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This weekend there are six new films out for you to choose from: CGI prequel comedy in Minions, gun-toting action in Everly, adulterous horror in Knock Knock, comedy in The Overnight, drama in Blood Cells and tedium in Slow West.
Minions is the spin-off to the two popular Despicable Me films and they are yellow henchmen, who have existed since the beginning of beginning, evolving from a yellow single-cell organisms into beings who have only one purpose: to serve the most ambitious villains. After their masters were destroyed, they decide to isolate themselves from the world and start a new life in Antarctica.
Sometime in the ’60s, the lack of a master drives them into depression, so bravest minion and two other volunteers set out to find a new one. They arrive at a villain convention, where they compete for the right to be henchmen for Scarlet Overkill, a stylish and ambitious villain determined to dominate the world and become the first female super-villain…
I don’t often go for kids CGI movies, but based on this and the clips I’ve seen, it does look like a good laugh.
The cast of Minions includes Sandra Bullock, Steve Coogan, Steve Carell, Jon Hamm, Katy Mixon, Hiroyuki Sanada and Jennifer Saunders as the Queen.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Hit!
Everly stars Salma Hayek in the titular role of an action/thriller centered on a woman, who faces down assassins sent by her ex, a mob boss, while holed up in her apartment.
After being shown at Fantastic Fest in September 2014, the US got an internet-only release on January 23rd, and here it was due out on April 10th, so it’s been a long time coming.
Everly also stars Jennifer Blanc, Togo Igawa, Caroline Chikezie and Gabriella Wright, and looks like a great laugh.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Hit!
Knock Knock
Evan (Keanu Reeves) seems like the perfect guy. He’s an architect, lives in a beautiful California home, has two kids and a lovely talented wife. One afternoon, the wife and kids go to the beach but Evan has to stay home and work. It’s raining, he’s alone, listening to music, and there’s a knock at the door.
Two beautiful young girls, played by Ana De Armas and Lorenza Izzo, are standing in the cold. They’re drenched, lost and just want to come in to dry off and use the phone… But this pair of femme fatales wreak havoc on the life of this happily married man.
Directed by Eli Roth, it’s good to see that he’s been allowed to have a full uncut 18-cert for this film, rather than Hollywood’s constant stupid insitence to censor down to a lower certificate so as to put more bums on seats.
Based on the trailer, you get exactly what you expect – check your brain at the door and enjoy the gore…
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Hit!
The Overnight
Alex, Emily, and their son, RJ, are new to Los Angeles. A chance meeting at the park introduces them to the mysterious Kurt, Charlotte, and Max. A family “playdate” becomes increasingly interesting as the night goes on.
Starring Adam Scott and Taylor Schilling, I wasn’t expecting a great deal from this but it did look better than average, so on balance…
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Hit!
Blood Cells
A decade after a catastrophe destroyed his family and their farm, momentous news from home compels an exiled young man to embark upon an intense and surreal journey through the broken and beautiful margins of contemporary Britain.
Starring Jimmy Akingbola, Olivia Bernstone and Silas Carson, there’s a definite intrigue to what’s on display here and I do want to see this.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Hit!
Slow West
A young Scottish man travels across America in pursuit of the woman he loves, attracting the attention of an outlaw who is willing to serve as a guide.
The film stars Kodi Smit-McPhee, Michael Fassbender and Ben Mendelsohn… and Slow West looks like a very slow film…
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.