although I suspect in it's entirity it's a lt tamer than it looks here. I know nothing of the plot - any Bollywood fans want to fill me in?
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Jannat 2
I'm guessing the two at the end of the title signifies this Bollywood arms dealer thriller is a sequel, although I can't for the life of me remember the first Jannat getting released. Looks like it might be OK, with some nice shots and realism in the fighting, so could be an entry to the sub-continents releases.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
The Lucky One
There are many reasons to want to avoid Zac Efron latest attempt to shift into proper grown up movies, it's directed by cheesemeister Scott Hicks (Boys are Back, Hearts in Atlantis) and is written by the ever predictable Nicolas Sparks. But that said I do like Efron, he comes across well in interviews and I really want him to succeed, so even though this looks utterly missable it will be the film that I see this weekend.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Silent House
Another US horror remake of a mildly successful foreign language horror movie - in this case the identically named Uruguayan release from last year where the central conceit revolves around the whole film being shot in a single take - as as with others that try this I expect it to bomb no matter how good Elizabeth Olsen is in the central role.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
American Pie: Reunion
I actually saw the original American Pie in cinemas, and vaguely remember thinking it was OK but being a comedy not really my thing, so I certainly wouldn't be tempted by a sequel 13 years later no matter how good it looked. Unfortunately this sorry excuse for a trailer doesn't make it look good on any level. Probably best avoided.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Piggy
And finally if you're in the mood for some ultraviolence, London Council Estate style then this is the movie for you. Following the murder of his brother Martin Compston meets Piggy, a mysterious stranger who encourages him to meet out revenge on the killers, but at what cost to his soul and sanity you wonder?
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Saturday, 5 May 2012
Ah, I remember it well (Out this week - 04/05/12)
Friday, 2 September 2011
Deep within the suburbs there are stirrings of life (Out this week - 02/09/11)
‘Eid Mubārak to all my readers celebrating the end of Ramadan. You can tell it's that time of year because some of the biggest movies out this week will be catering to their celebratory audience, indeed I suspect this weeks Pakistani release will be in the top half of the box office figures, maybe even taking the top spot against the lacklustre competition. It's a dreadful week frankly, with a massive 15 releases only getting an average of less than 3 on the excitometer. That said there is an interesting trio of top releases which may be worth looking into headed by Greek comedy Attenberg, our film of the week.
Attenberg
Curious looking dramedy about a bored young woman, repelled by the concept of sexual contact and obsessed with synth-pop band Suicide and the documentaries of David Attenborough (whose name inspires the title). It's already garnering a cult following for it's deadpan humour and playful set-pieces.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Fright Night
Campy horror remake with Anton Yelchin discovering his mysterious neighbour Colin Farrell is a blood-sucking, teenager-abducting vampire. The delightful supporting cast includes David Tennant, Toni Collette and Chris Sarandon.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Hedgehog
The title is curious enough to have me interested and the plot synopsis, about a determined and pessimistic pre-teen who's life is turned around by two bizarre characters in her apartment block, doesn't disappoint in this Franco-Italian offering.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Kill List
Extremely well reviewed British independent horror from Ben Wheatley, the director of Down Terrace, the plot starts as a hitman taking one last job and soon turns into something far most sinister. Expect uncompromising violence with tough to take atmosphere.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Anchor Baby
Depressing looking Canadian immigration drama with the pregnancy that forms the centre of the plot really anchoring the expectant mother Joyce to US soil in the pursuit of the American dream.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Art of Getting By
Is Freddie Highmore, the child star of Finding Neverland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory really an adult? He must be now he's falling for Emma Roberts and trying to find his own identity threw his painting in this graduation blues romance.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Bodyguard
Traditional Bollywood actioner with Salman Khan as the titular assistant, which the reviews indicate fluffs the ending.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Bol
This will be big. A family drama set in teeming Lahore with a home full of daughters (unusual for films from Pakistan) forging the lives they want regardless of their circumstances and tribulations.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Mankatha
And the trio is complete with this Tamil thriller about a gangland killer who might also be an undercover cop, with a trailer that promises the necessary quota of car chases and explosions.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy
It's broken records in Hong Kong, providing the 3D audiences the flying dagger and pert breasts the additional dimension has been calling out for. The trailer looks ghastly but I suspect it won't be the plot that draws the punters in.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Apollo 18
Found footage horror (yawn) explaining why we've never been back to the moon. It's out tomorrow and I've yet to see a single review which is probably a sign the distributers are horribly embarrassed about the quality of the picture.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
The Dead
Enough of the low-budget zombies. It was fun to start with but I'm bored of it now, especially as each new Brit indie that focuses on the undead threat seems to have less and less originality.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Robotropolis
Looking like a cheap Terminator rip off, set inside a single factory where the robotic workforce unionise for better rights and begin to exterminate the support staff.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Self Made
Curious semi-documentary, with an interesting idea that the reviews indicate has been wasted, with a group of random Londoners attending a method acting course interlaced with the short films they then make utilising their new found skills and psychological insights.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Weekender
Last week we had Powder with it's po-faced look at indie miserablism, this week it's the turn of the Madchester rave scene with bezzie mates doing what it takes to keep one step ahead of the killjoy coppers and the shady drug dealers.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Sunday, 24 July 2011
Chris Sarandon
Happy Birthday to
Chris Sarandon
69 today
Frequent "I know you" actor who, in spite of an oscar-nominated supporting role in Dog Day Afternoon as Al Pacino's demanding partner desperately seeking a sex change operation and providing the impetus of the plot, somehow never seemed to take off as the charismatic leading man he could have been. Instead he's been drawn into a long line of b movies and supporting roles to Jason Statham.
Friday, 24 July 2009
Chris Sarandon
Happy Birthday to
Chris Sarandon
67 today
Perhaps best remembered as Susan's first husband, Chris proved his acting chops in the 70's as Al Pacino's conflicted lover in Dog Day Afternoon. Remember his "I couldn't explain why I did the things I did. So I went to this psychiatrist who explained to me I was a woman in a man's body." Priceless. I must watch that film again.
