your guide to april’s hottest · pdf fileit co-stars jennifer connelly, ... mushroom...

YOUR GUIDE TO APRIL’S HOTTEST RELEASES

AMERICAN HUSTLE ENDER’S GAME HOMEFRONT PLANES

YOUR GUIDE TOYOUR GUIDE TOHOTTEST RELEASES

VV06_01_FrontCover.indd 1 17/03/2014 3:42 pm

AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAYTM & DVD 3 APRIL

AVAILABLE ON DVD 10 APRIL

ElizabethOLSEN

Jennifer JasonLEIGH

JackHUSTON

Michael C.HALL

BenFOSTER

DaneDeHAAN

DanielRADCLIFFE

SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

2013

OFFICIAL SELECTION

VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

2013

OFFICIAL SELECTION

TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL

2013

OFFICIAL SELECTION

ElizabethOLSEN

Jennifer JasonLEIGH

JackHUSTON

Michael C.HALL

BenFOSTER

DaneDeHAAN

DanielRADCLIFFE


2013

OFFICIAL SELECTION


2013

OFFICIAL SELECTION


2013

OFFICIAL SELECTION

“RIVETING”- Margaret Pomeranz,

At The Movies

★★★★

ElizabethOLSEN

Jennifer JasonLEIGH

JackHUSTON

Michael C.HALL

BenFOSTER

DaneDeHAAN

DanielRADCLIFFE


2013

OFFICIAL SELECTION


2013

OFFICIAL SELECTION


2013

OFFICIAL SELECTION

Strong sex scenes, drug use and nudity

© 2014 Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Australia Pty Limited. All Rights Reserved.

Coarse language

AVAILABLE ON DVD 10 APRILStrong sexual references, drug use and coarse language

SHERIDANSMITH

JAIMEWINSTONE

KATENASH

OONACHAPLIN

GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS

“A FUNNY, SHARP COMEDY...FANTASTIC!”

Anna Smith, Elle UK

a fi lm by MJ DELANEY

KILL YOUR DARLINGS_POWDER ROOM_DRINKING BUDDIES - RENTAL FPA.indd 1 10/03/14 10:02 AMAVRRA_Ads.indd 1 17/03/2014 3:32 pm

AVRRA_Ads.indd 1 19/03/14 11:44 AM

YOUR MONTHLY FIX OFENTERTAINMENT NEWS

8 WEEKS TIL SLAVE

MCCONAUGHEY BREAKS GOODAfter his well-deserved Best Actor win for Dallas Buyers Club at the Academy Awards this year, Matthew McConaughey may be having a golden run - and thank God he split from that rom-com stretch which threatened to defi ne his career. There’s a Breaking Bad-level of excitement orbiting the actor’s latest project True Detective, in which he stars with Woody

Harrelson. The eight-episode television series has been lauded as a mysterious, unique and philosophical procedural on par with Twin Peaks, and follows two offi cers over a period of 15 years as they try to unravel the oddities of a sociopathic and shadowy group. McConaughey will defi nitely be on the Golden Globes radar for this stunning work.

Arguably the most decorated fi lm of 2013, 12 Years a Slave, will be available to rent in just eight weeks. The historical drama is the third feature from director Steve McQueen, and is based on the memoir of the same name written in 1853 by a freeborn African American man Solomon Northup. Northup, who was a successful carpenter

and violin player living in New York before he was drugged and sold into slavery, is played by newcomer Chiwetel Ejiofor. The fi lm received the Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress (Lupita Nyong’o) and Best Adapted Screenplay (John Ridley) Academy Awards, as well as Best Picture gongs at the Golden Globes and BAFTAs.

Chiwetel Ejiofor

THE DEVIL’S KNOTWith the 2012 release of West of Memphis - the defi nitive documentary covering the entire initial story, appeals process and eventual release of the three young men accused of murdering three eight year old boys in 1993 - the story of the West Memphis Three was ripe for fi ctional adaptation. It’s come in the form of Devil’s Knot, directed by acclaimed fi lmmaker Atom Egoyan and starring Reese Witherspoon and Colin Firth. The fi rst trailer has just been released and presents some incredibly tense, emotive scenes featuring Witherspoon as the mother of victim Stevie Branch.

Matthew McConaughey in True Detective

Shia LaBeouf in Nymphomaniac

Reese Witherspoon & Alessandro Nivola

NEW

SREE

L

4

TKE06_04-08_NewsReel_.indd 4 17/03/2014 3:09 pm

GRAVITY

ESCAPE PLAN

THE FAMILY

2 GUNS

ABOUT TIME

GROWN UPS 2

BLUE JASMINE

RUSH

DIANA

PAIN AND GAIN

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Malefi cent’s three intrusive pixies - Knotgrass, Flittle and Thistletwit - have made their fi rst appearance ahead of the Disney fi lm’s imminent release. As you can see from this fi rst look, actresses Imelda Staunton, Lesley Manville and Juno Temple (from left to right) have had a wee bit of CGI help alongside their natural charms to bring the trio of wicked fairies to life. They’ll perform alongside star Angelina Jolie, who plays the titular stone-hearted queen.

A&

SPITEFUL SPRITES REVEALED

NOAH’S BOUNTY

Xxxxx

The Russell Crowe-captained Biblical epic Noah is slated to storm the box offi ce when opening details are collated this month, which is a good thing seeing as it cost Paramount-Regency approximately $130 million USD to create. It co-stars Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Hopkins and Emma

Watson, and is expected to return upwards of $100 million USD total. It’s the second of a slew of religious fi lms released in 2014, following Son of God and preceding both Heaven Is For Real (starring Greg Kinnear) and Exodus (starring Christian Bale), both set for release before the year is out.

Anthony Hopkins

Emma Watcon

Russell Crowe

5


AVRRA_Ads.indd 1 17/03/2014 3:59 pm

The new Godzilla fi lm, starring Elizabeth Olsen and Bryan Cranston, has stomped its way through the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. The Austin-based art studio Mondo commissioned a new poster to coincide with the release, which is inspired by the original 1954 artwork. It shows a diabolical mushroom cloud blast rising from a cityscape, with the shape of old mate ‘Zilla forming in its upper bursts. Very nice. Meanwhile, the fi lm will be out on DVD and Blu-ray on May 1.

NEW GODZILLA ART

XxxxxxxXxxxxxx

Black Widow & Captain America

The new Godzilla fi lm, starring Elizabeth Olsen and Bryan Cranston, has stomped its way through the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. The Austin-based

to coincide with the release, which is inspired by

mushroom cloud blast rising from a cityscape, with

bursts. Very nice. Meanwhile, the fi lm will be out on

NEW GODZILLA ART

CAPTAIN’S COOKIES

Bryan Cranston

Elizabeth Olsen

Captain America

As has become the practice in the Marvel fi lm world, the post-credits ‘cookies’ scenes have recently been revealed for soon-to-be-released Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Advance audiences who have already seen the fi lm were quick to spill the beans; we don’t want to be the killjoys so won’t give the secrets away (you can fi nd them out quickly enough with a Google search), but it’s reported that the fi rst of the two scenes sets up Avengers: Age of Ultron and introduces three highly anticipated new characters, and the second shows a major character discovering who he truly is and how ‘mutants’ are now being dealt with.

