Movies releasing today: Fight, flight, thrills and fiances

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Four new films open in South Africa today, and the majority tend to be of the action thriller breed... with one romcom thrown in for good measure.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation:
Also known as Get the Gringo(!), this action film sees Mel Gibson (who also wrote and produced the movie) playing a career criminal who is captured and confined to a tough, sprawling Mexican prison. His only ally? A 10 year old boy targeted by a crime lord. Forget all the controversy about his personal life. Apparently Summer Vacation is macho Mel back doing what he does best: dishing out the bloody violence with a sense of humour intact. 81% Fresh.


Premium Rush:
Much loved man of the moment Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars in this action thriller about a New York bicycle messenger whose last delivery of the day is far from routine. Suddenly he's cycling for his life, trying to dodge Michael Shannon's morally dubious cop. Premium Rush may sounds like a "Speed on a Bike", but even though its story is simplistic, this one evidently offers an exhilarating ride for audiences, with fantastic stunt work. A must-see for fans of chase films. 75% Fresh.



The Five-Year Engagement:
Jason Segel and Emily Blunt star in this romantic comedy about an engaged couple who just never seem to find time to get married. Life gets in the way time and time again, leading them to evaluate whether they should really be tying the knot in the first place. From the director of Forgetting Sarah Marshall. The Five-Year Engagement didn't look at all funny in its trailer, but apparently it's a very palatable romcom - critics have praised the film for its chemistry and sweet "realness", even if it slumps in the middle. 64% Fresh.


Wolwedans in die Skemer:
The popular Afrikaans-language radio serial, TV series and Leon van Nierop novel from the 80s, makes the leap to the big screen. Rolanda Marais plays a young woman who loses her memory after a car accident, and recuperates at a remote hotel run by a secretive family. Meanwhile, an ax murderer lurks. Also with David Louw, Desire Gardner, Gerard Rudolf and Ilse Roos. No word as yet whether this moody soap opera thriller is any good.

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