Movies for the next few months
Well, the Northern Hemisphere's Summer is coming up and that means Movie Blockbuster Time. While all the lovers of serious, quality cinema groan and retreat to their DVD collections and online award predicting, the masses flock to the cinema for explosions, hot young bodies, special effects and spectacle.
The coming weeks and months are also a time when the South African release schedule seems to align more closely with the United States one. Suddenly movies open here only a few weeks after their American opening, and sometimes even on the same day (unless they're animated movies, of course, and in which case we often have to wait for the next batch of school holidays to see them on the big screen).
This is vastly different situation to October-through-March where South African audiences are left hanging when it comes to the release of critically acclaimed films of that period. Very often the distributors seem to hold back on releasing these films, waiting to see how many Critics' awards, Golden Globes and Oscars they receive before deciding how marketable they are and how wide a release they should receive.
Anyway, here's a selection of high profile movies (well, the ones that have caught my attention) that we have to look forward to in the coming weeks and months:
4 April
Planet Terror - The Robert Rodriguez directed portion of Grindhouse's "double horror feature" FINALLY released locally.
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11 April
Rambo - A slightly more droopy Stallone is back for 80s style over-the-top carnage, this time slicing and dicing up Burma.
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18 April
The Other Boleyn Girl - Based on the acclaimed novel, Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman compete for the affections of Eric Bana's Henry VIII.
I'm Not There - Unconventional Bob Dyaln biopic, where the legendary folk singer is played by everyone from Heath Ledger to Cate Blanchett.
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25 April
Run Fatboy Run - Shaun of the Dead's Simon Pegg attempts to impress his ex, Thandie Newton, by completing the London Marathon.
Nim's Island - Family adventure with Jodie Foster as a cowardly author and 300's Gerard Butler in Indiana Jones get-up.
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1 May
Semi-Pro - Latest Will Ferrell comedy about an afro-heavy 1970's basketball team.
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2 May
Iron Man - Real heroes are not born, they're made! Next to The Dark Knight Returns, this is THEE big superhero movie of 2008.
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9 May
The Mist - Based on the Stephen King story, a small rural town is swallowed by a mysterious mist crawling with deadly beasties.
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16 May
What Happens in Vegas - Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher get drunk, married, and then have to live together to receive a massive Vegas slot machine payout.
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23 May
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - After almost 20 years, Harrison Ford's whip-cracking archeologist is back. Steven Spielberg directs.
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30 May
Sex & The City - The HBO comedy series leaps to the big screen to continue the complicated romantic/sexual adventures of Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha.
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6 June
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - The Pevensie children are called back to Narnia to help the rightful new king defeat his evil uncle.
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13 June
The Incredible Hulk - A less arty, more action-packed take on the Marvel superhero. Edward Norton stars as long-suffering scientist Bruce Banner.
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27 June
Kung Fu Panda - Dreamworks animated movie styles on Far Eastern martial arts movies. Features an all-star voice cast.
WALL-E - Pixar animated movie about a robot left for 700 years on an abandoned Earth, and who inadvertently discovers the key to saving the planet.
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25 July
The Dark Knight - Christian Bale is back as a more "realistic" Batman, facing off against Heath ledger's Joker.
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8 August
The Mummy 3: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor - Brendan Fraser is back as adventurer Rick O'Connell, this time facing Jet Li's morphing, long dead Emperor Han.
------------------------
There are a number of movies I've left off this list - mostly fluffy comedies. You can view full Forthcoming Attractions lists on the Ster Kinekor and Nu Metro websites.
The coming weeks and months are also a time when the South African release schedule seems to align more closely with the United States one. Suddenly movies open here only a few weeks after their American opening, and sometimes even on the same day (unless they're animated movies, of course, and in which case we often have to wait for the next batch of school holidays to see them on the big screen).
This is vastly different situation to October-through-March where South African audiences are left hanging when it comes to the release of critically acclaimed films of that period. Very often the distributors seem to hold back on releasing these films, waiting to see how many Critics' awards, Golden Globes and Oscars they receive before deciding how marketable they are and how wide a release they should receive.
Anyway, here's a selection of high profile movies (well, the ones that have caught my attention) that we have to look forward to in the coming weeks and months:
4 April
Planet Terror - The Robert Rodriguez directed portion of Grindhouse's "double horror feature" FINALLY released locally.
------------------------
11 April
Rambo - A slightly more droopy Stallone is back for 80s style over-the-top carnage, this time slicing and dicing up Burma.
------------------------
18 April
The Other Boleyn Girl - Based on the acclaimed novel, Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman compete for the affections of Eric Bana's Henry VIII.
I'm Not There - Unconventional Bob Dyaln biopic, where the legendary folk singer is played by everyone from Heath Ledger to Cate Blanchett.
------------------------
25 April
Run Fatboy Run - Shaun of the Dead's Simon Pegg attempts to impress his ex, Thandie Newton, by completing the London Marathon.
Nim's Island - Family adventure with Jodie Foster as a cowardly author and 300's Gerard Butler in Indiana Jones get-up.
------------------------
1 May
Semi-Pro - Latest Will Ferrell comedy about an afro-heavy 1970's basketball team.
------------------------
2 May
Iron Man - Real heroes are not born, they're made! Next to The Dark Knight Returns, this is THEE big superhero movie of 2008.
------------------------
9 May
The Mist - Based on the Stephen King story, a small rural town is swallowed by a mysterious mist crawling with deadly beasties.
------------------------
16 May
What Happens in Vegas - Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher get drunk, married, and then have to live together to receive a massive Vegas slot machine payout.
------------------------
23 May
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - After almost 20 years, Harrison Ford's whip-cracking archeologist is back. Steven Spielberg directs.
------------------------
30 May
Sex & The City - The HBO comedy series leaps to the big screen to continue the complicated romantic/sexual adventures of Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha.
------------------------
6 June
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - The Pevensie children are called back to Narnia to help the rightful new king defeat his evil uncle.
------------------------
13 June
The Incredible Hulk - A less arty, more action-packed take on the Marvel superhero. Edward Norton stars as long-suffering scientist Bruce Banner.
------------------------
27 June
Kung Fu Panda - Dreamworks animated movie styles on Far Eastern martial arts movies. Features an all-star voice cast.
WALL-E - Pixar animated movie about a robot left for 700 years on an abandoned Earth, and who inadvertently discovers the key to saving the planet.
------------------------
25 July
The Dark Knight - Christian Bale is back as a more "realistic" Batman, facing off against Heath ledger's Joker.
------------------------
8 August
The Mummy 3: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor - Brendan Fraser is back as adventurer Rick O'Connell, this time facing Jet Li's morphing, long dead Emperor Han.
------------------------
There are a number of movies I've left off this list - mostly fluffy comedies. You can view full Forthcoming Attractions lists on the Ster Kinekor and Nu Metro websites.
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