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This weekend there are five new films out for you to choose from: horror in Open Windows, comedy/drama in Northern Soul, a return for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, drama in The Judge, and romantic tosh in The Best Of Me.
Open Windows
Open Windows stars ex-porn star Sasha Grey as Jill, an actress who refuses to have dinner with Nick (Elijah Wood), a fan who won a date with her in an Internet contest.
In return, a guy named Chord (Neil Maskell – most recently seen as Arby in Channel 4’s sadly cancelled Utopia), posing as Jill’s campaign manager, helps Nick to follow in the footsteps of the actress from his own computer. Nick starts a game in which he realises that is only a puppet into the manic plans devised by Chord, to hunt down the star.
Written and directed by Nacho Vigalondo, I definitely want to see this.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Hit!
Northern Soul
Northern Soul is the story of a youth culture in the 1970s which changed a generation.It tells the tale of a nightclub based movement which developed in Northern England . The film is an authentic and uplifting account of two young boys whose horizons are opened up by the discovery of black American soul music.
No longer satisfied with the prospect of a small town life and a factory production lin , they dream of going to America to discover super rare records which will help them become the best DJs on the Northern Soul scene. The difficult journey forces the two best friends to confront rivalry, violence and drug abuse as their friendship and loyalties are tested to the limit.
Starring Antonia Thomas, Steve Coogan, Christian McKay, Ricky Tomlinson, James Lance, John Thomson, Ashley Taylor Dawson and Lisa Stansfield, this looks a superb comedy/drama and well worth a viewing.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Hit!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboots the franchise last seen on the big screen in a trilogy which began in 1990. Back then, April O’Neil was played by Paige Turco, but these days, they go for Megan Fox. She can’t act her way out of a paper bag, but then neither could Paige, really.
I actually paid good money to go and see the sequel, “Secret of the Ooze“, in the cinema, but at least it featured David Warner amongst the cast. I doubt the third film troubled such auditoriums…
The city needs heroes. Darkness has settled over New York City as Shredder and his evil Foot Clan have an iron grip on everything from the police to the politicians. The future is grim until four unlikely outcast brothers rise from the sewers and discover their destiny as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The Turtles must work with fearless reporter April and her wise-cracking cameraman Vern Fenwick to save the city and unravel Shredder’s diabolical plan.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles also stars Alan Ritchson, Noel Fisher, William Fichtner, Jeremy Howard, Danny Woodburn, Will Arnett, Pete Ploszek and Whoopi Goldberg.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Miss!
The Judge centres on big city lawyer Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr) who returns to his childhood home where his father (Robert Duvall), the town’s judge, is suspected of murder. Hank sets out to discover the truth and, along the way, reconnects with his estranged family.
Also starring Vera Farmiga, Billy Bob Thornton, Vincent D’Onofrio, Balthazar Getty and Grace Zabriskie, this film has a great cast but is wasted on a syrupy sweet plot and demeanour that looks as predictable as it can possibly be.
Check out the trailer below and click on the poster for the full-size image.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Miss!
The Best Of Me shows it’s time for some schmaltzy dross with James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan as a pair of former high school sweethearts who reunite after many years when they return to visit their small hometown.
Their younger counterparts are played by Luke Bracey and Liana Liberato, and you can get ready to hurl lung butter at this syrupy-sweet rubbish.
The Best Of Me is based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks, who also wrote The Notebook and Safe Haven. Exactly. Bleah!
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.