Contents: 3-15:
Reviews of this month’s film....
4-5
6-7
8-9
10-11
12-13
14-15
16-29:
On DVD this month...
17-29:
What’s being released on DVD this February
30-31:
In cinema next month...
31:
What’s being released in cinemas next March
Creator:
Contributors:
Charlie Derry @charliederry http://www.charliederry.com charlie.derry@live.co.uk
Daniel Prinn @DanielPrinn http://filmcraziest.wordpress.com/
Editor’s Note:
Chris Bone @Boney88 http://www.intuition-online.co.uk/ profile.php?profile=482
Another brilliant month for film this February, and we also have a stack of DVD reviews for you, so get counting your pennies!
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Reviews of this month’s film...
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Cloud Atlas Published in 2004 and written by David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas is a science-fiction fantasy novel consisting of six nested stories, spanning from the 19th century to a post-apocalyptic future. Having read the book, one of my favourite pieces of literature, its adaptation was one of my most anticipated films of this year. Released this month, written and directed by Lana and Andy Wachowski and Tom Tykwer, it was thought that Cloud Atlas was an unadaptable story because of its complex structure. But how wrong we were. Cloud Atlas, instead, shows us how marvellous cinema can be when it pushes itself beyond all limits. Intertwining six subtly interconnected stories, Cloud Atlas follows lawyer Adam Ewing (Jim Sturgess) who’s travelling on a 19th century merchant ship, 20th century music composer Robert Frobisher (Ben Whishaw) who’s trying to compose his own masterpiece, journalist Liusa Rey (Halle Berry) who’s trying to uncover a story in the 1970′s, present day Timothy Cavendish (Jim Broadbent) who’s being held against his will in a nursing home, genetically engineered fabricant Sonmi-451 (Doona Bae) who’s being interviewed before her execution in a dystopian future, and Valley tribesmen Zachry (Tom Hanks), who’s living in a distant, postapocalyptic society 106 winters after The Fall. In the novel, Mitchell cuts all but one story in half, shifting
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to the next story as soon as its predecessor reaches a cliffhanger. The central chapter, Zachry’s post-apolitical future, is the only full-length chapter, which follows with the novel returning to tell the second half of each story in reverse order. This “Russian doll” structure works exceptionally well in the novel, giving us time to invest in the many characters and their stories, and swiftly moving on to the next whilst leaving us with the suspense of wanting to know the fate of the character before. However, this structure in the novel also meant that it was a little too complicated to connect the stories together at first, as aside from the occasional single sentence in the middle of a story that would remind us of a link we were constantly trying to figure out, it was very easy to find yourself engaged in the single stories rather than the bigger picture. To better intertwine these stories, the film adaptation plays them out simultaneously, going back and forth between multiple strands of its different characters and time settings. The directors really couldn’t have done it any better. There was obviously a lot of thought gone into how the narratives would connect with one another, and it certainly pays off as the film constantly shows how the stories link, helping us to better understand the film’s premise as a whole. Having read the book I knew how each of the stories played
out so this worked brilliantly on-screen, but in the back of my mind I was constantly wondering if I would be able to understand the film if I didn’t already know these characters. At the beginning of the film my answer would have been no, introducing the audience to many different characters in a short amount of space. It does, however, better expand into the individual stories and by the end it’s easy to be involved in each of them singularly as much as it is with the whole film. Moving away from the structural differences, Cloud Atlas is a brilliant adaptation overall. Aside from the loss of a couple of sub-stories (Frobisher’s relationship with Ayr’s daughter and Sonmi-451′s time at college, to name a few), the adaptation sticks very close to its original source, leaving very little missed out or unexplained and giving as much background information as is needed. My favourite thing about the novel, and the aspect I thought the film would have fallen short on, was that Mitchell managed to create six very different but brilliantly detailed and layered worlds, each spanning vast amounts of time and space. Miraculously, the three directors manage to bring these worlds to life just as well, creating six equally strong stories and sets of characters and making each of them as believable as possible. Another thing I love about the adaptation is the use of only a
handful of actors for a large set of characters, as each actor took on a number of roles. The makeup was extremely laughable in places but it was also fantastic at the same time, with some of the cast even playing different sexes and races. The performances were surprisingly strong, too. Tom Hanks and Halle Berry undeniably lead the film, but I especially enjoyed the performances from Ben Whishaw and Jim Sturgess. For readers of the novel the performances will be one of the strongest qualities of the film, as each of them suited their roles incredibly, bringing to life their characters in the most superb way. Saying this, however, this also brings in one of my biggest flaws of the adaptation, my main problem being with the language used in Sloosha’s Crossin’ chapter, which is a chapter in the novel I struggled reading in itself. Whilst with the novel it was easy to re-read anything you couldn’t quite string together, there wasn’t enough consideration taken in the film as to how the audience might deal with this language alteration, especially when they have enough to be thinking of with the complex structure as it is. Maybe it was just me, but I found it very hard to understand most of what these characters were saying, but this was mainly due to a lack of clear dialogue than the use of downgraded language itself. Moreover, Hugo Weaving was fantastic as Old Georgie and I loved the way he was brought into his scenes, creeping and hovering in the background, but, again, I couldn’t hear a word he was saying, which lost this very important chapter a lot
of its impact. It is because of these few flaws and this chapter as whole where the adaptation fell short in my eyes, not emphasising The Fall and therefore the overall message that “an act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution”. Whilst the film met most of my expectations, it didn’t go any further at this point to make me come away thinking ‘wow’. It was here where I expected the adaptation to really bring the stories together and give that impact, something which the book also failed to highlight well enough, but it didn’t give that final push to peak my excitement and leave me completely impressed. Still, Cloud Atlas is a fantastic film and it goes above most for its efforts alone. At first I only gave the film a four star rating as I came away wanting something a little more from this somewhat disappointing end, but after thinking about it I’ve upped my rating because it really is a wonderful adaptation. If you haven’t read the novel, do it now, and if you haven’t seen this film, do it straight after!