7


CAN YOU TELL US ANY QUIRKY CUSTOMER TALES?

We have so many great customers at our shop, but one of many favourites is a lady (Amy) who is absolutely obsessed with Sons of Anarchy and convinced me to get the series in shop, and then convinced me to watch series … needless to say I am now obsessed with the show. So every time she comes in the shop I am constantly asking her questions about the characters, and what’s going to happen next in the different series because she is always ahead of me, she is the Sons of Anarchy guru!

Gone are the days of popping in and picking up a movie in 5 minutes …. Now we get stuck talking about Son’s for ages ….. Needless to say her kids are less than impressed.

MOST ANTICIPATED NEW RELEASE FOR FEBRUARY?

Delivery Man

STORE: Ingleburn Fair MoviesSTORE MANAGER NAME: Beth Campbell

ALL TIME FAVOURITE MOVIE?

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR IDEAL MOVIE MARATHON?

Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn part 1 & Breaking Dawn part 2

TOP 5 ACTORS/DIRECTORS/PRODUCERS YOU WOULD

INVITE FOR DINNER AND WHY?

Vince Vaughn, Morgan Freeman, Ron Howard, Melissa McCarthy & Oprah Winfrey.

The trailer for Eric Bana’s new fl ick, Deliver Us From Evil, has arrived and it’s pretty effective: instead of mashing together all the most screamy bits in a seizure-inducing montage, we basically get just one scene. Bana is New York police offi cer Ralph Sarchie, whose wife (Olivia Munn) informs him that their daughter is hearing scratching noises under her bed. Daughter’s toys start doing a few weird things, in particular a stuffed owl head that rolls lazily towards the girl’s bed emitting its drawstring ‘cuckoo’ noise. Bana goes to investigate, and sees a very weird, carved up man in the mirror - just you try not to jump.

DELIVER US FROM EVIL

Eric Bana

THUMBS UP FOR DUMBER SEQUELSo we’ve all been waiting a while for the sequel to Dumb and Dumber (well, a sequel which starred the original team of Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels). We’ve been waiting 20 years in fact, and although we’ve yet to see a trailer, the Farrelly Brothers have given some lucky American audiences the chance to see an advance screening. Their verdicts? Overwhelmingly positive, it would seem. Twitter lit up with phrases like “Jim Carrey is back and it’s funny as hell”, “freaking amazing”, and “In case [you] forgot how brilliant Jim Carrey is when on his A game you will be reminded in November!”

Jim Carrey & Jeff Daniels

8

VV106_08_NewsReel.indd 8 17/03/2014 3:44 pm

Bethesda’s last foray into the realm of Elder Scrolls was the critically acclaimed The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. While the game was single-player only, development was already well underway on taking the universe online. Production duties on what would become The Elder Scrolls Online were handed to ZeniMax Online Studios, formed exclusively for

the project in 2007. Five years later, the game is fi nally here. TESO is set 1000 years before events in Skyrim, and players must join one of three warring factions contesting the throne of the Emperor of Tamriel. With an expansive and detailed world where much of Tamriel can be explored, and breathtaking visuals that have become a benchmark of

Elder Scrolls games, The Elder Scrolls Online is the MMO we’ve all been waiting for. Put your social calendar on hold!

FORMAT: PC, XB1, PS4

RATING: M

PUBLISHER: Bethesda Softworks GENRE: MMO

ONLINE: Only

RELEASE DATE: April 4 (PC) June 2014 (XB1, PS4)

Guild Wars 2

Dragon Age II

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

9

Untitled-2 9 18/03/14 11:08 AM

After spending several years negotiating the

gauntlet of production politics, the Anchorman

sequel is fi nally upon us. It didn’t look likely to

happen for a little while there, but the comedians

who drive the fi lm’s hilarious story always

held out hope.By ZOË RADAS

efore bringing his creatively foul-mouthed and egomaniacal news anchor Ron Burgundy to our delighted attention in 2004,

Will Ferrell already had a solid comedic pedigree behind him: he’d racked up seven years on Saturday Night Live, written and starred in A Night at the Roxbury with Chris Kattan (1998), and followed it up with Austin Powers (1997), Zoolander (2001), Old School (2003) and Elf (2003). Since then he’s pumped up his CV with Starsky & Hutch (2004), Stranger than Fiction (2006), Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006), Step Brothers (2008) and a pile more.

But of all the man’s characters it’s Ron Burgundy we collectively adore, revelling in both his triumphs and his wild collapses with equal glee. Despite this, a proposed sequel to the original Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy met several hiccups in the years between 2008 and

2010, with Paramount unequivocally stating that it would not go ahead with the project. Ferrell and his co-stars Paul Rudd and Steve Carrell, whose reputations had both ascended hugely since the fi rst fi lm, had agreed to pay cuts in order to make the fi lm happen - but still Paramount believed the numbers didn’t crunch well.

“It took a while to ripen,” says Rudd, who plays Brian Fantana, one of Ron’s original team which he re-assembles in the fi lm to begin a 24 hour news channel. “It was a slow ripening; I think the enthusiasm on our parts has always been there.” Carrell (who plays Brick “I love lamp” Tamland) agrees: “We were always ready to do it; I think we

were always ready to drop whatever we were planning at the time,

and jump in on this. It’s just so much fun. Apart from

anything else, it’s so fun to hang with these guys.”

On March 28, 2012, Ferrell appeared in character on Conan O’Brien’s show to

announce that “as of

RATED: MA15+

AVAILABLE: Apr 9

STARS: Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd

DIRECTOR: Adam McKay

DURATION: 119 mins

FORMATS: DVD, Blu-ray

10

TKE06_10-11_Feature_Anchorman.indd 10 18/03/14 11:43 AM

that goes towards him. I’m not sure that that love says a lot of good things about mankind, that we would love a guy like that, but it is there,” he laughs.

As for the star himself, he’s vetting all the sequel talk with trademark chilled humour. “We never thought that we’d do a sequel to begin with,

and of course the nature of entertainment media kind of follows this pattern: ‘When are you ever going to make a sequel? Please, make a sequel, make a sequel, make a sequel.’ ‘Guess what, we made a sequel.’ ‘Are you worried about this sequel? Are you worried about upholding the legacy of the fi rst movie? Pretty scary! Sequels rarely work, they never work in fact! Did you make a horrible decision? ... Is there going to be a third one?” We certainly hope so.

TOP

But of all the man’s characters it’s

Ron Burgundy we collectively adore,

revelling in both his triumphs and his

wild collapses with equal glee.

BRUCE NOLAN, BRUCE ALMIGHTY (2003)After Bruce (Jim Carrey) complains to God (Morgan Freeman, obviously) that he’s not very good at ruling the universe, God gives the TV reporter the chance to be God for one week. Needless to say, Bruce doesn’t wield his new powers very judiciously.

