It is a sad, yet true, fact that I spend many an hour of my free time browsing film sites such as Empire magazine or imdb, looking at trailers and reviews of movies past, present, and future. Today I just thought I'd share some of the films that I'm bursting with excitement about watching! Here's my top 5... (Apologies for the tiny little videos, just hit full screen!) 1) First up, Man Of Steel.
Here's an epic trailer...
Fortunately, we haven't got too long to wait for this one, as it is released on June 14th. I loooove superheroes and anything comic book (as you can probably tell), but have never really gotten into the whole Superman thing. However, I cannot wait to see this! It's yet another 'origin story', following again in the footsteps of Nolan's Batman, and shows Clark Kent (or Kal-El) as a child growing up on Earth, who is then forced to fight against his true race and General Zod (Michael Shannon) in finding out his powers. It's directed by Zack Snyder, who also directed Watchmen, which is what I think gives me more faith in this film being a bit less cheesy than previous Superman adaptations. Also, Henry Cavill is playing the lead.... need I say more? 2) Next, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
This isn't out until November, but I'm excited already! It's the second in the Hunger Games trilogy, and was actually probably my favourite book, so I hope the film does it justice! The usuals are back; Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Woody Harrelson, with some new characters too.
3) Next is a film I only heard about really recently, so I'm not even too sure what it's about! But, it looks awesome. It's called The East.
I think the general idea is an anarchist network infiltrating big corporations in a violent form of protest, and Brit Marling is kind of undercover in both? As I say I only just heard about it, but it's out June 28th so we'll know more then! Ha. It was the trailer that caught my attention..
4) Now we have the directorial debut of the beauuutiful Joseph-Gordon Levitt, Don Jon.
Yes, this is written by, directed by and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. He also sings, dances, and plays guitar. Clearly the perfect man?!? Don Jon is meant to be fairly raunchy but looks pretty hilarious too. I just think this guy is super talented so can't wait to see how he directs too!
5) And what would a film wish-list be without Ryan Gosling?
I know he ain't looking his best there, but this is a film I've been waiting for a long time! It brings together Nicolas Winding Refn and Ryan Gosling, who both previously worked on the hugely successful and quietly stunning Drive. It's a classic revenge tale, and promises even more violence than Drive (it even gained a red-band trailer), and has recently split critics at the Cannes Film Festival; some were loving it and others saying the violence is just too much. You can make up your own mind at its release on August 2nd.
And the aforementioned trailer.... (Red band: mature audiences only! Just to warn you!)
Apologies for the fairly long post, so hard to choose just five films I'm looking forward to!
Maybe I'll do another one of these? What do you think? Which films are you excited for? Thanks for reading! Sophie.
Side Effects Directed by Steven Soderbergh Starring Jude Law, Rooney Mara, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Channing Tatum
Side Effects is a psychological thriller (an overused term I know, but bear with me) about Emily (Rooney Mara), a woman who is prescribed a new drug for depression after her husband (Channing Tatum) returns from a stint in prison, but suffers from some startling and violent side effects as a result.... I hadn't heard too much about this film prior to seeing it, strangely enough, so was happy to be in the dark while watching it and not have any judgements to go on. I'll be honest, it starts slow. Really slow. The first scene is that of bloody footprints across the floor, which then flashes back to three weeks earlier. This does give a sense of tension, but by about halfway in you are almost so bored that you've completely forgotten about it. However.... This is definitely a film of two halves, because after we see the cause of the blood stains in a brilliantly stark and shocking portrayal of murder (I actually gasped out loud and shot my hand over my mouth!), Side Effects really gains pace.
The highlight of the film is the excellent soundtrack; the music is chilling, hypnotic, and almost childlike at times, perfectly enhancing Rooney Mara's vulnerable, ethereal character and the mysterious plot we see unraveling on screen. The scenes between Mara and Jude Law's psychiatrist Jonathan Banks are the best, both playing their part with subtlety as their relationship develops. Catherine Zeta-Jones is Emily's previous psychiatrist, and despite having quite a key part in terms of the plot, I think her character is a little cliche (you know, hair slicked in a bun, big glasses to look more intelligent, dodgy suits) and the more we find out about her and Emily, the less believable it gets.
There are a fair few twists as the film nears its end, which keeps you guessing and forces you to question your initial judgement of the characters and their motives throughout and is part of the reason the second half is so gripping. However, there isn't enough backstory provided for you to fully understand what's going on at times, leaving you confused, and when you do understand it all seems a bit tenuous. Channing Tatum's character Martin and his past is crucial, but you can only figure that out after thinking long and hard about it! It is entirely possible that this is the point; the less you know, the more you have to piece it together yourself, and I guess it's better than patronising the audience and having everything spelled out for you. I realise that paragraph is a bit baffling in itself, but it's quite difficult to talk about this film without giving away any spoilers! I'd hate to ruin it for anyone.
Overall, I came out of the cinema happy. It may take a while to get into, but is definitely worth it by the end. Steven Soderbergh, who also directed Channing Tatum in Magic Mike, has a certain voyueristic style of filming that makes you feel part of the scene and I think that's what gets you so intrigued in the story. There are good performances all round, particularly from Jude Law, who is the only character you truly empathise with as you watch his life fall apart. Side Effects is an interesting film that works hard to surprise you, and uses the grim subject matter of depression to create a bleak, cold mood that blends with the psychological theme. The sense of mystery around the characters is done really well, and the second half alone is a reason to watch this film. Rating: 3/5 Thanks for reading! Sophie.
