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This weekend there are six new films out for you to choose from: Ukranian sign language drama in The Tribe, action aplenty in Mad Max: Fury Road, casual racism and singing in Pitch Perfect 2, royal high jinks in A Royal Day Out, tedious drama in Clouds of Sils Maria, plus non-Eurovision entertainment in Bombay Velvet.
The Tribe centres around a deaf teenager who enters a specialised boarding school where, to survive, he becomes part of a wild organization – the tribe. His love for one of the concubines will unwillingly lead him to break all the unwritten rules within the Tribe’s hierarchy.
The film stars Grigoriy Fesenko, Yana Novikova, Rosa Babiy and Alexander Dsiadevich and is the film that’s garnered a large amount of critical praise, not only for being a damn good film, but also for being the first film to be completely shot with Ukranian sign language. In fact, in ANY sign language. Also, there are no subtitles.
I saw this previewed on Channel 4 News, recently, and it looks fascinating. The reporter watched it with an audience of deaf people who use sign language, but while none of them – including the reporter – were familiar with the Ukranian dialect of sign language, there were all still able to enjoy the film. I look forward to seeing this at some point.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Hit!
Mad Max: Fury Road is the resurrection of the franchise which saw Mel Gibson depict Max Rockatansky in the trilogy from the latest 70s to the mid-80s. The first two films were great, but the third was a bit rubbish. And now a new international trailer has been released and these trailers are getting better and better! Let’s hope the finish product is as great!
This time round, it’s Tom Hardy in the driving seat, and it’s an apocalyptic story set in the furthest reaches of our planet, in a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, and most everyone is crazed fighting for the necessities of life. Within this world exist two rebels on the run who just might be able to restore order.
There’s Max, a man of action and a man of few words, who seeks peace of mind following the loss of his wife and child in the aftermath of the chaos. And Furiosa (Charlize Theron), a woman of action and a woman who believes her path to survival may be achieved if she can make it across the desert back to her childhood homeland.
Mad Max: Fury Road is again directed by George Miller, who also co-writes, and it also stars Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Zoë Kravitz and Nicholas Hoult. And note that, while it may be showing in 3D, Real Or Fake 3D confirm that it hasn’t actually been shot in 3D.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Hit!
Pitch Perfect 2: This time it’s personal!
Yes, the one about singing returns, and if the first one made you want to vom, then this won’t change your stance on them when collegiate a cappella group the Barden Bellas enter into an international competition that no American team has ever won.
This unwanted sequel is directed by Elizabeth Banks, who also stars in it alongside Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfeld, Katey Sagal, plus Brittany Snow, Alexis Knapp, Anna Camp, Skylar Astin, Hana Mae Lee, Jodi Lyn Brockton, and a load of other people with daft names.
Prepare for disappointment… Oh, and that poster – they’re saying “Pitches” when they pretend to mean “Bitches”. Laugh? I nearly bought a ticket(!)
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Miss!
A Royal Night Out is based around the VE Day celebrations… which happened on Friday 8th May 1945. So, while there was a showing of this last Friday, the country-wide release of this film is Friday *15th* May. Which Brain of Britain thought that one up?
It stars Sarah Gadon as Princess Elizabeth, Rupert Everett as King George, Emily Watson as Queen Elizabeth I, plus Roger Allam and Ruth Sheen, and I wasn’t wowed by it. Perhaps if you give a damn about the Royal Family, you’ll like this. I don’t. So I won’t be going to see it.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Miss!
Clouds of Sils Maria brings together Kristen Stewart, Juliette Binoche and Chloë Grace Moretz in a drama where, at the peak of her international career, Maria Enders (Binoche) is asked to perform in a revival of the play that made her famous twenty years ago. But back then she played the role of Sigrid, an alluring young girl who disarms and eventually drives her boss Helena to suicide.
Now she is being asked to step into the other role, that of the older Helena. She departs with her assistant to rehearse in Sils Maria; a remote region of the Alps.
A young Hollywood starlet (Moretz) with a penchant for scandal is to take on the role of Sigrid, and maria finds herself on the other side of the mirror, face to face with an ambiguously charming woman who is, in essence, an unsettling reflection of herself.
Even with the second trailer (below), released in January, I still wasn’t wowed by this, but if Clouds of Sils Maria looks like a film for you, then it’s finally out now, a whole year after trailers first started appearing. And the US got it in December, too!
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Miss!
Bombay Velvet
Be thankful this isn’t called “Electro Velvet” and to be a documentary about the UK’s Eurovision entry.
An ordinary man goes against all odds and forges his destiny to become a ‘Big Shot’. Its the story of how one man’s Dream becomes every man’s nightmare…
It stars Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Karan Johar.
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.