Cinema Releases July 2015

He keeps telling us and in Genisys, the Terminator is back once more.

Summer cinema is upon us this July as audiences are reunited with two thunder buddies in Ted 2, head back in time to secure victory against the machines in Terminator Genisys and see Paul Rudd transform into an ant-sized superhero in Marvel’s latest release. Below are four of the best releases to get down to the cinema for this next month.

True Story – 24^th July

James Franco and Jonah Hill take a break from their comedic performances in a straight-faced drama about the relationship between a fallen journalist (Hill) and a man accused of murdering his own family (Franco), who has attempted to take the former’s identity. ‘Based on actual events’ the developing bond between the two appears to be a desperate man’s last act to unveil the truths of his crime but at the same time there is a suggestion that it is far more sinister, that Franco’s character is manipulating the journalist for his own gains, whatever reason that may be, all of which is revealed as the True Story is uncovered. From what information is readily available, the film has many mysterious qualities and provokes a series of questions, as all good thrillers do. A sign of something promising.

Inside Out – 24^th July

Personally speaking, this is easily the most anticipated film release of the month. Made by Pixar, the animation film’s premises centres on five personified emotions that occupy the mind of eleven-year-old Riley, a little girl who is struggling to adapt to new surroundings. The emotions: Joy, Anger, Disgust, Fear and Sadness control Riley’s subconscious and try to steer her around her life’s obstacles. The trailer is a must-see and features an almost unedited scene which captures the sense of fun, humour and imagination that Pixar have once more masterfully developed, all of which feels like a genuine reflection of the film because they have not cherry-picked the film’s best bits.

Southpaw – 24^th July

A climatic tale of a successful boxer who battles to repair his life after descending into a state of despair following the death of his wife and the removal of his daughter from his care. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as the main character, Billy Hope. with a support cast that features Rachel Adams, Forest Whitaker, Naomie Harris, 50 Cent and Rita Ora. There isn’t anything particularly novel here but the film looks like an intense and powerful journey of a family man’s determination to reconnect with his estranged daughter.

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation – 30^th July

Offering something altogether different, Ethan Hunt and crew return once more in Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation. This time around the IMF (The Impossible Missions Force, not the International Monetary Fund) are forced to disband even as they face their greatest threat yet, a rogue organisation referred to as the Syndicate.  In what could be his last outing as Ethan Hunt, Tom Cruise is supported by returning trio Ving Rhames, Jeremy Renner and Simon Pegg with Alec Baldwin joining a cast which is led by Edge of Tomorrow and Jack Reacher director, Christopher McQuarrie, who is once more united with Cruise. Expect grander action scenes, bigger stakes and inconceivable gadgets with the same sprinkling of light humour in what is always a welcome return to America’s own secret agent franchise.

June Film Releases 2014

In the midst of a “British” summer June doesn’t have many big name blockbuster offerings to tempt the masses to escape from the precarious weather. They may be lacking the big budgets and big names, but June’s selection of film releases aren’t to be snubbed with a variety of films bursting with character.

22 Jump Street

Release Date: 6th June

Sequels, bloody sequels. 21 Jump Street was an enjoyable buddy comedy about two undercover cops in high school and that was where it should have ended. Sequels should add a new dimension to the original film but all too often they’re ramshackle remodels produced to purely extract as much monetary value from the film as possible. 22 Jump Street follows almost the exact same premise as the original but instead of high school, this time the duo, Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, are going deep undercover in college. It’s nice to be proven wrong but unfortunately 22 Jump Street, although worthy of a mention, is maybe not worth a cinema trip.

Cheap Thrills

Release Date: 6th June

When a family man finds himself dared to complete simple tasks for money he urgently needs, the stakes get increasingly higher; driven by a sick personality and a man lingering in desperation. At first the film sets out as a comedy but as it progresses, and the game turns into something more sinister, it is clear there are some darker elements. Touching on the two genres does appear to cancel the other out as the film doesn’t look laid back or intense but the core idea to the film’s plot does make it a film of interest.