KENT BROCKMAN, THE SIMPSONSSpringfi eld’s newsreader Kent Brockman delivers dry, absurdist lines which never fail to satisfy. “The phony pope can be identifi ed by his high-top sneakers and incredibly foul mouth,” for one, and “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: democracy simply doesn’t work,” for another. Good old Kent.

LOWELL BERGMAN, THE INSIDER (1999)Reporters are often made a mockery of, but in Michael Mann’s drama based on the true story of a tobacco company whistleblower (played by Russell Crowe), our 60 Minutes reporter (Al Pacino) is incisive and ruthless in his mission to expose corporate corruption.

PHIL CONNORS, GROUNDHOG DAY (1993)Weatherman Phil probably counts as many people’s favourite character of all time, let alone the smaller niches of favourite reporter or favourite Bill Murray role. Phil goes to Punxatawney, Pennsylvania to cover the annual Groundhog Day festivities, and ends up in a bizarre daily loop.

NEWS PRESENTERS ON SCREEN

oh-nine-hundred Mountain Time, Paramount Pictures and myself, Ronald Joseph Aaron Burgundy, have come to terms on a sequel to Anchorman.” He then insulted O’Brien’s hairdo and moonwalked out of the studio playing his jazz fl ute along with the house band.

As with the original, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues was written by Ferrell and Adam McKay, directed by McKay, and produced by Judd Apatow (Bridesmaids, Get Him to the Greek, and Pineapple Express - just to pick a few from his overfl owing oeuvre). “We knew that the audience was used to our tone, so when we got to do the sequel we could do even crazier stuff,” explains McKay of their captive audience. “Ron Burgundy’s like an alcoholic Santa Claus, there’s just a love

11

TKE06_10-11_Feature_Anchorman.indd 11 17/03/2014 3:14 pm

Russell’s fi lm brings the director together with two pairs of actors from his previous acclaimed releases, both of which follow a

similar thematic vein to American Hustle: Christian Bale and Amy Adams from The Fighter (2010), and Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper from Silver Linings Playbook (2012). “These are movies about people whose lives have not gone the way they wanted or intended,” Russell says of his trio. “There remains something deeply loveable about them, but they’re also heartbreaking.”

This balance, and the different kinds of love and respect we hold for those in our lives, is exemplifi ed by the relationships of the fi lm. Bale and Adams play Irving Rosenfeld and Sydney Prosser respectively, who are conniving business partners as well as soul mates. Russell spends a good portion of the fi lm

Filmmaker David O. Russell is interested in the stoicism

of heartache, and how his characters wrestle them-

selves through life - and his third big feature American

Hustle widens the scope for these goals beyond the more

narrowly-focused stories of his previous fi lms, without

losing intimacy or heart.By ZOË RADAS

showing us the love and appreciation which blooms out of cracked pasts - and these two really are broken people. “When you’re in love, you feel that you’ve become more than the sum of the parts - something divine is happening to you,” says Russell. “For me, the fi rst part of the fi lm is communicating how these two fell in love, how special they made each other feel, how much they love their lives - that enchantment was everything. And then trouble comes knocking. They will have to reinvent themselves to survive, and when they do that, what will happen to their love?”

That idea of survival permeates the other alliances too - and there’s something beautiful about each of those human connections, despite their ugliness at times. Rosalyn (Lawrence), Irving’s wife, is furious with the dying light of her marriage, and yet behind her petulant wailings there’s just a need for affection, and a respect for Irving himself. Perhaps the thing which makes the horrors bearable is the characters’ struggle towards truth - another of Russell’s themes.

RATED: M

AVAILABLE: Apr 16

STARS: Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner

DIRECTOR: David O. Russell

DURATION: 138 mins

FORMATS: DVD, Blu-ray

FEAT

UR

E

12

TKE06_12-13_Feature_AmerHustle.indd 12 17/03/2014 3:15 pm

numerous instances of revelation and rawness amidst the glamour of the fi lm attest. “You can never beat the truth - never. It always, eventually, catches up to you,” says screenwriter Eric Warren Singer. And that truth hasn’t squashed the compassionate

guts of the fi lm: “There’s a cynicism to certain aspects of the ABSCAM story, but that’s not the movie that David made,” Suckle explains. “David’s movies have tremendous heart. In all of his fi lms, the characters face a reckoning in their lives and they are searching for something better.”

TOP

So much of the movie is about

the different ways we hustle each other and

ourselves

4. TROY AND LELAINA, REALITY BITES (1994)Drop-kick guitarist Troy and valedictorian and aspiring fi lmmaker Lelaina get a few snarky, although not terribly clever, pot-shots at one another before they hook up. Must admit, by the end of the fi lm I still hated them both.

3. HARRY AND SALLY, WHEN HARRY MET SALLY... (1989)Across the span of 12 years, Harry and Sally argue spiritedly about every topic they can get their hands on, most often concluding that the other is completely incorrect and they can’t be friends. Thank God for New Years’ Eve making everybody lonely.

2. CLAIRE AND BENDER, THE BREAKFAST CLUB (1985)“School would probably f*****g shut down if you didn’t show up,” Bender snarls at Claire during their unwilling impoundment at Saturday detention. It might take the whole movie, but the rich girl and the rebel boy eventually realise they’ve more in common than they think.

1. PATRICK AND KAT, 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU (1999)Kat hates his big dumb combat boots and the way he reads her mind, she hates him so much it makes her sick, it even makes her rhyme. But obviously, deep down, they’re defi nitely meant for each other.

LOVE-HATERELATIONSHIPS

“So much of the movie is about the different ways we hustle each other and ourselves,” says producer Richard Suckle. “When you’re stuck in a job you hate, or a troubled relationship, you convince yourself it’s OK, everything’s going to be fi ne.” This is a natural human behaviour for all of us, because facing reality and entertaining the idea things are not OK is so damn scary. “We all have to fi gure out ways to get by, because that’s all we can do,” Suckle concludes.

But the truth fi nds its way out, as the

13

TKE06_12-13_Feature_AmerHustle.indd 13 17/03/2014 3:15 pm

In the near future, Fleet Commander Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley) becomes a hero when his daring strategies defeat an attack by a hostile alien race, the Formics. Fifty years later in anticipation of a second assault, the revered Colonel Hyrum Graff (Harrison Ford) is entrusted with collecting the brightest young minds and training them in a new Academy. One of these youthful geniuses is Andrew “Ender” Wiggins (Asa Butterfi eld) whose innocence is pitted against his natural military prowess. There’s some very impressive weightless stunt work in this adaptation of Orson Scott Card’s novel, but along with its rather odd symbolism and cavalcade of CGI, it’s diffi cult to fi nd its heart. Still very enjoyable with interesting themes, and spectacularly grand fi ght scenes, Ender’s Game will bring out the childlike glee for interstallar drama which we all love.

