- Susan May
What's on at the movies 11th August 2016?
On the weekend, my family and I caught the controversial remake of GHOSTBUSTERS. We were away on the cruise from hell when the screening was held. I can see why it didn't do so well. It has nothing to do with the female leads and everything to do with the film. It's just very old and cliched and not particularly exciting. The ongoing joke of Chris Hemsworth as the not-so-bright assistant gets tired very quickly. Individually, I love all the leads. Kristin Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, and Kate McKinnon. But like I always say I rarely find Melissa McCarthy funny, although I love her persona. Oddly the critics enjoyed this, maybe out of support against the misogynist commentary before the film ever opened, but general patrons aren't so kind.
Thanks, though, to manager Kevin at Readings Cinemas Belmont for allowing us to sneak in and catch it on a wet and cold Saturday afternoon and for the big tub of popcorn, which my kids promptly argued over. I'm not saying this because they look after me there, but certainly Readings is my favourite cinema and Titan XC my favourite screen in Perth.
NEWS
SUICIDE SQUAD SETS BOX OFFICE RECORDS
Warner Bros’ Suicide Squad is crushing it in the USA in midweek numbers, busting through Guardians of the Galaxy‘s grosses one after another. After opening to $133.3M in 57 markets this weekend to push it past comp Deadpool, the movie based on the DC Comic has grossed an estimated $15.7M Monday with another $15.3M on Tuesday to bring its international cume up to $165M. With US domestic haul of $161M added in, David Ayer’s raucous romp has grossed a $326.1M for the studio so far.
In Brazil, Suicide Squad has passed the entire run of Guardians of the Galaxy after only six days in release there, scooping up $14.9M.With its top offshore market so far being the U.K. with $19.7M, the supervillain pic starring Will Smith, Jared Leto and Margot Robbie salso pushed over Guardians’entire gross run in South Korea with $12.1M after only one week in release. That country has a holiday next weekend with the celebration of its Independence Day on August 15, which might help moviegoing in the territory. Its No. 2 offshore market is Russia ($14.2M), followed by Mexico ($13.2M), and Australia ($12.3M).In its second weekend domestically, look for the film to hit $51M-$54M, while overseas, it’s expecting another big weekend. The film is the biggest August openerboth abroad and stateside. Overseas, it’s also chalked up the second-biggest DC Comics movie opening, behind only this year’s Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.
To give you a comparison in Australia, Captain America grossed $33.7 million and Deadpool $43.26 million and Star Wars The Force Awakens $31.02 million
THE CONJURING 2 BECOMES THE #1 HORROR FILM OF ALL-TIME AT THE AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND BOX OFFICES
Warner Bros. Pictures and Roadshow Films are proud to announce that New Line Cinema’s THE CONJURING 2 has become the highest grossing horror film at the Australian and New Zealand box offices. The 2016 supernatural thriller, from Australian horror mastermind James Wan, has conjured up over $10.75 million at the Australian box office, surpassing 2001’s THE OTHERS on $10.73 million; THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (1999) on $10.24 million; THE CONJURING (2013) on $8.87 million and PARANORMAL ACTIVITY (2007) on $8.63 million. In New Zealand, the film has grossed $2.215 million, overtaking the classic horror flick SCREAM (1996).
LOUDER THAN BOMBS ✪✪✪½ Opens August 11
Louder than Bombs is a film for the cinephiles. It steals a little from the slice of life Richard Linklater style (Boyhood, Before Midnight) and I do like that. Director Joachim Trier has the confidence to allow the story to unfold without the dramatics a big Hollywood drama would require. Gabriel Byrne, Isabelle Huppert and Jesse Eisenberg are all marvellous, but this is an extremely somber film of a family dealing with the death of a matriarch, who wielded a powerful influence over their lives before and now after her death.
There's a lot I liked about this film. It's well crafted, contemplative and, for me, the teenage interactions hit a little close to home (I say 'a little' because my kids aren't as distanced as these, but have their moments). Don't go along expecting a pacy story. It's just a slice of one family's life and dealing with issues I pray most of us will not encounter. I won't say enjoyable, but interesting.
