Trailers Week 73: 29/11/15

Every Thing Will Be Fine:
The latest feature from Wim Winders (Paris, Texas , Wings of Desire), this film seems to be about both creativity and cause & effect. Starring James Franco, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Rachel McAdams.

Zootopia:

Disney's fascination with Anthropomorphism continues...Starring Idris Elba, Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Alan Tudyk and J.K. Simmons.

Barbershop: The Next Cut:

There's a film series about Barbers starring Ice Cube? This is the fourth film? Nicki Minaj is an actress?? Also starring Common, Anthony Anderson and Regina Hall.

Dixieland:

An Indie film about an Ex-convict and a stripper trying to run away from home? Sign me up! Starring Chris Zylka, Riley Keough and RJ Mitte

The Bronze: - Teaser Red Band (NSFW)

I just...don't quite know what to say about this one. Starring Melissa Rauch and Gary Cole.

The Other Side of the Door:

Oh Lori, why have you been reduced to such horrendous movies. Starring Sarah Wayne Callies.

Captain America: Civil War:

So, Marvel's got a movie. Starring everyone.

By the Sea

It’s no secret that I was less than impressed with Angelina Jolie Pitt’s last foray into the directing world with Unbroken. Now she’s back with what appears to be a much more personal story in By the Sea. 

Winding down the mountains toward the sea-side in an elegant convertible, American writer Roland (Brad Pitt) and his wife (Angelina Jolie Pitt) sit silently as he lights-up a cigarette, the first of many he’ll have throughout the film. Vanessa is an ex-dancer and is clouded in a mysterious depression. Her attitude and his failed career/spiralling alcoholism has caused the two to grow disparate, however as much as the trip is about Roland gaining inspiration for a new book, it’s also a chance for the two to rekindle their relationship. A chance that Vanessa seems fine to squander. 

Staying in a luxurious villa-style hotel, Vanessa frequently stays home, often not even venturing out onto the balcony, while Roland gets to know the town-folk, hoping to find an interesting character amongst them. In the next room, a young couple Lea (Mélanie Laurent) and François (Melvil Poupaud), just married, prove fascinating to Vanessa and she starts to interact with the couple and introduce them to Roland. 

A thriller this is not. Stretches of this film are so agonisingly bland that I gained a whole new appreciation for cinema design. How did they choose what felt to use on the walls? Who designed these cup holders? Much more interesting than watching the film during these sequences. The first 20 minutes or so are so depressingly dull and repetitive (day after day) that I was sure this would all amount to possibly the worst film I’ve ever had to review. However soon afterwards, the story takes a turn that I can only describe as ‘voyeuristic’ - that’s about as spoiler-free as I can make it - and this at least brought some interest back. 

Ultimately this film’s downfall is its characters, a pretty-big sin for an utterly character-driven drama. Jolie’s Vanessa starts off a depressed social introvert/agoraphobic, brought on by a traumatic event slowly pieced together through flash-editing - a technique that certainly doesn’t suit this type of film and proved more of a distraction - and the character really doesn’t evolve enough out of that state. The aim is obviously to draw pity towards Vanessa, but she comes off as more annoying than anything else, despite whatever troubles she may have. Roland seems a little more fleshed-out, despite being a struggling alcoholic writer - how original - and his interactions with the barman Michel (Niels Arestrup) are probably the most interesting scenes in the film. 

Sure, the view of Malta and scenic shots of the ocean looks beautiful, but the story flows about as willingly as a stagnant pond. It feels like an unhealthy mix between a romantic Arthouse film from the French New Wave and poorly integrated stylistic elements from a Fincher or even Aronofsky film. It just doesn’t work. 

By the Sea is another disappointing project from director Jolie, however where Unbroken was unoriginal and tedious, this film squanders its opportunity to embrace originality. It's bland opening act is only replaced by a weird subplot, carried through by characters that are near-impossible to care about. Jolie has said the message of this film is about grief and how it consumes you. Ultimately the only grief I felt was for my wallet.

Trailers Week 72: 22/11/15

Zoolander 2

Someone's killing the world's most beautiful people and it's up to Zoolander and Hansel to find out who is doing it. Starring Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Penélope Cruz, Kristen Wiig, Benedict Cumberbatch and Will Ferrell.

