Movies today, SA!
Well, the surge of midyear blockbusters is starting to slow. There are a few highly anticipated films still to reach us (Disney/Pixar's Up being a prime example) but most of the biggies have past. This weekend 4 new films hit South African cinemas.
My pick of the week is GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra. Like Transformers, GI Joe is based on a popular 80's cartoon series and toy range, and like Transformers (and its sequel) GI Joe seized the #1 spot at the US box office when it opened last weekend.
GI Joe is clearly intended to kick off a new action-fantasy film franchise. The movie centres on an elite fighting force that brings together assorted military specialists - all of whom have a curious fondness for figure-hugging body armour - to tackle the threat of the mysterious Cobra organisation.
I've been trying not to read too much about GI Joe, but critical response seems to be mixed, with the film sitting at 40% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Some have celebrated the film for its serious approach; others have dismissed it as laughably bad. GI Joe wasn't my favourite cartoon when I was growing up but I was always more interested in it than Transformers. So naturally, for nostalgia's sake, I'm willing to give the film a chance. Although, this said, I'm hoping it's true to its roots and liberally oozes cheese. And that's likely, given that GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra comes from The Mummy and Van Helsing director Stephen Sommers.
If explosions, buff bodies and dumbness are not to your taste, there's also My Sister's Keeper, which can probably be best described as the anti-GI Joe. My Sister's Keeper is a bittersweet family drama based on the novel by Jodi Picoult. Starring Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin and Alec Baldwin, the film focuses on a teenage girl, Anna who knows she was born merely to help save her leukemia-riddled older sister. Faced with the prospect of life-altering kidney donation, Anna fights for medical emancipation of her body. Unsurprisingly, as the heated court case drags on, Anna's decision threatens to destroy her family.
Again, My Sister's Keeper seems to be dividing audiences and critics alike. Apparently performances are strong but the film is hurt overall by its heavy-handed melodrama. It's 47% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
Other movies out in more limited release:
Kaminey - Bollywood suspense drama about identical twin brothers from the Mumbai slums who are embroiled in a deadly get-rich-quick scheme. Starring Shahid Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Amol Gupte.
Disgrace - Having already screened as part of the Durban International Film Festival this adaptation of JM Coetzee's harrowing novel is now showing on the nationwide art circuit. An acclaimed Aussie-South African collaboration, starring John Malkovich. 100% Fresh at Rotten Tomatoes.
My pick of the week is GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra. Like Transformers, GI Joe is based on a popular 80's cartoon series and toy range, and like Transformers (and its sequel) GI Joe seized the #1 spot at the US box office when it opened last weekend.
GI Joe is clearly intended to kick off a new action-fantasy film franchise. The movie centres on an elite fighting force that brings together assorted military specialists - all of whom have a curious fondness for figure-hugging body armour - to tackle the threat of the mysterious Cobra organisation.
I've been trying not to read too much about GI Joe, but critical response seems to be mixed, with the film sitting at 40% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Some have celebrated the film for its serious approach; others have dismissed it as laughably bad. GI Joe wasn't my favourite cartoon when I was growing up but I was always more interested in it than Transformers. So naturally, for nostalgia's sake, I'm willing to give the film a chance. Although, this said, I'm hoping it's true to its roots and liberally oozes cheese. And that's likely, given that GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra comes from The Mummy and Van Helsing director Stephen Sommers.
If explosions, buff bodies and dumbness are not to your taste, there's also My Sister's Keeper, which can probably be best described as the anti-GI Joe. My Sister's Keeper is a bittersweet family drama based on the novel by Jodi Picoult. Starring Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin and Alec Baldwin, the film focuses on a teenage girl, Anna who knows she was born merely to help save her leukemia-riddled older sister. Faced with the prospect of life-altering kidney donation, Anna fights for medical emancipation of her body. Unsurprisingly, as the heated court case drags on, Anna's decision threatens to destroy her family.
Again, My Sister's Keeper seems to be dividing audiences and critics alike. Apparently performances are strong but the film is hurt overall by its heavy-handed melodrama. It's 47% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
Other movies out in more limited release:
Kaminey - Bollywood suspense drama about identical twin brothers from the Mumbai slums who are embroiled in a deadly get-rich-quick scheme. Starring Shahid Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Amol Gupte.
Disgrace - Having already screened as part of the Durban International Film Festival this adaptation of JM Coetzee's harrowing novel is now showing on the nationwide art circuit. An acclaimed Aussie-South African collaboration, starring John Malkovich. 100% Fresh at Rotten Tomatoes.
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