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Testament Of Youth
This classy new film adaptation of feminist and pacifist
Vera Brittan’s seminal First World War memoir makes for a
melancholic companion piece to the recent TV dramas Anzac
Girls and The Crimson Field. Alicia Vikander and Kit Harington are
excellent the doomed lovers, and first-time director James Kent
subtly conveys the heartbreak and growing disillusionment about
the horrors of the war. OUT: 02/09/155
Child 44
Tom Rob Smith’s bestseller of the same name was a fascinating
blend of political thriller and police procedural set against the
bleak backdrop of Stalinist Russia. Sadly, director Daniel Espinosa
doesn’t succeed quite so well in melding those two elements in
this occasionally stodgy screen adaptation. However, a suitably
intense turn from Tom Hardy as a cop hunting a serial killer who
preys on small children makes it worth a look. OUT: 23/09/15
Kill Me Three Times
Simon Pegg enjoys himself immensely in this Australian black
comedy, playing a hitman hired to kill an unfaithful wife, who is
amused to discover that someone looks to have beaten him to
the task. Told in flashback from the perspective of the various
protagonists, the multiple murder plots of the scheming residents
of the sleepy backwater are revealed in gruesomely entertaining
fashion by director Kriv Stenders ( Red Dog). OUT: 09/09/15
BIG GAME
Finnish director Jalmari Helander made his name with cult
horror Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale and this similarly oddball
adventure reunites him with the young star of that film Onni
Tommila. This one’s a little more family-friendly, as Tommila
comes to the aid of US president Samuel L Jackson, who's
being hunted in the wilderness by his crooked bodyguard
(Ray Stevenson) and a crazy sheik out for a new trophy for his
mantelpiece. OUT: 10/09/15
Careful What You Wish For
Basic Instinct , Disney Channel style? Not quite, but Nick
Jonas tackles his most adult role to date in this mildly steamy
throwback to the erotic thrillers of the ‘90s. The tween idol plays
a shy teenager on summer vacation with his parents who begins
an affair with Isabel Lucas, the abused trophy wife of a boorish
millionaire neighbour (Dermot Mulroney). A must for Jonas fans
curious to see him in more grown-up fare. OUT: 23/09/15
Into The Grizzly Maze
This man vs. nature flick isn't as much fun as its 1976 antecedent
Grizzly, but it does serve up a big-name cast (James Marsden,
Thomas Jane, Billy Bob Thornton, Piper Perabo, Scott Glenn) as
potential prey for a (mostly) real bear in the Alaskan wilderness;
production values are slick and locations spectacular. And did we
mention it's grisly as well as grizzly?
OUT: 10/09/15
he preppy privilege of Dead Poet’s Society and Scent of
Woman provides the backdrop to this classic underdog
tory about a trailer trash Texan named Stet (Garrett
areing) who gets the chance to attend the prestigious
ational Boychoir Academy. When his mother dies in a
ar accident, the raw but prodigiously talented youngster
nds a place at the snooty school, thanks to efforts of a
ympathetic teacher (Debra Winger) and his wealthy father
osh Lucas), who wants his unwanted love child out of
sight and out of mind. However Stet not only struggles to
fit in with his posh classmates; he faces an uphill battle to win over jaded
choirmaster Dustin Hoffman, who is desperate to land a prestigious New
York concert before hanging up his baton. The uplifing themes – together
with the angelic singing – make this a must for fans of films like Billy Elliott.
Preaching to the choir
BOYCHOIR
Release Date: 02/09/15 Format:
Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac) is a heating-oil company boss;
an essentially honest man chasing the American Dream in
New York City, 1981. While attempting to close the deal on
his new waterfront depot, he's pressured by the D.A., the
bank and his competitors, and things edge closer to boiling
point when his trucks start getting hijacked and his drivers
are forced to take up arms. The always fantastic Jessica
Chastain is in top form as his ruthless wife, whose mob
connections could come in handy when the inevitable turf
war finally erupts. The third film from director J.C. Chandor
(Margin Call, All Is Lost) evokes those '70s crime thrillers that usually
featured Pacino or De Niro, and also shares a lot in common with more
recent gritty slow-burners like Out of the Furnace and The Yards, both in
style and substance. Highly recommended.
Crime and corruption heat up
A MOST VIOLENT YEAR
Release Date: 16/09/15 Format:
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46 SEPTEMBER 2015