How To Be Single

Two friends learn how to be single through stupid behaviour. I seriously wouldn't take Rebel Wilson's advice if that's what she was giving. Also starring Dakota Johnson, Anders Holm, Allison Brie and Leslie Man.

Gods of Egypt

Gerard Butler returns to the ancient world, but this time he's a god. A thief helps the God Horus reclaim his rightful place in the mythical status quo. Also starring Brenton Thwaites, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Abbey Lee.

The Huntsman: Winter's War

Two warriors take on The Evil Queen of Snow White fame and her sister The Ice Queen. What I don't get is why these trailers always need a pop song to sell them. Starring Charlize Theron, Emily Blunt, Jessica Chastain and Chris Hemsworth.

Now You See Me 2

So they let a team of magician bank robbers go free and not expect them to pull more heists? I think someone should lose their job. I'm talking about those screenwriters. Seriously guys? Why not a team of magicians breaking out of prison? Now that's a movie I'd watch. Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Lizzy Caplan and OG Magic Man Daniel Radcliffe.

Fifty Shades of Black

Alright look I'm not at all a fan of the Marlon Brothers parodies anymore, but if you're gonna be making fun of Fifty Shades of Grey then that's pretty funny. Starring Marlon Wayans, Kali Hawk, Mike Epps and Fred Willard.

Extraction

Bruce Willis gets captured and it's up to his son to save him or else everyone in the United States is going to die, hard. Also starring Kellan Lutz and Gina Carano.

Midnight Special

A father and son become fugitives after learning the kid has special powers. Starring Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver and Michael Shannon.

The Benefactor

After the death of her parents in a car crash, a young pregnant woman and her new husband are taken care of financially by her mysterious benefactor. Starring Dakota Fanning, Theo James and Richard Gere.

The Boss

After the wealthiest woman in America loses her money by going to prison, she decides to build her way back to the top through a brownie empire run by girl scouts. Starring Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Bell.

Central Intelligence

Kevin Hart teams up with Dwayne Johnson in a movie that's going to have a whole lot of jokes about their height differences.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2

The Hunger Games is one of those series that I never really give any thought towards until the next film comes around, and apparently it’s been a year since Mockingjay - Part 1. Francis Lawrence - who has directed all but the first of the films – has returned to wrap-up the young-adult series with Mockingjay - Part 2. 

The nation of Panem is now in the midst of a civil war, with the rebels led by President Coin (Julianne Moore) looking to assassinate President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and unify the districts. Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) is recovering from the injuries that Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) has caused her and their relationship is in turmoil as he becomes more and more unstable. The time has come to take down President Snow, with the rebels planning to film Katniss assassinating him as the ultimate piece of propaganda. 

Traversing through the Capitol to reach the palace is a challenge. Snow has evacuated the perimeter and transformed it into a sadistic minefield of unique ways to die. Katniss and the District 13 unit undertake the challenging mission with her friends Gale (Liam Hemsworth), Finnick (Sam Claflin) and Cressida (Natalie Dormer), who is to direct the propaganda piece. This is their best chance to take down Snow’s regime, but it’s certainly no easy task. 

There are some interesting side-stories in Part 2 that jazz up the arcs of the various characters - such as Peeta’s inability to control himself at points due to the Capitol's brainwashing, and Finnick’s marriage which gives his character more of a reason to fight for Panem’s freedom - and this is essentially still an ensemble film, however the ‘will they, won’t they, and with whom?’ love triangle between, Katniss, Peeta and Gale is beginning to wear extremely thin, and is resolved in both an expected and confusing way. The same can be said for most of the film, it reaches the point that you knew it would, but in a convoluted and stretched-out manner. Most of the film feels like a montage and is at times, difficult to follow. They could have had about five end-points before they finally finish with such an overly-sentimental, unnecessary scene that it actually detracts from the quality of the film. It’s as if the producers were desperately trying to hold on to the only half-decent Young Adult film series they have. 

