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This week, there are FIVE new films out for you to choose from, led by The Captor (Stockholm). Here are the titles, with more info below:
- The Captor (Stockholm)
The Flood
Child’s Play 2019
Toy Story 4
Brightburn
The Captor was originally called Stockholm, in a film based on a bizarre, but true, bank heist in 1973 which turned into a hostage crisis and spawned the term “Stockholm Syndrome”, as the captor bonds with the person initiating the heist.
But rather than go into detail about it here, read our review!
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Read the review!
The Flood gives us Lena Headey (Fighting With My Family), as Wendy, a hardened immigration officer who’s offered a high-profile asylum case, judged on her ability to quickly and clinically reject applicants. Through her interrogation, she must uncover whether Haile (Ivanno Jeremiah) is lying and has a more sinister reason for seeking asylum.
We follow Haile on his perilous 5000 KM journey over oceans, across borders, and amidst the flurry of the Calais Jungle to find solace and safety in the UK. But now he must cross the final hurdle. Based on multiple true stories, The Flood is a thoughtful and timely reflection on the humanity within the refugee crisis.
This looks like a pretty interesting movie, so I’ll definitely check this out.
Directed by Anthony Woodley, with a screenplay from Helen Kingston, the film also stars Iain Glen (Resident Evil: The Final Chapter), Arsher Ali (Line of Duty Series 3), Rebecca Johnson (The Trip) and Mandip Gill (Doctor Who).
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Hit!
Child’s Play 2019 – yes, they’re just calling it Child’s Play, but I’m differentiating it from the original 1988 movie… which rather passed a lot of people by, and the series only came to prominence in the UK in 1993 when junk paper tabloid The Sun made references between Child’s Play 3 and the tragic murder of toddler Jamie Bulger, causing a lot of people to realise that this film existed and that they should go and rent it from their local video shop.
The basic premise centres around a mother – Karen Barclay (Aubrey Plaza, above) – who gives her son, Andy (Gabriel Bateman), a toy doll for his birthday, which he names Chucky, and she’s completely unaware of its more sinister nature… especially as it goes round bumping lots of people off.
Director: Lars Klevberg
Writers: Don Mancini, Tyler Burton Smith
Also stars: Brian Tyree Henry, David Lewis, Ty Consiglio, Beatrice Kitsos, Hannah Drew, Kristin York
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Miss!
Toy Story 4 is here whether you want it or not. Personally, these films are not my bag. I’ve seen bits of them here and there, but anyone who reads my posts will see that animation rarely does it for me, and it has to stand out to make me sit up, like Kubo and the Two Strings and Your Name.
Woody and Buzz will embark on a quest to find Woody’s romantic interest, Bo Peep. How thrilling…
Director: Josh Cooley
Stars: Tom Hanks, Annie Potts, Patricia Arquette, Joan Cusack, Kristen Schaal, Tim Allen, Laurie Metcalf, Bonnie Hunt, Jodi Benson, Lori Alan, Jeff Garlin, Blake Clark, Bud Luckey, Estelle Harris, Jeff Pidgeon
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Miss!
Brightburn poses the question: What if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he proved to be something far more sinister?
This has been described as a horror take on the origin of Superman, which is what came to mind as I watched the trailer. I can’t say it dragged me in, though, and just ended on a jump-scare.
To make matters worse, the BBFC and the studio have censored this down to a 15-certificate.
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.