Movies releasing today, SA: The Fourth Kind is Out of Your League, plus some Twilight action
If your Football World Cup fever hasn't yet broken, and you're not interested in hitting Nu Metro and Ster Kinekor cinemas to watch selected matches on the big screen in 3D (just remember your 3D glasses if you do go!), South Africans may be lured to movie houses to watch one of this weekend's 4 new releases.
Firstly, there's animated family comedy Toy Story 3 (98% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), released now in normal 2D after its 3D-only debut last Friday. Is the film worth watching? Well, you can read my review here.
For anyone in the market for some pedigreed British drama, there's Creation (46% Fresh), starring Paul (Legion) Bettany and his real life wife, Jennifer Connelly. Part fiction, part historical fact, this movie biography looks at the heart-wrenching events that led Charles Darwin to write On the Origin of the Species in the mid 1800s.
Somewhat more lighthearted is "boy" romantic comedy She's Out of My League, starring cinema's favourite gangly dork of the moment - Fanboys, The Sorcerer's Apprentice and How to Train Your Dragon's Jay Baruchel. As the film's title suggests, She's Out of My League focuses on a very ordinary, insecure guy who finds a stunning woman interested in him, much to the shock of his friends, family and self-centred ex-girlfriend. The big question is whether the couple's relationship with survive despite the negativity and doubt expressed by everyone around them.
Despite appearing like nothing more then a usual piece of undemanding romcom fluff at first glance, She's Out of My League is apparently quite a bit better than most entries in the genre - having achieved a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 58% Fresh. Critics either seem to be calling the film raunchy, sweet and charming, or bland and predictable as usual. Given the positive reviews I've read, though, I'm more than happy to list She's Out of My League is one of my movie picks of the weekend.
For all those twisted movie geeks out there who have been waiting to see Milla Jovovich probed onscreen, it's your lucky day! The Fourth Kind is a horror sci-fi flick that is more notable for its Blair Witch and Paranormal Activity-style "It's REAL" approach to marketing than the content of the film itself. For months now, cinemagoers have watched Jovovich introduce herself in the trailer and harp on about the horrifying true story on which her latest movie is based. ...Which is all hooey, by the way.
In The Fourth Kind, Jovovich plays psychologist Abbey Tyler, who lives in a small Alaskan town where mysterious disappearances have been the norm for decades. Abbey starts to believe that the alien encounters many of per patients whimper about are the real deal, and insists on documenting their experiences with terrifying consequences. Yup, the aliens of The Fourth Kind apparently aren't benevolent, cuddly E.Ts.
Now I thought The Fourth Kind actually looked quite disturbing in its trailer, but the film is just 17% Fresh. Apparently it's gimmicky and mundane. Ho hum.
Although not released today, I also better mention The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, which opens in South Africa, and the United States slap bang in the middle of next week - on Wednesday, 30 June. And of course there will be midnight screenings for all the Twihards, starting at 11:59pm on Tuesday.
Eclipse is, of course, the third movie based on Stephenie Meyer's beloved supernatural romance series - about teenage girl Bella Swan, who falls in love with "good" vampire Edward Cullen, and discovers there are all sorts of mythical creatures around her . There's been no word yet on whether the new Twilight film is any good. I personally have my doubts however. I finished the book just this week in preparation for the film, and I found it to be vastly inferior to New Moon. For 90% of the novel nothing happens except Bella tediously running back and forth between Edward and rival suitor, werewolf Jacob Black. Then there's a little vampire and werewolf backstory inbetween the whining and indecision.
I sincerely hope that the filmmakers actually focus on the "off-screen" action of the novel, and bring it vividly to life during the film's 124 minute running time. Otherwise the movie will be dull, dull, dull. Till Wednesday though, we wait...
Firstly, there's animated family comedy Toy Story 3 (98% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), released now in normal 2D after its 3D-only debut last Friday. Is the film worth watching? Well, you can read my review here.
For anyone in the market for some pedigreed British drama, there's Creation (46% Fresh), starring Paul (Legion) Bettany and his real life wife, Jennifer Connelly. Part fiction, part historical fact, this movie biography looks at the heart-wrenching events that led Charles Darwin to write On the Origin of the Species in the mid 1800s.
Somewhat more lighthearted is "boy" romantic comedy She's Out of My League, starring cinema's favourite gangly dork of the moment - Fanboys, The Sorcerer's Apprentice and How to Train Your Dragon's Jay Baruchel. As the film's title suggests, She's Out of My League focuses on a very ordinary, insecure guy who finds a stunning woman interested in him, much to the shock of his friends, family and self-centred ex-girlfriend. The big question is whether the couple's relationship with survive despite the negativity and doubt expressed by everyone around them.
Despite appearing like nothing more then a usual piece of undemanding romcom fluff at first glance, She's Out of My League is apparently quite a bit better than most entries in the genre - having achieved a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 58% Fresh. Critics either seem to be calling the film raunchy, sweet and charming, or bland and predictable as usual. Given the positive reviews I've read, though, I'm more than happy to list She's Out of My League is one of my movie picks of the weekend.
For all those twisted movie geeks out there who have been waiting to see Milla Jovovich probed onscreen, it's your lucky day! The Fourth Kind is a horror sci-fi flick that is more notable for its Blair Witch and Paranormal Activity-style "It's REAL" approach to marketing than the content of the film itself. For months now, cinemagoers have watched Jovovich introduce herself in the trailer and harp on about the horrifying true story on which her latest movie is based. ...Which is all hooey, by the way.
In The Fourth Kind, Jovovich plays psychologist Abbey Tyler, who lives in a small Alaskan town where mysterious disappearances have been the norm for decades. Abbey starts to believe that the alien encounters many of per patients whimper about are the real deal, and insists on documenting their experiences with terrifying consequences. Yup, the aliens of The Fourth Kind apparently aren't benevolent, cuddly E.Ts.
Now I thought The Fourth Kind actually looked quite disturbing in its trailer, but the film is just 17% Fresh. Apparently it's gimmicky and mundane. Ho hum.
Although not released today, I also better mention The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, which opens in South Africa, and the United States slap bang in the middle of next week - on Wednesday, 30 June. And of course there will be midnight screenings for all the Twihards, starting at 11:59pm on Tuesday.
Eclipse is, of course, the third movie based on Stephenie Meyer's beloved supernatural romance series - about teenage girl Bella Swan, who falls in love with "good" vampire Edward Cullen, and discovers there are all sorts of mythical creatures around her . There's been no word yet on whether the new Twilight film is any good. I personally have my doubts however. I finished the book just this week in preparation for the film, and I found it to be vastly inferior to New Moon. For 90% of the novel nothing happens except Bella tediously running back and forth between Edward and rival suitor, werewolf Jacob Black. Then there's a little vampire and werewolf backstory inbetween the whining and indecision.
I sincerely hope that the filmmakers actually focus on the "off-screen" action of the novel, and bring it vividly to life during the film's 124 minute running time. Otherwise the movie will be dull, dull, dull. Till Wednesday though, we wait...
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