CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER
Dir: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo (2014). USA. Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Sebastian Stan. MTRCB PG.
Hot tip: Rise, Marvel nerds! This week you’ll find that you have once again conquered all the cinemas in the metro for the opening of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Just like every other Marvel movie, we suggest you stay for the end credits because just like the first movie (Captain America: The First Avenger), the first Avenger movie (The Avengers) and Iron Man 3, this flick will be followed by a lot of other Marvel projects and will have a teaser in the end. Some of the future projects that the end credits (and the rest of the movie) could be hinting at are: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Captain America 3 (2016), Thor 3 (no giveaway dates so far) and another untitled Marvel movie to be revealed in 2017.
Based on: The great Marvel Cinematic Universe and, of course, the Captain America comics featuring the Winter Soldier storyline written by Ed Brubaker.
Synopsis: Chris Evans reprises his role as the former WWII soldier Steve Rogers who was frozen in time as Captain America. After saving New York with the Avengers two years ago, Steve finds himself struggling to adapt in the modern world. He comes back to S.H.I.E.L.D along with fellow Avenger Black Widow to uncover a machination scheme and a new enemy called the Winter Soldier.
Watch out for: There are so many things to watch out for in this film. First, there’s the deleted scene from The Avengers of Steve Rogers finding out what happened to his 1940s friends which will surface in this film. Second, there’s the Stan Lee cameo all Marvel geeks look out for in all MCU films. You also have to look out for new characters and actors including Bucky Barnes (a.k.a Winter Soldier) played by The Black Swan and Gossip Girl actor Sebastian Stan, Batroc played by former UFC Welerweight Champion Georges St-Pierre, and Sharon Carter (a.k.a Agent 13) played by Emily VanCamp (though Anna Kendrick was also considered for the role). Oh and also, the end credits teaser.
DIVERGENT
Dir: Neil Burger (2014). USA. Theo James, Shailene Woodley, Zoe Kravitz, Ansel Elgort. MTRCB PG.
Hot tip: if you’re pissing your pants with excitement for opening of The Fault in Our Stars, go and watch Divergent this week to tide your hungry heart. This way you can prepare yourself with the awesome acting abilities of Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort who play brother and sister roles as opposed to their boyfriend-girlfriend roles in TFIOS.
Based on: Veronica Roth’s best selling young adult, science fiction book of the same name.
Synopsis: As she turned 16, Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) finds out that she is a Divergent, a person with more than one faction (a society of people with specific virtues). She soon realizes that trouble is brewing in between the five factions and gets stuck in a secret that can destroy society as they know it.
Why see it: If you’ve read the trilogy then this must be a no-brainer for you. However if you haven’t seen the Divergent series but are a huge fan of dystopian-themed books like The Hunger Games or The Maze Runner (also soon to be released as a film), you have got to see this!
THE MUPPETS: MOST WANTED
Dir: James Bolin (2014). USA. Tina Fey, Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell. MTRCB PG.
Hot tip: Don’t forget to take your kids with you to the cinemas so they won’t have to ask you years and years from now who the heck Kermit the Frog is or why the other kids call them “Miss Piggy”. Also, watch out for awesome cameos including Tom Hiddleston (yes, with the moustache), Salma Hayek, Lady Gaga, Josh Groban, Stanley Tucci, Chloe Grace Moretz, Usher and Celine Dion. Seriously, you’ll probably laugh louder than your kid.
Based on: A group of rowdy, comedic puppets that Jim Henson gave life to in 1955. This is also the huge Disney franchise people seemed to forget still existed.
Synopsis: Disney sends the Muppets on a global tour and finds themselves stuck in the middle of a crime when Kermit gets mistaken for Constantine, the world’s most dangerous frog.
Why see it: If Tom Hiddleston’s viral Superbowl ad isn’t enough to make you want to see this film, consider Tina Fey talking with a very breathy, deep, sexy accent that we can’t figure out yet. We did hear, however, that she and Muppeteer Matt Vogel went through intense dialect coaching for it!
DEVIL’S DUE
Dir: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett (2014). USA. Zach Hilford, Allison Miller, Colin Walker, Sam Anderson. MTRCB R-13.
Hot tip: Do you like shaky camera shots and creepy CCTV camera footages? You’ll probably find Devil’s Due stimulating. The directors of the film said they were pinning it as a “creepy love story” but who are we kidding here? It’s almost the same as Paranormal Activity.
Based (very loosely) on: Another not-so-found-footage-film-but-still-very-much-like-it called Chronicle. It’s not the story though, just the film elements.
Synopsis: Weeks after coming home from their honeymoon in Dominican Republic, newlyweds Zach and Samantha (Zach Gilford and Allison Miller), gets an early pregnancy surprise. A few days into the pregnancy, Zach notices something strange about his wife and the baby which leads to an Antichrist cult they bumped into in Dominican Republic.
Why see it: You’ve got to see the plot twist and the weird Antichrist cult symbols scattered all over the film. We think the best part is the ending and the credits. It would leave you sleepless and cautious of all cab drivers!
300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE
Dir: Noam Murro (2014). USA. Sulluvan Stapleton, Eva Green, Lena Headey, Ben Turner. MTRCB R-16.
Hot tip: If you’re a huge Gerard Butler fan who loved the first movie, hide your disappointment because King Leonidas will have very little to do with the new installment though it was initially written with him on a reprised role. Well, it just “wasn’t really his thing.”
Based on: The awesome pages of Greek history and Greece’s second invasion in the land of Persia.
Synopsis: After the fall of Leonidas in 300, Athen admiral Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton) forms an ally with Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) of Sparta to finally avenge and fight for the empire.
Why see it: The MTRCB ratings says it all. It’s not just an epic film loaded with state of the art graphics, it’s also a bloody movie for the brave popcorn warriors!
