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This weekend there are five new films out for you to choose from: “Young Adult” dystopian drama in The Maze Runner, war drama in ’71, comedy in The Rewrite, horror in Annabelle, and snowy drama in The Calling.
The Maze Runner (censored)
The Maze Runner sees Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) wakings up, trapped in a massive maze with a group of other boys. He has no memory of the outside world other than strange dreams about a mysterious organization known as W.C.K.D.
Only by piecing together fragments of his past with clues he discovers in the maze can Thomas hope to uncover his true purpose and a way to escape. Based on the best-selling novel by James Dashner.
The cast includes Kaya Scodelario, Will Poulter, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Patricia Clarkson, Ki Hong Lee and while I haven’t read the book, the trailer really made me want to see this.
Unfortunately… it’s been censored. 20th Century Fox wanted it cut from a 15-cert to a 12A to get more bums on seats, as happened with the first Hunger Games film. Taken from the BBFC site:
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Miss!
And that’s due to the censorship.
’71
’71 stars Jack O’Connell as Gary Hook, a young and disoriented British soldier who is accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot on the deadly streets of Belfast in 1971.
Also starring Sam Reid, Paul Anderson, Sean Harris and Sam Hazeldine, this looks like an engaging drama about an important time, so it’s a….
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Hit!
The Rewrite stars Hugh Grant in a romantic comedy, amazingly enough, as Keith Michaels, an Oscar-winning writer in a slump who leaves Hollywood to teach screenwriting at a college on the East Coast, where he falls for a single mom taking classes there, namely Marisa Tomei.
Directed by Campbell Scott and also starring Allison Janney, J.K. Simmons and Bella Heathcote, this looks like it could be worth a watch for Tomei, at least, even if it’s not the most original concept… or you could just slip this and rewatch The Wrestler.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Miss!
Annabelle is a new horror film which is set before The Conjuring (which I haven’t seen as it looked a bit rubbish).
However, this one does look a lot better when John believes he has found the perfect gift for his expectant wife, Mia – a beautiful, rare vintage doll in a pure white wedding dress. Alas, Mia’s delight with Annabelle doesn’t last long.
On one horrific night, their home is invaded by members of a satanic cult, who violently attack the couple. Spilled blood and terror are not all they leave behind. The cultists have conjured an entity so malevolent that nothing they did will compare to the sinister conduit to the damned that is now… Annabelle.
Annabelle stars Annabelle Wallis, Alfre Woodard, Eric Ladin, Tony Amendola and Michelle Romano.
Hit or Miss? Verdict: Hit!
The Calling stars Susan Sarandon as Detective Hazel Micallef, who hasn’t had much to worry about in the sleepy town of Fort Dundas until a string of gruesome murders in the surrounding countryside brings her face to face with a serial killer driven by a higher calling.
With a cast including Gil Bellows, Ellen Burstyn, Topher Grace and Donald Sutherland, despite the good cast, this looked a pretty turgid drama.
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.