It's another exceptionally busy week again, with 13 releases competing for our bucks this weekend, although as always it's worth noting most of these films look rubbish or at least completely forgettable. Honestly will anyone be talking up this weeks Denzel vehicle in the year end best of lists. Talking of best ofs it's the Oscars this weekend and many pundits are predicted a near clean sweep for French silent movie The Artist, it's slightly apt that this weekend we have the release of one film that was cruelly ignored by the Academy and another that could well be bothering the voters next year, especially BAFTA with it's high calibre prestige cast list, indeed I can think of no excuse for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel not to reign forth as the film of the week.
By the way the post title references the current health bill making it's way through Parliament that may open up more competition into the NHS. The conclusion being outsourced off-shore nursing care.
Anyhoo, last week I was right in my box office predictions with Woman in Black holding the top spot and Nic Cage being the highest New Entry, surprisingly though the only new film in the top ten. This weekend we have to assume the double whammy of Dame's Judi and Maggie will charm the older crowd and when combined with a 426 cinema release (58 more than it's biggest rival) that Exotic will be box office champ too.
Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
It's a comedy staring some of Britain's best loved movie stars (Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Dev Patel) set around an old people's home in India. It therefore pulls a huge amount of buttons for the UK's cinema-going public, and should do blockbuster figures on this side of the pond - note it's only getting a limited release in the US in May. I really don't understand the difference between the British and American audiences.
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Read on for a rundown of the rest of this weeks releases and a plethora of exciting trailers.
Rampart
Perfect counterprogramming this weekend sees Woody Harrelson falling apart as a violent angry cop seeing his world burst open at the seems following filmed abuse of a suspect. Sigourney Weaver and Ned Beatty are among the classy supporting players in this James Ellroy scripted thriller.
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Safe House
I hear from American reviewers that this latest Ryan Reynolds vehicle is perfectly OK, does nothing flashy or genre-bending but does pass the time. Of course Ryan's hopelessly outclassed by Denzel Washington as the CIA traitor he needs to keep alive. Brendan Gleeson, Vera Farmiga and Sam Shepard are among his suspicious superiors.
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Adopted
Am I surprised that Melanie Laurent, star of Inglorious Basterds and Beginners has turned her skills to directing. Not really. Nor am I surprised at the whimsical quirky tone that some of the romantic elements of the trailer imply. I am surprised there seems to be a coma induced infidelity plot though, you don't see many of those.
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Red Dog
As hokey and silly as this true life Aussie shaggy dog tale seems I suspect there's an audience out there for it's homespun mythology and likeable characters. Not sure why Josh Lucas has the main role (excluding the eponymous Koko) but I guess he's a name that garners some recognition. Apparently Keisha Castle-Hughes is in there somewhere too. True fact I was part of the focus group that chose the poster.
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Black Gold
Historic part European part Qatari release that may usher in a dawn of Middle Eastern blockbusters, only slightly undermined by the casting of Mark Strong and Antonio Banderas as warring Sheikhs in post World War I America.
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Blood Car
Fun little premise from this strange American indie about a car that runs on blood. I expect the comedic team behind it are an acquired taste so it could build a cult following. Or be forgotten in 6 weeks.
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Gelecek Uzun Surer
Roughly translated to Future Lasts Forever. Or it at least appears to in this elegant existential Turkish drama about a PHD student who wanders off the beaten track and can't seem to find her way back.
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Jodi Breakers
If this romantic comedy about a gigolo who's paid to break up relationships by suspicious relatives then falls for one of his marks seems familiar that's probably because we had a French version of this, Heartbreaker, just two years ago.
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One for the Money
Do you remember when Katherine Heigl was all set to be a huge star? Neither do I, but apparently post Knocked Up everyone thought her career was all set. Unfortunately it's been down hill all the way since then and don't expect this laugh-free trailer to help her stem the tide no matter how much she persuades Debbie Reynolds to ham it up as her Gran.
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Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya
Bollywood producers seem able to wring romantic situations from the most unlikely set-up, including, in this case Stockholm syndrome. I expect the girl will turn out much better at being in control than her kidnapper, enough to make the premise more palatable.
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Deviation
It's been so long since Danny Dyer last had a cinematic release I can't remember what it was. This time he's playing somewhat against type as a violent sociopathic serial killer on the run from Broadmoor. Will be in DVD bargain bins on Monday.
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Naachle London
Odd curiosity a completely British film in Hindi, in the style and design of a Bollywood romantic comedy and incredibly proud of it's roots. I'll be very interested to see how this does in the box office statistics.
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Readers with a long memory will of course know what's coming, but for those of you who don't I sort of have a thing for Danny Dyer. He's arrogant and in many ways the a prototype of the problems with modern Britain but I'll always be up for a quick BJ behind Lidl. Just feast you're eyes on my traditional picture of Danny in the buff.
Saturday, 25 February 2012
Logical conclusion of Lansley's health reforms (Out this week - 24/02/12)
Tuesday, 28 December 2010
Denzel Washington
Happy Birthday to
Denzel Washington
56 today
There are few actors working today more reliable and technically proficient than Denzel. It's just a shame he tends to waste that talent in showstopping garbage such as Book of Eli and Unstoppable. He must have a heck of fan club, mind, even with dross in his back catalogue the average US gross of his last 10 films has been over $73m.
