For the last week of Spring then we have another veritable mixed bag of offerings that include a period piece set in the American mid-east coast in the 1930's; then there is an American middle-class tale of a family obsessing over their technology, social media, the Internet and how all this stuff at their fingertips impacts their little lives; next up is an American tale set in LA charting the clandestine camerawork of a would-be news hound in the small wee hours; then a story of another camera wielding reporter working in very different conditions and the implications this has on the family after a near death experience whilst on the job; and finally there is an Australian offering that, for me, almost defies explanation and stands for everything Aussie we would rather forget about - but it will doubtless find an audience . . . somewhere!
Five films therefore coming your way very soon. When you have chosen your pick (or two) of the bunch this week, drop me a line in the Comments Box following this Post, or any other, and let my global readership know what you thought - it's goof to share! Enjoy your filmic experience in the week ahead!
NIGHTCRAWLER (Rated MA15+) - this film is touted as possibly Jake Gyllenhaal's finest to date with him starring in the title role as Lou Bloom - the LA 'Nightcrawler' in question. This Nightcrawler however, does not belong in a Superhero movie, but here he is a drifter roaming the streets at night in search of gainful employment. Stumbling upon a camera crew shooting footage of a car accident he has a flash of inspiration and decides this is the career move he is looking for. Procuring a camcorder and a Police radio scanner he starts trawling the streets at night looking for footage to film and to hopefully on-sell to the local TV channels. Striking up a rapport with one such local TV station his paths cross with Nina Romina (Rene Russo) - the Director of the early morning news. She takes his early tapes and stipulates the more violent, bloody and upmarket the footage is, the better, and this sets in motion for Lou a quest for more daring footage, greater risk taking and at times playing with the truth and the facts for the sake of a good story and the sell.
Written and Directed by Dan Gilroy in his Directorial debut for a modest US$8.5M this is a tense, gripping, psychological drama played out by a strong cast with a solid lead, a taught storyline and the graininess of a violence fuelled night-time urban setting witnessed to a large extent through the lens of a camcorder. There's a lot of buzz about this film, and the trailers seen so far make this a must see going into the Christmas Season, and already since it's release on 31st October stateside it has grossed US$33.5M.
SERENA (MA15+) - this is our American mid-east coast period piece set in the 1930's in North-Carolina and starring two of Hollywood's hottest properties right now - Bradley Copper as George Pemberton - a well-to-do privileged socialite intent on building a timber empire, and his soon-to-be wife and heiress Serena Shaw (Jennifer Lawrence). Based on the book of the same name by Ron Rash this also stars Rhys Ifans, Toby Jones and Sean Harris and is helmed by Danish Oscar winning Director Susanne Bier who won with Danish language 'In a Better World' at the 2011 Academy Awards. When George learns that his new wife Serena cannot bear him children things start to get complicated for the couple with more far reaching implications. The making of this film has been marred with difficulty with various edits before finding a distributor resulting in lengthy release delays before its arrival in our cinemas. In the final analysis the critics have not be kind to 'Serena' the film, although Cooper's and Lawrence's performances are passable but perhaps not enough to save the script and the somewhat wayward production. Maybe wait for the DVD release - your call!
MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN (Rated M) - this American dramedy is Directed by Jason Reitman and based on the book of the same name by Chad Kultgen. Charting the story of four social media addicted, Internet porn addled, sex hungry teenagers all suffering from their school, sport, social stresses and anxieties, and their associated parents who have similar challenges of their own in this technology gripped all ruling world. Starring the voice talents of Emma Thompson narrating, with Jennifer Garner, Adam Sandler, Ansel Elgort, Rosemarie DeWitt, Dennis Haysbert, Judy Greer and Dean Norris amongst others we see lives collide at our fingertips, intertwine and situations created of our own doing that often cannot be undone in cyberspace. A morality tale perhaps on the good and evil the Internet has spawned, how we interact with it, what it means to us and how we have become so dependant on it - for better and for worse! This could be a wake up call for the tech savvy, Internet dependant age . . . or just a load of self-absorbent tosh!
A THOUSAND TIMES GOODNIGHT (Rated M) - Rebecca (Juliette Binoche) is a photo journalist who has carved out a career and a reputation for her photographic news coverage of war torn hotspots around the world. When in Afghanistan filming with a group of female suicide bombers, a premature detonation leaves her badly injured. Returning home to Ireland to recover she is delivered an ultimatum by her husband Marcus (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and daughter Steph (Lauryn Canny) asking her to choose once and for all between them as her family, or her work as a photographer. Needless to say she chooses the former, but later when accompanying her daughter to Kenya for a spot of humanitarian work, the village in which they are staying is savagely attacked by rebels, and once again Rebecca's is thrust into her former life recording the actions on camera as she used to, only this time putting herself and her daughter in the line of fire. This film won the Special Grand Prix Jury Prize at the 2013 Montreal World Film Festival amongst others so far, and is said to be a morality tale too of the fine line that exists between family and career and what happens when one is consumed by the other!
FAT PIZZA vs. HOUSOS (Rated MA15+) - brought to us by Writer, Director and Actor Paul Fenech this brings the 'Fat Pizza' and 'Housos' TV series together for the big screen where bogans rule, cultures clash and just about everyone is on the take for something or other. When pizza chef Bobo Gigliotti is released from jail after 15 years for a chainsaw assault on a Health Inspector he sets up shop again in the only place he can afford - Sunnydale. What unfolds is a clash of the titans as bogans, bikies, cultures and ethnic minorities collide over a turf war, local disagreements and who can get one over on the next man in the quickest most efficient manner. There will be pizza, thongs, trackie-dacks, burnouts, fisticuffs, Ugg boots and all manner of politically, morally and socially incorrect banter that you might find entertaining . . . or not!There it is - another melting pot of five varied and diverse film offerings to tempt your movie going dollar in the week ahead. Check one out at least, share your thoughts and enjoy your big screen outing.
Movies - see as many as you can!
-Steve, at Odeon Online-
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