This week we are graced with a futuristic sci-fi saving of the world blockbuster, A contender to take over the teenage vampire crown from The Twilight series, A dubious copycat film of an 80’s classic and a rather dry comedy.
Elysium
From the maker of District 9, Elysium is a story of two worlds where humanity is divided. Set in 2154, two classes of people exist, one class in a manmade space station above the Earth, where the wealthy live free from dirt and disease, the rest live on the overpopulated and ruined Earth. However, there is one man, Max (Matt Damon) who has a small chance of bringing equality to these worlds. With his own life hanging by a thread it’s left to him to fight Elysium’s Secretary Delacourt (Jodie Foster) and her hard-line deadly forces in order to save millions.
Director Neill Blomkamp has a lot to live up to after the success of the cult District 9, Whilst Elysium delivers the big budget gadgets, explosions and big Hollywood names such as Matt Damon and Jodie Foster can it really deliver anything more? With a movie market that has been saturated with futuristic other worldly films of late will it live up to the hype?
See If You Liked: District 9, Oblivion.
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
Clary Fray (Lily Collins), is just an ordinary teenager living in New York, living an ordinary teenagers life, until, that is, one night whilst partying in a downtown nightclub she encounters Jace (Jamie Campbell Bower). Witnessing Jace hunt out and kill some kind of demon in a crowded club she starts to wonder exactly who or what she is, especially seeming as though she is the only one who can see him. Soon learning her mother was a Shadow hunter meaning she is too she joins forces with her own kind in order to fight the evil that roams downtown New York.
With the noticeable absence of the Twilight series of films, The Mortal Instruments may just fill the void. Coming from a series of books, City of Bones is just the 1st in the series so we can pretty much predict this is the first of many. Whilst receiving many unfavourable reviews the actual fans of the books have been extremely positive, with a host of young actors and a very British/Irish Jonathan Rhys Myers (you may remember him as Henry VIII in the Tudors) I think this may be an entertaining watch, Give it a chance.
See if You Liked: Constantine, The Host.
The Kings of Summer
This coming of age comedy drama see’s three teenage friends Joe (Nick Robinson), Patrick (Gabriel Basso) and the rather crazy Biaggo (Moises Arias) decide they need their independence, away from their extremely over bearing parents. They end up spending their summer, in the woods, building a house and living off the land. However, the summer soon becomes a major test of their friendship.
This film has obviously been inspired by the 80’s film Stand By Me which starred a very young Will Wheaton and Joaquin Phoenix brother, River. Whilst this film has gone on to be quite a big cult movie amongst those who grew up in the 80’s, The Kings of Summer has some big boots to fill. Will this picture become a cult classic for today’s youth or be just another boring let down?
See if You Liked: Camp Nowhere, The Goonies.
We’re The Millers
Low level drug dealer, David Clark (Jason Sudeikis) is robbed of his money and stash of drugs, some of which he owes to his supplier. His boss, wealthy drug lord Brad (Ed Helms) forces him to smuggle marijuana from Mexico in order to clear his debt. Realising that one man alone looks too suspicious in smuggling these drugs he hires a “family” in order to make it appear like a family holiday. Hiring Rose (Jennifer Aniston) a stripper to play his wife, a runaway teenage girl and his 18 year old virgin neighbour as his kid’s, only chaos, disaster and blunders galore unfold.
We’re The Millers is another American comedy which promises to be well, blandly dull. Yes it’s a diluted, rushed comedy which no thought or imagination has been put in to the script. We’ve seen these all too many times and quite frankly it’s all becoming really rather irritating. If you fancy watching something that you need not think about and quite honestly feeling a little brain dead. This might just be for you.
See if You Liked: Dodgeball, Pineapple Express.
MY PICK OF THE WEEK: THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: CITY OF BONES.