Release Date:
22nd February 2013
Director:
Lana and Andy Wachowski and Tom Tykwer
Famous Faces:
Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant, and Jim Broadbent
Written by Charlie Derry @charliederry
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This Is 40 6
Written by Daniel Prinn @DanielPrinn
It may not be the best feature for a family movie day this holiday season, but it’s a great choice of comedy to see with a few friends; it’s certainly a better choice than The Guilt Trip anyway. This Is 40 follows the relationship of Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) five years after the events of Knocked Up (don’t worry folks, Katharine Heigl isn’t in this). As expected, their relationship is still facing a lot of issues. Their two daughters don’t enjoy each other’s company, Pete’s father Larry (Albert Brooks) is always asking for money while they’re facing some financial troubles themselves, Pete’s band (Graham Parker) for the record label isn’t selling that well, and the sexy employee Desi (Megan Fox) is probably stealing from them. Will the pretty couple overcome their problems and stick together through thick and thin? Probably. It’s a Judd Apatow flick, and it’s Valentine’s Day release means it has to be feel-good. It usually is, albeit numerous conflict. Though, it’s Apatow and he has the fine ability to write in a stellar amount of humour to their long list of issues. It is a comedy, right? While it is hilarious through and through, the issues that offer voids in their relationship are sometimes loud and obnoxious. There’s hardly a second where either Pete and Debbie aren’t wanting to bite off each other’s heads or their oldest daughter, Sadie, isn’t telling to the youngest
daughter Charlotte to take a hike. Preferably on Mt. Everest. The conflicts are vast - but the characters are great and they’re brought to life with each charming comedic presence. The conflict between the two daughters is mainly irritating, but it doesn’t mean it gets in the way of enjoyment, at least not that much. It’s sadder than anything else; Sadie is going through those tough teenage years and she doesn’t have the time for a younger sister always bothering her, and Charlotte just wants a little attention. And she’s adorable, so she should just give it to her. Unfortunately, each sibling knows how hard that has the tendency to be. It’s nice to watch Pete and Debbie try to overcome their differences because it’s a ride that doesn’t overstay its welcome, thanks to the real charm of the cast and the great incorporation of large and hearty laughs. Pete and Debbie try their hardest as parents, but they’re not perfect. They also blame some of their troubles on their own parents for being such screw-ups. Pete’s pretty upset by his father for making him lend him $80, 000 over a few years, and Debbie’s upset with her own because he, Ollie (John Lithgow), is hardly there for her. This conflict is attacked during Pete’s big 40th birthday celebration, where the great Jason Segel and Chris O’Dowd fight over the sexy Megan Fox. Those supporting characters are awesome, but the real
scene-stealer is the great Melissa McCarthy, playing a potty-mouthed and angry mother who goes a little crazy after Pete and Debbie offend her and her son. While this is driven by pure and fresh comedy, the not-so subtle conflicts make it feel a bit too over-dramatic in areas. Though, Apatow does have to get the point across somehow. The film is a perfect analysis of how a family should try to overcome their differences and stick together, in this modern society that has really high divorce rates. Oh, and getting through it during a mid-life crisis, especially. The message does get across finely with many laughs, and an advertisement or two for iPhones, other apple products, and TV’s Lost. It’s entertaining through and through, and your face may just hurt a little in more than one scene. It’s no Knocked Up, but it’s a satisfying little sort-of sequel.
Release Date:
14th February 2013
Director:
Judd Apatow
Famous Faces:
Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Jason Segel, and Megan Fox
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Warm Bodies Directed by Jonathan Levine, Warm Bodies follows the developing relationship between a zombie named R (Nicholas Hoult) and Julie (Teresa Palmer), the daughter of the leader of the human group, Colonel Grigio (John Malkovich). After saving her from an attack that takes the life of her boyfriend Perry (Dave Franco) and leaving behind her best friend Nora (Analeigh Tipton), R takes a sudden attraction to Julie that his corpse-like self doesn’t quite know how to handle, as the two set in motion a sequence of events that might transform their entire lifeless world for the better. Based on Isaac Marion‘s novel of the same name, Warm Bodies follows an interesting story and takes a unique approach to the genre as it is told from the perspective of a zombie. We’ve seen zombies die in every way possible over the years, with director’s mixing the genre with gore, violence, comedy, and sometimes even a little bit of fun, but this time around it’s time to actually care about them. Narrated by R, although he is unable to communicate aside from the occasional grunt, we are introduced to this apocalyptic world through this zombie’s inner monologue. We’re not told exactly why this apocalyptic world has come into place because, as the film suggests, we’ve heard most of the reasons all before. Instead, we are detailed the day-to-
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day ongoings of what zombies actually get up to now that the humans have separated their worlds apart. And that’s not a lot. Fortunately R meets an attractive young lady to make his days a little more worthwhile, and this is where Levine cleverly begins to blend comedy, romance, and mild horror, to make this successfully entertaining “zom-rom-com”. The main source of comedy comes from R’s narration itself, and this is also where the film stands out as something brilliantly different straight away. Because of the zombie perspective, we get to see a new side to their characters, as R reminds himself not to appear too creepy and constantly comments on his slow pace. Warm Bodies may not be hilarious, but it makes you laugh in all the right places and the addition of the occasional giggle is what makes the film so warming. Which leads us to the romance. Alluding to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet with the two sides of this apocalyptic world – the alive and the undead – coming together, as the leads becomes star-crossed lovers in their very own Verona, this romance will be one of the main reasons that you will either really want to see this or not at all. “Not another pretty face (who actually looks like Kristen Stewart) falling in love with an undead mythical being”, you may think, but Warm Bodies
is far from it. Whilst the film does have its similarities, it has enough distance to be able to call this film a great piece of film-making whilst the other is just an enjoyable fantasy for teenage girls. What makes Warm Bodies excel is its realistic characters, despite the film’s very unrealistic premise. With a focus on some of these characters specific traits, in particular R’s self-conscious fears of appearing ‘too creepy’ and Julie’s determination to escape back home despite how tempted she is and her genuine refusal to go along with it at the beginning, their character structures help make this fictional story not so ridiculous or unbelievable, and instead make it incredibly easy to find the leads likeable because of their almost relatable emotions. The romance does become a little too sentimental in places, however, lacking any real passion and instead coming off too cutesy for it to allow it to avoid the Twilight comparisons completely, but it never leaves you turning away in disgust. As for the casting, it’s a treat to see Nicholas Hoult in a lead role finally. Although there wasn’t a lot expected of him as a mumbling zombie, it was a brilliant transitional character for him to take on, as an actor mainly known for his role in the British TV series Skins, and I can’t wait to see more of him over the year. Fresh face
Teresa Palmer, as well, gives her breakout performance, and the couple’s chemistry is extremely well-matched which what really lifts this film off the ground. With Rob Corddry as R’s funny best friend, Dave Franco as the sweet [ex] boyfriend, Analeigh Tipton as Julie’s adorably witty best friend, and John Malkovich as her father, the supporting cast is surprisingly decent too. All of their performances are brilliant, coming together as another well-compacted quality of this film that helps to step it up from being just an average and unforgettable zombie comedy. On top of all of this, Warm Bodies is generally a visually appealing film. The camera work is fantastic, but my favourite thing of all is the killer soundtrack, filled with a number of brilliant tracks including M83′s Midnight City, Bon Iver’s Hinnom, TX, and Bruce Springsteen’s Hungry Heart. When all of this is brought together, Warm Bodies is a very tight film that’s hard to fault. I loved it, and as long as you’re not expecting a zombie horror then you should too. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was still in my Top 20 by the end of the year.