ENDER’S GAME

RATED: M

AVAILABLE: Apr 4

STARS: Harrison Ford, Asa Butterfi eld, Hailee Steinfeld

DIRECTOR: Gavin Hood

DURATION: 114 mins

FORMATS: DVD/Blu-ray Elysium Starship Troopers Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Krissanapong Rachata dons his writing and directing caps for this punch-a-minute thriller, which tells the story of a young man who must deliver a mysterious microchip to the authorities whilst ensuring both it and himself remain in one piece. John is an unassuming waiter and generally keeps himself out of trouble, but accidentally falls headlong into a major crime ring through a series of unfortunate events. He’s quickly targeted by the Thai mafi a, and in particular a pretty ferocious assassin who doubles as a respected uniformed police offi cer by day. John and his friends utilise their own backyard fi ghting techniques against the trained gangsters, employing some cleverly sneaky tactics in order to slide that precious microchip out from under the baddies’ noses.

BORN TO RACE: FAST TRACK THAI FIGHTER

RATED: PG

AVAILABLE: Apr 2

STARS: Brett Davern, Beau Mirchoff, Bill Sage

DIRECTOR: Alex Ranarivelo

DURATION: 98 mins

FORMATS: DVD/Blu-ray

RATED: MA15+

AVAILABLE: Apr 16

STARS: Akarin Akaranitimaytharatt, Kom Chauncheun, Anna Chuancheun

DIRECTOR: Krissanapong Rachata

DURATION: 81 mins


Something of a pale melding of The Fast and the Furious and Rush, this high intensity drama shows us the dedication and innate wildness of a group of aspiring race car drivers, who must learn to work together during their tuition at the Fast Lane Race Academy before competing against one another for two spots on a professional team. Danny Krueger (Brett Davern) has won a scholarship to the elite Academy and fi nds himself among some passionate and fi ery drivers - whom he’s more than a match for, in arrogance and courage if nothing else. An unfortunate accident soon leaves him without his regular racing partner, and he’s forced to team up with an old rival or face dismissal from the Academy. The two snarl and snap at one another, but have to put their differences aside if they’re ever going to fi nd a way to make it through the rigorous training and vicious taunts of the other young drivers.

14

TKE06_14-15_Reviews_ACTION.indd 14 18/03/14 11:12 AM

The second in The Hobbit trilogy is fi nally here, to the delight of absolutely everyone with at least one eye and an adventurous heart. Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) valiantly continues at the helm of his merry little crew of 13 dwarves, as they journey across dangerous country and evade many foes in their attempt to reclaim Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch). The Desolation of Smaug is set 60 years prior to the events of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, also directed by Kiwi auteur Peter Jackson. Jackson’s fantasy chops get another grand airing for this epic sequel, with the director having written the screenplay with his long time collaborator Fran Walsh as well as Guillermo del Toro, who was initially chosen to direct. Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey and Evangeline Lilly as the bow and arrow-wielding elf Tauriel both return, but rather than plodding onwards Jackson has expanded and broadened the story’s appeal, as he continually improves with each output.

DEAD DROP THE MACHINE UNBEATABLE

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG

HOMEFRONT

RATED: M

AVAILABLE: Apr 16

STARS: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Ken Stott

DIRECTOR: Peter Jackson

DURATION: 161 mins


RATED: M AVAIL: Apr 16STARS: Nick Cheung, Eddie Peng, Singh Hartihan Bitto DIRECTOR: Dante Lam DURATION: 122 mins FORMATS: DVD

A man who was once a world champion boxer rediscovers his love of sparring, and is drawn into MMA. Unbeatable envelops us in the world of mixed martial arts, and the unconventional training practicesthese insanely zealous young men employ to prime their muscles and refl exes for physical battle.

RATED: M AVAIL: Apr 9 STARS: Nestor Carbonell, Cole Hauser, Luke Goss DIRECTOR: R. Ellis Frazier DURATION: 85 mins FORMATS: DVD

Luke Goss may be 45 but he is pumping up his CV with a whole slew of thrillers including this, the tale of a former CIA operative who infi ltrates a Mexican smuggling ring. There aren’t many people with this guy’s bone structure and set up against Nestor Carbonell (Richard Alpert from Lost) the facial masculinity and the action rival one another for ultimate intensity.

RATED: MA15+ AVAIL: Apr 23STARS: Caity Lotz, Toby Stephens, Sam Hazeldine , Denis Lawson DIRECTOR: Caradog James DURATION: 87 mins FORMATS: DVD

This elegant sci-fi thriller follows the construction and subsequent warping of a robotic artifi cial intelligence, which was originally built to help humankind but is instead instructed on how to be a military weapon. Caity Lotz is beautifully clinical as the titular android, and perfectly embodies the innovative vision of fi rst time director/writer Caradog James.

RATED: MA15+ AVAIL: Apr 14STARS: Jason Statham, James Franco, Izabela Vidovic DIRECTOR: Gary Fleder DURATION: 100 mins FORMATS: DVD/Blu-ray

James Franco furthers his freaky Spring Breakers cred as Gator, a hick drug cook who resents the arrival of undercover cop Phil (Statham) in his small community. Phil is a widower and just wants to live his days peacefully with his young daughter, but Gater makes it his business to torment the pair.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey The Lord of the Rings Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

TKE06_14-15_Reviews_ACTION.indd 15 18/03/14 11:13 AM

FILTH ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND CONTINUES

RATED: R18+

AVAILABLE: Apr 4

STARS: Imogen Poots, James McAvoy, Jamie Bell

DIRECTOR: Jon S. Baird

DURATION: 97 mins


RATED: MA15+

AVAILABLE: Apr 9

STARS: Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd

DIRECTOR: Adam McKay

DURATION: 119 mins


Detective Sargeant Bruce Roberts (James McAvoy) revels in being part of a contemporary Edinburgh that is full of corruption, greed and lust, all of which straddle various measures of hilarity and obscentiy. He sets about ruining his colleagues by exposing their debauched secrets so that he can be assured of a coveted promotion, but fi nds himself entangled in a sex- and booze-soaked labyrinth of lies from which he struggles to extricate himself. It’s completely, shamlessly unguarded and McAvoy is so good at being unhinged in the best possible way. Despite some of his godawful decisions and his generally arrogant demeanour, we do end up feeling a bit sorry for Roberts when things begin to go rather insane. Super fi lthy fun.

Andy Garcia and Vera Farmiga star in this romantic comedy about two disparate parents who accompany their children on a guided tour of a college campus. They’re incredibly different but hit it off at the beginning of the day after exchanging a few snarky remarks, and then separate themselves from the pack to begin their own adventure. Crashing boring lectures, participating in a warm-up drama class, thieving a couple of bikes and sharing a warm humour that covers reminiscences and some sad truths about their respective marriages bring the two discordant spirits closer together. It’s interesting to see sisters Vera and Taissa play mother and daughter, as their gentle chiding and all out scolding is all the more believable. Meanwhile Garcia and Vera Farmiga’s infectious chemistry shows a genuine pleasure in each others’ company.