On top of this there are plot-holes and timing issues that quite noticeably screw with the sense of immersion. For example at the beginning of the film, following on from the injuries she sustained at the end of the last, Katniss is almost completely unable to speak. However, no more than five minutes later, she’s up and having a healthy conversation with President Coin and Plutarch - the last filmic appearance of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman and a reminder that this movie was (largely) filmed years ago, at the same time as Part 1. Perhaps that’s why it feels so rushed. It’s uncertain how much time is passing throughout Mockingjay - Part 2, and that removes much of the tension that it works so needlessly to build up. 

To redeem itself from some of these issues, Mockingjay - Part 2 does have some pretty intense fight sequences, including a weird hot-oil chase and a sewer-system scene which is either a homage or a shameless rip-off of Aliens, depending on how you view it. The concept of President Snow evacuating the outskirts of the Capitol and filling the streets with a system of eloquent booby-traps is a pretty cool idea, but it does feel a bit-too much like it’s YA competitor The Maze Runner - perhaps it’s a big F-You from the author, Suzanne Collins to Maze Runner’s James Dashner. 

Past issues with the characters again crop-up again here, with Natalie Dormer’s Cressida as annoying as ever, Woody Harrelson barely making an appearance, and Moore’s President Coin a bland mirror of Snow, preaching a distorted view of what ultimately becomes the same ideology. President Snow is still pretty much the only likable character for me, with his eccentric bond-villian persona the guilty pleasure of the series, played expertly by the great Donald Sutherland. Although I must say Katniss is suitably badass for such a finale. Ultimately though I care about as much for the characters as I do for the world that they inhabit. 

For an impartial-viewer, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 is a relatively satisfying, albeit overly long and convoluted conclusion to a series that’s never particularly gelled with me. It has its issues but keeps your attention fairly well. If you’re a massive fan, I can’t speak for how much you’ll enjoy it, but it’s certainly worth a watch even if only to serve as a catharsis for the many hours you’ve already spent delving into this series.

Jack's Thoughts - Spectre

I am not going to lie about how much of a shameless James Bond fan I am. Well at least I used to be, until this latest installment Spectre absolutely killed any enjoyment I once had of the classic series of films. Now while not every film has been great, this Daniel Craig film has hit a new low, with more attention paid to fan service than actually trying to make a good movie.

Bond starts out in Mexico, investigating an Italian crime boss who he was directed to by the former M (Judi Dench) in a video message she recorded before her death. This leads him on a journey to uncover a secretive criminal executive named SPECTRE, led by his older foster brother Franz Oberhauser (Cristoph Waltz). Meanwhile, the current M (Ralph Fiennes) is facing pressure from a committee set up by C (Andrew Scott) which is proposing a new surveillance program that would make the 00 Section redundant.

I think what has hurt the last couple of Bond movies the most is this need to make them a continuation of the films that came before. The end of Skyfall seemed so clear cut as though EON Productions were saying that we're going to start afresh and give you a new standalone adventure. But that isn't the case at all. So much assumed knowledge is needed from the previous films it's laughable. Gone are the days of simply enjoying a wacky adventure with a man in a tuxedo. Now you actually have to work when you watch this movie. Top that off with a shitty plot that had me squirming with discomfort and a final revelation that was so obvious that I was actually saying the dialogue in synchronisation with the characters.

I was shocked to learn that this film cost $350 million dollars, but then again I can see where it all went. Maybe spending millions on 10 exclusive Aston Martin cars that will never be available to the public, one of which you destroy completely is not such a great idea. Or maybe spending a lot more on an explosion that will get you into the Guiness Book of Records and not at all add to the enjoyment of your film is an equally bad idea. There is way too much action in this movie. I understand that it's trying to say something about mass surveillance, but I feel as though it's coming a little late to the party.

The film is lacking lots of things, but one I noticed above all else was the lack of sauveness. Bond is a partygoer and the definition of cool, but none of his actions in the movie indicate that. I mean you can still wear a suit and not do cool things, just look at Dave Bautista's Mr Hinx (full disclosure, his fight with Bond on a train was probably the only thing I liked about this film.

I was confused with the choice of cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema to make the colour palatte of this film a dull brown. His previous work on films like Her and Interstellar had been so vibrant, but here it matched Daniel Craig's enthusiasm to play Bond. And speaking of that, he just brought the whole movie down. Toward the end I was hoping that they'd just kill him and put us all out of our misery.