Release Date: 8th February 2013
Director:
Jonathan Levine
Famous Faces:
Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, and John Malkovich
Written by Charlie Derry @charliederry
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Written by Charlie Derry @charliederry
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Wreck-It Ralph
The latest from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Wreck-It Ralph, directed by Rich Moore, follows video game villain Wreck-It Ralph (voiced by John C. Reilly), who rebels against his role and sets out to fulfil his dream of becoming a hero by game-jumping in his arcade world. Things don’t go quite to plan, however, when Ralph’s quest inadvertently brings havoc to the whole arcade, as he befriends Sugar Rush racer Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman) and his game partner Fix-It Felix (Jack McBrayer) and Hero’s Duty leader Calhoun (Jane Lynch) are forced to come looking for him. With a strong message running through it, Wreck-It Ralph is a beautifully animated family adventure that is full of heart. With themes of selfacceptance and the desire to be a part of something good, the film is fun for adults and children alike, an energetic adventure that we can all feel a part of, entertaining younger audiences with vibrant animations, likeable characters and a lot of humour, and older ones with its homage to 80s video games. Bringing to life some of the most memorable arcade characters that we all grew up flicking our joysticks to (Well that sounded dirtier than intended!), the film is constantly nostalgic in that it’s characters, much like Disney’s Toy Story, are ones we all have some memories of. Giving the occasional nod to other films as well – Alien, Wizard Of Oz, and Alice In Wonderland are especially obvious – there’s much for the older audience to appreciate behind the brilliant animation and witty dialogue.
With a brilliant voice cast and a set of sweet characters who are easy to invest in, a lot of the film’s qualities come from the fact that these characters were designed with those voicing them in mind. The characters therefore really reflect on their voice actors style of humour. Sarah Silverman sounds excellent as a young rebellious girl trying to find her place in her overly pink world, and John C. Reilly is perfect as a somewhat grumpy “bad guy” who wants to show that he has a heart too. Even Jane Lynch brilliantly fits her hardcore exterior that has a secret cry for love buried inside of her. It’s this need for acceptance that shines through above all else, and is what most audiences will take a lot away from. Highly relatable for the children’s animation that it is, Wreck-It Ralph wasn’t as brilliant as I had hoped it would be, and that’s mainly because of the anticipation that was built up for it, but it is still a great film and there’s an awful lot to enjoy about it. It may not be a Disney animation that will be around for decades to come like the Toy Story franchise, but it’s certainly one that I will enjoy watching over and over again.
Release Date: 8th February 2013
Director: Rich Moore
Famous Voices:
John C. Reilly, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch and Sarah Silverman
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Flight Written by Daniel Prinn @DanielPrinn
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Finally, Robert Zemeckis has returned after twelve years to directing real people. His last live-action film was 2000’s Cast Away, and since 2004 he has been experimenting with his unique knack of animated features; in 2004 he brought us the decent enough The Polar Express, in 2007 he brought us the action/animation feature Beowulf, and in 2009 he brought us the pretty over-thetop-and-not-in-a-good-way, Disney’s A Christmas Carol. Now, he’s back with a big old kaboom to direct this beauty. Whip Whitaker is ready to fly a plane after a night of partying. Once he takes that puppy in the air, it soon gets attacked by turbulence, and soon enough the hydraulics take a turn for the worse. He lands it safely on the ground, and saves a lot of lives because of this. For a short time, he is seen as an unarguable hero, but once an investigation gets put in order it is revealed that Whitaker is a struggling alcoholic. Whitaker makes friendships along the way, and must simultaneously face ridicule and fight off his inner demon of alcoholism and come to terms with the beast that lives inside of him. Flight is totally compelling and often gripping. There is not one bad scene in this feature. The world of addiction is well and profoundly investigated with Whitaker, especially because he cannot admit to himself or others that he has a
serious problem. He also feels that if he wasn’t drunk during the time of flying, everyone on the plane may or may not have survived. That opening 20 minute sequence of the plane rushing through a sea of turbulence and flying upside down is both exciting and a wicked dose of adrenaline. Imagine any other plane crash sequence in other films, and then imagine it hyped up on cocaine and codeine. Even after seeing it a second time, you’ll probably still feel as tense as you did the first time around. The suspense for that scene is beautifully created, and you can really feel it on each character’s face. The fact that Whitaker wants to push everyone away who wants to help him can get a little frustrating for the viewer. Still, we all can feel the turmoil that Whitaker is facing in this state in his life, and over a vast majority of his life. Denzel Washington yet again brings a great character to life with ease, and portrays him beautifully, making us want to root for him wholeheartedly. There is a sort of dramatic, emotional, and even darkly hilarious at times, philosophical blended atmosphere that one can really get absorbed in. We, the viewers, may not know the true hardships of addiction and may not understand Whitaker’s drinking, but we must comprehend that it seems like a very difficult disease to
defeat. One person who tries to help Whitaker overcome his addiction is Nicole, a heroin addict who is trying to get sober. The relationship between the two is nice but can get a little strained because they both are addicts, but she has come to terms with her addiction and wants to overcome it, while Whitaker is having a tougher time. Some other relationships formed in the film are okay, too, but almost all of them don’t feel great (like with his union rep, Charlie Anderson or his lawyer, Hugh Lang) because Whitaker really feels like a person who doesn’t play well with others. One person he does play well with is Harling Mays (John Goodman), his cousin and sometimes drug dealer. Harling is not present in the film for an extremely long time, but when he is, he really steals the show with his comic relief, and no one else could play this role as well as Goodman accomplishes. He is the best, and only, man for the job.
