Looks like we are back on track for the cinema choices this week, we have a extremely violent film with an absolute dreamboat (how 50’s does that sound?), A horror which has all the makings of an old classic, a mundane “not another one” comedy and a action comedy sequel with a few actors in their golden years to entertain us all.
Only God Forgives
From the makers of Drive, Only God Forgives see’s director Nicholas Winding Refn and the very sexy and extremely talented Ryan Gosling team up once more. Julian (Gosling) is a very successful drug smuggler in Bangkok’s criminal underworld, running a boxing club as a front for his drug dealing. When Julian’s brother is murdered in revenge for the killing of an underage prostitute his mother, Crystal (Kirsten Scott Thomas), who just happens to be the head of a powerful criminal organization, demands he finds and kills whoever is responsible for his brother’s death.
Only God Forgives has already done the rounds at the film festivals this year and has been met with some very mixed reactions. At Cannes not only did the audience of journalists and critics’ boo but it also saw standing ovations. Whatever these industry big wigs think, it will certainly get people talking, full of violence and strong language it certainly won’t be for the faint hearted.
See if you liked: Drive, Transpotting
The Conjuring
Based on a true story, The Conjuring is the story of world renowned paranormal investigators, Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) Warren and the one investigation they wanted to keep quiet about, until now. The Perron family are being terrorized by a dark presence in there secluded farmhouse home, the family can’t cope and they call on the Warrens to try to unearth the mystery of their haunting. Forced to confront a very powerful demonic force, the Warrens find themselves involved in one of the most terrifying cases of their lives.
The Conjuring is brought to us by the director of Saw and Insidious so you’re guaranteed to experience that creepy, slightly old school nerve tingling freak out fest. Thankfully, this is a horror movie with a minimal amount of digital special effects which solely relies the performances of the actors and the natural backdrop of the scenery to give it that authentic horror feel.
See if you liked: Amityville Horror, The Haunting.
The Heat
Uptight Special FBI Agent Sarah Ashburn (Bullock) is extremely ambitious and only has one goal on her mind, promotion. However, she doesn’t get along with her colleagues; so she is sent to Boston in order to take down a mysterious drug baron. To aid her in this investigation she is partnered with a foul-mouthed scruff of a cop Shannon Mullins (McCarthy), being complete opposites this pairing can only end in one way…. or can it?
Here we go again; Sandra Bullock plays yet another uptight FBI agent in this “supposed” comedy alongside Melissa McCarthy, who again seems to have been cast in a role which is extremely similar to her character in Bridesmaids. This isn’t at all surprising seeming as the director of this film also directed Bridesmaids. Unfortunately, it would appear that this could be another dire “seen it all before” movie but hey I could be wrong.
See if you liked: Miss Congeniality, The Other Guys.
Red 2
The ageing ex CIA agents are back and still kicking ass. Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) may still be retired, living a quiet yet unfulfilled life but when his old pals, an unexpected elite group of operatives reunite for a global assignment to find a missing nuclear device, code named Nightshade, he is forced to join them. Marvin (Malkovich), Victoria (Mirren), and Frank’s passionate girlfriend Sarah (Parker) as expected find themselves fighting off relentless assassins, heavily armed terrorists and corrupt government officials as they travel across Europe in order to find the device before it falls into the wrong hands.
Red 2 is the follow on action comedy film from Red, Starring some of the biggest named veteran actors that need to be watched no matter how you feel about them (well apart from Catherine Zeta-Jones). But can this sequel actually outsmart and out deliver of the 1st? Or will this simply be another sequel made, well, because they simply could?
See if you liked: Red, Tower Heist.
MY PICK OF THE WEEK: ONLY GOD FORGIVES (This however might just be for the sole reason that Ryan Gosling is hot, oh come on I am female after all).