Hello again folks! I’m back to tell you guys the new movie releases for this week; June 27, 2014.
Thanks again to Agent Nate for watching the house while I’m out. I saw that he drank most of the milk, but left me plenty of Coke Zero for me to drink. That’s nice of him.
But enough about that, let’s see what crazyness we got coming out this week, starting with a film from Norway….
What’s it about? Terrified and bloody, Oscar Svendsen awakes clinched to a shotgun in a strippers joint. Around him 8 dead men, and police aiming at him. To Oscar it’s clear that he is innocent. It all started when four chaps won 1,7 million on the pools…
My thoughts? Slick as hell visuals, with a fun looking black comedy tone, I’m diggin the trailer to this one. Will definitely check this one out.
What’s it about? Berkeley record store clerk Nick Brady (Jonathan Scarfe) begins to experience strange visions from an entity he calls VALIS that cause him to uproot his family and move to Los Angeles where he becomes a successful music company executive. With the help of best friend, science-fiction writer Philip K. Dick himself (Shea Whigam) and a mysterious woman named Silvia (Alanis Morissette), Nick finds himself drawn into a dangerous political-mystical conspiracy of cosmic proportions. The story is set in an alternate reality America circa 1985 under the authoritarian control of President Fremont, a Nixon-like clone (Scott Wilson).
My thoughts? Filmed in 2007, this low budget production of a Philip K. Dick novel just looks kinda iffy. The cinematography looks a bit flat and the CGI is on the cheap side. But, the film might still deliver in some areas. The acting seems decent enough (I’m really intrigued with the casting of Alanis Morissette) and the editing could help it alot, but one wonders why it took so long to get it finished and released. Was it the lack of quality, or was it the fact they had to figure out a way to fund the post production? It’s intriguing to think about the production history, but the film has to be judged on the finished product. While I don’t think this will be an amazing film, it could have enough lo-fi charm and energy to it to make it entertaining.
What’s it about? Two soldiers are tasked with deciding the fate of a terrorist with a single push of a button. As the action plays out in real time, their window to use a deadly military drone on the target slowly closes. With time running out, the soldiers begin to question what the real motives are behind the ordered lethal attack.
My thoughts? Another classic case of a movie poster to a low budget movie completely mis-selling the movie. You’d think they throw in a few..I don’t know…drones on the poster. Anyways, this film is directed by Rick Rosenthal, whose only notable films to his credit are Halloween II, Halloween: Resurrection and a little seen (but well received) film called Bad Boys. Not be confused with the Bay-fest Will Smith/Martin Lawerence action series, the 1983 film Bad Boys is a prison thriller that stars a very young Sean Penn (and a couple of other soon to be famous character actors). It’s a fun, very ’80s gritty flick that had real bite to it.
Does Rosenthal have it him to make a film that raw again? Is Drones that movie that could be Rosenthal bringing back some of that Bad Boy‘s energy? With it’s simple premise, and one location concept, it’s possible, but it could also be an easy paycheck movie.
What’s it about? When Joel and Molly meet, it’s hate at first sight: his big Corporate Candy Company threatens to shut down her quirky indie shop. Plus, Joel is hung up on his sexy ex. But amazingly, they fall in love, until they break up about two thirds of the way through, and Molly starts dating her accountant. But then right at the end…well you’ll just have to see. (Hint: Joel makes a big speech and they get back together.)
My thoughts? Parody movies like this one can usually be the kiss of death…but we’re talking about a movie that David Wain and Michael Showalter wrote and Wain directed. These guys are too damn smart, too damn funny to make an parody film with EASY jokes. They don’t do a scene from another movie and recreate it with a “comedy” twist and call it a day. Nope, these guys are just too good at what they do to make it this easy. I really loved most of the stuff they have involvement in; The State, Stella, The Baxter, Wet Hot American Summer, Wainy Days, etc. I can’t wait to see this one.
What’s it about? An automobile mechanic and his daughter make a discovery that brings down the Autobots and Decepticons – and a paranoid government official – on them.
My thoughts? I’m sorry folks…I just don’t care any more. I hate Bay’s aesthetic take on this series. I hate how he continues to never really develop the title characters, yet focuses way too much on the just as underdeveloped human characters. I dislike the constant destruction. I’m over the hackneyed screenplays. It just feels like another mess and I just don’t want to spend money on this movie franchise anymore. And no, I’m not excited for Grimlock (the big dinosaur robot in the trailer) because you know what, I’m just not that easy any more. Just SEEING something from my childhood isn’t enough any more. I can’t do Michael Bay’s take on the Transformers franchise. I’m over it, but I’m sure it will make a shit load of money regardless on how I feel.
What’s it about? In a future where a failed global-warming experiment kills off all life on the planet except for a lucky few that boarded the Snowpiercer, a train that travels around the globe, where a class system evolves.
My thoughts? Bong Joon-Ho is one hell of a director. I’ve seen all his flicks, and he’s got a great handle on action, comedy, drama and a fantastic visual command of the camera. I highly recommend all his movies. Be it his family hunts a giant monster film The Host, his off beat murder mystery films Memories of Murder or Mother and even his strange little dark comedy Barking Dogs Never Bite, he makes confident and intelligent films that have an aesthetic that western audiences can easily get behind.
So in classic Weinstein Brothers fashion they did what they always do. They buy cool foreign films, and try to edit the crap out of it. Well, Bong Joon-Ho fought like hell with them, and was able to convince them to release his original cut…it’s just going to be released as a limited run film.
That’s a shame, but at least we’re getting it.
It’s surprising to think the Weinsteins couldn’t sell this film, even thought it stars Captain America and a few Oscar nominated actors. It’s got a cool sci-fi hook and some great looking action. I’m in.
Listen, if I’m going to be watching a big sci-fi action flick this weekend, it won’t be the one about robot cars and dinosaurs. It’s going to be the snow train version of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis.
BUT, what about you folks? Does seeing Autobots and Decepticons smash up a building still do it for you? Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler making love while making fun of rom com films? Let us know in the comments section below!