The Dirties

Release Date: 6th June

Two best friends are filming a comedy about getting revenge on the bullies at their high school. One of them isn’t joking.

Chef

Release Date: 27th June

A food for film lovers about a food lover. After a negative review from a critique, a passionate chef is forced to embark on a journey to rediscover his creativity and love for film by setting up a food truck. Starring Jon Favreau, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson, Dustin Hoffman and Robert Downey Jr.

Cold In July

Release Date: 27th June

If there was one film I had to see this June, it would be Cold In July. While investigating noises in his house one balmy Texas night in 1989, Richard Dane puts a bullet in the brain of a low-life burglar, Freddy Russell. Although he’s hailed as a small-town hero, Dane soon finds himself fearing for his family’s safety when Freddy’s ex-con father, Ben, rolls into town; hell-bent on revenge. However, not all is as it seems. Shortly after Dane kills the home intruder, his life begins to unravel into a dark underworld of corruption and violence.

February Film Releases 2014

 

Dallas Buyers Club

Release Date: 7th February

It’s often the case that the best stories make the best films, which in Dallas Buyers Club’s case would make it entertainment of the highest quality. Based on a real-life story, Dallas Buyers Club see’s Ron Woodroof, played by Matthew McConaughey, turning to illegal yet ethical means to supply himself and others with life saving AIDs medication. The story itself is vastly fascinating exploring the morals of the situation as Ron finds himself battling with pharmaceutical companies but it also sees the transformation of Woodroof’s character from a self-indulgent and arrogant individual into one whose quite gallant and caring. Woodroof is one of the main attractions to the film not only through his character’s eccentricity but through the seemingly unstoppable growth of the actor behind him, Matthew McConaughey, who is maturing into a fine actor. Co-starring alongside McConaughey, Jared Leto has also been attracting attention for his startlingly convincing portrayal of transgender Rayon. (Click here for my SHULife review)

Robocop

Release Date: 7th February

There was always going to be huge expectation for a Robocop film reboot, not only because of the popularity of the character but because of the increasingly ludicrous budgets behind them. Some estimates put the figure at £120,000,000 which put into perspective, is almost 10x’s the budget of the original film. In the reboot Joel Kinnaman (Easy Money, Safe House) stars alongside Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton and Samuel L. Jackson, a cast which sadly has cliché written all over. The fear with a popular character like Robocop is that all the emotion and dedication to the character has been ripped out and replaced with money and Hollywood actors, a change which certainly won’t satisfy the die-hard fans. Nevertheless the recent reboot of Dredd did manage to find a new audience so there is hope.

Her

Release Date: 14th February

Spike Jonze writes some interesting material and with Her, it looks like he’s also produced a stunningly captivating film. It’s not only the interesting notion of an individual falling in love with artificial intelligence but the sensational performance of Joaquin Phoenix that make it look like we’re onto something special with Her. Words themselves can’t do Her justice so it’s definitely one you should check out yourselves.

Charlie Countryman

Release Date: 14th February

Charlie Countryman won’t be a film that drags hordes of eager eyed movie goers, not just because it’s achieved many below average ratings in the states but because it’s an odd film. In essence the film starts with Charlie Countryman (Shia La Beouf)  flying to Romania on a flight next to a dead passenger, leads to him falling in love with the dead man’s daughter and later meeting characters portrayed by Rupert Grint (Ron mothafucking Weasly), James Buckley (Jay from the Inbetweeners) and Mads Mikklesen (Bond villain come Hannibal Lector). The film looks sadistic yet jolly in places, involving drugs and violence centred around an unconventional romance, in an extremely odd and unsettling way. It’s certainly an interesting film but one best for a post-cinema viewing and maybe a one watch wonder.

