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This weekend there are six new films out for you to choose from: comedy in Sex Tape, a thriller in The Guest, comedy/thriller in Life of Crime, supposed thriller in Before I Go To Sleep, drama in The Hundred-Foot Journey, and supposed comedy in They Came Together.
Sex Tape
Sex Tape is a film title I didn’t expect to see turn up in my inbox when the trailer was released – although these days it’s all over the papers given what various celebs have been up to, but it centres around a married couple who wake up to discover that the sex tape they made the evening before has gone missing, leading to a frantic search for its whereabouts.
It feels like an unofficial sequel to 2011’s Bad Teacher, since it’s directed by the same film’s Jake Kasdan, son of Lawrence Kasdan, and also features the same two leads Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel, alongside Rob Corddry, Ellie Kemper, Rob Lowe and Jack Black, and it looks hilarious!
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Hit!
The Guest stars Dan Stevens as David, a soldier who introduces himself to the Peterson family, claiming to be a friend of their son who died in action. After the young man is welcomed into their home, a series of accidental deaths seem to be connected to his presence.
Also starring Lance Reddick, Maika Monroe and Leland Orser, while it’s not the most original tale ever told, but it does look intriguing, so is worth a look.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Hit!
Life of Crime sees wealthy Frank Dawson (Tim Robbins) wanting to do away with his wife Mickey (Jennifer Aniston) so he can be with his mistress, Melanie (Isla Fisher), in a film based on Elmore Leonard‘s novel “The Switch“.
In a film which also stars Mark Boone Junior, Mos Def (now under his new name of Yasiin Bey) – as Ordell Robbie, the same character Quentin Tarantino borrowed for Pulp Fiction, Will Forte (Nesbraska) and John Hawkes (From Dusk Till Dawn), Life of Crime doesn’t look massively brilliant overall based on the trailer, but may be worth a look, so it verges on…
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Hit!
Before I Go To Sleep
Nicole Kidman plays Christine Lucas, a woman who wakes up every day, remembering nothing as a result of a traumatic accident in her past. One day, new terrifying truths emerge that force her to question everyone around her.
Also starring Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Anne-Marie Duff as, respectively, her husband, her doctor/therapist and her best friend, the trailer makes this look very ho-hum, as if everyone’s just phoning in their performances.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Miss!
The Hundred-Foot Journey features Helen Mirren and others putting on terrible French accents in a story centered on an Indian family, who moves to France and opens a restaurant across the street from a Michelin-starred French restaurant.
Directed by Lasse Hallström and also starring Charlotte Lebon, Manish Dayal, Rohan Chand, Juhi Chawla and Om Puri who is opening that new restaurant, The Hundred-Foot Journey, co-produced by Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey, looks like one of thos tedious dramas that your parents will like, but it doesn’t work for me.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Miss!
They Came Together is a comedy in the loosest sense of the word because it just doesn’t look in any way funny.
When Joel (Paul Rudd) and Molly (Amy Poehler) meet, it’s hate at first sight: his big Corporate Candy Company threatens to shut down her quirky indie shop. Plus, Joel is hung up on his sexy ex.
But amazingly, they fall in love, until they break up about two thirds of the way through, and Molly starts dating her accountant. But then right at the end…well you’ll just have to see. (Hint: Joel makes a big speech and they get back together.)
They Came Together also stars Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Michael Shannon, Christopher Meloni, Adam Scott, Ellie Kemper and Melanie Lynskey.
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.