Stuff To Look At

A feast of trailers and images. A feast for the eyes, I say. Whether it is horror, Disney animation, or crime thriller, there is something here for everyone…

Monsters University

I want to go to Monsters University! Human universities are so boring in comparison. A prequel to Monsters Inc., Monsters University tells the story of how Sully and Mike met as students. The film will be released in UK cinemas on 12th July 2013.

Oz The Great and Powerful

Look at this monkey! Surely he is reason alone for seeing Oz The Great and Powerful? Given that the film is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, it seems unlikely that hot slice Toto will appear. Not to fear, we have Finley in his little uniform to beguile us. Oz The Great and Powerful is released on 8th March 2013.

Identity Thief

Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy star in Identify Thief. When Sandy tracks down Diana, the woman who has stolen his identity, hijinks ensue when he tries to bring her to justice. Identity Thief is out in UK cinemas on 22nd March 2013.

Olympus Has Fallen

Well this all looks rather tense. Training Day director Antoine Fuqua brings together Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Aaron Eckhart and Angela Bassett in action thriller Olympus Has Fallen. The film hits UK screens on 19th April 2013.

Mama

A TV spot for Mama was on the other night when a friend (who shall remain nameless) could not bear to watch it. Guillermo del Toro is the executive producer of supernatural horror Mama, which stars Jessica Chastain. Mama is released on 22nd February 2013.

Side Effects

Steven Soderbergh reunites with Jude Law and Channing Tatum for thriller Side Effects. Also staring Rooney Mara and Catherine Zeta-Jones, the film is about a depressed patient who is prescribed the latest medication by her psychiatrist. Side Effects is out on 8th March 2013.

The Lone Ranger

Here be the latest poster for The Lone Ranger. I am not quite sure why Johnny Depp has a bird on his head; I am hoping that this will be explained in the film. The Lone Ranger will hit UK cinemas on 9th August 2013.

Evil Dead

When I first saw a trailer for Evil Dead, initially I didn’t realise it was a remake of the 1981 film. Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell act as producers for this new version, so at least it gets their seal of approval. The trailer above is rather graphic, so brace yourself if you are squeamish. Evil Dead is released on 19th April 2013.

Jack the Giant Slayer

This is the latest poster for Warner Brothers’ Jack the Giant Slayer. Jack and the Beanstalk is not one of those fairy tales that has had a plethora of film adaptations, so it will be interesting to see what is done with it. Released in 3D, Jack the Giant Slayer hits UK screens on 22nd March 2013.

Dark Skies

Another horror! When the Sandman is mentioned, it is unlikely that things are going to go well. Dark Skies is giving me shades of The Birds. However, the trailer indicates more supernatural activity than this. Dark Skies is released in the UK on 5th April 2013.

The Paperboy

Having already been released in America, a certain scene in The Paperboy has been discussed a lot. I won’t spoil it, for those of you who don’t know what I am talking about. Nicole Kidman heads a stellar cast in thriller The Paperboy. The film hits UK screens on 15th March 2013.

The Heat

Sandra Bullock plays a FBI agent and Melissa McCarthy a Boston cop. This old couple comedy comes from Paul Feig, director of Bridesmaids. The Heat is released in UK cinemas on 5th April 2013.

Film Review: Brooklyn’s Finest

In one of the opening scenes of the film, Richard Gere practices committing suicide with an unloaded gun.  No, all those gerbil rumours haven’t gotten too much for him. Rather, this scene is emblematic of the themes and tone of Brooklyn’s Finest.

Antoine Fuqua’s film follows the stories of three cops, all in different stages of their career. Although, for the most part, their stories are unconnected, they work on the same dangerous and jaded streets…

Brooklyn’s Finest works well as an absorbing crime drama, although the outlook is decidedly bleak. The streets of the precinct are devoid of hope, and each cop appears jaded in their own particular way.

In one respect, the film highlights the dangerous realities of being a cop in a place such as Brooklyn. Sal and his friends lament that they are worth more to their families dead rather than alive, due to the $100,000 payout their relatives would receive. On the other hand, however, the film is satiated with graphic violence. Thus the realities of the situation are off-set with the sometimes gratuitous violence. It does not seem a coincidence that characters are frequently shown playing video games, as the action of the film appears to resemble one, at times.

Richard Gere, Don Cheadle and Ethan Hawke all give solid performances. It is perhaps Hawke who excels most, as his frustration at not being able to provide for his family garners the most sympathy. Elsewhere, Wesley Snipes delivers a star turn as Caz, a recently released convict; a role that seems to have been written for Snipes. In this testosterone-filled film, women with significant roles are hard to come by; most cast are either prostitutes or dancers. Ellen Barkin is convincingly unlikable in the only powerful female role.

Overall, Brooklyn’s Finest is a film that delivers, but is also one that offers no real surprises from the director of Training Day. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as Brooklyn’s Finest is a well-crafted drama. But for all its hints of early Scorsese (the themes of crime, the city and Catholicism), the film lacks the magic that would elevate it to ‘classic’ status.