Film Review | The Martian
★★★★★
Having given us movies such as Alien and Gladiator, there is a certain amount of excitement and expectation that typically surrounds a Ridley Scott production. With a recent output that consists of Exodus: Gods and Kings, The Counsellor, and Prometheus, those expectations have not been merited or met. Thankfully the director is back on form with The Martian, a fun and smart sci-fi which will have you laughing more than most comedies.
Interview | Sharlto Copley Talks ‘Elysium’
District 9 director Neill Blomkamp returns to cinemas this month with his eagerly awaited follow-up, Elysium (2013). Set in 2159, in a future dystopia where the wealthy live on man-made space station Elysium and the rest of humanity inhabit a ravaged Earth, the film centres on the story of Max DeCosta (Matt Damon). After an accident leaves him with only five days to live, he must hijack his way to Elysium to get the cure before it’s too late. The film also stars District 9’s Sharlto Copley, now on villain duty as the brutal Agent Kruger. On behalf of CineVue, I was recently on hand to ask the actor about reuniting with Blomkamp, how much improvisation he likes to use, and whether heroes are more fun to play than villains.
Film Review | Elysium
★★★★☆
Some directors take a while to get into their stride, ironing out their craft over a series of films. For Neill Blomkamp, the opposite is true. The director nailed it first time with District 9 (2009), and the film struck a chord with critics and audiences alike. It’s no surprise then that his follow-up Elysium (2013) is one of the most anticipated films of the year. Thankfully, Blomkamp hasn’t disappointed. Once again weaving an original narrative with impressive visuals, Elysium proves to be a fine sophomore effort.
Film Review | Promised Land
Director Gus Van Sant reunites with Good Will Hunting star Matt Damon for Promised Land (2012), which finally makes its way into UK cinemas this week. Whilst enjoyable and thought-provoking in parts, a third act revelation is more frustrating than shocking, leaving us to rue what might have been. Damon plays Steve Butler, a farm boy-turned-smooth-talking corporate salesman who’s rapidly rising up the ranks of his gas company. His latest, biggest assignment sees him and sales partner Sue Thomason (an entertaining Frances McDormand) dispatched to the rural town of McKinley to acquire the drilling rights to their properties.
Film Trailer | Elysium
South African filmmaker Neill Blomkamp won critical and commercial acclaim in 2009 with his debut feature, District 9. It’s taken the director four years, but his eagerly awaited sophomore effort – entitled Elysium (2013) – is now mere months away. Earlier this week, we saw the first poster for the futuristic sci-fi, and now a full-length trailer has been revealed. In the year 2154, two classes of people exist; the impoverished struggle on the Earth’s ruined surface, whilst the wealthy reside in ‘Elysium’, a man-made space station that orbits the planet. In need of medical care only available on Elysium, Max (Matt Damon) takes on a dangerous mission that pits him against Elysium Secretary Delacourt (Jodie Foster).
Film Trailer | The Bourne Legacy
It’s not easy to get into my most anticipated films of 2012 list without a trailer or synopsis, but somehow The Bourne Legacy managed it. The three previous installments of the franchise starring Matt Damon as the titular character are some of the best action films you’ll ever see, with thrilling car chases and brutal melee encounters just some of the staples that made the series so popular. It’s little wonder why the announcement of a fourth Bourne movie – without Matt Damon no less – was greeted with a lukewarm reaction by many (including yours truly). However, the performance of his ‘replacement’ Jeremy Renner in last year’s Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol went some way to quelling my doubts. The new trailer released today all but eliminates them.
Have a gander at the new footage after the jump.
AMONymous 