Film Blurb
An upcoming exhibition celebrating photographer Isabelle Reed three years after her untimely death brings her eldest son Jonah back to the family house – forcing him to spend more time with his father Gene and withdrawn younger brother Conrad than he has in years. With the three of them under the same roof, Gene tries desperately to connect with his two sons, but they struggle to reconcile their feelings about the woman they remember so differently. From acclaimed director Joachim Trier (OSLO, AUGUST 31ST), starring Gabriel Byrne, Isabelle Huppert and Jesse Eisenberg. Screening exclusive to Cinema Paradiso.
BAD MOMS ✪✪✪✪ Opens August 11
From the tone of the poster I had very little hope of enjoying this film. After sitting through Sausage Party the night before I was beginning to feel like a very faint popular culture canary wilting in my cinema seat.
However, I was pleasantly surprised. Very pleasantly surprised. Bad Moms is bordering on one of those gross out films, this time with moms behaving badly. But, this film is actually laught-out-loud funny, goes to the edge but pulls back in time, has a great message, and most of all real heart. So much so, I had a few tears at the end when the moms of the actresses sat with their daughters sharing their own bad mom experiences.
I took several friends and a friend's fifteen-year-old daughter and they all loved it. The leads Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Christina Applegate, and Jada Pinkett Smith prove they are very good comedians and don't need men as a back up in comedy. Go girl power! Ladies, leave the young ones at home and get to a cinema with your gal pals and enjoy. Really one of the better ones.
Film Blurb
In this new comedy from the grateful husbands and devoted fathers who wrote The Hangover, Amy (Mila Kunis) has a seemingly perfect life--a great marriage, over-achieving kids, beautiful home and a career. However she's over-worked, over-committed and exhausted to the point that she's about to snap. Fed up, she joins forces with two other over-stressed moms on a quest to liberate themselves from conventional responsibilities--going on a wild, un-mom-like binge of long overdue freedom, fun and self-indulgence--putting them on a collision course with PTA Queen Bee Gwendolyn (Christina Applegate) and her clique of devoted perfect moms. Also stars Kristen Bell & Jada Pinkett Smith
SAUSAGE PARTY Opens August 11
I have no words. I'm about thirty-five years older than the demographic. I can't even rate it, because it is in a category of its own. If you like the Seth Rogan gang, and there are a few who do (mostly twenty-year-old males, I suspect), you will enjoy and find this clever. Those over thirty need not imbibe. What do I think of food having a human-like sex life and behaving badly? All I can say, is that it left a bad taste in my mouth.
Film Blurb
A misplaced sausage and his savory friends embark on an existential adventure through the aisles of a massive supermarket in this raunchy animated comedy from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. As the store's annual 4th of July sale draws near, the perishable pals must return to their rightful places on the shelves before the customers come flooding in to fill their carts. Conrad Vernon (Monsters vs. Aliens) takes the helm for this Sony Pictures/AnnaPurna Pictures co-production penned by Rogen, Goldberg, Kyle Hunter, and Ariel Shaffirwhich. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
SPECIAL EVENTS
CINEFEST OZ FILM FESTIVAL 2016
Australia's Southwest
Date: Wednesday August 24 & August 28
Time: Various Times
Location: Western Australia South West Details and Booking
Set in the seaside centres of Busselton, Bunbury, Dunsborough and the Margaret River wine region, CinefestOZ premieres feature films and events in the region’s cinemas, wineries, small bars and galleries, making it a feast for the senses and an unforgettable five-day getaway.
With such a large score of Australian features, there will be an impressive group of esteemed industry professional accompanied the various films on offer. Heading the Film Prize Jury is acclaimed director Gillian Armstrong. Joining her in the festival experience is multi-award winning novelist, playwright, television writer, screenwriter and lyricist Ben Elton (Upstart Crow); comedian, screenwriter and director Tim Ferguson (Film Prize Finalist Spin Out); Cinesnaps Patron Myles Pollard (Drift); Logie winning actor Lincoln Lewis (Spin Out); actress, director and writer Matilda Brown (The Death and Life of Otto Bloom); actor and writer Matthew Whittet (Girl Asleep); actress Sara West (Bad Girl) and actor Aaron McGrath (Jasper Jones) alongside one of Australia’s greatest and most-loved actors Magda Szubanski. Plus many more!
