This week Marvel unleashes its next franchise, and it’s a goodie. A good quality feature, filmed in my home town of Perth, brings us the end of the world and something to think about. A thriller with bad reviews, but I don’t why, and a science fiction flick that’s rather weird, and after promising a lot doesn’t deliver on that promise.
THIS WEEK'S PREVIEWS
(My movie Pick of the week)
Guardians of the Galaxy ✪✪✪✪
Opens in Australia: 31st July 2014
USA: 1st August 2014 UK:1st August 2014
Other Countries: Release Information
OUR THOUGHTS
Marvel and Disney are a powerful, entertainment combination. Guardians of the Galaxy joins the fun of the franchises that just keep on giving (and coming). They’ve spent some huge money in the makeup, animation, and set departments in this one. The characters and details are amazing. Fans of the superhero films will eat this up. I didn’t love it like I love The Avengers and the individual films from that franchise, but its still fantastic fun, and a must see on the big screen. DON’T FORGET STAY UNTIL THE END OF THE FINAL CREDITS FOR BONUS SCENES.
STUDIO BLURB
From Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team-the Guardians of the Galaxy. An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy" expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits-Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand-with the galaxy's fate in the balance. (C) Walt Disney
Lucy ✪✪✪
Opens in Australia: 31st July 2014
USA: 25h July 2014 UK: 22nd August 2014
Other Countries: Release Information
OUR THOUGHTS
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It begins with a very interesting premise and you will be totally sucked in. Scarlett Johansson is always great to watch on screen. However, the last twenty minutes just plummets into crazy town. Luc Besson (the director) is always heavy-handed with his films. I don’t really need imagery of animals hunting and capturing other animals to explain that Lucy is being drawn into a trap and, as the big, beefy, Asian guys grab her, that now she is caught. If you’ve seen some of his other work, the two Taken films and the Transporter series you will know what I’m talking about. Part of it is also rather similar to the horribly stupid Transcendence earlier this year. Not the worst science fiction film, but I’d probably wait for the DVD. STUDIO BLURB
From La Femme Nikita and The Professional to The Fifth Element, writer/director Luc Besson has created some of the toughest, most memorable female action heroes in cinematic history. Now, Besson directs Scarlett Johansson in Lucy, an action-thriller that tracks a woman accidentally caught in a dark deal who turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic. (C) Universal
These Final Hours ✪✪✪½
Opens in Australia: 31st July 2014
USA: No release as yet UK: No release as yet
Other Countries: Release Information
Perth: Luna Palace Cinemas
OUR THOUGHTS
Filmed in Perth with a $A2.4 million budget, its a pretty impressive film on screen. Angourie Rice (Rose) as the little girl that James (Nathan Phillips) decides to ferry back to her father, is extraordinary. If she is not picked up by Hollywood and whisked away to be the new “it” young girl, I will be very surprised. All Perth inhabitants should see this film simply for the novelty of watching Perth destroyed. It’s also hugely amusing to hear local suburbs and locales referenced. It received huge applause at our preview screening. Definitely go see it not only to support our local filmmakers, but also because it’s an entertaining film. If you’ve seen Seeking a Friend for the End of the World its very much the same story. However, the Australian style adds that extra entertainment for us Aussies. If you are an international film lover, it is a good end-of-world film, and gives you an idea of why they think we Aussies are a fun loving nation. Even when the world is about to end, what do we do? We party!P.S. This poster gets my vote for one of the best film posters of the year.
STUDIO BLURB
A young man makes his way to the party to end all parties on the last day on Earth but ends up saving the life of a little girl searching for her father, who ultimately leads him on the path to redemption. (c) Official Facebook
Deliver Us From Evil ✪✪✪ ½
Opens in Australia: 24thJuly 2014
USA: 2nd July 2014 UK:22nd August 2014
Other Countries: Release Information
OUR THOUGHTS
For some reason, this is receiving poor reviews overseas. However, it’s a good thriller. Eric Bana is very good in it, and there’s some real scary bits. Friends who came along to the preview with us really enjoyed it, and most of the reviewers I spoke to after, also liked it. It has a few plotholes, but don't they all. So phooey on the US reviewers. Apparently, its based on a true story. Now that part is scary. STUDIO BLURB
In DELIVER US FROM EVIL, New York police officer Ralph Sarchie (Eric Bana), struggling with his own personal issues, begins investigating a series of disturbing and inexplicable crimes. He joins forces with an unconventional priest (Edgar Ramirez), schooled in the rituals of exorcism, to combat the frightening and demonic possessions that are terrorizing their city. Based upon the book, which details Sarchie's bone-chilling real-life cases. (c) Screen Gems
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