JUST ONE DAY

RATED: M

AVAILABLE: Apr 23

STARS: Andy Garcia, Vera Farmiga, Taissa Farmiga

DIRECTOR: Adam Rodgers

DURATION: 99 mins


About a Boy The Holiday Sleepless in Seattle

Fans of Adam McKay’s fi rst crack at the Anchorman franchise won’t need much prodding to grab the sequel of the smash hit. McKay returns as director along with all of the main cast of the original, who had been waiting with bated breath since 2004 (like the rest of us) to hear whether a second fi lm about Ron Burgundy’s motley crew would fi nd funding. And here it is! Ron and Veronica now have a son together, but Ron’s petulant jealousy at Veronica’s promotion incites him to bring his old team together to create the fi rst ever 24-hour news network (this is after a slide into depression and some very undignifi ed attempts at a new career path). Not quite as revelatory as the original, but defi nitely fantastic.

TKE06_16-17_Reviews_COMEDY.indd 16 18/03/14 11:15 AM

A&

The ensemble cast and glitzy promotional material mask the really beautiful, contemplative story which is covered in the fi rst portion of this highly entertaining but very intelligent crime comedy-drama. Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) maintains a tenuous relationship with his wife Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence), to whom he remains married even after meeting his true soul mate Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams). Irving and Sydney live the high life by performing a series of simple but daring fraudulent swindles, and are eventually nabbed by FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper). Richie is obsessed with using the couple to entrap conmen up the chain, to which the two must agree to ensure their release - but the strain, double-crossing and emotional confusion about where loyalties lie stretches their love to snapping point, particularly when Rosalyn begins baring her claws and demanding involvement. American Hustle is both exciting and thoughtful, and always engaging.

DATE & SWITCH BACKYARD ASHES DELIVERYMAN

AMERICAN HUSTLE

DON HEMINGWAY

RATED: M

AVAILABLE: Apr 16

STARS: Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner

DIRECTOR: David O. Russell

DURATION: 138 mins


IF YOU LIKE THIS, YOU’LL LIKE...

RATED: M AVAIL: Apr 9 STARS: Vince Vaughn, Chris Pratt, Cobie Smulders DIRECTOR: Ken Scott DURATION: 105 mins FORMATS: DVD/Blu-ray

Owing to a ‘mix-up’ at the fertility clinic to which David Wozniak (Vaughn) donated sperm during his student years, the unfortunate delivery driver discovers he’s fathered 533 children, who are suing to discover his identity. A feel-good but sometimes pretty mawkish vehicle for Vaughn’s man-child schtick.

RATED: M AVAIL: Apr 16 STARS: Nicholas Braun, Hunter Cope, Dakota Johnson DIRECTOR: Chris Nelson DURATION: 91 mins FORMATS: DVD/Blu-ray

Date & Switch is a product of Lionsgate’s ‘micro-budget’ feature division, and it’s a testament to the heights a sweet premise, quick-thinking script and actors with true rapport can take a story. Michael and Matty (Braun and Cope) are best friends and virgins; when Matty confesses he is gay, the pair’s quest becomes more about self-discovery than getting laid.

RATED: M AVAIL: Apr 2STARS: Sarah Burnell, Damian Callinan, Maddison Catlin-Smith DIRECTOR: Mark Grentell DURATION: 89 minsFORMATS: DVD

The story of how director Mark Grentell made Backyard Ashes is the perfect refl ection of the fi lm’s mateship-themed tale: community encouragement and input brought the movie - about a regular Aussie bloke who challenges his pompous English neighbour to a backyard cricket match to settle an argument - to fruition.

RATED: MA15+ AVAIL: Apr 23STARS: Emilia Clarke, Jude Law, Demian Bichir, Kerry Condon DIRECTOR: Richard Shepard DURATION: 90 mins FORMATS: DVD/Blu-ray

The pairing of Jude Law and Richard E. Grant is inspired, and drives this rollicking British crime comedy from the producers of Sexy Beast. Dom (Law) is out of prison and visits his crime boss to collect his dues for keeping his mouth shut while incarcerated, but he quickly discovers where his real priorities should lie.

Velvet Goldmine True Romance Natural Born Killers

17

COMEDY

TKE06_16-17_Reviews_COMEDY.indd 17 17/03/2014 3:18 pm

We’re so used to thinking of Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Elaine Benes that we expect to see that character whenever this supremely talented actress is on screen, but as divorcee Eva in Enough Said, Louis-Dreyfus proves she has serious range and comedic chops that still burn bright. Teaming her with the late James Gandolfi ni was an interesting and ultimately clever choice by writer-director Nicole Holofcener, as the two play a new couple getting to know one another’s humour, boundaries and pasts. Catherine Keener is Marianne, Gandolfi ni’s ex-wife, a fact about which Eva is completely ignorant when she becomes Marianne’s confi dante. Their conversations start to make Eva very uncomfortable when Marianne begins divulging all manner of irritations and repulsions regarding her ex-husband. Sweet without being mawkish.

One of the saddest things about personal wartime stories is that their bearers sometimes cannot suffer the pain of reliving them through writing them down. Thankfully Eric Lomax found the immense strength to do so, and his experiences - and the theme of the incredible agony in communicating them - weave through this story which champions love and reconciliation. Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth are subtly electric as Eric and Patti Lomax, a couple who meet later in life; it is only after their marriage that the torments of wartime begin to rise to the surface of Eric’s psyche. Through Eric’s friend Finlay (Stellan Skarsgård), Patti learns of Eric’s experiences in a Singaporean POW camp, where he is forced to work on the Thai-Burma Railway. He is tortured horrifi cally during his time there, and as his memories continue to swamp his mind, Patti tries to fi nd ways to help him heal. When Eric discovers that his key torturer is alive and working as a tour guide at the site of the railway, he decides to fi nd and confront him.

ENOUGH SAID

THE RAILWAY MAN

RATED: MAVAILABLE: Apr 2

STARS: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, James Gandolfi ni, Catherine Keener

DIRECTOR: Nicole Holofcener

DURATION: 93 mins


RATED: M

AVAILABLE: Apr 23

STARS: Nicole Kidman, Stellan Skarsgård, Colin Firth, Hiroyuki SanadaDIRECTOR: Jonathan Teplitzky

DURATION: 116 mins



HOW I LIVE NOW

RATED: MA15+ AVAIL: Apr 2STARS: Saoirse Ronan, Tom Holland, George MacKay DIRECTOR: Kevin MacdonaldDURATION: 101 mins FORMATS: DVD/Blu-ray

Ever since Atonement (2007) and The Lovely Bones (2009), Saoirse Ronan has been storming up the notoriety ladder; How I Live Now has certainly fl ipped her up a few more rungs. Daisy (Ronan) is a New York City teenager who cradles a few insecurities and disorders, but opens up when she’s sent to spend a summer with her cousins in the UK. Her arrival coincides with an enormous military attack on Britain, and she has to decide where her loyalties lie.

PHILOMENA

Empire of the Sun The Pianist Schindler’s List

RATED: M AVAIL: Apr 30 STARS: Judi Dench, Steve Coogan, Sophie Kennedy Clark DIRECTOR: Stephen Frears DURATION: 98 minsFORMATS: DVD/Blu-ray

Steve Coogan is a journalist who initially scorns the idea of writing a human interest piece, but when he learns the story of Philomena (Dench) - a woman whose infant son was taken from her directly after his birth - he decides to help her. During their journey they’re met with both stiff silence and warm aid, as those involved try to protect themselves or offer their kindness and information. Based on true events; keep Kleenex handy.