Saturday, 27 November 2010
Runaway movies (Out this week - 26/11/10)
Last week all the studios were afraid to compete with the might of Harry Potter, so now we're facing a tsunami of mid range fodder none of which are likely to break into the top slot in the box office. There are a few that could be worth a look though. Film of the week is a toughie but I think assassin George Clooney is beaten at the last fence by Denzel Washington's train driver in Unstoppable
Allah Ke Banday
Not only is it a busy week for US output it's also a bumper week of Bollywood offerings - not that any of them are really jumping out at me. This one concerns two slum kids getting involved in crime gangs.
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The American
George Clooney stars virtually alone in Anton Corbijn's follow-up to his Joy Division biopic Control. He wanders aimlessly around a small Italian village, philosophises with a local Priest and has an affair with a prostitute whilst we figure out if he's a contract killer. Slow and deliberate - should be a good bet.
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Break Ke Baad
Bollywood love story about two sweethearts made for each other who have to see if their relationship survives a number of unfortunate twists - largely based on her desire to bcome an actres. Have a guess!
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Girl who kicked the Hornets Nest
The final part of the Millenium trilogy drifts around the titular heroine, splendidly played by Noomi Replace, as she spends half of the movie in a hospital and half in a prison cell. That said it ties up most of the loose ends and as a moody thriller probably efficiently moves along.
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London Boulevard
Colin Farrell is an ex-con trying to go straight by bodyguarding Keira Knightley's model/actress. The reviews of William Monaghan's (The Departed) script and direction have not been kind, but I expect the two leads look lovely and it's partly influenced by Sunset Boulevard.
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Machete
Robert Rodriguez turns his fake trailer from the Grindhouse movies into a fully stretched movie, probably losing all it's charm in the process. Danny Trejo is probably taking his only chnce to lead a film, curious supporting cast includes Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Lindsay Lohan and Steven Segal.
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Nandalala
We've been here before - or at least this film has meant to have been released before. Small child and idiot adult go on a long journey to find their parents. This will be moved again, I suspect.
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Ordinary Execution
French movie investigating the final days of Stalin through the eyes of his personal doctor. Skirting with ideas of paranoia and the principles of medical ethics.
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Ratha Charithram
Trilingual Bollywood political biopic. Apparently it's a sequel but that shouldn't stop anyone that's not seen the first - this does seem to be the best of the Bollywood releases.
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Scar Crow
British horror movie which seems to take the set up of Hocus Pocus and remove all the charm and laughs and heighten up to horror. Probably not worth the bother.
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Tere Ishq Nachaya
Final Bollywood release for this week, about a girl torn between two men, one of whom is rich and reliable, the other a poor dancer. I'm guessing she goes for the latter.
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Unstoppable
Tony Scott and Denzel Washington reunite for the fifth time, to better effect than their last collaboration, in spite of the train connection. Whilst we can probably second guess the ending the plot about a runaway train full of dangerous chemicals being stopped by Washington and Chris Pine looks like it's exactly what it should be.
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These next couple of movies slipped out with out me seeing:
Vay Arkadas
Turkish movie with very little explanation out there n the net as to what it's about. If anyone's still reading or still cares please feel free to bring me up to speed.
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Action Replayy
Another Bollywood film, that was released back on 05 November, with Ashwaiya Ray and Akshay Kumar. Big enough names so I don't need to do any explaining.
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Friday, 15 January 2010
Out this week (15/01/10)
There is a film I want to see this week, it's the one I will recommend, but other than that you have to wonder what's going on with the scheduling. Usually in January we are struggling to find the time to see decent films, but this week is a disaster. There are three other studio releases, none of which look remotely palatable - let alone like they're a decent watch. So, if you like a bit of Clooney then Up in the Air is the film for you, otherwise stay at home.
Aayirathil Oruvan
This Tamil movie is helpfully described as a scientific thriller. The trailer, gives more away, as we see 2 archaeologists (Karthik Shivakumar and Reema Sen) investigate the bizarre stone circles on a remote island, only to awaken evil spirits, and deeply annoy the locals. Looks derivative but could be worth a watch.
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All about Steve
If Sandra Bullock could go back 2 years and choose one project to ditch from her schedule for 2010 it would be this odd stalker "comedy". It's neither the massively popular rom-com nor the massively popular true life tome that may just win her an Oscar nom. It's the other one, the one with Bradley Cooper and Thomas Haden Church, the one that's best avoided.
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The Book of Eli
The end of the world is nigh. Last week we had Viggo showing us how humanity would be stretched to breaking point. This week Denzel shows us we can fight back. I doubt neither film has a good ending, but at least The Road may have some believable characters.
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Chance pe Dance
Love story about an out-of-work dancer who with his potential sweetheart helps forge a group of disillusioned schoolchidren into an award winning dance troupe.
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44 inch Chest
Starring a veritable who's who's of middle aged British hardmen (Ray Winstone, Ian McShane, Tom Wilkinson and John Hurt among them) this is a not quite sequel to Sexy Beast from the same writing team of Louis Mellis and David Scinto. Ray's sexy wife run off with a waiter so they kidnap him in revenge. Unfortunately that's where the plan ends and the film starts.
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OSS117: Lost in Rio
Second movie in the french version of Austin Powers, this time he's sent to find a missing professor in Rio (natch). Likeable enough looking comic capers, but nothing to write home about. Jean Dujardin takes the lead role.
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Still Walking
Hirokazu Koreeda's film, based on his own novella, follows a doctor and his wife as they return to his childhood home, visit his parents and reminisce on the anniversary of his brother's death. Poignant Japanese drama which received raves at last years Toronto festival.
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Up in the Air
Jason Reitman hits the zeitgeist by invoking the spectre of the current financial crisis and the continuous drive to compartmentalize our lives. Getting Clooney to play a warped version of himself is also a major coup.
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