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This weekend there are six new films out for you to choose from: comedy in Search Party, action in San Andreas, romantic comedy in Results, John Lennon-inspired comedy in Danny Collins, medieval action in Sword of Vengeance, and alleged comedy in Man Up.
Search Party simply describes itself as “a pair of friends embark on a mission to reunite their pal with the woman he was going to marry.”
However, starring Alison Brie, Krysten Ritter, Thomas Middleditch, Shannon Woodward, Lance Reddick and TJ Miller (Mark Wahlberg’s hippy friend from Transformers: Age of Extinction who got turned to stone), it actually looks very funny and worth a watch.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Hit!
San Andreas does for California what 2012 did for the entire world.
In the aftermath of a massive earthquake in California, a rescue-chopper pilot makes a dangerous journey across the state in order to rescue his estranged daughter.
It may seem like a backwards step to go from destroying the planet to destroying just one area of it, but then again, 2012 was Roland Emmerich doing what he does best, and this film is directed by Brad Peyton, whose credits include er…. Journey 2 The Mysterious Island and Cats & Dogs 2.
The large cast includes Dwayne Johnson, Alexandra Daddario, Carla Gugino, Colton Haynes, Ioan Gruffudd, Paul Giamatti, Archie Panjabi, Will Yun Lee and Kylie Minogue, and you can read our review of this here.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Hit!
Results
Recently divorced, newly rich, and utterly miserable, Danny (Kevin Corrigan) would seem to be the perfect test subject for a definitive look at the relationship between money and happiness. Danny’s well-funded ennui is interrupted by a momentous trip to the local gym, where he meets self-styled guru/owner Trevor (Guy Pearce – so good in The Rover) and irresistibly acerbic trainer Kat (Cobie Smulders – Avengers: Age of Ultron). Soon, their three lives are inextricably knotted, both professionally and personally.
I’m not a big fan of rom-coms, but Guy Pearce rarely puts a foot wrong, so on that basis, it’s a…
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Hit!
Danny Collins stars Al Pacino in the titular role as as aging 1970s rocker who can’t give up his hard-living ways, that is until he discovers a 40-year-old letter written to him by John Lennon, and brought to him by his manager (Christopher Plummer).
At that point, he decides to change course and embarks on a heartfelt journey to rediscover his family, find true love and begin a second act.
From that point, this true story’s trailer makes it turn into a bit of a bog-standard rom-com where he’s trying to romance Annette Bening, and the film also stars Jennifer Garner, Christopher Plummer, Josh Peck and Bobby Cannavale, but it looks okay, but nothing special. So, unless I’m short of something to watch (unlikely), it’s a…
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Miss!
Sword of Vengeance
From the creator of Hammer of the Gods, starring Stanley Weber (Borgia), Annabelle Wallis (Annabelle), Ed Skrein (Game of Thrones) and Karel Roden (Hellboy), the subjects of a ruthless tyrant’s oppression discover an unlikely freedom fighter whose code of honor demands bloody retribution.
Watching this trailer, it looks like nothing we haven’t seen before.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Miss!
Man Up
Simon Pegg attempts to be funny in another piss-poor comedy. The only time this works is when he’s partnered with both Nick Frost AND Edgar Wright, eg. Spaced, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World’s End.
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.