Skip to content
This weekend there are seven new films out for you to choose from: a potentially pointless fight in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, ’80s comedy in Eddie The Eagle, yet another CGI kids movie in Zootropolis or Zootopia – whatever they’re calling it over here, allegedy sequel comedy in My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, a drama about an ex-soldier with PTSD in Disorder, Garrett Hedlund and Oscar Isaac go to the desert in Mojave, and for some reason, they keep employing Kristen Wiig – this time in Welcome to Me.
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice follows on from 2013’s Man of Steel. At first, I felt it was far too soon for a new Batman movie after Christopher Nolan’s trilogy completed with The Dark Knight Rises in 2012, and I still have no idea why he’s fighting Superman, but… while the first trailer didn’t work for me, the subsequent ones were better.
Don’t get me wrong – Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill are still very average actors, but Gal Gadot is stunning as Wonder Woman – giving the two leads a neat exchange: “She with you??”, “I thought she was with you?!” – and Jesse Eisenberg is perfectly evil as Lex Luthor.
However, the reviews sound like 151 minutes is far too long for a film where not a lot happens for the first 2/3.
Check out Darren McDaid’s review here.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Maybe!
Eddie The Eagle tells the story of one of Britain’s great underdogs – Michael Edwards, aka Eddie The Eagle Edwards, the most famous ski jumper in British history.
The film’s portrayal of Edwards’ never-say-die approach to the sport, celebrates the human spirit and resilience in the face of extraordinary odds and challenges. Taron Egerton, who made his feature film starring debut in Kingsman: The Secret Service, looks brilliant as Eddie the Eagle, and would you believe Hugh Jackman is in on this, too? He plays a ski jumping expert from Lake Placid who helps Eddie train for the 1988 Calgary Olympics.
Directed by Dexter Fletcher and also starring Sean Macaulay and Simon Kelton, the film also stars Tim McInnerny and, another surprise, Christopher Walken!
Never mind Batman and Superman, Eddie The Eagle is the film I most want to see this week, although it’s not released until Monday, oddly.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Hit!
Zootropolis is called Zootopia everywhere else, but either way, it comes from the makers of Frozen and Big Hero 6, and it’s the name of the animal city where a fast-talking fox who’s trying to make it big goes on the run when he’s framed for a crime he didn’t commit.
The top cop in Zootropolis, a self-righteous rabbit, is hot on his tail (ahem), but when both become targets of a conspiracy, they’re forced to team up and discover even natural enemies can become best friends.
Directed by Byron Howard, Rich Moore, Jared Bush, voice talent includes Idris Elba, Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Alan Tudyk, JK Simmons, Jenny Slate, Bonnie Hunt and Octavia Spencer.
It also comes from the hand of John Lasseter, as executive producer, who directed Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Cars and 2017’s long-awaited Toy Story 4…. not Toy Story 3, though, as that came from Lee Unkrich, although Lasseter co-wrote the script as well as being an executive producer.
As for the reason for the name change? Eye On Animation confirms it’s down to a copyright issue because of a zoo in Denmark that’s not yet built!
Overall, this sort of movie is not for me…
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Miss!
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 comes 14 years after the original and still working in her parents’ Greek restaurant, Toula Portokalos’ daughter Paris (Elena Kampouris) is growing up. She is getting ready to graduate high school and Toula (Nia Vardalos) and Ian (John Corbett) are experiencing marital issues. When Toula’s parents find out they were never officially married, another wedding is in the works. Can this big, fat, Greek event help to bring the family together?
I didn’t watch the first one and I have no interest in watching the sequel. It’s got ‘chick flick’ written all over it.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Miss!
Disorder
Vincent (Matthias Schoenaerts) is an ex-soldier with PTSD who is hired to protect the wife and child of a wealthy Lebanese businessman while he’s out of town. Despite the apparent tranquility on Maryland, Vincent perceives an external threat.
Also starring Diane Kruger, this film used to be called Maryland, but had the name changed for some reason. It didn’t make any difference to the trailer as what’s on show doesn’t make me want to rush to see it.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Miss!
Mojave centres around a suicidal artist, Thomas (Garrett Hedlund), who goes into the desert, where he finds his doppelgänger, homicidal drifter Jack (Oscar Isaac).
Isaac is a good actor, reminding me rather of Alfred Molina in Ex Machina, and he’s also one of the better actors in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, but this film looks mighty tedious.
Written and directed by William Monahan, who also scripted The Departed, Body Of Lies and The Gambler, the film also stars Mark Wahlberg, Louise Bourgoin and Walton Goggins.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Miss!
Welcome to Me is a rather dire vehicle for Kristen Wiig (The Martian) as Alice Klieg, a woman with Borderline Personality Disorder who wins $80m on the lottery, quits her meds and buys her own talk show.
You can tell how this rubbish is going to pan out for every one of its 105 minutes.
The film also stars James Marsden, Linda Cardellini, Wes Bentley, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tim Robbins and Joan Cusack, and I couldn’t think of a film I’d rather watch less.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Miss!
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.