Antoine Fuqua Directing Scarface Remake
Universal studios have announced that the planned Scarface remake will have The Equalizer director Antoine Fuqua in the directors chair. Fuqua, who is not a stranger to remakes, having previously brought The Equalizer to the big screen and with a Magnificent Seven remake due out soon, will be working with a new script which is currently going through the final draft with Straight Outta Compton writer, Jonathan Herman.
No news yet on who will be taking on the title role, made famous by Al Pacino in Brian De Palma’s previous remake of the Howard Hawks classic, but whoever lands the gig will certainly have a job on their hands. More news as we get it but for now you can see Antione Fuqua’s next film, The Magnificent Seven from September 23.
Shrek Director Filming New Curious George Movie
It’s been 10 years since everyone’s favourite curious monkey and his yellow-hatted friend graced the big screen, but it seems that Curious George is set to return soon. Universal studios are planning to bring a live-action version of Curious George with Shrek director Andrew Adamson in talks to jump into directing duties as well as co-writing.
While no plot details are known yet, the switch to live action gives us an idea of a Paddington-esque style film with probably a better possibility for a franchise than the previous attempt. Time will tell. As always though, more news as we get it.
Anil Kapoor Meets London Bollywood Fans
London East Shopping Centre, Europe’s first purpose-built boutique Asian shopping centre, will be hosting an exclusive meet and greet with international film star, Anil Kapoor on Saturday 20th August 2016 from 11am.
Lucky fans will have the opportunity to meet and snap selfies with one of Bollywood’s biggest superstars, who will be in London promoting Season Two of his explosive TV series, 24 on Colors TV.
He is reprising his role of anti-terrorism agent, Jai Singh Rathod, which was inspired by Kiefer Sutherland’s iconic tortured hero Jack Bauer. Anil Kapoor’s adaptation of 24 is as thrilling and gritty as the original, with season two seeing Rathod facing terrorists who have threatened to release a deadly virus across India.
Kapoor has successfully crossed over to Hollywood, starring in major blockbusters like the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, with Tom Cruise, as well as the original 24 series with Kiefer Sutherland.
Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates Review
The Plot
Two hard-partying brothers place an online ad to find the perfect dates for their sister’s Hawaiian wedding. Hoping for a wild getaway, the boys instead find themselves out-hustled by an uncontrollable duo.
The Good
Zac Efron and Adam Devine star in this hapless comedy as the titular Stangle brothers, Mike (Devine) and Dave (Efron) as they try to make it through one family gathering without riling each other up and causing chaos. The setup is quick and simple, as they go in search of two nice girls to take as dates. Instead they are tricked by basically their female equivalents in Alice (Anna Kendrick) and Tatiana (Aubrey Plaza) who take up the opportunity for an all expenses paid trip to Hawaii with Tatiana posing as a school teacher (‘it’s all about repetition. You’d be surprised how dumb the kids are’ she says) and Alice trying to pass as a hedge fund manager who ‘hedge’s funds’ as she so succinctly explains it.
What follows is a by the books gross out comedy with a fair few laughs along the way thanks to some fun set pieces including a very relaxing massage session for bride-to-be Jeanie (Sugar Lyn Beard) and a painful ATV tour of Jurassic Park’s set which turns her into ‘a burn victim barbie’ as Mike puts it.
The Bad
Unfortunately the gags soon start to slow towards the third act as it leans towards the all too familiar sequence that often comes with comedies like this and, if thought about too much wouldn’t make a lot of sense here. If you’re not a fan of gross-out comedy you might not find much to laugh at here either. Though it’s not the worst attempt at the type of comedy (think Farrelly Brothers-lite), it does still have some unsavoury jokes scattered throughout which won’t appeal to everyone’s sense of humour.
The Ugly Truth
The four main cast members work well together and there are still enough laughs to warrant a trip to the cinema, however the rom-com tropes are the same as always and the humour may not be to everyone’s taste, but with Zac Efron and Anna Kendrick, it’s still worth a watch.
Review by Johnny Ellis
Julieta Review
The Plot
After a chance encounter a woman is forced to confront the painful truths about her past and her mysteriously troubled family life.
The Good
Iconic director Pedro Almodovar has a unique flare for delivering slow burning dramas infused with compelling quantities of sexual and psychological intrigue. In Julieta he grips audience’s attention firmly thanks to an enchantingly ominous soundtrack and subtly brilliant lead turns from Emma Suarez and Adriana Ugarte.
Julieta features many of the key themes that typically dominate Almodovar’s work; most notably family dysfunction, sexual betrayal, debilitating madness and identity crisis. His subtle and stylish approach manages to introduce all these elements without straying too far into melodramatics. As with much of his work, Julieta is built around a convincingly credible emotional core that is strong enough to support a series of odd coincidences and a deceptively languid pace of storytelling.
Taking dual responsibility for the lead role of Julieta, Emma Suarez and Adriana Ugarte do a magnificent job of portraying both the youthful and older versions of the same character. Both actresses manage to imbue the character with the same emotional and physical qualities, providing an unbroken chain of continuity as the narrative winds back and forth between present day and the dramatic events of Julieta’s past.
While the film offers a superficially simple tale of family tragedies, Almodovars direction and fine acting elevate proceedings considerably. They combine to inject enough flashes of humour and hints of danger to make the film’s central mystery more sustainably compelling. Ultimately Almodovar’s greatest strength as a filmmaker is that it is often difficult for audiences to predict precisely where his slowly evolving stories will ultimately lead.
The Bad
Those familiar with Almodovar’s trademark style will enjoy the film’s slow meditative pace. However a less initiated audience may find themselves waiting for plot twists or frantic action that never quite arrives. Those unappreciative of the film’s graceful cinematography or subtle inherent symbolism might easily find themselves dismissing the film as merely an art house equivalent of generic paperback romance novels. Anyone uninspired by the director’s previous efforts will find little here to substantially change their enthusiasm.
The Ugly Truth
Fans of Almodovar’s steadily growing body of critically lauded work will be delighted to have yet another cinematic effort to enjoy. Meanwhile those unfamiliar with the director’s past work will likewise find much to grip their attention in a thoroughly well-made cathartic drama dominated by strong central performances.
Review by Russell Nelson