18

DR

AMA

TKE06_18-19_Reviews_DRAMA.indd 18 17/03/2014 3:19 pm

A&

Two contrary souls fi nd a gentle romance while on the run from their own selves in this very sweet fi lm from director Dante Ariola, in his fi rst feature fi lm. Colin Firth gives his best dry vulnerability a workout as Wallace Avery, a middle aged man who fi nds himself defeated and bored with every component of his life. He resolves to buy a new identity and road trip to Indiana, where he plans to begin a new life as a golfer. Along the way he meets Michaela (Emily Blunt), a free spirit whom Wallace fi nds passed out next to the pool at a scrappy motel. Michaela sees through his ruse almost immediately and accompanies him on his journey, but she’s hiding secrets of her own: fl eeing from the law for a string of petty thefts, Michaela convinces Wallace to join her game and the two begin breaking into houses to bask in the lives of other people: wearing their clothes, sleeping in their beds and living their existences. It’s an exercise in learning about themselves, and when love blossoms they work out what it is they’re truly after.

ARTHUR NEWMAN

RATED: MA15+AVAILABLE: Apr 23

STARS: Emily Blunt, Colin Firth, Anne Heche, Sterling Beaumon

DIRECTOR: Dante Ariola

DURATION: 90 mins

FORMATS: DVD/Blu-ray Y Tu Mamá También Almost Famous Lost in Translation

The last nail in the coffi n of Daniel Radcliffe’s Harry Potter association, Kill Your Darlings sees his sensitive face put to fantastically good use in his fearless portrayal of a young Allen Ginsberg. Having just arrived at Columbia University, Allen is already questioning the establishment when he meets Lucien Carr, who introduces him to a group of friends, some of which will become the Beat Generation writers William S. Burroughs and Jack Kerouac. A strange relationship between Lucien and a professor begins to threaten the group’s escapades and continuing camaraderie, so the boys decide to take action. This is John Krokidas’ debut feature directorial, and it’s a beautiful, spirited biopic whose descent into nightmare towards its climax is equally as exquisite as its jubilant moments.

KILL YOUR DARLINGS

RATED: MA15+AVAILABLE: Apr 3

STARS: Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan, Michael C. Hall

DIRECTOR: John Krokidas

DURATION: 104 mins



BATTLE OF THE YEAR

RATED: PG AVAIL: Apr 10STARS: Josh Holloway, Laz Alonso, Josh Peck, Caity Lotz DIRECTOR: Benson Lee DURATION: 110 mins FORMATS: DVD/Blu-ray

Since Josh Holloway escaped the island we haven’t seen him much, so why not team up with Chris Brown (who plays ‘Rooster’ in an apt bit of naming) and Josh Peck (The Wackness) for an international b-boy extravaganza? Benson Lee created a documentary of the same name covering the real life Battle of the Year comp, and now directs these young lads in a fi ctional account of the American ‘Dream Team’ trying to win back their title.

CONVICT

RATED: MA15+ AVAIL: Apr 9 STARS: Alex Acosta, Stephen Anderton, David Field DIRECTOR: George Basha DURATION: 98 mins FORMATS: DVD

Australian writer-director George Basha stars in this story of one man’s experiences inside prison; navigating the jungle of gangs, evading the sadistic tortures of the warden, and fi nding time to centre himself so as not to lose hope completely. Basha’s infl uences are on his sleeve, but it makes for a faithful and interesting take, rather than a derivative mash of copying. The fact he was granted full access to fi lm in Parramatta Prison adds some real sombre clout to the enterprise.

19

DR

AMA

TKE06_18-19_Reviews_DRAMA.indd 19 17/03/2014 3:19 pm

PEPPA PIG: MY BIRTHDAY PARTY

RATED: G

AVAILABLE: Apr 9

STARS: John Sparkes, Morwenna Banks, Richard Ridings, Lily Snowden-Fine

DIRECTOR: Mark Baker

DURATION: 63 mins


Peppa Pig could not be more excited that it’s her birthday. She wakes up super early so that she doesn’t waste any of the daylight hours, jumping down from her bunk and rousing her little brother George. The day is fi lled with magic shows, cake and lots of games. This DVD contains 12 ‘peppasodes’ which, aside from the eponymous caper, also include a thrilling boat race, a fabulous school play, an adventure on the train, a sunny day at the beach, a creative costume party and plenty more.

This is a pretty gosh-darn cute story, we have to say. It follows the travails of a hen named Daisy, who manages to escape the dreadful horrors of a battery egg production line and decides to make her way back to the barnyard where she grew up. When she gets there the other creatures reject her, after which she experiences a rather horrid encounter with a one-eyed weasel. But don’t despair - things begin looking up when she learns that nurturing is her calling; by chance she comes across a newly hatched, abandoned duckling, and becomes his guardian. As he grows up and tries to understand why he looks different from his adoptive mother, Daisy learns about sacrifi ce, love, respect and embracing difference.

DAISY

RATED: PGAVAILABLE: Apr 23

STARS: So-ri Moon, Seung Ho Yoo, Min-sik Choi,

DIRECTOR: Seong-Yun Oh

DURATION: 88 mins

FORMATS: DVD

A FINE STEP

RATED: PG AVAIL: Apr 2STARS: Leonor Varela, Luke Perry, Armand Assante, Justin Baldoni DIRECTOR: Jonathan Myers DURATION: 90 mins FORMATS: DVD

We all know Luke Perry can rock a cowboy hat but the beauty of this fi lm is in how many individual characters’ struggles it follows, and the fact we end up with multiple heroes. A show rider (Perry) and his horse are injured in an accident, and both of their spirits are squashed by the tragedy. It takes the encouragement of a young girl, including her suggestion to involve a talented trainer (Chilean actress Leonor Varela) to get man and horse back in the show ring.

KHUMBA

RATED: PG AVAIL: Apr 9 STARS: Jake T. Austin, Liam Neeson, Steve Buscemi, AnnaSophia Robb DIRECTOR: Anthony Silverston DURATION: 82 minsFORMATS: DVD/Blu-ray

Khumba (Jake T. Austin) is born into a herd of zebra, but he isn’t quite the same: his hind quarters are a snowy white. The other zebra aren’t sure what sort of omen this is; Khumba’s father (Laurence Fishburne) and friend (AnnaSophia Robb) assure him there’s nothing wrong with being different, but Khumba decides he is going to leave and ‘earn his stripes’ to prove that he can bring water to the famished herd.