Look how much he hates your enjoyment

Look I'm going to go so far as to say I hated this movie and it's the worse Bond film since Die Another Day. In fact it's much worse. I can at least sit through that film.

Spectre

In the beautiful secrecy of Rome at night James Bond arrives at a secret meeting. Uninvited he smirks his way past the guards in Craig's now signature brutish fashion. As he arrives in the upper gallery viewing deck of this clandestine conglomerate, he makes his way through the witnesses looking down at a vast hall wherein an international assortment of organised crime discusses business. The lighting is low and reflective of the power and secrecy of this event, the sound echoes in the cavernous gloom as Bond stalks silently between faces cloaked in darkness. Suddenly the arrival of a shadowy man in the meeting creates a palpable atmosphere of fear within the cavernous hall. Within minutes a man is killed and no one moves a muscles. The recent arrival. surely the head of this cabal speaks into the microphone. Bond is enamoured, captivated by this man and his power. The man makes a public address to everyone in the room but it seems he has one particular person as his intended audience. "Welcome, James. What took you so long?" The man turns and looks up into the gallery, make direct and immediate eye contact with Bond. The light captures his face, Bond knows this man.

With 2012's Skyfall director Sam Mendes furthered the modern Bond revival with it's stylish action and settings, breath-taking cinematography, retro-appeal and personal storyline. But with Spectre, all the goodwill of Skyfall seems to be slowly bleeding out of a film that too doggedly holds onto contemporary blockbuster ideas on stakes and motivation, and classic Bond nostalgia. The effect being a mixed bag of the good, the bad and the ugly of Bond. Spectre begins with a lovely but needlessly showy (seemingly) single-take shot in Mexico City during Day of the Dead with Bond on the trail of a bad guy. After the event naturally ends in a helicopter fist-fight metres above the streets of Mexico City and Bond killing his target he's left with naught but a strange silver ring whose only distinction is a black octopus engraving. It turns out Bond has gone somewhat rouge after receiving a tape from the now deceased Judy Dence M and without approval from the new M (Ralph Fiennes) goes in search of the men who sent Skyfall's villain Raoul Silva, which turns out to be the eponymous committee. Along the way Bond is surreptitiously joined by Moneypenny (Naomie Harris), Q (Ben Whishaw) and Madeline Swann (Lea Seydoux), a woman with an mysterious link to the organisation and a prime target for them.

Spectre is a lovely film for the most part, fulfilling in all the necessary requirements for a Bond film, beautiful women, beautiful cars, seduction, varied scenery, vodka martini's. secret bases, ridiculous fun action and villains, villains, villains galore. But the whole way through the film just feels off. Motivations are lacking, plot-holes are apparent and a general sense of dualism is present, the film is never sure if it should be a throwback or re-invent the wheel and is seemingly stuck between the two points. In spite of the brilliant and armour-cracking portrayal of the aging, bitter Bond during Skyfall and the surely tragic death of M, Craig has perfected the formula for his Bond in this film. He's strong, silent, smarmy, apparently suave and frankly brutish, and in possibly the most satirical take on Bond's persona after killing an Italian bad guy in Mexico, he goes to the man's funeral, meets his wife, saves her from assassination, fucks her on the night of her husbands funeral and she is gotten by the next scene. It's enough to make even the most casual Bond fan ache for the bravery to return to a campy Bond with torturous puns.

Though the film is surely competent and interesting enough it's the bad that draws the attention after the objectively enjoyed Casino Royale and Skyfall, and (perhaps over-criticised Quantum of Solace). The reveal of Bond's connections to arch-villain Oberhauser are lazy as they are stupid (SPOILER ALERT), Oberhauser's plan is needless, and the whole thing smacks of prequel-level writing in the need to bring things to a certain point. Madeline Swann is one of the most disappointing Bond women in a good while and the romance between her an Bond is nothing short of tacky, there is absolutely no reason these people should be together whatsoever. Finally, the finale is derivative, lazy, blockbuster trash, with a few genuinely interesting moments, but hampered by senselessness and carelessness. Overall, Spectre is a hot mess, when it does well, it can be lovely, but overall it's just an unpleasant odour that lasts for two-and-a-half hours. While not bad, it's certainly a film that will become less appealing the more one applies thought and time to it.

