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This weekend there are three new films out for you to choose from, starting with Frank, a film apparently loosely based on the wonderful and iconic Frank Sidebottom, but it looks more loose than a 90-year-old’s… an-y-way…. – in other words, it look godawful! Then there’s Sabotage, where a 66-year-old Arnie tries to still cut it in the action world, and then finally, Heaven is For Real, starring Greg Kinnear.
Frank
Frank is a film that I’m wondering should ever have been made, and the clip released in January didn’t fill me with confidence, and then the full trailer didn’t help, either.
I’m a massive fan of Frank Sidebottom and I was present at the unveiling of his fantastic statue in Timperley back in October .
The comedy is directed by Lenny Abrahamson and sees Michael Fassbender wearing an oversized Frank Sidebottom mask. He and his sidekick Clara (Maggie Gyllenhaal) become the inspiration for struggling musician Jon (Domhnall Gleeson).
Frank also stars Scoot McNairy and Tess Harper and, while you know what I’m going to rate this film, the only reason I’m curious about seeing it, is to see just how much of a mis-fire and a bastardisation it is.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Miss!
Sabotage
Sabotage is the new Arnold Schwarzenegger action movie where members of an elite DEA task force find themselves being taken down one by one after they rob a drug cartel safe house.
Directed by David Ayer (End of Watch) and co-written by him and Skip Woods (Fast & Furious), Arnie stars alongside Max Martini, Josh Holloway, Joe Manganiello, Mireille Enos, Sam Worthington, Angela Kerecz, Terrence Howard, Olivia Williams and Harold Perrineau , it doesn’t look massively inspiring and rather plot by numbers, so it’s a…
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Miss!
Heaven Is For Real
Based on the No.1 New York Times best-selling book of the same name, this film brings to the screen the true story of a small-town father who must find the courage and conviction to share his son’s extraordinary, life-changing experience with the world. The film stars Greg Kinnear as Todd Burpo and co-stars Kelly Reilly as his wife Sonja, the real-life couple whose son Colton (newcomer Connor Corum) claims to have visited Heaven during a near death experience.
Colton recounts the details of his amazing journey with childlike innocence and speaks matter-of-factly about things that happened before his birth … things he couldn’t possibly know. Todd and his family are then challenged to examine the meaning from this remarkable event.
However, it sounds tedious, and it looks tedious.
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.