Morwenna Banks, Richard Ridings, Lily Snowden-Fine

Peppa Pig: The Holiday Peppa Pig: Fire Engine and Other StoriesPeppa Pig: Potato City


FAM

ILY

2020

TKE06_20_Reviews_FAMILY_2.indd 20 17/03/2014 3:20 pm

View trailer

View trailer

View trailerView trailerView trailer

AprilFP2014.indd 1 17/03/2014 1:38 pmAVRRA_Ads.indd 1 17/03/2014 3:33 pm

The youngest LaPaglia brother, Jonathan (Anthony is 11 years his senior), sparkles in this fascinating show set in fi ctional Kings Cross Hospital and Stanton House. It’s 1969 and although Sydney is a colourful place full of emancipated young people, old school sensibilities left over from the decade past remain, particularly when it comes to the events and people orbiting the hospital. Unwed, pregnant women are faced with little choice when it comes to the fate of their babies, and the script’s faithful adherence to social mores and situations makes these occurrences all the more raw. Jessica Marais as gentle midwife Joan Miller - who often comes into crossfi re with LaPaglia’s Dr Patrick McNaughton, head of obstetrics - is the show’s standout, while the supporting cast includes Mandy McElhinney as the hard-nosed matron who runs Stanton House, and Sophie Hessner as Viv Maguire, an innocent but tenacious country girl. This is both an entertaining and informative portrait of a historic slice of Australian life.

LOVE CHILD SEASON 1

RATED: M

AVAILABLE: Apr 10

STARS: Sophie Hensser, Jessica Marais, Jonathan LaPagliaDIRECTOR: Shawn Seet

DURATION: 370 mins


RAKE S3 HEARTLAND S6 PT1

RATED: M AVAIL: Apr 2STARS: Richard Roxburgh, Matt Day, Russell Dykstra, Danielle Cormack DIRECTOR: Rowan Woods DURATION: 458 mins FORMATS: DVD

The arrogant, lovable but far too clever for his own good Cleaver Greene (Richard Roxburgh) has been behind bars for 11 months when season three opens, and while he’s the star of the inmate-run Kangaroo Court which settles disputes amongst prisoners, he’s also dealing with the amorous advances of his adorable but clueless cellmate. Richard Roxburgh impresses again and again in this highly anticipated season.

RATED: M AVAIL: Apr 2STARS: Amber Marshall, Michelle Morgan, Graham Wardle, Chris Potter DIRECTOR: Stefan Scaini DURATION: 403 mins FORMATS: DVD

Amber Marshall returns as Heartland’s protagonist Amy Marshall, who lives and works on her family’s horse ranch and displays special abilities in healing the equines which come through its gates. In season six we learn what will happen to Ty’s planned proposal with the hidden engagement ring, Amy’s dedication to a runaway girl with natural showjumping talent, and the return of Ty’s abusive step-father Wade.

GOOSEBUMPS S1 CALIFORNICATION S6

Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities Offspring Grey’s Anatomy

RATED: PG AVAIL: Apr 2 STARS: R.L. Stine, Kathryn Short, Cody Jones DIRECTOR: Ron Oliver DURATION: 300 minsFORMATS: DVD

Ahead of the recent, exciting news that a Goosebumps fi lm is in the works, the original mid-’90s television series covering R.L. Stine’s popular novels is being re-released. The episodes are all directed by Ron Oliver whose career began with the cult horror hit Prom Night II (1987), and the fi lmmaker went on to direct a bundle of well received, creepy TV movies. Look out for the classic eps Night of the Living Dummy and Say Cheese and Die.

RATED: MA15+ AVAIL: Apr 23 STARS: David Duchovny, Natascha McElhone, Madeleine Martin, Evan Handler DIRECTOR: Adam Bernstein DURATION: 398 mins FORMATS: DVD

Season fi ve certainly ended on a doozy of a cliffhanger: Hank’s ex-girlfriend Carrie offers our hero a drink, and afterwards reveals that she’s laced it and her own with prescription medication. Season 6 takes us through Hank’s ensuing nightmarish recovery, his daughter’s engagement and desire to drop out to become a writer, and that ever-compelling question of whether Hank and Karen (McElhone) will get back together.

22

TKE06_22-23_Reviews_TV.indd 22 18/03/14 11:17 AM

A&

Re-live the most-watched sitcom premiere in television history (and its subsequent episodes) with season one of Anger Management, based loosely on the 2003 Jack Nicholson fi lm. Charlie Sheen does well as anger management therapist Charles Goodson (is he incapable of playing a character who doesn’t share his own name?), but it isn’t a huge stretch from his role in Two and a Half Men. There are a few good laughs but more lead balloons, although several excellent guest stars shine through such as Denise Richards, Martin Sheen and Brian Austin Green. More an exercise in image management than anything else, Anger Management gets to explore some weird tics and compulsions through its group therapy set-up but nothing goes very far beneath the surface.

The brilliant and terse vascular surgeon Dr Martin Ellingham (Martin Clunes) is set to marry the woman who has repeatedly drawn and repelled him over the course of fi ve seasons: the lovely Louisa (played by Caroline Catz). While the Doc continues to adjust to the small Cornwall village in which he has settled, this season also circles issues within married life and its tensions as well as Doc and Louisa’s very young son James, which gives Doc a chance to fl ex his knowledge of infant disorders. The series remains wonderfully unusual and skewiff compared to others of its ilk, with the interpersonal relations between the formal Doctor Ellingham and his various patients - those that fl uster, frustrate and also engage him - wholly enjoyable to watch throughout. The collection of characters in the series continue to enrich the town’s dimensions, rather than pop up and disappear as their ailments demand attention and then wane. We also get to learn a little more of the doctor’s backstory, which in turn endears him despite his arrogant airs.

ANGER MANAGEMENT S1

DOC MARTIN S6


STARS: Charlie Sheen, Shawnee Smith, Noureen DeWulf

CREATOR: Bruce Helford

DURATION: 237 mins

FORMATS: DVD


STARS: Martin Clunes, Caroline Catz, Ian McNeice, Joe Absolom

DIRECTOR: Nigel Cole

DURATION: 384 mins

FORMATS: DVD IF YOU LIKE THIS, YOU’LL LIKE... Cold Feet Sherlock Shameless

23

TV

TKE06_22-23_Reviews_TV.indd 23 17/03/2014 3:21 pm

AVRRA_Ads.indd 1 18/03/14 5:13 PM

JASONSTATHAM

JAMESFRANCO

WINONARYDER

KATEBOSWORTH

WRITTEN BY SYLVESTER STALLONE

ON BLU-RAY & DVD APRIL 23

“A SHARP, MEAN, LEAN ACTION THRILLER”TOM FORDY – LOADED

201402130_Homefront_Video_Vibes_FPC.indd 1 26/02/14 2:37 PMAVRRA_Ads.indd 1 17/03/2014 4:01 pm

TICKET OUT

RATED: M

AVAILABLE: Apr 23

STARS: Ray Liotta, Alexandra Breckenridge, Colin Ford

DIRECTOR: Doug Lodato

DURATION: 90 mins

FORMATS: DVD

As far as professional, under-the-radar jobs go, hooning around helping battered spouses escape their awful partners through an extremely convoluted underground railway system is a little unexpected. Then again Ticket Out is directed by Doug Lodato, whose last fi lm was Best Shot in 1990. This do-good drama stars Ray Liotta as the hardboiled, street smart Jim, who whisks Jocelyn (Breckenridge) and her young son away from an erratic, violent husband who has just (inexplicably) won custody and attempts to aid them to safety. The explanations for various events and decisions may frustrate some viewers, as will the weak conclusion, but this fi lm undeniably has good intentions and wants to show us that there are strangers out there who care, despite its ham-fi sted approach.

