Film fans are a demographic who’ll easily go without sufficient sustenance to acquire the latest Anchor Bay re-release or a ceiling tile from the Sulaco. It’s safe to say that we’ll deny ourselves life’s essentials (shampoo, sausages, etc.) to acquire a piece of celluloid history. This goes farther than the usual purchasing of a must-have Blu-ray. Some of us will part with the kind of cash that could get our dental problems sorted once and for all.
The Purge Review
Director: James DeMonaco Writer: James DeMonaco Starring: Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey, Max Burkholder, Adelaide Kane Running time: 85 minutes Year: 2013
The Purge arrives fashionably late to the home invasion party. From director James DeMonaco, this creepy intruder thriller is underpinned by giant helpings of social commentary. But would these motifs have better suited two separate films?
Mud Review
Director: Jeff Nichols Writer: Jeff Nichols Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland Running time: 130 minutes Year: 2012
This review first appeared on Derby QUAD Blog
Matthew McConaughey is making big changes to his method. Anything he appears in almost certainly guarantees that at some point he’ll tear off his shirt – under the illusion that it’s too hot/it got dirty/it’s suddenly gone out of fashion.
The Best Films On Freeview June 3rd – June 9th
Here are my choice cuts for films you can watch on TV in the UK this week on Freeview.
The Last Stand Review
Director: Kim Jee-Woon Writer: Andrew Knauer Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Forest Whitaker, Johnny Knoxville Running time: 107 minutes Year: 2012
For his first starring role in over ten years you’d expect Arnold Schwarzenegger would be out to prove he’s still got it. He’s not and he ain’t. As small-town Sheriff Ray Owens in The Last Stand, he can barely muster the sincerity to utter a genuine greeting to his townsfolk. This is nothing out of the ordinary for the Austrian actor, who made a name for himself playing The Terminator; a robotic, monosyllabic beefcake. Seems Arnie is still struggling to shed that image. Obviously director Jee-Woon hoped to capitalise on what made Schwarzie so popular – his inability to convey human emotions.
Gone Review
Director: Heitor Dhalia Writer: Allison Burnett Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Jennifer Carpenter, Wes Bentley Running time: 95 minutes Year: 2012
Amanda Seyfried has established quite a name for herself in recent years. She’s appeared in dirge like Dear John and big starry affairs like Mamma Mia! She’s a thesp who’s willing to try it all. What’s unfathomable is why she chose to take the lead in Gone.
The Great Gatsby Review
Director: Baz Luhrmann Writer: Baz Luhrmann, Craig Pearce, F. Scott Fitzgerald Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan Running time: 142 minutes Year: 2013
This review first appeared on Derby QUAD Blog
When Leonardo DaVinci put the final touches to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, he probably stood back, poured himself a vino from his carafe and revelled in the pleasant ache of completion. It’s unlikely that he had to contend with some pesky runt sidling up to him muttering; “You see the way you’ve got God and Adam touching finger tips as God blesses Adam with the gift of life? Yeaaah, that’s not exactly how it happened. I mean, it was hinted at, but not explicitly stated.”
Lockout Review
Director: James Mather, Stephen St. Leger. Writer: Luc Besson, James Mather, Stephen St. Leger. Starring: Guy Pearce, Maggie Grace, Peter Stormare. Running time: 95 minutes Year: 2012
Lockout is a sci-fi actioner set in a future which permits convicts to be incarcerated in a giant prison floating above Earth. While it seems that cinema has fully cleared out sci-fi’s closet of interesting concepts by raiding every genre author’s back catalogue, Lockout proves there’s still room for emerging ideas. A nifty premise from the outset, the film benefits from an original story and a tight script by Luc Besson (Leon.)
Star Trek Into Darkness Review
Director: JJ Abrams Writer: Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch Running time: 132 minutes Year: 2013
This review first appeared on Derby QUAD Blog
JJ Abrams’ sci-fi sequel, Star Trek Into Darkness from the outset has quite the reputation to live up to. Most sequels only have to contend with bettering the original so as to satiate fans and attract new audiences. Into Darkness is lumbered with satisfying two criteria; paying tribute to the original Star Trek TV series, and the world created in Abrams’ first big screen Star Trek feature.