The Lego Movie

Release Date: 14th February

After years of homemade YouTube videos, The Lego Group have finally come out and made their own Lego Movie. The company has gone from strength to strength in recent years with the release of many video game counterparts to big blockbuster films and it seems they’re now taking the plunge with their own movie and video game combination. Starring Liam Neeson, Will Ferrell, Channing Tatum, Elizabeth Banks, Jonah Hill, Morgan Freeman and Will Arnett the movie follows the tale of an ordinary Lego figure who is mistaken as the Master Builder and recruited to stop an evil tyrant from gluing the universe together. Not only does the film have a ridiculous ensemble cast but it also promises to deliver many a laugh.

The Monuments Men

Release Date: 21st February

Clooney’s fifth stint into directing sees an unlikely WWII platoon tasked with rescuing art from the Nazis. The Monuments Men looks half Oceans Eleven and half Battlefield Bad Company with the mismatched unit spearheaded by another Clooney-Damon partnership. (Click here for my SHULife review)

Pompeii

Release Date: 21st February

Much like Charlie Countryman, Pompeii isn’t one of the biggest releases of the month but it’s nevertheless still worth a mention. Based on the ancient eruption of Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii sees a slave turned gladiator (Kit Harrington) racing against time to save his true love, who has been betrothed to a corrupt Roman Senator. Although it’s disappointing to see one of the greatest narratives of Ancient Rome being used as a basis for a romantic drama it’s always good to watch a historical based film.

None-Stop

Release Date: 28th February

If you’re a fan of the Taken series and bad-ass Irish motherfucker Liam Neeson, you’ll love None-Stop.  The action of the film takes place on an international flight from New York to London when U.S. federal air marshal Bill Marks receives a series of threatening text messages stating that a passenger will be killed every 20 minutes unless $150 million is transferred into a secret bank account. When the bank account is discovered to be under Marks’ name and a bomb is found aboard the plane, Marks is branded as a hijacker. Looks good fun.

January Film Releases 2014

Another year, another batch of films to stretch and stagnate the imagination. January sees the appearance of Hollywood royal Leonardo Di Caprio alongside long anticipated 12 Years A Slave. One that’s set to be a disappointment is Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom. From Idris Elba’s aberrant South African accent to the apparent appraisal of violent methods to overthrow government it seems they’ve made a hash of it all, which doesn’t prove well for a subject that is still in the memory of many. Nevertheless the recent death of the great South African leader will undoubtedly prove a boost to ticket sales.

Paranormal Activity- The Marked Ones

Release Date: 3rd January

After what seemed like an endless stream of Paranormal Activity films, with the fifth expected to be released at the back-end of 2014, things are moving in a refreshing direction with The Marked Ones. Central to the film is still the idea of paranormal entities creating increasingly threatening situations  but the Marked Ones drags the action into the open world, introducing audiences to an array of new paranormal incidents. With a new setting, cast and set of ideas, The Marked Ones looks promising.

The Wolf Of Wall Street

Release Date: 17th January

Starring Leonardo Di Caprio, Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey and directed by Martin Scorsese, most, including myself, won’t need more reason than the all-star cast to see this black comedy, Leonardo Di Caprio’s on-screen aura is always a good enough reason to visit the cinema. The film  is based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stockbroker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government. The release of The Wolf Of Wall Street will mark Di Caprio’s fifth collaboration with Scorsese, following; The Aviator, Gangs of New York, Shutter Island and The Departed.

12 Years A Slave

Release Date: 24th January

A year after the UK release of Django Unchained comes 12 Years A Slave, a film that has many parallels to Tarentino’s Western but one that promises to top its dizzy heights. Based on an incredible true story of one man’s fight for survival and freedom, a free black man from upstate New York is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty as well as unexpected kindnesses, Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon’s chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist will forever alter his life. Directed by Steve McQueen and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Paul Giamatti, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Michael Fassbender and Brad Pitt, it is yet another all-star January release. If you’re not yet sold on 12 Years A Slave, I challenge you to watch the trailer and not be touched by Ejofor’s rousing ” I will survive! I will not fall into despair. I will keep myself hardy until freedom is opportune!” speech.