Release Date: 1st February 2013
Director:
Robert Zemeckis
Famous Faces:
Denzel Washington, Nadine Velazquez, and Don Cheadle
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ama M In this modern age, it is very difficult for horror films to be original. There is so little ground that has not already been stepped on. This is one of the biggest problems of Mama, a film that has a great backstory, but it’s reminiscent story of The Woman in Black that copies scares from many other features. One day, a father goes insane, kills his wife because she is going to leave him, and he takes his two young daughters with him and they hit the road, meaning to go far away. The father, Jeffrey,
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is zooming too fast, and the car skids off the road and down into the forest. They find a cabin, and just when the father is about to kill the elder daughter, a mysterious being comes and takes him away. It is now five years later, and the girls have not been found. The uncle of the two young girls, Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), hasn’t given up hope of finding them. With the support of his girlfriend, Annabel (portrayed by Jessica Chastian, who is sporting a short jet black wig and rocker tattoos), he has been paying investigators to look for them for those five years. When the investigators finally find them, they are in odd states. They crawl to get around,
they’re dirty, and they claim to have been taken care of by something they call “Mama”. When Lucas and Annabel take in Victoria, 8, and Lily, 6, Mama isn’t very fond of her girls being taken away from her. The backstory established in Mama is a good one: an institutionalized woman steals back her baby in the late 1800’s, but she dies and her baby doesn’t. Soon, she-turned-ghost searches everywhere for the baby, only to find Victoria and Lily instead. The film’s main scares are from better horror films, so there isn’t much content one hasn’t seen. There are also many convenient things that happen in the film: the uncle goes into a coma rather early on in the film, leaving Annabel to take care of the little eerie tykes so he doesn’t lose custody. Whilst the film does a few things wrong, it
does a lot of things right. We may have seen the scares before, but it doesn’t stop the film from being effective and spooky. Many of the scares also do linger on the mind after watching the feature, which is an effective aspect that horror flicks aspire to possess. It’s an atmosphere that doesn’t give its audience many senses of security. Mama is often popping up every which way, and the feature can really get the heart racing. Mama starts off on a strong note, keeps going strong, and the third act is the weakest of them all because of a characters’ stupid poor decision. Until it loses its pacing balance during the final act, Mama is a chilling experience each time the sun goes out. It is even quite scary during the day, because apparently spirits never sleep. The bond between the two sisters is generally strong throughout the feature, but there is room for improvement. Lily, the youngest, is still very dependent on Mama, while Victoria is getting closer to Annabel and Mama’s malevolent tendencies are becoming more visible. Lily seems as if she’s too afraid to be abandoned again, as is Victoria in a way. Mama doesn’t want to be abandoned either, rousing malevolent jealousy. Annabel is depicted as a character not open to having kids in the beginning because of her excitement to a failed pregnancy, but she does open
up to the girls as the film goes along. This is much to Mama’s dismay, as she is suffering from a disease called JBS (Jealous Bitch Syndrome). All of this duelling jealousy leads to the unbalanced third act, but it also leads up to a surprisingly emotionally stirring ending. The performances in the feature aren’t top-tier, as this is still a horror movie. Each performer does express the usual fear and anxiety, topped on with more screaming. It was a great decision by the casting director to cast such a big star as Jessica Chastain. However, for Chastain, this is a career lowpoint, though this doesn’t say a lot because this is still a great feature. At least her character didn’t commit too many horror flick clichés, and Chastain proves that she really can rock any look.
Written by Daniel Prinn @DanielPrinn
Release Date:
22nd February 2013
Director:
Andrés Muschietti
Famous Faces:
Jessica Chastain, Nikolaj CosterWaldau, Megan Charpentier
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On DVD this month...
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February DVD Releases:
Rust And Bone Date: 25th February
Ginger And Rosa Date: 11th February
Directed by Jacques Audiard, Rust and Bone is based on Craig Davidson‘s short story collection of the same name and follows killer whale trainer Stephanie (Marion Cotillard) who, after suffering a horrible accident that has left her with a life-changing disability, finds friendship in street fighter Ali (Matthias Schoenaerts).
Written and directed by Sally Porter, Ginger and Rosa is a look at the lives of two teenage girls inseparable friends Ginger and Rosa -- growing up in 1960s London, and the pivotal event the comes to redefine their relationship as the Cuban Missile Crisis looms.
Paranormal Activity 4 Date: 25th February
Untouchable Date: 11th February
The fourth film in Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman’s Paranormal Activity franchise, it has been five years since the disappearance of Katie and Hunter, and a suburban family witness strange events in their neighbourhood when a woman and a mysterious child move in
Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano’s French drama follows an aristocrat, who, after he becomes a quadriplegic from a paragliding accident, hires a young man from the projects to be his caretaker.
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Beasts Of The Southern Wild Directed and co-written by Benh Zeitlin, Beasts Of The Southern Wild is written by Lucy Alibar and adapted from her one-act play Juicy and Delicious. As a relentless storm approaches a southern Louisiana bayou community called the Bathtub, a community cut off from the rest of the world by a levy, the film follows six-year-old Hushpuppy (Quvenzhané Wallis) who, faced with both her hot-tempered father (Dwight Henry)’s fading health, must learn the ways of courage and love as the ice-caps melting threaten to flood her ramshackle bayou community and unleash ancient aurochs. Beasts Of The Southern Wild really is one beautiful film. Who’d have thought that a fantasy drama about climate change narrated by a six-year-old would work? I certainly didn’t, but I’ve watched this a couple of times now and it still holds an exhilarating power. The premise is quite simple but there’s a huge depth to it, making Beasts Of The Southern Wild powerful and emotional but light-hearted and incredibly sweet at the same time. There’s a lot of meaning behind what happens, mainly expressed through the young girl’s narration, mixing an incredible piece of imagination with a strong sense of reality. The story behind Beasts Of The Southern Wild is refreshingly original, and that’s the film’s biggest quality. Complimented excellently by beautiful
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performances, Quvenzhané Wallis leads the film incredibly, pulling on your heart-strings in all the right places. Nominated for the Best Actress award at this year’s Oscars, 9-year-old Wallis is the youngest ever nominee for this Academy Award, and it’s no surprise considering how well she holds this film up. It is her relationship with her father that gives the film its power. The first time I watched the film I hated Dwight Henry‘s role as Hushpuppy’s father, as I saw all of his actions as an act of violence. On my second watch, however, I started to see how he was in fact preparing Hushpuppy for a world on her own. Having to watch a young girl try to understand the world around her whilst her father drinks his life away is bound to provoke an emotional response from most of its audience, as the fantastic mix of magic realism and melodrama pulls you under the floods with them.