Films screening include The Death and Life of Otto Bloom, Girl Asleep, Jasper Jones, Spin Out, Blood Father (Mel Gibson), Down Under
In 2015, CinéfestOZ highlights included:
Over 150 public screenings of Australian and French feature films, documentaries and short films
160 free community screenings
Film-related events, open to the public and ranging from Red Carpet premiere gala nights to intimate short film screenings in cosy bars
Forums with filmmakers and cast members through Q&As and ‘In-Conversation’ events
The $100,000 CinefestOZ Film Prize in 2015 attracted thirty-five entries of Australian features and documentaries and Putuparri and the Rainmakers was presented with the CinefestOZ Film Prize
Filmmaking workshops for public participation
Screen industry workshops held in conjunction with ScreenWest, Screen Australia and the South West Development Commission (SWDC)
READING CINEMAS ADVANCE SCREENINGS
FRIDAY FRIGHT NIGHT
THE SHALLOWS
Date: Friday August 12
Time: 9:00pm
Location: Readings Belmont Details and Booking
Film season opens Thursday August 11
Gold Glass $28 General Session $10
In the taut thriller The Shallows, when Nancy (Blake Lively) is surfing on a secluded beach, she finds herself on the feeding ground of a great white shark. Though she is stranded only 200 yards from shore, survival proves to be the ultimate test of wills, requiring all of Nancy's ingenuity, resourcefulness, and fortitude.
READING CINEMAS SPIT THE DUMMY SESSION
BAD MOMS
Date: Wednesday August 17 & August 24
Time: 10:00am
Location: Readings Belmont Details and Booking
Readings also has The Spit the Dummy session every Wednesday. Next week they are screening BAD MOMS. The lights are dimmed and stay on and the sound is lowered. Tickets are the usual $10
THE GOONIES (monkey collective immersive)
Date: 28th August
Time: 8pm for the fun. Film starts 9pm
Location: Luna Leederville Details and Booking
“It’s gonna hit you so hard that when you wake up your clothes will be out of style!” (We have
sold out in as little as 4hours. If this is your film, don’t wait.) Pre-screening entertainment from 8PM, film screening 9PM at Luna Leederville. Tickets $22 include a goodie bag. Your goodie bag packed with items and chants to play along with throughout the screening. This is no Ordinary Screening....... Tonight you are IN the film!! But first you gotta do the Truffle shuffle… From 8pm you can grab pre-show drinks and witness actors run amok in the foyer! In Cinema Bar with Cocktails and Costume Competition Treat yourself to some treasure at the amazing Frontier 3D prop shop. Snag a photo with One eyed willy and his Mound of treasure. This is a mad favourite of ours…things might get a bit out of hand… Strictly 18+ We will be rude, crude and extremely unapologetic. I'm setting booty traps..
National Theatre Live Encore
A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE
Date: Saturday 13th & Sunday 14th August
Time: 1pm
Location: Luna Leederville Details and Booking
Following its smash-hit original broadcast, the Young Vic’s ‘magnetic, electrifying, astonishingly bold’ production of A View from the Bridge returns to cinemas due to audience demand. This stunning production of Miller’s tragic masterpiece won a trio of 2014 Olivier Awards including Best Revival, Best Actor for Mark Strong (The Imitation Game; Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) and Best Director for Ivo van Hove. The great Arthur Miller confronts the American dream in this dark and passionate tale. In Brooklyn, longshoreman Eddie Carbone welcomes his Sicilian cousins to the land of freedom. But when one of them falls for his beautiful niece, they discover that freedom comes at a price. Eddie’s jealous mistrust exposes a deep, unspeakable secret – one that drives him to commit the ultimate betrayal.
Winner Tony Awards 2016: Best Direction of a Play (Ivo Van Hove) and Best Revival of a Play!
I hope you are enjoying my new website. You can subscribe now and receive an alert whenever there is a new post. So you never need to miss out on the weekly film reviews or any news.
If you've arrived here as a fan of my stories, please join my Wonderful Readers' Club. You instantly receive two FREE eBooks. There are, also, regular giveaways, more free books, and news. Plus, I have a new book coming in September The Troubles Keeper, which I think will keep readers up late into the night. I'm sure you'd enjoy being part of the festivities for it.