Trailers Week 71: 15/10/15

Moonwalkers (NSFW)

Conspiracy theorist rejoice! All the confirmation you ever wanted about the faking of the moon landings in one movie. Or you could just believe that humans had the technological know-how to make it to the moon. Starring Ron Perlman and Rupert Grint.

Ip Man 3
All martial arts movies are kind of the same thing. Doesn't stop them from being super cool though. Starring Donnie Yen and Mike Tyson.

The Night Before
Get your Christmas socks on.

Triple 9
In order to catch bank robbers, the police must kill one of their own? Why is Kate Winslet Russian? Why Chiwetel, tell me now??

The Finest Hours
Umm, don't go out in a storm. Isn't that Boating 101? Do you need a rippling American flag in the water too?

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2
Does Nia Vardalos' mediocre comedy from a decade ago really need a sequel?

Ride Along 2
Little man Kevin Hart once again joins up with tough guy Ice Cube to take out the bad guys. Also starring Olivia Munn and Ken Jeong.

Finding Dory
It makes sense that Dory would need to be found. Starring Ellen Degeneres, Albert Brooks and Idris Elba.

The Lobster

Colin Farrell's moustache. Blind Rachel Weisz. A bactrian camel. If this combination of things seems like a no-brainer to you, then you will love The Lobster. This film has the tagline of "an unconventional love story" and I think this is a bit of an understatement. All I can really say in this opening paragraph is that The Lobster is more of an experience than a film.

In a dystopian future where forced encouplement is mandatory, David (Colin Farrell) is sent for a forty-five day stay at a hotel where he must find love within this time period. If he does not, he will be turned into an animal of his choosing. He is able to get more time to complete this by hunting down "loners" (single people who live in the woods) and will get an extra day for every loner captured. He becomes friends with the Lisping Man (John C. Reilly) and the Limping Man (Ben Whishaw). After a violent encounter, David flees the hotel and joins the loners, whose leader (Léa Seydoux) is suspicious of him. He soon falls in love with the Short Sighted Woman (Rachel Weisz).

This is Greek director Yargos Lanthimos' first English language film and it shows. Throughout the film I was wondering whether or not the writer had a grasp of English and apparently not. This, however, does not work against the film at all. Indeed it is quite the opposite. The simple sentences that are present actually makes the dystopian future more disturbing. At the same time it also makes it very funny, especially with the demonstrations on why being single is dangerous. While we're on the subject of dystopias, this one is done really well. We are not told how this future is functioning, we only get revealed to it piece by piece for us to figure out on our own.

The film takes quite a satirical approach to current societal norms, especially that of being in a relationship. Except this takes that expectation to the extreme. A single woman is stopped and searched extensively in a shopping mall. The single people who fail to find a match get released into the wild once they are turned into animals and once in this state they are vulnerable to whatever happens to them.

I'd walk a little faster, but these pants are really tight.

Colin Farrell's straight performance makes this black comedy even funnier than it is. It already has an uneasy comedic quality to it, but once you watch David's acceptance that he must spend the first 24 hours with one hand tied behind his back, you'll be laughing. Even more when the Lisping Man's punishment for masturbating is having his hand burnt in a toaster. These oddball laughs can come out of nowhere, like when the Limping Man decides to suddenly bash his face against the wall to impress the Nosebleed Woman (Jessica Barden).

Colin Farrell is remarkable as David. His somber mood reflects the entire feel of the movie and his acceptance of the world makes you feel comfortable with the entire setting. John C. Reilly is uniquely offbeat with his Lisping Man, but not too far away from his famous character Dr. Steve Brule. Ben Whishaw's desperate performance is great. Rachel Weisz has excellent chemistry with Farrell.

The Lobster will leave you speechless once you've finished watching it. You'll be confused, you'll be amazed. One thing's for sure, you won't forget it.

Classic Movie Review: Bernie (2011)

Director Richard Linklater is known for making films whose production and style have pushed the boundary in terms of the filmmaking process. His first film Slacker was the day in the life of a city, choosing not to focus on any story or characters. His latest film Boyhood was a triumph that took twelve years to make. However, this gem from 2011 is undoubtedly his best film.