Release Date:
11th February 2013
Director: Benh Zeitlin
Famous Faces:
Quvenzhané Wallis, and Dwight Henry
Written by Charlie Derry @charliederry
Skyfall
Bond’s loyalty to M is tested when her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost. I’m not sure how well Skyfall stands in the shadow of the other twenty-two Bond films, but on its own, it stands tall and proud, as the finest action film of last year. Skyfall is very easy to follow, and if the viewer hasn’t seen any of the Bond films before they wouldn’t get lost at all. Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition) brings some great direction to this. The cinematography and effects are great, and the opening sequence (with Adele’s song “Skyfall”) is very compelling. Skyfall is totally compelling and its pacing is great. The only
thing that’s a little disappointing about the film is Javier Bardem’s absence for the first bit of the film. His presence is really worth the wait. He seems like an incredible Bond villain, and he is one of the greatest criminal masterminds of recent memory. I haven’t seen this great of a villain, and this great of a portrayal, since Anthony Hopkins’ Hannibal Lecter. The humour and the story offered works well, and this instalment seems much more satisfying than Quantum of Solace. To top it off, Bond has some great love interests, and there are a number of really intense and awesome action sequences. Skyfall is undeniably the most memorable, and best, action film of the year. If for nothing else, I really want to check out the other Bond films now.
Release Date:
18th February 2013
Director:
Sam Mendes
Famous Faces:
Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Judi Dench, and Ralph Fiennes
Written by Daniel Prinn @DanielPrinn
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On The Road Written by Chris Bone @Boney88 Based on Jack Kerouac’s awe-inspiring beat generation novel, Walter Salles’ (The Motorcycle Diaries) adaptation of On the Road tells its story with far greater emphasis on brotherhood and daddy issues. It follows Kerouac’s semiautobiographical character; Sal Paradise (Sam Riley), as he traverses the gaudy backtracks of 1950’s America. His ever increasing relationship with Dean Moriarty (Garrett Hedlund) becomes the focal point, and the appearance of Marylou (Kristen Stewart) helps shape their passage into an alcoholfuelled drug ride, full of bizarre affairs and serendipitous bouts of leftfield Americana. It’s a film that relies heavily on its visuals, but when you’re working with descriptions such as “Soon it got dusk, a grapy dusk, a purple dusk over tangerine groves and long melon fields; the sun the colour of pressed grapes, slashed with burgundy red, the fields the colour of love and Spanish mysteries” it’d be dishonourable to the source material to not, at the very least, attempt to grasp some of the squalid imagery that Kerouac presents. The film is awash with the
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stubbly dilapidation of a broken America that Kerouac described so peerlessly. In the same way that Life of Pi was adapted with the author’s pinpoint precision, Salles’ grasps that vision. But the challenge with On the Road wasn’t a tiger floating on a raft; it was giving the sense of journey in a reasonable time frame. In the novel its characters dart from place-to-place every paragraph, and as a reader, you’re hardly allowed to take a moments breath and realise just how far the journey has taken you; both physically and in terms of its characters’ development. In the film adaptation, the unity between Sal and Dean is what bestows this great sense of a journey lived, on the viewer, and by the end I felt a much deeper sense of kinship between the two leads than the book ever gave. Its final five minutes do so much to encompass this that they’re good enough to watch separately. It’s my favourite scene of 2012 and it still makes me wonder how such a good film was so overlooked. Garrett Hedlund particularly deserves credit; he brings Dean Moriarty to life in all his rampant, dishonourable glory. He even overshadows a career best from
Kristen Stewart, though that doesn’t say too much when you’re matched with the Queen of perpetual moodiness. There are times when the series of events feels like a sketch show of all the high-points of America in the 50’s, and it leads the audience to believe they’re like red herrings to the overall plot. A particularly shocking cameo from Steve Buscemi is something to be believed rather than seen, as well, but it still presents that uniquely classy sense of dishevelment that made the book a modern classic and defined the beat generation, though here it’s to the bohemian tune of an affecting camaraderie.
Release Date:
25th February 2013
Director:
Walter Salles
Famous Faces:
Kristen Stewart, Viggo Mortensen, Amy Adams, Steve Buscemi, Kirsten Dunst, Sam Riley, and Garrett Hedlund
Perks Of Being A Wallflower Not any writer since John Hughes has quite analyzed teen angst as well, but Chbosky comes pretty close. Meet Charlie, a young freshman outsider who has to deal with his own inner demons of the past - depression, loneliness, and the death of his best friend. Charlie is extremely nervous for his first day of high school, and doesn’t want his English teacher to be the only friend he makes. Fortunately, he encounters two fellow outcasts, Sam (Emma Watson) and her gay and hysterical step brother Patrick (Ezra Miller). They take him under their wings, show him lessons of love, pain, friendship, belonging, and overcome being a complete wallflower. Stephen Chbosky directs, and adapts his own novel for the big screen, and he does it quite well. The actors really fit their characters, and their performances are awesome for such a young ensemble. The writing is brilliant through and through; one can sense that Perks of Being a Wallflower is set in the 1990s because of all the vinyl records, wardrobe, mix tapes and not CDs, and the older music. This film is a perfect example of a film that offers a great atmosphere, and it’s one that the viewer can really fall head over heels in love with. The film really does resonate with the majority of people, high schoolers especially - everyone feels out of place at some point in their lives, don’t they? - and a lot of the characters are easily
relatable, as each of them are effectively developed. They all have great depth, and each have their own inner demon to battle. There is a great sense of poignancy, and can easily cause the viewer to get choked up in several areas because of sensitive subjects. The poignancy is large, and the comedy is also hysterical. The mix of genres is beautiful, and the film can definitely make the viewer feel extremely emotional at one point, and fall-off-their-chairlaughing at the next minute. The profound analysis of teenage angst is accurate, brilliantly touching, and heartbreakingly honest. Thinking back, there isn’t a flaw visible in this film. The performances are great, the story is awesome, and the atmosphere it offers is perfect. It’s a fine classic of 2012 that can define a generation as well as John Hughes could. It deserves to be seen; so get off the couch, grab a few friends (but if you don’t have any, it’s okay to be a wallflower!) and go see this movie.
