Movies released today: Demon grannies and Demi's hubby
It's a big day at the movies today, with 9 new movies hitting South African cinema screens. These include Chris Rock comedy documentary Good Hair (94% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes); Bollywood political thriller Raajneeti; Christian-themed high school drama To Save a Life (29% Fresh); The Limits of Control, a Spain-set crime drama from indie director Jim Jarmusch (41% Fresh); Irish child runaway film Kisses (82% Fresh); and a recording of theatrical production The Tsarina's Slippers, as performed by Britain's Royal Opera and Royal Ballet.
Finally, before I get to my 2 movie picks of the weekend, there's Antichrist, which is screening locally in very limited release. This divisive, and very graphic film was my favourite horror film of last year. Basically torture porn for adults, the exceptionally well acted Antichrist is 48% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Watch it if you dare.
Moving on though, my top 2 filmic picks from today's new releases are as follows:
1) Legion: It's taken almost 5 full months for this fantasy-horror movie to reach South Africa. Not dissimilar to Constantine, Legion mixes Christian lore, demonic possession and action-packed thrills. The trailer (which I have seen waaay too many times the past few months) outlines the film's plot well, but for those people out there unwilling or unable to watch it, what you need to know is that in the film God turns his back on humanity and sends an army of angels to eliminate the human race. Archangel Michael (A Beautiful Mind and A Knight's Tale's Paul Bettany) disagrees with God's plan, casts himself down to earth and rushes to defend a small desert diner filled with a disparate group of strangers, one of whom will give birth to humanity's possible saviour. Dennis Quaid, Tyrese Gibson and Charles S. Dutton also appear in the film.
Legion is only 19% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, where it has been praised for its performances and several thrilling moments, but otherwise dismissed as boring, narratively muddled and too serious given its silly Apocalypse premise. Still though, if you're in the market for sharp toothed, ceiling-crawling grannies and angels y kicking ass and packing Uzis, Legion may be the mindless popcorn flick for you.
2) Killers: Action comedy Killers is likely to be this weekend's box office winner in terms of new releases. Katherine Heigl and Ashton Kutcher star as newlyweds, Jen and Spencer, who have to contend with some serious trust issues early on in their marriage when Jen discovers that dream hubby Spencer is actually a CIA super-spy and hitman - a fact he kept hidden from her during their whirlwind courtship. What's just as bad is that someone in their picture perfect suburban lives has been hired to kill Spencer. Suddenly the couple is on the run for their lives, while trying to get to the bottom of the deadly mystery. Adding some extra star wattage to the cast, Tom Selleck and Catherine O'Hara play Jen's protective parents.
Killers opens today in the United States as well as in South Africa. The film has not been screened for critics before release - which is never a good sign. This said, the trailer suggests the film is harmless enough for a piece of goofy fluff... if you can overcome the hysterical Heigl, and her high irritation factor.
Finally, before I get to my 2 movie picks of the weekend, there's Antichrist, which is screening locally in very limited release. This divisive, and very graphic film was my favourite horror film of last year. Basically torture porn for adults, the exceptionally well acted Antichrist is 48% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Watch it if you dare.
Moving on though, my top 2 filmic picks from today's new releases are as follows:
1) Legion: It's taken almost 5 full months for this fantasy-horror movie to reach South Africa. Not dissimilar to Constantine, Legion mixes Christian lore, demonic possession and action-packed thrills. The trailer (which I have seen waaay too many times the past few months) outlines the film's plot well, but for those people out there unwilling or unable to watch it, what you need to know is that in the film God turns his back on humanity and sends an army of angels to eliminate the human race. Archangel Michael (A Beautiful Mind and A Knight's Tale's Paul Bettany) disagrees with God's plan, casts himself down to earth and rushes to defend a small desert diner filled with a disparate group of strangers, one of whom will give birth to humanity's possible saviour. Dennis Quaid, Tyrese Gibson and Charles S. Dutton also appear in the film.
Legion is only 19% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, where it has been praised for its performances and several thrilling moments, but otherwise dismissed as boring, narratively muddled and too serious given its silly Apocalypse premise. Still though, if you're in the market for sharp toothed, ceiling-crawling grannies and angels y kicking ass and packing Uzis, Legion may be the mindless popcorn flick for you.
2) Killers: Action comedy Killers is likely to be this weekend's box office winner in terms of new releases. Katherine Heigl and Ashton Kutcher star as newlyweds, Jen and Spencer, who have to contend with some serious trust issues early on in their marriage when Jen discovers that dream hubby Spencer is actually a CIA super-spy and hitman - a fact he kept hidden from her during their whirlwind courtship. What's just as bad is that someone in their picture perfect suburban lives has been hired to kill Spencer. Suddenly the couple is on the run for their lives, while trying to get to the bottom of the deadly mystery. Adding some extra star wattage to the cast, Tom Selleck and Catherine O'Hara play Jen's protective parents.
Killers opens today in the United States as well as in South Africa. The film has not been screened for critics before release - which is never a good sign. This said, the trailer suggests the film is harmless enough for a piece of goofy fluff... if you can overcome the hysterical Heigl, and her high irritation factor.
Comments