South Korean fi lmmaker Park Chan-Wook has a particularly visceral talent for pacing his brilliant stories, and this American remake of the second component of his ‘Vengeance Trilogy’ seems a little unnecessary. It lacks the macabre, ornate atmosphere of the original, but as far as storylines go this ultimate tale of revenge is one which several directors must have been desperate to spin. After a drunken evening, Joe (Brolin) wakes up inside a strange cell. He’s provided with modest amenities and is served meals through a slot in the door... and remains there for 20 years, ignorant of the whys and hows of his imprisonment. Upon being suddenly released, he makes it his mission to discover the truth and exact his bloody revenge.

OLD BOY

RATED: MA 15+

AVAILABLE: Apr 3

STARS: Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Samuel L. Jackson

DIRECTOR: Spike Lee

DURATION: 104 mins



Kill Bill Vol 1 Leon: The Professional The Crow

NURSE CARRIERATED: MA 15+ AVAIL: Apr 2 STARS: Chloë Grace Moretz, Julianne Moore, Gabriella Wilde DIRECTOR: Kimberly Peirce DURATION: 100 mins FORMATS: DVD

While a few of the choice ribs from the Brian De Palma-directed original are preserved here, this version of Carrie is cautiously updated to join the cyber-social world. It doesn’t quite make enough changes to justify its existence but Moretz and Moore do make a compelling pair.

RATED: MA 15+ AVAIL: Apr 9STARS: Katrina Bowden, Judd Nelson, Paz de la Huerta DIRECTOR: Douglas Aarniokoski DURATION: 84 mins FORMATS: DVD

Paz de la Huerta is an actress whose peculiarity is diffi cult to pin, which is why she can be rather hit and miss. In Nurse, however, she’s bang on as the wacko obsessive and her odd line deliveries fi t like a glove. Director Aarniokoski doesn’t make any pretense about the fact this movie is about sex and gore, and it’s bloody good fun because of it.

TH

RIL

LER

26

TKE06_26_Reviews_THRILLER.indd 26 17/03/2014 3:25 pm

AVRRA_Ads.indd 1 17/03/2014 4:03 pm

A SELECTION OF TITLES THE DVD STORK WILL BE DELIVERING NEXT MONTH

ON THE JOBThis Filipino action thriller is about to get itself a US remake, such was its impact at Cannes last year. It’s about four impassioned, determined young men trying to gain notoriety for themselves and their families, and is out May 21.

INSIDE LLEWYN DAVISSet in 1961, Inside Llewyn Davis was inspired by the disparate nature of New York music scene, and follows the eponymous young musician as he tries to cobble together his way in the world. It’s available on May 28.

Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Where the Wild Things Are) has delivered something uncommonly special in his latest fi lm, Her. An introverted writer named Theodore Twombly lives a lonely existence, employed to write personal, intimate sentiments for people who don’t want to do it themselves (sort of like a Hallmark card writer but more complex and depressing). He buys a very advanced, seemingly sentient operating system for his computer and slowly falls in love with the curious and supportive female presence embodied within it. It’s out May 22.

This story of an imaginative young girl who is sent to live with a foster family during WWII Germany, is based on the adored best-selling book. It’s out May 21.

HER THE BOOK THIEF

THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTYWalter Mitty (Ben Stiller) is a meek, milquetoast man who works as head of the photograph department at Life magazine and often loses himself in heroic daydreams. After he misplaces an extremely important negative from star travel photographer Sean O’Connell (Sean Penn), he uses the other pictures as clues to discover whereabouts O’Connell is. The journey takes him across the world, but his heart is never far from Cheryl (Kristen Wiig), his co-worker at Life magazine on whom he harbours an enormous crush. It’s out May 7.

EXT

RAS

28

TKE06_28-29_ComingSoon.indd 28 17/03/2014 3:28 pm

WOLF OF WALL STREETA whole bucket of memes about poor old Leo (DiCaprio) missing out on the Best Actor Oscar shouldn’t stand in your way when it comes to renting this unabashed profi le of excess and eventual disintegration, out for your viewing pleasure on May 28.

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTYThe ensemble cast of August: Osage County is led by Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts, bringing the darkly comic events of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play it’s based on to life. The strong-willed Weston women’s lives have taken very different paths, but a family crisis brings them back together to the house in which they grew up. It’s out on May 7.

Saving Mr Banks tells us the fascinating story of how the ever-popular 1964 fi lm Mary Poppins came into being. Emma Thompson is Pamela Travers, who reluctantly agrees to meet Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) to discuss the possible adaptation of her Mary Poppins children’s books. Disney has his work cut out for him, as Travers is deeply personally connected to her characters and will not abide some of the suggested changes. In particular, she abhors animation. From an extremely chilly beginning, the novelist and fi lmmaker begin to bring together something which they can both call their own. This one will be in store on May 7.

Season three of Downton Abbey sees Matthew and Mary’s wedding going ahead, the arrival of Cora’s mother which irritates the Dowager Countss no end, and the future of Downton comes into question. You can pick it up on May 2.

SAVING MR BANKS DOWNTON ABBEY: SEASON 3

August: is led by Meryl

Weston women’s lives have taken very different paths, but a family

A whole bucket of memes about poor old Leo (DiCaprio) missing out on the

29

TKE06_28-29_ComingSoon.indd 29 17/03/2014 3:28 pm

PLEASE USE RESIZE OF KEY ART, TITLE TREATMENT,

STAR NAMES, LOGO AND CENSOR. INCLUDE ANY

STILLS TO USE ALONGSIDE LARGE PACKSHOTS FOR

BD + DVD (RENTAL SKUS). PULL QUOTES FROM

SLEEVE TO BE INCLUDE IN FULL PAGE.



“THE WHOLE CAST IS IN CRACKING FORM. ONE OF THE BEST FILMS OF 2013...”

LEIGH PAATSCH – THE HERALD SUN

from the director of silver linings playbook and the fighter

American_Hustle_Video_Vibes_FP.indd 1 28/02/14 2:04 PMAVRRA_Ads.indd 1 17/03/2014 4:04 pm

Strong violence, sex scenes, themes and coarse language

Mild coarse language and violence

ON BLU-RAYTM & DVD 3 APRIL

ON BLU-RAYTM & DVD 10 APRIL

AVAILABLE ON DVD 3 APRIL

Film © 2013 OB Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Film © 2013 Screen Gems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Film © 2014 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

JOSH BROLIN

“HOLLYWOOD’S WILDEST CINEMATIC FREAK OUT”

NEW YORKER

FIND THETRUTH

AND MAKE IT HURT

The Little Rascals are back

J O S H H O L L O W A Y C H R I S B R O W N

OLDBOY-LITTLE RASCALS-BATTLEOFTHEYEAR RENTAL FPA 877839.indd 1 17/03/14 2:58 PMAVRRA_Ads.indd 1 17/03/2014 4:16 pm

your guide to april’s hottest · pdf fileit co-stars jennifer connelly, ... mushroom...

Documents