Written by Daniel Prinn @DanielPrinn
Release Date:
11th February 2013
Director:
Stephen Chbosky
Famous Faces:
Logan Lerman, Emma Watson,and Ezra Miller
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Anna Karenina Directed by Joe Wright and the twelfth adaptation of Leo Tolstoy‘s 1877 novel of the same name in total, Anna Karenina is set in late-19th-century Russia and follows socialite Anna Karenina (Keira Knightley) who, married to the passionless government official Alexei (Jude Law), journeys to Moscow to visit her philandering brother Oblonsky (Matthew Macfadyen) to help save his marriage to Dolly (Kelly Macdonald). Exploring the capacity for love that surges through the human heart, the film follows Anna’s affair with the affluent Count Vronsky (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), as well as the relationship between Oblonsky’s best friend Levin (Domhnall Gleeson) and Dolly’s younger sister Kitty (Alicia Vikander). Joe Wright has created another stunning film with his version of Anna Karenina, and his risk pays off as he sets the entire film on a theatre stage. Only at times feeling a little mismatched as the occasional scene enters the outside world, the way that the scenes change around the characters is done beautifully. Wright is one of my favourite directors because of the efforts he puts into the aesthetics of his films, and just like his previous award-winning box office successes Pride & Prejudice and Atonement, from the set designs to the costumes, this film is a marvel to watch. Starring Keira Knightley in the lead role, the third collaboration
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between her and the director, her performance was yet again spot on. Alongside Matthew Macfadyen, whose character is the funniest I’ve seen him play so far, there were many similarities to Wright’s other work which did put me off in places, but their performances are another reason why I can always find myself engaging with his films. Non-Wright regulars Jude Law and Domhnall Gleeson also give excellent performances, both provoking a lot of emotion, especially Gleeson who gives his best performance yet. Even Aaron Johnson wasn’t awful, though I’ve never been much of a fan of his roles, but I do think he also seemed too young for the role. Nevertheless, he and Knightley have a great chemistry, and whilst I have not read the novels myself, from what I’ve read online so far I thought the film expressed their relationship well , but that it did need more of an emotional push towards the end. Overall, all of the character’s relationships are easy to enjoy which compliment the story really well. The performances and aesthetics combined make for a beautiful film, and the story will grab your attention straight away. Whether you like Wright’s work or not, Anna Karenina is worth watching for his efforts of setting the film on stage alone, and it for that risk that this film was one of 2012′s most memorable.
Written by Charlie Derry @charliederry
Release Date:
4th February 2013
Director: Joe Wright
Famous Faces:
Keira Knightley, Jude Law, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Matthew Macfadyen, and Domhnall Gleeson
Hotel Transylvania Written by Charlie Derry @charliederry
From Sony Pictures Animation and directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, Hotel Transylvania tells the story of Dracula (voiced by Adam Sandler), the owner of the monster hotel, who invites some of the world’s most famous monsters – including Frankenstein (Kevin James), Frankenstein’s wife Eunice (Fran Drescher), werewolf Wayne (Steve Buscemi), Wayne’s wife Wanda (Molly Shannon), ghost Griffin (David Spade), and Murray the mummy (Cee Lo Green) – to stay for the 118th birthday of his daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez). When a human, Jonathan (Andy Samberg), finds his way to the hotel, however, Dracula isn’t in for the easy weekend he was expecting, as Mavis starts to realise that she’s old enough to experience the real world with the possibility of romance. More for children than adults with its constant toilet humour, Hotel Transylvania is an average animation that holds a lot of meaning at its core. Primarily focusing on a fatherdaughter relationship, younger audiences will relate to Mavis’ desire for freedom and take a lot away from the lessons that the characters learn – namely
not to judge anybody different from yourself. This is what Hotel Transylvania is good for, as it even manages to make you laugh along the way. There are a few nods to an older audience, though, with jokes about Twilight and the occasional innuendo. What the older audience will appreciate most of all is the decent set of characters, consisting of a wellsuited voice cast combining members of the Happy Madison gang and a number of musicians. Whilst Gomez really brings to life her teenage daughter character, the use of Samberg and Cee Lo Green appear only to favour the random outbursts into song. This is where the film steps back a little, over-using the auto-tune button and singing about how everybody feels about each other. Whilst Hotel Transylvania is constantly cheesy, it’s an easy watch and the songs are still, annoyingly, in my head. It has its moments, but it certainly wasn’t worth that Golden Globe nomination. From the creator of Dexter’s Laboratory and The Powerpuff Girls, the animation is detailed beautifully and the use of colour is really well-fitting. It’s just not a comedy that leaves
you in hysterics, but it will keep up over many viewings. If for nothing else, Hotel Transylvania may just be an Adam Sandler film that you can enjoy; it’s certainly better than anything else he’s done recently. Released on DVD on 29th January, Hotel Transylvania is accompanied by the somewhat funny short, Goodnight Mr. Foot, which highlights Tartakovsky’s brilliant cartoon animation that his TV shows were so wellknown for. Other DVD extras include two deleted scenes, a behindthe-scenes video, a filmmakers’ commentary, and the music video for ‘Problem’ by Becky G ft. Will.I.Am.
