A big two weeks for new releases in Australia – so many films to see, so little time. Here are some previews to aid your choice in the cinema queue.
The Blockbuster
Clash of the Titans
Released on the 1st April, posters for this film seem to be on every billboard in Sydney, and with the line “Release the Kracken” boomed out by Liam Neeson in the trailer, this has been a hard movie to miss. A remake of the 1981 film of the same name, Clash of the Titans follows the exploits of Perseus (Sam Worthington) the mortal son of Zeus (Neeson) who must fight Hades (Ralph Fiennes) the god of the Underworld before he can literally release hell on earth. Being shown in 3D, this film promises to be at least visually exciting. Topping up the cast in this fantasy adventure are Nicholas Hoult (A Single Man), Mads Mikkelson (Casino Royale), Danny Huston (30 Days of Night) and Pete Postlethwaite (Usual Suspects).
Foreign Language
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Called Män som hatar kvinnor (Men who Hate Women) in Sweden, this is the first film adaptation from Stieg Larsson’s best selling Millennium Series. Released on the 25th March, the film focuses on journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) and private investigator Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) as they tackle a 40-year-old murder case in an isolated part of Sweden. Lisbeth Salander is one of the most original characters in recent literature and readers will be eager to see if the film does her justice. With the three films in the series already completed in Swedish, an American adaptation is also in the works – so it looks like we’ll be seeing a lot more of Blomkvist and Salander in the future.
The European Pick
The Last Station
This historical drama which looks at Leo Tolstoy’s later life is released on 1st April. With two Oscar nominations for Best Actor, Christopher Plummer, and Best Actress, Helen Mirren, the film boasts an exceptionally good cast. Examining the Cult of Tolstoy that sprung up in the early 20th Century and the resulting disintegration of Tolstoy’s (Plummer) marriage to the Countess Sofya (Mirren) the story is revealed through the eyes of Valentin (James McAvoy, Atonement), Tolstoy’s secretary. Paul Giamatti (Sideways) plays Vladimir Chertkov who along with Sasha Tolstoy (Marie Anne Duff, Nowhere Boy) supports Tolstoy’s rejection of wealth against his wife’s wishes.
For Children (Big and Small)
How to Train Your Dragon
Released on the 25th March, this DreamWorks project is the latest 3D film for kids. Based on the first book in a series by Cressida Cowell, this animated film follows the awkward teenager Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, who lives in a mythical world of Vikings and Dragons. Trying to prove himself as a dragon-slayer, Hiccup ends up inadvertently befriending a young dragon called Toothless. Leading their comedic voices to the film are Jonah Hill (Superbad) Kristen Wiig (Whip It), David Tenant (Doctor Who), Ashley Jensen (Extras), America Ferrera (Ugly Betty) and Christopher Mintz-Plaase (Superbad).
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was released here in Paris about a year ago, was a very gritty film and some scenes are so graphic they’ve stayed with me all this time, so I imagine the American remake won’t be nearly as dark.
Girl with Dragon Tattoo — I’m not sure I’ll be able to watch this movie! Was extremely impressed with the books but there are some incredibly graphic parts that I don’t think I could actually watch on a big screen, with stereo sound and all – they were hard enough to read. I wonder how they will deal with those bits – and whether the American version will be watered down and how that could affect the authenticity of the story.