Bernie Tiede (Jack Black) is the local assistant funeral director in the town of Carthage, Texas. He is extremely well liked by the whole community and tries his best to please everyone. After the death of her husband, Bernie meets Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLaine), who is despised by everyone in the town for her horrible demeanour. But Bernie takes a liking to Majrorie, although she begins to get under his skin too, and he murders her. After a while District Attorney Danny Buck Davidson (Matthew McConaughey) begins to suspect foul play and looks into Marjorie's disappearance.

What makes this movie so striking is the style in which it is delivered. The film is set up as mockumentary with interviews from the townfolk about the relationship between Bernie and Marjorie. This makes the movie fun and lighthearted as they each give their two cents. That is until you learn that this movie is not at all a fictional story, but is indeed based on the true muder of Nugent in 1996 at the hands of Tiede. And some of the townsfolk being interviewed in the film are actual townsfolk who knew the couple. This then turns the film into quite a black tragicomedy, as these people aren't talking about the Jack Black/Shirley MacLaine versions of the characters but the actual people who existed.

The reason that this movie is so funny instead of being an extremely sad and sobering film is due to Jack Black's extremely understated performance. This isn't his stereotypical stoner that we've seen throughout the majority of his career (High Fidelity, School of Rock, Tenacious D), but a rather downplayed, incredibly effeminate man. The laughs come more from Black's incredibly different performance than what we are used to.

Shirley MacLaine's Nugent is a truly horrible person, but somehow I couldn't help liking her at some parts of this film, but maybe that's just because I am a fan of her regardless. Matthew McConaughey is hilarious as the cowboy DA and I feel like it is his character Wooderson from Dazed & Confused grew up and sorted out his life (this would actually really work as a fan theory because the timelines and locations match up perfectly). The supporting cast of Brady Coleman, Richard Robichaux and Rick Dial give the film authenticity. Also McConaughey's mum Kay has a splendid little role and you surely won't miss her.

This movie is a tight little package that is quite fun and refreshing and I'm sure would have been a fun little project for Linklater in between his bigger ones. The closing video of Jack Black talking to and being enthralled by the real Tiede is a fantastic little touch.

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse

One thing we’ve definitely not been short of over the past decade are comedy zombie movies, with Shaun of the Dead, Juan of the Dead, Warm Bodies and of course Zombieland just a few of the films goring-up the silver-screen. Now the man who wrote Paranormal Activity 3-5, Christopher Landon, has had a go at writing something original, Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse. 

Scouts Guide begins with a quick origin/context story for the inevitable virus that will destroy all mankind, with a cameo from Blake Anderson as a twerking janitor. Understandably, it’s pretty much all down-hill from here. High-school sophomores and long-time scouts Ben (Tye Sheridan), Carter (Logan Miller) and Augie (Joey Morgan) are out with their Scout Leader Rogers (David Koechner) trying to recruit new members, with little success. Ben and Carter want to quit scouts because they think it’s lame, but don’t want to hurt the feelings of their friend Augie. Whilst discussing the situation, Ben accidentally hits a rogue deer. Carter’s sister Kendall (Halston Sage) and her friends are able to help them, much to the pleasure of drooling Ben who is in love with Kendall. 

They’re invited to a party that Kendall and her friends are attending, a party that is sure to be the best night of their lives. However as they’re talking the supposedly-dead deer somehow vanishes, but they think nothing of it. Trying to buy beer for the party, they get help from the cocktail waitress of the nearby strip-club, Denise (Sarah Dumont). After meeting Augie in the woods for a scout ritual and then sneaking off to go to the party, Ben and Carter find the town deserted, until they run into a sticky situation with some zombies. Facing certain zombification, the two are saved by Denise who of course has a shotgun. Though the “best night of their lives” has just begun.

You get what’s coming to you by knowingly going to see this film. Having watched the trailer, seen the reviews and reading about how it’s bombed all over the place, it’s no surprise we were the only ones in the cinema. You’d assume that this was going to be designed as a B-movie, but instead then went for shock-factor teenage comedy, and whilst you can see what they’re trying to achieve it really doesn’t live up to the genre. The odd tent-pole scenes of hilarious gore and unapologetic immature comedy are fleshed out with weak plot development and try-hard dramatic scenes. 