Release Date:
4th February 2013
Director:
Genndy Tartakovsky
Famous Voices:
Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Andy Samberg, and Selena Gomez
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Frankenweenie
Directed by Tim Burton, there’s a great message in there Frankenweenie is a 3D black and for a younger audience at the white stop motion that honours same time. the 1931 film Frankenstein The best quality of the film, based on Mary Shelley‘s book. however, is its set of characters, A remake of Burton’s 1984 short especially Edgar E. Gore (Atticus film of the same name, the film Shaffer), as they each play on follows Victor (Charlie Tahan), their unique characteristics a young boy who conducts brilliantly. Also starring the a science experiment on his voices of Burton regulars Winona beloved dog Sparky in hopes of Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Martin bringing him back to life, only Short and Martin Landau, we to have to face the unintended, are again reminded of Burton’s monstrous consequences. other work as a strong sense I had avoided watching this of nostalgia runs through this for some reason, I think it was animation to remind us of the the mix of a black and white great films Burton is known for. animation and the possibility of Just like the character another tiresome Burton film, that this film is dedicated to, but Frankenweenie is definitely Frankenweenie is its very own one of his better pieces of work Frankenstein in that it pieces lately. I still don’t quite know together many of Burton’s better how I feel about the black and film-making qualities, becoming white animation as the film felt a classic in its own right. like it needed something more at times, but the gothic appearance Release Date: undeniably suits his style of film25th February 2013 making. Moreover, the constant Director: references to the horror genre Tim Burton throughout are excellent, giving homage to many of the films Famous Voices: that Burton himself has been Charlie Tahan, Winona Ryder, influenced by. Whilst the film and Catherine O’Hara is quite dark at times, coming across as more of an adult animation than a family one, the story is quite endearing and
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Written by Charlie Derry @charliederry
To Rome With Love Woody Allen‘s latest, To Rome With Love is told in four separate vignettes and tells the stories of a clerk (Roberto Benigni) who wakes up to find himself a celebrity, an architect (Alec Baldwin) who takes a trip back to the street he lived on as a student and the couple he meets (Ellen Page and Jesse Eisenberg), a young couple (Alessandro Tiberi and Alessandra Mastronardi) on their honeymoon that is interrupted by an escort (Penélope Cruz), and a funeral director (Fabio Armiliato) who has a talent for singing in the shower. Written, directed by, and starring Woody Allen, To Rome With Love is a very hit and miss film. Giving the occasional laugh in four separate stories of love and life, it doesn’t quite hold the same spark as Allen’s other work, but it does have the same appeal, even if it isn’t pushing any boundaries. Whilst To Rome With Love is typically a romance, it is still and foremost a Woody Allen romance, looking at how the mind works and wonders when in a loving relationship, something Allen often explores in his films, rather than overdramatised happily-ever-after’s. It may not specifically be about love, but the film explores many interesting and varying relationships, all of which are
easy to engage with. The use of woven stories works really well, but it is also the film’s biggest downfall. If this whole film was Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page, and Alec Baldwin alone, I would have absolutely loved it, as their storyline was hilarious. But in actuality, a film about any of these stories would have been fantastic, as each of them were interesting and well told. Unfortunately, none of them were linked in any way, and going back and forth between them constantly meant that too much was going on, not allowing enough time to invest in any of them properly. In the end it was all rather wasted, as there was a lot of potential that just didn’t come together in the right way. Still, it was a decent and typical Woody Allen romantic comedy, with a great cast in a beautiful city.
Written by Charlie Derry @charliederry
Release Date:
11th February 2013
Director: Woody Allen
Famous Faces:
Woody Allen, Penélope Cruz, and Jesse Eisenberg
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Killing Them Softly Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt) is an enforcer hired to restore order after three dumb guys, who think they’re smart, rob a mobprotected card game, causing the local criminal economy to collapse. The film opens with Frankie (Scoot McNairy) walking down a rundown street, and the film cuts between a politician speaking and him. The wording constantly gets off. This is both stylish and artistic, but it will get irritating to the impatient viewer. It becomes known that this film is set when George W. Bush was still leader of the free world, and America was in an economic crisis. The card game being robbed doesn’t particularly assist the local criminal economy in any way. In that way, this is both a story of violence and despair, and a compelling and complex social commentary of 2008 America in the midst of one of the worst financial situations since the Great Depression. The film suggests that America is not a place where one could easily raise their kids. It is not a community, it is a business. However, these concepts of economics and capitalism are not subtly explored. Jackie Cogan is an awesome character who is filled with philosophy and mystery. Frankie and Russell may be a little dimwitted, but they’re interesting characters. Russell is often really there just for comedic relief. Both the characters are good enough to carry the film for their scenes. In fact, they practically
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carry the film for the first twenty minutes - with a little help from Curatola and Liotta. These actors remind us that a film can be good, even when Pitt isn’t onscreen. Also, Brad Pitt entering the screen to the sound of Johnny Cash’s “The Man Comes Around” is the perfect touch. Brad Pitt, as usual, is a booming screen presence. Put him beside Richard Jenkins’ character and he’s great. He brings in some other mystery to the film, and who exactly he works for goes unanswered. Mickey’s character is hardly interesting though, all he talks about is sex and money. He talks too much, and he doesn’t kill enough. It’s really a silly turn from James Gandolfini. Scoot McNairy is also excellent in this. The story and the cinematography are the real highlights of the film. There are a few other vividly cool editing sequences, that leave me feeling impressed. There’s one stunning scene where Pitt is firing a gun in the rain in a slow-motion sequence. It’s vividly cool, and is worth the watch simply for that. Don’t stay for just that, though. This is one of the year’s best! There is a whole load of killing, but not as much as it seems to promise. The social commentary it offers is also profound. Sometimes it gets talky, but it is never uninteresting. The soundtrack is great and the atmosphere it offers is one of the most unique of the year.
Written by Daniel Prinn @DanielPrinn
Release Date:
25th February 2013
Director:
Andrew Dominik
Famous Faces:
Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta, and Richard Jenkins
Madagascar 3
After Alex (Ben Stiller), Marty (Chris Rock), Gloria (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Melman (David Schwimmer) get abandoned by the penguins and the monkeys, they have to find a way to get off the African island. They swim to Monte Carlo to reunite with them to get a ride home, but instead run into the antagonist of the movie when their actions attract the attention of Animal Control. How does the king of the jungle, a zebra, a hippo, and a giraffe get around Europe without attracting attention? The answer: they bamboozle their way into a circus. The penguins buy the circus with their earnings from Monte Carlo, and the gang try to find a way home. It’s the ultimate, fun road trip film of all animated films. It’s really the longest detour to home of all films. The Madagascar trilogy isn’t a great one, but it’s a good one. The new characters they meet along the way are quite great. The character of Vitaly (voiced by Bryan Cranston) is a reserved character with a grudge toward life and the circus, itself. Though, the mystery behind this towering tiger is sort of intriguing. The
other character of Gia (voiced by Jessica Chastain) is charming. Lastly, the other new main character is the scene-stealing Stefano (voiced by Martin Short). Stefano is hilarious, and he’s my favourite sea lion, ever. Sometimes, he’s funnier than the primary characters themselves. The message is a little preachy. It’s all about having a passion and finding one’s homeland; home is where the heart is, apparently. They don’t water this one down. It’s way out there. However, sometimes the filmmakers don’t give enough focus on the primary characters of Alex, Marty, Gloria and Melman. The supporting characters are so vast in numbers, they just make the story feel a little flooded. The biggest screen-stealers are, as expected, the penguins, whilst the main antagonist, Captain Chantel DuBois (Head of Monte Carlo Animal Control), is simply annoying and over-the-top. She plays out sort like a parody of Cruella DeVille (I realize that the film must have a main antagonist, but it’s just a tad ridiculous to think that she’d
have the audacity to follow this lion to Rome and London, while she only has any real authority in Monte Carlo!) Madagascar 3 is filled with so many scene-stealing characters, that at times they feel like the primary focus instead of the intended four zoo animals. The antagonist is irritating, but this is still great animation. The experience it offers is fun, and at times it is very exciting. There’s great humour for children, and for the older audience, too. It’s a great installment to the series, but in all honesty, I hope it’s over. They should really end it on a good note.
