It’s a blockbuster week. The Raid 2: Berandal, Noah and, for the kids, Mr Peabody & Sherman all open today.
We can’t go past the Gareth Hew’s high-octane chop-fest sequel for our FOTW but if big screen thrills and spills aren’t your thing, there’s some good looking indies on offer too.
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Opening today:
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THE RAID 2: BERANDAL……FILM OF THE WEEK
Indonesia | 151 minutes | Action, Thriller, Martial Arts
Director: Gareth Evans (The Raid)
Cast: Iko Uwais, Yayan Ruhian, Raiden Integra, Donny Alamsyah, Kazuki Kitamura, Julie Estelle, Tio Pakusodewo, Ryûhei Matsuda, Ken’ichi Endô
Following on from the events of the first film, Rama has himself declared a casualty so that he can go undercover and continue his work to take down the city’s worst gangsters with his epic martial arts skills.
If you’ve seen the first one, I don’t need to tell you why you should be going to this.
Distributor: Madman
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MR. PEABODY AND SHERMAN
USA | 97 minutes | Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi
Director: Rob Minkoff (The Haunted Mansion, Stuart Little, The Lion King)
Cast: Ty Burrell, Max Charles, Ariel Winter, Leslie Mann, Stephen Colbert, Patrick Warburton, Stanley Tucci, Mel Brooks, Allison Janney, Lake Bell
Mr. Peabody takes his adopted son back in time after Sherman and school mate change history by messing with Peabody’s time machine. Naughty boys.
Looks fun for kids and adults alike – especially fans of the animated series.
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
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NOAH
USA | 138 minutes | Drama, Fantasy
Director: Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, The Wrestler, The Fountain, Requiem for a Dream)
Cast: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, Anthony Hopkins, Ray Winstone, Dakota Goyo, Douglas Booth, Marton Csokas
Aronofsky puts his own unique spin on the tale of a man chosen by God to undertake a wildlife rescue mission before an apocalyptic flood destroys the world. No pressure then.
This film is bound to divide. I reckon I’ll be on the positive side as a hardcore Aronofsky fan.
Distributor: Paramount
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NT LIVE: WAR HORSE
UK | 160 minutes | Drama, Live Performance, War
Directors: Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris
Cast: The National Theatre Company
The beloved stage play recorded live on the London stage during the National Theatre’s 2014 season. No blockbuster adaptation here.
A ‘must see’ for fans.
Distributor: Rialto
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ROMEO & JULIET
UK, Italy, Switzerland | 118 minutes | Drama, Romance
Director: Carlo Carlei (La corsa dell’innocente)
Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, Douglas Booth, Paul Giamatti, Ed Westwick, Stellan Skarsgård, Damian Lewis, Natascha McElhone, Kodi Smit-McPhee
Yet another adaptation of the classic, but this one is supposedly very “faithful” to the source material.
A good cast and it’s from the creator of Downton Abbey (if you’re a fan of that show).
Distributor: Roadshow
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THE GREAT BEAUTY
Italy, France | 142 minutes | Comedy, Drama
Director: Paolo Sorrentino (This Must Be the Place, Il Dive, The Family Friend)
Cast: Toni Servillo, Carlo Verdone, Sabrina Ferilli, Carlo Buccirosso
An aging journalist, who has seduced his way through the lavish nightlife of Rome, begins to view his city as a timeless landscape of absurd, exquisite beauty.
I think there’ll be a few people wanting to see this…myself included.
Distributor: Palace/Madman
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Blockbuster or indie for you this week?