This really is a film for 15 year old boys who want to experience the blood, boobs and naughty-words of the MA-15+ rating (non-Australians just scale to your mid-pubescent rating). If you want to a watch a scout clang to a rotting penis like a painfully stretchy bungee cord to save himself from death by trampolining zombies, or if you like the idea of weed-whackers and pressurised door-knob guns (not the only knobs in this movie) used to pulverise heads, then this might be the movie for you. If you thought films like This is the End and Unfinished Business were funny then you might like this, but otherwise it’s just a less-intuitive rip-off of Zombieland with comical-gore taken to the extreme. 

You’ve gotta hand it to Christopher Landon for at least trying to pander to his chosen audience, and for the most part Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse was better than I thought it would be. It does have some awkwardly funny moments, but they’re packed between a slow story, weak dialogue, stupid scenarios and unlikable characters. 

Trailers Week 70: 08/11/15

Chi-Raq

Spike Lee goes classic with his all black adaptation of the ancient Greek play Lysistrata set to the backdrop of gang violence in Chicago. Starring Nick Cannon, Teyonah Parris, Anya Engel-Adams, Wesley Snipes and Samuel L. Jackson.

Kung Fu Panda 3

Jack Black returns as Po to return to hidden village of pandas and fight a long forgotten enemy. It's a kid's movie, it's not supposed to be complex. Also starring Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen and Bryan Cranston.

Alice Through The Looking Glass
Remember how much we all loved Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland? Sure, I do to. Now they've gone and done a sequel. Starring Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway and Sacha Baron Cohen.

American Hero
A pseudo documentary about the only guy on Earth with super powers and how he learns to use them for good. Starring Stephen Dorff and Eddie Griffin.

Warcraft
Woah, humans in this movie come of looking really bad. All those trolls want is a new home. Who knew Warcraft had so much political undertone. Starring Travis Fimmel, Ben Foster, Paula Patton, Toby Kebbell and Dominic Cooper.

400 Days
This psychological thriller is about four astronauts who must complete a simulation of deep space travel for the allotted time, but soon start to question reality. Starring Brandon Routh, Caity Lotz, Dane Cook and Ben Feldman.

Touched With Fire
Two psych patients discover their love for one another during a stay at hospital. Starring Katie Holmes and Luke Kirby.

The Hateful Eight
I really wouldn't want to be stuck in that cabin.

First look at Harry Potter spinoff

Entertainment Weekly has released a series of promotional and set photos of the upcoming Harry Potter spinoff Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. Starring Eddie Redmayne, it follows the story of wizard author Newt Scamander who wrote the book of which the film takes its title. The film is directed by Potter veteran David Yates and also stars Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol and Dan Fogler.

Trailers Week 69: 01/11/15

The Sound and the Fury

Since James Franco went and did a literature course at NYU, he only makes movies based off the lesser known works of literary greats. This time it's William Faulkner. Also starring Seth Rogen, Joey King, Danny McBride, Scott Haze and Tim Blake Nelson.

The Brothers Grimsby (NSFW)

Sacha Baron Cohen's latest is about the football hooligan brother of the world's best super spy. Also starring Isla Fisher, Penélope Cruz, Ian McShane and Mark Strong.

By The Sea

Okay Ange and Brad's new film looks like it has some merit. We'll just have to wait and see.

Hello, My Name Is Doris

Director Michael Showalter brings Sally Field into the quirky comedy genre in a movie that looks like it really suits her. Also starring Tyne Daly, Kyle Mooney, Kumail Nanjiani and Max Greenfield.

Dirty Grandpa

Robert De Niro shares a road trip with his grandson before his wedding, but also wants to get his rocks off. Also starring Zac Efron, Julianne Hough and Aubrey Plaza.

Criminal Activities

It's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels meets Pulp Fiction without the things that made either of those two movies great. Starring John Travolta and Jackie Earle Haley.

Don Verdean

An archaeologist must recover the Holy Grail in order to make his local parish relevant. Starring Sam Rockwell, Jermaine Clement, Leslie Bibb, Amy Ryan, Will Forte and Danny McBride.