Release Date:
11th February 2013
Directors:
Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath, and Conrad Vernon
Famous Voices:
Ben Stiller, Jada Pinkett Smith, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jessica Chastain and Bryan Cranston
Written by Daniel Prinn @DanielPrinn
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Sinister Written by Daniel Prinn @DanielPrinn
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Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke) is a struggling writer whose last big hit was ten years ago. He and his family move into a new house in order for him to pursue a book idea. He’s moved them into a house a few doors down from a crime scene before, but this time he’s moved them into a house where the actual crime took place. He finds a box of Super 8 films in the attic, which help him learn how and why the people who owned the house before were murdered. This puts them in the path of a dangerous souleating Ancient Pagan God by the name of Bughuul. The film is flawed in terms of the latter segment of the film, it suffers from a few horror clichés, and at times I have trouble believing some of the stuff that goes on. Despite its flaws, there is a lot to love about it. Sinister is deeply dark, wickedly atmospheric, and inventive. It’s so twisted and convoluted, that you just may ask yourselves, “Okay, which Stephen King book is this based on?” It relies more on its pretty great story and its atmosphere, rather than those lame ass ineffective pop-out scares you see in traditional horror. There is a fair share of popout scares, but they’re very effective thanks to the great score and the sounds that go bump in the night. Ethan Hawke falls victim to horror flick clichés because he doesn’t think to turn on a light and he just takes a swig of
Written by Daniel Prinn @DanielPrinn
whiskey and investigates the strange noise with curiosity. I’d be going out of my room with a sword or something. One thing that’s seriously hard to believe is how the family isn’t hearing any of the crap that’s going on in the house. They must be heavy sleepers. Ellison might as well just be the only character in the film in most scenes. The film is generally dark, thematically as well with the dimly lit scenery. It isn’t very easy on the eyes but it’s ultimately effective. This is a piece of impressive filmmaking with great direction, and some Super 8 films that are both graphic and chilling, which add in to the great horror crime mystery and really make this one stand out. It’s combined well with the general cinematography. The tie-in of crime is really something nice, and the mythology is pretty interesting, too. The great thing about this film is its wicked atmosphere. The tone was set right from the get go with the opening graphic scene.
Release Date:
11th February 2013
Director:
Scott Derrickson
Famous Faces:
Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, and James Ransone
Taken 2 Taken 2 is an occasionally enjoyable, but generally unsatisfying, sequel. Bryan Mills is going on a business trip (I guess he came out of retirement) to Istanbul, Turkey. His ex-wife Lenore and his daughter Kim tag along after a few days because their own trip got cancelled last minute. What Mills isn’t aware of is, the father of a man he killed on his first mission to rescue his daughter, is out for revenge. Mills must use his acquired set of skills that he acquired over a very long career, and enhanced in the first film, to save his and his family’s lives and get home safely. I really have a hard time believing some of the content here. There’s hardly a suspension of disbelief anymore, because some unbelievable ideas really bother me. Why would anyone want to take exotic trips so close together, especially after the apparently seventeen-year-old daughter got kidnapped? Speaking of the daughter, when did she become so skilled? And Maggie Grace, we know you’re 29 years old, not 17... Okay, I’m done with tearing apart the unbelievable content. Did I miss anything? Probably. I’ll talk about what’s sort of good about it. The same simple premise is used, but it is only sometimes effective, and not nearly as effective as the first. It’s practically the same film, with a few minor changes. It just drags on in a lot of areas. Admittedly, some of the action sequences are alright. Some are better than others, and some are just tedious and messy. Some
of the flashback visuals, or visuals used when someone is drugged, are really rough and hard on the eyes, especially the opening credits. That’s truly bothersome, but the landscape is admittedly pretty great. At the beginning, as an introduction to the plot that shall follow, the narrative alternates between L.A. and Albania, and it feels like two different plots for the first (approximately) twenty minutes. The Mills family are just about the family representation of Princess Peach. They just keep getting kidnapped all the time! One would think they would learn from the first film. Though, if you ever get kidnapped, just call Bryan Mills at 1-888-789-TKN2, for assistance to get you out of the jam. He’ll help you out. In one line of dialogue, Neeson even comments on how there will probably be a second sequel. He seems to say it reluctantly, too. Join us for the inevitable second sequel, where one of these things may just get taken from him: one of his buddies, grandkid, identity, pet goldfish, or, GOD FORBID, his favourite weapon.
Written by Daniel Prinn @DanielPrinn
Release Date:
4th February 2013
Director:
Olivier Megaton
Famous Faces: Liam Neeson
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In cinemas next month...
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March’s Cinema: Oz: The Great And Powerful Date: 8th March A small-time magician with dubious ethics is hurled off to an enchanting land, where he encounters three witches, as well as the opportunity to transform himself into a great wizard.
The Host Date: 29th March
Jack The Giant Slayer Date: 22nd March
A parasitic alien soul is injected into the body of Melanie Stryder. Instead of carrying out her race’s mission of taking over the Earth, “Wanda” forms a bond with her host and sets out to aid other free humans.
The ancient war between humans and a race of giants is re-ignited when Jack, a young farmhand fighting for a kingdom and the love of a princess, opens a gateway between the two worlds.
The Paperboy Date: 15th March A reporter returns to his Florida hometown to investigate a case involving a death row inmate.
Side Effects Date: 8th March
Stoker Date: 1st March
A young woman’s world unravels when a drug prescribed by her psychiatrist has unexpected side effects.
After India’s father dies, her Uncle Charlie, who she never knew existed, comes to live with her and her unstable mother. She comes to suspect this mysterious, charming man has ulterior motives.
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