Previews: The Addams Family Trailer, Booksmart, More!

The Addams Family Trailer

A plethora of film-related goodness in this week’s preview of coming attractions, including The Addams Family trailer, Booksmart, My Spy and more…

The Addams Family trailer is here. This first look at the new animated film gives a taste of the humour we can expect. The voice cast for this latest iteration includes Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, and Chloë Grace Moretz. The Addams Family is set for release on 25th October 2019.

Booksmart Trailer

Booksmart is the directorial debut from Olivia Wilde. The film received critical acclaim on its premiere at SXSW in March. The comedy focuses on two high school friends, played by Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever. The cast also includes Jason Sudeikis and Lisa Kudrow. Booksmart is due to hit UK screens on 27th May 2019.

My Spy Trailer

Dave Bautista’s latest film is action comedy My Spy. The film is about a hardened CIA operative who is at the mercy of a young girl when sent undercover to surveil her family. The film also stars Ken Jeong and Chloe Coleman. My Spy is coming soon to UK cinemas.

The Corrupted Trailer

Here is the trailer for crime thriller The Corrupted. The film is set in East London, and is about a land grab that occurred following the Olympic Games. The Corrupted stars Sam Claflin, Timothy Spall, and Noel Clarke. The film is set for release on 3rd May 2019.

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile Trailer

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile tells the story of notorious serial killer Ted Bundy. The film focuses on Bundy and his relationship with single mother Liz. The film’s cast features Zac Efron and Lily Collins. Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile will be released in UK cinemas and on Sky Cinema on 3rd May 2019.

Previews: The Happytime Murders Clip, Climax, More!

Plenty in this week’s preview of coming attractions, including a brand new The Happytime Murders clip, Climax, Widows, and more…

The Happytime Murders Clip

Here is the latest The Happytime Murders clip. Directed by Brian Henson, the film stars Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph, and a host of puppets. Set in a world where humans co-exist with puppets, the film is about a private investigator who reunites with his ex-partner to find a serial killer. The Happytime Murders will hit UK screens on 27th August 2018.

Climax Trailer

Above is the trailer for Gaspar Noé’s Climax. The film is about a dance troupe’s party that goes awry. Not has assembled a cast of non-actors and professional dancers for the film. After debuting at Cannes earlier this year, Climax will close FrightFest on 27th August, and will be released in UK cinemas on 21st September 2018.

Peterloo Poster

Here is the new poster for Mike Leigh’s Peterloo. The film is a portrayal of the events surrounding the 1819 Peterloo Massacre. The film’s cast includes Rory Kinnear and Maxine Peake. Peterloo will have its premiere at this year’s BFI London Film Festival, taking place in Manchester (the first time a film has debuted outside the capital at the festival). It will be released at cinemas across the UK on 2nd November 2018.

Widows Trailer

Widows is the new film from Steve McQueen. With a screenplay written by McQueen and Gillian Flynn, the film is about four women who have a debt left behind from their criminal husbands. Widows offers an enviable cast which includes Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, and Daniel Kaluuya. Widows will open the BFI London Film Festival on 10th October, and will hit screens across the UK on 6th November 2018.

Crazy Rich Asians Clip

Here is a clip from the upcoming Crazy Rich Asians. The comedy is directed by John M. Chu, and stars Constance Wu, Michelle Yeoh, and Ken Jeong. The film is about a New Yorker who travels with her boyfriend to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. Although it is already out in America. Crazy Rich Asians does not reach UK screens until 14th September 2018.

Film Review: The Hangover Part II

After the enormous and unexpected success of The Hangover, it seemed inevitable that there would be a sequel. Although some sequels rival the original in terms of quality, sadly this is not the case with The Hangover Part II.

Stu, Phil, Alan and Doug travel to Thailand for Stu’s upcoming wedding to Lauren. Stu is not keen on having a bachelor’s party, but the guys convince him to have one drink on the beach. When Stu, Phil and Alan wake up the next morning they cannot remember a thing. Moreover, Lauren’s little brother Teddy is missing…

The Hangover Part II follows the exact same formula as its predecessor. It is practically identical, except for the fact that it is set in Thailand for most of the duration. As such, the film offers no surprises; it is incredibly lazy story telling. It lacks the fresh ideas that made the original film so entertaining.

The only aspect of innovation to be found is the pushing of boundaries. Those who thought the first film was debauched will be even less impressed with this effort. In attempting to go one bigger, director and co-writer Todd Phillips includes material that may be offensive to some.

There are some good humorous moments, but these are not enough to sustain the entire film. In re-treading the same steps as The Hangover, Part II makes the aspects that were funny in the 2009 film appear tired and unoriginal. Moreover, elements that worked well in the first film have been pushed too far in this sequel. Alan was a genuinely funny character; an oddball who stole a lot of the scenes in the 2009 film. In realising the character was a hit, Phillips, Craig Mazin and Scot Armstrong have amplified the character’s more unusual traits. Rather than making Alan more comedic, this has the opposite effect; his childlikeness grows annoying quickly.

Performances in The Hangover Part II are fine. Ed Helms is energetic as Stu; at times the actor seems desperate to make scenes funnier than they actually are. Bradley Cooper is again attractive but of dubious morals as Phil. Zach Galifianakis is a good comedy actor, but is hampered by the writing. Similar to the 2009 film, Justin Bartha has a small role as Doug. It seems a shame to sideline this character; perhaps his inclusion in Bangkok would have added a new and interesting dimension to the fold. Ken Jeong’s over-the-top Mr Chow is hit and miss.

The Hangover Part II will probably be a success because fans of the first film will flock to see it. Many will surely be disappointed however, as the film is more Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2 than The Godfather: Part II.